Sensor data aggregation system

• US 10,700,944 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2013
• Issued: 06/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wormhole Labs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Wormhole Labs, Inc.
• Inventors: Hutten, Curt
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Viet D
• Application Number:
  US13/912,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20130332603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,580 Days
• Field of Search: 709204, 709206, 709207, 709217, 709219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/50 Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information

Abstract

A sensor data aggregation system is presented. The aggregation system can include a sensor interface configured to obtain sensor data from multiple sensing devices (e.g., cell phone, security cameras, vehicles, etc.) associated with an event. An aggregation server compiles the sensor data into one or more event feeds representing a dynamic, immersive sensory experience of the event. The event feed can then be presented to one or more viewers where viewers can provide feedback to individuals operating the sensing devices. For example, a viewer can request a specific image or video be taken, possibly in exchange for a payment.

Claims

1. A system for aggregating sensor data at an event, the system comprising:

a sensor interface configured to acquire sensor data from a plurality of sensing devices at an event, wherein the sensor data is captured by a plurality of persons operating the plurality of sensing devices,

wherein the plurality of sensing devices are selected from the group consisting of;

sensor-enabled smartphones, sensor-enabled watches, sensor-enabled eyeglasses, network-connected security cameras, and sensor-enabled clothing; and

an aggregation server coupled with the sensor interface and configured to;

aggregate the sensor data from the plurality of sensing devices;

establish an event policy governing dissemination of the sensor data, wherein the event policy derived from information provided by at least one of (a) an event owner and (b) the plurality of persons;

group the aggregated sensor data into a plurality of focal points, wherein aggregated sensor data for each of the plurality of focal points share a common sensed location, wherein each focal point of the plurality of focal points comprises a discrete common sensed location, and wherein the aggregated sensors for each of the plurality of focal points are directed towards a common item of interest;

construct a main event feed based on the event policy, wherein the event feed comprises views of discrete focal points, and wherein the main event feed further comprises a three-dimensional representation of the event,

receive one or more crowd-sourced instruction to remotely control at least one of the plurality of sensing devices towards one or more selected focal points;

aggregate the one or more selected focal points; and

generate event temperature data from the analyzed one or more selected focal points.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the event includes at least one of the following:

a concert, a sporting event, a game, a vacation, a disaster, a news story, an expedition, a traffic event, a live event, a flash mob, a shopping event, a reality event, and an accident.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensing devices comprise at least one of the following sensor platforms:

a vehicle, a cell phone, a pair of eyeglasses, a tablet, a security camera, and a game console.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the event policy represents rules from the event owner.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the event policy represents rules from the end user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the event policy represents rules automatically generated according to a plurality of end users.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the aggregation server is further configured to allow the end user to construct a desirable event feed from at least two discrete focal points of the main event feed.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the aggregation server is programmed to automatically identify a focal point as a function of a location, position, and orientation of at least some of the plurality of sensing devices.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the aggregation server is further configured to alter a prevalence of a view of a corresponding focal point as a function of received ratings of the corresponding focal point.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor data comprise multi-modal data.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensor data comprises at least one of the following types of data:

time data, location data, orientation data, position data, acceleration data, movement data, temperature data, metadata, user data, health data, olfactory data, sound data, kinesthetic data, image data, video data, metric data, and biometric data.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the main event feed comprises multiple viewing levels.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the multiple viewing levels support zoom.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the multiple viewing levels comprise image data stitched together from at least some of the aggregated data.

15. The system of claim 1, the aggregation server is further configured to relay sensor data request from the end user to at least one of the plurality of sensing devices.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the sensor feed comprises curated data.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the curated data is curated by end users.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the curated data is for-fee curated data.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the main event feed comprises a bi-directional feed.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional representation of the event can further comprise a fourth dimension.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the main event feed comprises transaction data.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein transaction data relate at least one of the following:

an account, a good, a service, an advertisement, and a purchasable product.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensing devices form a virtual sensor array.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the aggregation server is further configured to manage the virtual sensor array.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the main event feed comprises a documentary.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the documentary comprises sensor data from a group of users associated with the sensing devices.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the group comprises at least one of the following:

a social group, a spontaneous group, a clique, a family, an organization, a mob, a crowd, a sports team, an entourage, and a company.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the main event feed comprises a substantially real-time feed.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the event policy comprises rules governing distribution of the main event feed.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the rules provide for at least one of the following feed management functionalities:

prioritizing content, filtering content, injecting content, deleting content, routing cogent, sharing content, authorizing content, managing content, curating content, scheduling content, programming content, and analyzing content.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein the main event feed comprises an indication of at least one focal point.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the at least one feed point comprise a monetary value.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the monetary value comprises at least one of the following:

a flat fee, a subscription, a bid, a per-use charge, a location charge, a position charge, a tax, a data quantity charge, and a sales tax.

34. The system of claim 1, wherein the aggregated sensor data comprises a directed feed.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the directed feed is constructed on direction of a plurality of end users.

36. The system of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional representation of the event is used to overlay one or more graphical elements in an augmented reality system.