System and Method for Remote Data Acquisition and Distribution

• US 20110310247A1
• Filed: 08/31/2011
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Reality Mobile LLC
• Original Assignee: Reality Mobile LLC
• Inventors: Rensin, David Kallett, Hirata, Tasuki, Kramer, David Joshua, Geoghegan, Brian Joseph, Winters, Kevin John
• Application Number:
  US13/223,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20110310247A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/103 applying security measure for protecting copy right protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment, e.g. protection the software providers copyright G06F21/10; data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; secrecy systems or subscription systems H04N7/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/148 Migration or transfer of sessions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• 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 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6181 involving transmission via a mobile phone network arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17327 with deferred transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

Methods and systems for remote data collection and distribution include components and operations for receiving, at a server, data transmitted by a first client device via a communication network. The method may also include selecting, by one or more client devices associated with the communication network, a second device to receive the data. The method may further include establishing a connection between the server and the selected second device via the communication network. The method may also include automatically transmitting the received data to the second device using the connection via the communication network. The method may further include causing, by the one or more client devices, the second device to execute a predefined operation.

Claims

1. One or more computer-readable nontransitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:

receive a selection of a streamable-data source, the streamable-data source being operable to transmit streamable data;

receive streamable data from the streamable-data source;

receive a selection of one or more remote client devices to receive all or a portion of the streamable data; and

based at least in part on the selection of the streamable-data source and the selection of the one or more remote client devices, distribute or cause to be distributed all or a portion of the streamable data to one or more of the remote client devices for use at one or more of the remote client devices.

2. The media of claim 1, wherein the streamable data comprises:

video;

audio;

position data specifying a position of the streamable-data source;

or

metadata.

3. The media of claim 1, wherein:

the streamable data comprises video frames;

the streamable-data source comprises a live video source; and

the streamable data is received in approximate real-time.

4. The media of claim 1, wherein the streamable-data source comprises a still-picture camera or a video camera at a remote location.

5. The media of claim 4, wherein the still-picture camera or the video camera is operable to pan, tilt, or zoom.

6. The media of claim 1, wherein the streamable-data source comprises a camera integrated with or communicatively coupled to a remote client device.

7. The media of claim 1, wherein one or more of the media are physically located within a nonremote client device.

8. The media of claim 7, wherein the nonremote client device comprises the streamable-data source.

9. The media of claim 7, wherein the software is further operable when executed to make available or cause to be made available at the nonremote client device all or a portion of the streamable data.

10. The media of claim 1, wherein the streamable-data source comprises a streamable-data store at a central server communicatively coupled to the one or more of the remote client devices.

11. The media of claim 1, wherein, to distribute or cause to be distributed all or a portion of the streamable data to one or more of the remote client devices, the software is operable when executed to communicate a command to one or more of the remote client devices, the command being operable to cause each of one or more of the remote client devices to open a window for making available all or a portion of the streamable data at the remote client device automatically and without input from a user at the remote client device.

12. The media of claim 11, wherein:

the software is further operable to upload or cause to be uploaded all or a portion of the streamable data to a central server for storage in a streamable-data store; and

to distribute or cause to be distributed all or a portion of the streamable data to one or more of the remote client devices, the software is operable when executed to communicate a command to one or more of the remote client devices, the command being operable to cause each of one or more of the remote client devices to;

establish a connection with the central server; and

retrieve all or a portion of the streamable data from the streamable-data store.

13. The media of claim 1, wherein:

the streamable-data source comprises a viewing window that overlies one or more portions of one or more display elements on a display of another remote client device or a nonremote client device, the one or more portions of the one or more display elements being viewable to a user at the other remote client device or nonremote client device through the viewing window; and

the streamable data comprises a video feed capturing the one or more portions of one or more of the display elements underneath the viewing window.

14. The media of claim 13, wherein the one or more portions of one or more of the display elements underneath the viewing window appear, through the viewing window, to the user at the other remote client device or nonremote client device as they would appear to one or more other users at one or more of the remote client devices upon being distributed to them.

