Audio/video entertainment system and method

• US 20070256107A1
• Filed: 02/05/2007
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mark Wood, Tazwell Anderson
• Original Assignee: Mark Wood, Tazwell Anderson
• Inventors: Wood, Mark, Anderson, Tazwell
• Granted Patent: US 7,859,597 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/81
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/89 using three or more audio channels, e.g. triphonic or quadraphonic
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/027 Spatial or constructional arrangements of microphones, e.g. in dummy heads

Abstract

The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method for programming and/or charging one or more audio/video devices such that the audio/video devices will be programmed and charged to receive transmitted audio and video signals associated with an event, allowing a user to use the audio/video device to observe the sights and sounds of the event. A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a cart with a docking port for each of a plurality of personal audio/video devices, a charger configured to charge the power source of each personal audio/video display device, and programming logic configured to program each of the personal audio/video devices.

Claims

1. A method for providing video content related to an event to a user while attending the event live, the method comprising:

providing a portable receiver and portable display to a user for use at the event during the event;

combining a plurality of video signals to form a combined video signal, at least two of said video signals being produced by different cameras located at the event, the video signals defining different views of the event; and

transmitting said combined video signal wirelessly, over a broadcast area encompassing at least a portion of the event, to said portable receiver located at the event within the broadcast area, wherein the combining includes formatting the combined video signal in a manner that allows a user to select, at said portable receiver, one of said video signals, and to display, via said portable display, an image defined by said video signal selected by the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising separating said combined video signal, at said portable receiver, into individual video signals based on unique transmit frequency ranges.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting includes broadcasting the combined video signal over the broadcast area at the event to permit a user to carry said portable receiver and portable display about the broadcast area and choose where the user would like to view said image at the event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the event is a car race and the video signal selected by the spectator is a desired in-car view.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising locating a plurality of cameras at the event to obtain the different views of the event produced as the video signals.

6. The method of claim 1, further, comprising:

combining a plurality of audio signals associated with the event to form a combined audio signal; and

transmitting said combined audio signal wirelessly over the broadcast area to the portable receiver, the portable receiver having a speaker, the combining including formatting the combined video signal in a manner that allows a user to play, over the speaker of the portable receiver, an audio signal selected from said plurality of audio signals.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the combined audio signal is transmitted separately from the combined video signal.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said combined video signal includes first and second video signals associated with the event and said combined audio signal includes first and second audio signals associated with the event, the first and second audio and video signals being transmitted over different frequencies.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the event is a car race and said combined audio signal includes dialogue between drivers and the driver'"'"'s pit crews.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the combined audio signal and combined video signal are wirelessly transmitted from a common transmitter.

11. A programmable portable wireless handheld device to be used at an event while attending the event live, the portable wireless handheld device comprising:

a programmable receiver configured to receive video signals transmitted wirelessly to said receiver, said video signals being produced at a plurality of cameras at said event;

a display configured to display said video signals; and

a user interface for selecting at least one of said video signals from at least one of said plurality of cameras for viewing by a user on said display, wherein said receiver is programmed to multiple channels that carry said video signals while at an event and where the event is occurring, thereby permitting the user to carry said receiver about the event and select one of the channels to view any of said video signals from a corresponding camera at the event without interruption while roaming about the event during the event.

12. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 11, wherein said event occurs at a stadium and said handheld device is configured to operate at said stadium.

13. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 11, wherein said receiver permits the user to roam away from the event while said display intermittently displays images defined by said video signal.

14. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 11, wherein the receiver is programmed to multiple channels that carry audio content transmitted wirelessly to said receiver, said audio content being associated with the event, the device further comprising a speaker to play selected audio content that is carried over a channel selected at the user interface.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising programming the receiver to receive a plurality of the channels that includes at least first and second channels conveying video signals associated with first and second views, respectively, of the first event.