Immersive Environment User Experience

• US 20130198786A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Cook, Michael, Ismail, Labeeb, Kennedy, John D.
• Application Number:
  US13/804,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20130198786A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/81
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

Systems, methods, software, and data structures that provide an immersive user experience are disclosed. A video program may be associated with predefined actions to be performed by one or more dynamic devices near the video device. Dynamic devices may perform actions in synchronization with the media program. Dynamic devices may be wirelessly controlled, and different versions of a media program may be served to different receiving devices based on the set of dynamic devices known to be associated with each receiving device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a media transmission over a network connection, said media transmission comprising an audio component, a video component, and at least one dynamic media packet;

outputting the video component to a video display device;

outputting the audio component to one or more speakers; and

outputting instructions associated with the at least one dynamic media packet to an object associated with the dynamic media packet, wherein the instructions identify an action to be performed by the object at a predefined time associated with the media transmission.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic media packet comprises:

a program ID;

an object ID;

a timestamp; and

instructions defining an action to be performed by the object associated with the dynamic device ID during playback of a media program identified by the program ID, and to occur at a time within the media program identified by the timestamp.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising waiting for the predefined time within the media transmission before outputting the instructions associated with the dynamic media packet to the object associated with the dynamic media packet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting instructions comprises transmitting the instructions over an RF4CE protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the output instructions comprise an action to be performed by the object, and a time at which the object is to perform the action.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the object comprises a speaker, and the instructions comprise audio to be played over the speaker of the object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the object comprises a light, and the instructions comprise lighting instructions.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the object comprises an electromechanical actuator;

and the instructions result in actuation of the electromechanical actuator.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic media packet is inserted into the media transmission at a broadcast location of a live event.

10. A device comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the device to perform;

receiving a media transmission, said media transmission comprising an audio component, a video component, and at least one dynamic media packet;

outputting the video component;

outputting the audio component; and

outputting instructions associated with the at least one dynamic media packet via a wireless transmitter to an object associated with the at least one dynamic media packet, wherein the instructions identify an action to be performed by the object at a predefined time corresponding to the media transmission.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the dynamic media packet comprises:

a program ID;

an object ID;

a timestamp; and

instructions defining an action to be performed by the object associated with the object ID during playback of a media program identified by the program ID, and to occur at a time within the media program identified by the timestamp.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the instruction further configure the apparatus to perform:

waiting for the predefined time within the media transmission before outputting the instructions associated with the dynamic media packet to the object associated with the dynamic media packet.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein outputting instructions comprises transmitting the instructions over an RF4CE protocol.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the output instructions comprise an action to be performed by the object, and a time at which the object is to perform the action.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the object comprises a speaker, and the instructions comprise audio to be played over the speaker of the object.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the instructions define an actuation of an electromechanical actuator associated with the object.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the instruction further configure the apparatus to perform:

determining that a portion of the audio component corresponds to the object; and

outputting the portion of the audio component to the object instead of to an audio port.

18. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a first user device for a media program;

determining a first set of one or more dynamic objects known to be associated with the first user device;

determining a first version of the media program, from a plurality of versions of the media program, based on the first set of one or more dynamic objects; and

transmitting the first version of the media program to the first user device.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the instructions further configure the device to perform:

receiving a request from a second user device for the media program;

determining a second set of one or more dynamic objects known to be associated with the second user device, wherein said second set is different from said first set;

determining a second version of the media program, from a plurality of versions of the media program, based on the second set of one or more dynamic objects, wherein the second version is different than the first version; and

transmitting the second version of the media program to the second user device.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the first version is a default version containing a complete audio track, and wherein the second version is a modified version replacing a portion of the audio track with one or more dynamic media packets defining instructions to play the replaced portion of the audio track via the second set of one or more dynamic objects.