15. The media of claim 14, wherein, upon being distributed, the one or more portions of one or more of the display elements underneath the viewing window appear to one or more other users at one or more of the remote client devices with one or more different ones of the portions of one or more different ones of the display elements having different resolutions from their native resolutions at the other remote client device or nonremote client device.

16. The media of claim 13, wherein:

the viewing window is movable by the user at the other remote client device or nonremote client device with respect to the display elements to overlie one or more other portions of one or more of the display elements; and

the video feed captures the one or more other portions of one or more of the display elements underneath the viewing window as it moves.

17. The media of claim 16, wherein one or more of the display elements each comprise an application window.

18. The media of claim 17, wherein one or more of the application windows each comprise a web-browser window or a media-player window.

19. The media of claim 13, wherein one or more of the display elements comprise one or more portions of a virtual desktop of the other remote client device or nonremote device.

20. The media of claim 13, wherein one or more of the display elements each comprise an icon appearing on a virtual desktop of the other remote client device or nonremote device.

21. A method comprising:

receiving, by a nonremote client device, a selection of streamable-data source, the streamable-data source being operable to transmit streamable data;

receiving, by the nonremote client device, streamable data from the streamable-data source;

receiving, by the nonremote client device, a selection of one or more remote client devices to receive all or a portion of the streamable data; and

based at least in part on the selection of the streamable-data source and the selection of the one or more remote client devices, distributing or causing to be distributed, by the nonremote client device, all or a portion of the streamable data to one or more of the remote client devices for use at one or more the remote client devices.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the nonremote client device comprises the streamable-data source.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the streamable data comprises:

video;

audio;

position data specifying a position of the streamable-data source;

or

metadata.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein:

the streamable data comprise video frames;

the streamable-data source comprises a live video source; and

the streamable data are received in approximate real-time.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the streamable-data source comprises a still-picture camera or a video camera at a remote location.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the still-picture camera or the video camera is operable to pan, tilt, or zoom.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the streamable-data source comprises a camera integrated with or communicatively coupled to a remote client device.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising making available or causing to be made available at the nonremote client device all or a portion of the streamable data.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the streamable-data source comprises a streamable-data store at a central server communicatively coupled to the one or more of the remote client devices.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein distributing or causing to be distributed all or a portion of the streamable data to one or more of the remote client devices comprises communicating a command to one or more of the remote client devices, the command being operable to cause each of one or more of the remote client devices to open a window for making available all or a portion of the streamable data at the remote client device automatically and without input from a user at the remote client device.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein:

the method further comprises uploading or causing to be uploaded all or a portion of the streamable data to a central server for storage in a streamable-data store; and

distributing or causing to be distributed all or a portion of the streamable data to one or more of the remote client devices comprises communicating a command to one or more of the remote client devices, the command being operable to cause each of one or more of the remote client devices to;

establish a connection with the central server; and

retrieve all or a portion of the streamable data from the streamable-data store.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein:

the streamable-data source comprises a viewing window that overlies one or more portions of one or more display elements on a display of another remote client device or a nonremote client device, the one or more portions of the one or more display elements being viewable to a user at the other remote client device or nonremote client device through the viewing window; and

the streamable data comprises a video feed capturing the one or more portions of one or more of the display elements underneath the viewing window.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the one or more portions of one or more of the display elements underneath the viewing window appear through the viewing window to the user at the other remote client device or nonremote client device as they would appear to one or more other users at one or more of the remote client devices upon being distributed to them.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein, upon being distributed, the one or more portions of one or more of the display elements underneath the viewing window appear to one or more other users at one or more of the remote client devices with one or more different ones of the portions of one or more different ones of the display elements having different resolutions from their native resolutions at the other remote client device or nonremote client device.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein:

the viewing window is movable by the user at the other remote client device or nonremote client device with respect to the display elements to overlie one or more other portions of one or more of the display elements; and

the video feed captures the one or more other portions of one or more of the display elements underneath the viewing window as it moves.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein one or more of the display elements each comprise an application window.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein one or more of the application windows each comprise a web-browser window or a media-player window.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein one or more of the display elements comprise one or more portions of a virtual desktop of the other remote client device or nonremote device.

