Video Sharing

• US 20100214419A1
• Filed: 02/23/2009
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Refaat Ali, Mahmoud Ahmed, Abdallah, Mohamed Shawky, Kaheel, Ayman Malek, El-Saban, Motaz Ahmed
• Granted Patent: US 8,767,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23412 for generating or manipulating the scene composition of objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23418 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics television picture signal circuitry for scene change detection H04N5/147; filtering for image enhancement G06T5/00; methods or arrangements for recognising scenes G06V20/00; arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234318 by decomposing into objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Video sharing is described. In an embodiment, mobile video capture devices such as mobile telephones capture video streams of the same event. A video sharing system obtains contextual information about the video streams and uses that to form a video output from the streams, that output being for sharing by other entities. For example, the formed video provides an enhanced viewing experience as compared with an individual one of the input video streams. In embodiments the contextual information may be obtained from content analysis of the video streams, from stored context information and from control information such as device characteristics. In some embodiments the video streams of a live event are received and the output video formed in real time. In examples feedback is provided to video capture devices to suggest that the zoom, viewing position or other characteristics are adjusted or to achieve this automatically.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of video sharing at a node in a communications network comprising a plurality of video capture devices, the method comprising:

—

receiving a plurality of video streams of the same event each video stream originating from a different one of the video capture devices;

obtaining contextual information about the video streams;

providing a video stream output for sharing by other entities in the communications network the video stream output being formed from the received video streams on the basis of the contextual information.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining the contextual information comprises analyzing the video content of the video streams.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the video stream output is formed so as to provide an improved view of the event as compared with the view of the event from only one of the video streams.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the video streams are of a live event and wherein the method is carried out in real time.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises sending control commands to the video capture devices on the basis of the contextual information.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises sending user feedback to the video capture devices on the basis of the contextual information.

7. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the process of analyzing the video content comprises determining parameters related to the viewing angle of each of the video capture devices.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the process of analyzing the video content also comprises assessing the quality of the video content.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7 which further comprises, if parameters related to the viewing angle of two of the video capture devices are similar then sending a message to one of those devices to stop the associated video stream.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of providing the video stream output comprises stitching at least part of two or more of the video streams together.

11. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the user feedback comprises recommended changes to a zoom feature of the video capture device.

12. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the user feedback comprises recommended changes to the position of the video capture device.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises receiving a plurality of audio streams, at least one audio stream associated with each video stream, and wherein the method comprises providing an audio stream output formed from the received audio streams.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises receiving a channel identity for each video stream and wherein each video stream of the same event has the same channel identity.

15. A computer-implemented method of video sharing at a node in a communications network comprising a plurality of mobile video capture devices, the method comprising:

—

receiving a plurality of video streams each video stream originating from a different one of the video capture devices;

identifying at least two of the video streams as capturing the same event by using channel information received for each of the video streams;

analyzing video content of the identified video streams;

providing a video stream output for sharing by other entities in the communications network the video stream output being formed from the identified video streams and taking into account the video content analysis; and

wherein the video stream output is formed so as to provide an improved view of the event as compared with the view of the event from only one of the identified video streams.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the identified video streams are of a live event and wherein the video stream output is provided in real time.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15 which further comprises sending user feedback to the mobile devices on the basis of the content analysis.

18. A method at a mobile video capture device in a communications network comprising a plurality of such mobile video capture devices the method comprising:

capturing a video stream of an event;

identifying one or more other mobile video capture devices which are also capturing a video stream of the same event;

negotiating with the one or more other video capture devices to determine when to send the captured video stream to a communications node for sharing with other entities.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the step of identifying the other mobile video capture devices comprises exchanging channel identity information with mobile video capture devices in the communications network.

20. A method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the step of negotiating with the one or more other video capture devices comprises exchanging information about resources available at the mobile video capture devices.