Method and System for Creation and Control of Virtual Rendering Devices

• US 20100144283A1
• Filed: 12/04/2008
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Singh, Varun, Curcio, Igor Danilo, Ott, Jorg, Devadoss, Jegadish, Purho, Juha Tapani, Wang, Ye-Kui, Mate, Sujeet
• Granted Patent: US 8,644,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/66.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2356/00 Detection of the display position w.r.t. other display screens
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4305 Synchronising client clock from received content stream, e.g. locking decoder clock with encoder clock, extraction of the PCR packets arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock H04L7/0012; arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter wherein the receiver takes measures against momentary loss of synchronisation H04L7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/32 for defining a routing cluster membership

Abstract

Methods and systems for coordinating user terminals are disclosed. A user terminal may receive a user terminal identifier and a sensor identifier from a user terminal, determine a group topology based on the user terminal identifier and the sensor identifier to identify a spatial relationship relative to the user terminal, receive a media signal, and identify a subsection of the media signal. The user terminal also may generate subsection information to assign a subsection of the media signal to the user terminal corresponding to the spatial relationship, and may communicate the subsection information to the user terminal.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a user terminal identifier and a sensor identifier from a user terminal;

determining a group topology based on the user terminal identifier and the sensor identifier to identify a spatial relationship relative to the user terminal;

receiving a media signal;

identifying a subsection of the media signal;

generating subsection information to assign the subsection to the user terminal corresponding to the spatial relationship; and

communicating the subsection information to the user terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating the media signal to the user terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating the subsection of the media signal to the user terminal in accordance with the subsection information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user terminal receives the media signal from a content provider.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating audio assignment information to assign the user terminal to process audio data associated with the media signal and to generate audio; and

communicating the audio assignment information to the user terminal.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting movement of the user terminal; and

adjusting the subsection information to correspond to the movement.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the adjusting of the subsection information changes a zoom level of the subsection assigned to the user terminal.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the adjusting of the subsection information changes a portion of the media signal included in the subsection assigned to the user terminal.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of media signals that includes the media signal; and

selecting the media signal from the plurality of media signals.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating synchronization information to instruct the user terminal when to render the subsection.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising rendering a second subsection of the media signal in accordance with the synchronization information.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a plurality of sensors; and

a memory having stored therein computer-executable instructions, that when executed, cause the apparatus to;

receive a user terminal identifier and a sensor identifier from a user terminal;

determine a group topology based on the user terminal identifier and the sensor identifier to identify a spatial relationship relative to the user terminal;

receive a media signal;

identify a subsection of the media signal;

generate subsection information to assign the subsection to the user terminal corresponding to the spatial relationship; and

communicate the subsection information to the user terminal.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the plurality of sensors include a distance sensor configured to determine a distance to the user terminal.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to:

generate synchronization information to indicate when to render the subsection; and

communicate the synchronization information to the user terminal.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to render a second subsection of the media signal in accordance with the synchronization information.

16-18. -18. (canceled)

19. One or more computer readable media storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a user terminal identifier and a sensor identifier from a user terminal;

determining a group topology based on the user terminal identifier and the sensor identifier to identify a spatial relationship relative to the user terminal;

receiving a media signal;

identifying a subsection of the media signal;

generating subsection information to assign the subsection to the user terminal corresponding to the spatial relationship; and

communicating the subsection information to the user terminal.

20-28. -28. (canceled)

29. A method comprising:

communicating a user terminal identifier and a sensor identifier;

receiving subsection information assigning a subsection of a media signal corresponding to a spatial relationship with a user terminal;

receiving at least a portion of the media signal; and

rendering the subsection of the media signal.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

receiving updated subsection information; and

processing the updated subsection information to render a different subsection of the media signal.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the updated subsection information changes a zoom level of the subsection.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the media signal comprises audio and/or video.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the media signal is received from a content provider.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the media signal is received from the user terminal.

35. The method of claim 29, further comprising receiving synchronization information, wherein the rendering of the subsection of the media signal occurs in accordance with the synchronization information.

36. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a plurality of sensors; and

a memory having stored therein computer-executable instructions, that when executed, cause the apparatus to;

communicate a user terminal identifier and a sensor identifier;

receive subsection information assigning a subsection of a media signal corresponding to a spatial relationship with a user terminal;

receive at least a portion of the media signal; and

render the subsection of the media signal.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to:

receive updated subsection information; and

process the updated subsection information to render a different subsection of the media signal.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to receive synchronization information, wherein the rendering of the subsection of the media signal occurs in accordance with the synchronization information.

39. One or more computer readable media storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

communicating a user terminal identifier and a sensor identifier;

receiving subsection information assigning a subsection of a media signal corresponding to a spatial relationship with a user terminal;

receiving at least a portion of the media signal; and

rendering the subsection of the media signal.

40-42. -42. (canceled)