39. The method of claim 32, wherein one or more of the display elements each comprise an icon appearing on a virtual desktop of the other remote client device or nonremote device.

40. One or more computer-readable nontransitory storage media embodying software that, when executed, is operable to:

receive streamable data from one or more streamable-data sources;

receive a first selection from a client application, the first selection specifying a particular one of the streamable-data sources;

receive a second selection from the client application, the second selection specifying one or more remote client devices; and

based at least in part on the first and second selections, distribute or cause to be distributed all or a portion of the streamable data from the particular one of the streamable-data sources to one or more of the remote client devices for use at one or more of the remote client devices.

41. The media of claim 40, wherein one or more of the media are physically located within a central server.

42. The media of claim 40, wherein the client application resides at a client device that comprises the particular one of the streamable-data sources.

43. The media of claim 40, wherein the streamable data comprises:

video;

audio;

position data specifying a position of the streamable-data source;

or

metadata.

44. The media of claim 40, wherein:

the streamable data comprise video frames;

the streamable-data source comprises a live video source; and

the streamable data are received in approximate real-time.

45. The media of claim 40, wherein the streamable-data source comprises a still-picture camera or a video camera at a remote location.

46. The media of claim 45, wherein the still-picture camera or the video camera is operable to pan, tilt, or zoom.

47. The media of claim 40, wherein the streamable-data source comprises a camera integrated with or communicatively coupled to a remote client device.

48. The media of claim 40, wherein the client application resides at a remote client device.

49. The media of claim 40, wherein, to distribute or cause to be distributed all or a portion of the streamable data to one or more of the remote client devices, the software is operable when executed to communicate a command to one or more of the remote client devices, the command being operable to cause each of one or more of the remote client devices to open a window for making available all or a portion of the streamable data at the remote client device automatically and without input from a user at the remote client device.

50. The media of claim 49, wherein:

the software is further operable to upload or cause to be uploaded all or a portion of the streamable data to a central server for storage in a streamable-data store; and

to distribute or cause to be distributed all or a portion of the streamable data to one or more of the remote client devices, the software is operable when executed to communicate a command to one or more of the remote client devices, the command being operable to cause each of one or more of the remote client devices to;

establish a connection with the central server; and

retrieve all or a portion of the streamable data from the streamable-data store.

51. The media of claim 40, wherein:

the streamable-data source comprises a viewing window that overlies one or more portions of one or more display elements on a display of another remote client device or a nonremote client device, the one or more portions of the one or more display elements being viewable to a user at the other remote client device or nonremote client device through the viewing window; and

the streamable data comprises a video feed capturing the one or more portions of one or more of the display elements underneath the viewing window.

52. The media of claim 51, wherein the one or more portions of one or more of the display elements underneath the viewing window appear through the viewing window to the user at the other remote client device or nonremote client device as they would appear to one or more other users at one or more of the remote client devices upon being distributed to them.

53. The media of claim 52, wherein, upon being distributed, the one or more portions of one or more of the display elements underneath the viewing window appear to one or more other users at one or more of the remote client devices with one or more different ones of the portions of one or more different ones of the display elements having different resolutions from their native resolutions at the other remote client device or nonremote client device.

54. The media of claim 51, wherein:

the viewing window is movable by the user at the other remote client device or nonremote client device with respect to the display elements to overlie one or more other portions of one or more of the display elements; and

the video feed captures the one or more other portions of one or more of the display elements underneath the viewing window as it moves.

55. The media of claim 54, wherein one or more of the display elements each comprise an application window.

56. The media of claim 55, wherein one or more of the application windows each comprise a web-browser window or a media-player window.

