Call-in Participation for a Live Video Broadcast

• US 20140160223A1
• Filed: 12/12/2012
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Make.Tv, Inc (LTN Global Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Andreas Jacobi
• Inventors: Jacobi, Andreas, Bieselt, Jan-Christoph
• Granted Patent: US 9,084,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23412 for generating or manipulating the scene composition of objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for call-in participation for a live video broadcast. A method includes, in a server residing in a network of interconnected computers, alerting a media player of a call-in feature during a live streaming broadcast, receiving an indication from a viewer of the media player to participate in the live streaming broadcast, receiving audio/video device specifications from the media player, and dispatching an active participant stream to be used in conjunction with the live streaming broadcast.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

in a server residing in a network of interconnected computers, alerting a media player of a call-in feature during a live streaming broadcast;

receiving an indication from a viewer of the media player to participate in the live streaming broadcast;

receiving audio/video device specifications from the media player; and

dispatching an active participant stream to be used in conjunction with the live streaming broadcast.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the viewer is a consumer of the live streaming broadcast.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the live streaming broadcast comprises a transmission of a plurality of video signals in real time over the network to one or more media players.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the media player a media player is a software program designed to play multimedia content as it streams in from the network.

5. A method comprising:

in a server residing in a network of interconnected computers, alerting a plurality of viewers of a call-in feature during a live streaming broadcast;

receiving an indication from one or more of the viewers in response to the alerting;

receiving system variables from media players of the one or more viewers;

receiving viewers'"'"' audio/video streams;

establishing a bi-directional communication between the one of more viewers and a producer;

screening the one or more viewers; and

audio mixing selected viewers'"'"' audio/video streams and the live streaming broadcast so that the one or more viewers do not hear their own audio signal during the live streaming broadcast.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the live streaming broadcast comprises a transmission of a plurality of video signals in real time over the network to the media players of the one or more viewers.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the one or more viewers are consumers of the live streaming broadcast.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the producer uses tools to author the live streaming broadcast.

9. A method comprising:

in a server residing in a network of interconnected computers, receiving a call-in initiation request from a media player to participate in a live streaming broadcast;

receiving video source and audio source information from system settings of a system hosting the media player;

placing the request from the media player in a call-in queue; and

mixing audio/video streams from the media player with the live streaming broadcast.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the live streaming broadcast comprises a transmission of a plurality of video signals in real time over the network to the media player.

11. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory comprising an operating system and a process for generating a graphical user interface (GUI), the GUI comprising;

an information pane displaying a current live streaming broadcast and social sharing functionalities;

a plurality of playback controls including a control to pause the live stream, a control to rewind, a control to jump to live time, a control to switch angle, a control to adjust volume and a control to toggle fullscreen;

a call-in call to action button;

a pane to preview a viewer'"'"'s video source;

a pan displaying selectable sources for audio/video functionality;

a pane to preview a viewer'"'"'s audio input; and

a request button through which a viewer can send a request to an operator handling call-ins to be on-air.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the viewer is a consumer of the live streaming broadcast.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the live streaming broadcast comprises a transmission of a plurality of video signals in real time over a network.