57. The media of claim 51, wherein one or more of the display elements comprise one or more portions of a virtual desktop of the other remote client device or nonremote device.

58. The media of claim 51, wherein one or more of the display elements each comprise an icon appearing on a virtual desktop of the other remote client device or nonremote device.

59. A method comprising:

receiving, by one or more central servers, streamable data from one or more streamable-data sources;

receiving, by one or more central servers, a first selection from a client application, the first selection specifying a particular one of the streamable-data sources;

receiving, by one or more central servers, a second selection from the client application, the second selection specifying one or more remote client devices; and

based at least in part on the first and second selections, distributing or causing to be distributing, by one or more central servers, all or a portion of the streamable data from the particular one of the streamable-data sources to one or more of the remote client devices for use at one or more of the remote client devices.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the client application resides at a client device that comprises the particular one of the streamable-data sources.

61. The method of claim 59, wherein the streamable data comprises:

video;

audio;

position data specifying a position of the streamable-data source;

or

metadata.

62. The method of claim 59, wherein:

the streamable data comprise video frames;

the streamable-data source comprises a live video source; and

the streamable data are received in approximate real-time.

63. The method of claim 59, wherein the streamable-data source comprises a still-picture camera or a video camera at a remote location.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the still-picture camera or the video camera is operable to pan, tilt, or zoom.

65. The method of claim 59, wherein the streamable-data source comprises a camera integrated with or communicatively coupled to a remote client device.

66. The method of claim 59, wherein the client application resides at a remote client device.

67. The method of claim 59, wherein, to distribute or cause to be distributed all or a portion of the streamable data to one or more of the remote client devices, the software is operable when executed to communicate a command to one or more of the remote client devices, the command being operable to cause each of one or more of the remote client devices to open a window for making available all or a portion of the streamable data at the remote client device automatically and without input from a user at the remote client device.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein:

the software is further operable to upload or cause to be uploaded all or a portion of the streamable data to a central server for storage in a streamable-data store; and

to distribute or cause to be distributed all or a portion of the streamable data to one or more of the remote client devices, the software is operable when executed to communicate a command to one or more of the remote client devices, the command being operable to cause each of one or more of the remote client devices to;

establish a connection with the central server; and

retrieve all or a portion of the streamable data from the streamable-data store.

69. The method of claim 59, wherein:

the streamable-data source comprises a viewing window that overlies one or more portions of one or more display elements on a display of another remote client device or a nonremote client device, the one or more portions of the one or more display elements being viewable to a user at the other remote client device or nonremote client device through the viewing window; and

the streamable data comprises a video feed capturing the one or more portions of one or more of the display elements underneath the viewing window.

70. The method of claim 69, wherein the one or more portions of one or more of the display elements underneath the viewing window appear through the viewing window to the user at the other remote client device or nonremote client device as they would appear to one or more other users at one or more of the remote client devices upon being distributed to them.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein, upon being distributed, the one or more portions of one or more of the display elements underneath the viewing window appear to one or more other users at one or more of the remote client devices with one or more different ones of the portions of one or more different ones of the display elements having different resolutions from their native resolutions at the other remote client device or nonremote client device.

72. The method of claim 69, wherein:

the viewing window is movable by the user at the other remote client device or nonremote client device with respect to the display elements to overlie one or more other portions of one or more of the display elements; and

the video feed captures the one or more other portions of one or more of the display elements underneath the viewing window as it moves.

73. The method of claim 72, wherein one or more of the display elements each comprise an application window.

74. The method of claim 73, wherein one or more of the application windows each comprise a web-browser window or a media-player window.

75. The method of claim 69, wherein one or more of the display elements comprise one or more portions of a virtual desktop of the other remote client device or nonremote device.

76. The method of claim 69, wherein one or more of the display elements each comprise an icon appearing on a virtual desktop of the other remote client device or nonremote device.