METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING A CAMERA NETWORK

• US 20160014324A1
• Filed: 09/25/2015
• Published: 01/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fan, James, Barrett, Thomas, Lam, Jennifer K.
• Granted Patent: US 10,554,872 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0214 Referral reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• 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 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• 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 21/4415 using biometric characteristics of the user, e.g. by voice recognition or fingerprint scanning cryptography using biological data H04L9/3231; authentication in networks using biometric H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, receiving location information associated with a mobile communication device, determining a first location of the mobile communication device based on the location information, selecting a first camera from a group of cameras based on the determined first location, receiving at least one first image from the selected first camera that captures at least a portion of the first location, performing image recognition on at least one second image to identify a user associated with the mobile communication device, selecting another camera from the group of cameras based on a determined position of the identified user, and receiving at least another image from the selected other camera. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A server comprising:

a memory that stores executable instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the executable instructions, performs operations comprising;

receiving location information from a mobile communication device;

determining a location of the mobile communication device based on the location information;

selecting a camera from a group of cameras at the location of the mobile communication device, wherein the group of cameras is associated with a user of the mobile communication device in accordance with a user subscription to a networked service;

receiving an image from the camera, wherein the image captures a portion of the location;

performing image recognition on the image to identify a product image present in the image;

modifying the product image in the image to generate a selectable product image;

transmitting the image to a media device for presentation at the media device;

receiving, from the media device, a selection of the selectable product image from the image being presented of the media device; and

transmitting a website link to the media device responsive to receiving the selection.

2. The server of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a request from the mobile communication device to share the image with a second mobile communication device; and

streaming the image to the second mobile communication device responsive to the request.

3. The server of claim 1, wherein the group of cameras is associated with a user of the mobile communication device in accordance with a subscription to a network service.

4. The server of claim 1, wherein the location information comprises radio frequency identification signals that are received from a radio frequency transmitter device that is separate from the mobile communication device and that is associated with an identified user of the mobile communication device.

5. The server of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise enabling control by the mobile communication device over the camera, wherein the control includes a viewing angle or a zoom function.

6. The server of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving audio content associated with the image;

generating personal content that includes the audio content, the image, or a combination thereof; and

enabling access to the personal content.

7. The server of claim 6, wherein the audio content is received from a second mobile communication device present at the location with the mobile communication device.

8. The server of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a second image from a second camera of the group of cameras; and

performing second image recognition on the second image to determine an identified user of the mobile communication device.

9. The server of claim 1, wherein the user of the mobile communication device is different from a subscriber in possession of the mobile communication device, and wherein the operations further comprise enabling the subscriber to access the image.

10. The server of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

performing second image recognition on the image to identify marketing material present at the location;

obtaining permission from a subscriber associated with the mobile communication device to alter the marketing material; and

adjusting the marketing material according to the permission that is obtained.

11. The server of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving marketing information provided by an entity associated with the marketing material;

obtaining the permission from the subscriber based on a stored profile associated with the subscriber; and

adjusting the marketing material based on the marketing information.

12. The server of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving marketing information from an entity;

obtaining authorization to alter the image from a subscriber that is associated with the mobile communication device; and

adjusting the image to add an object that is depicted as being present at the location, wherein the object is generated based on the marketing information, and wherein the object includes marketing content associated with the entity.

13. The server of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

generating personal content that includes the image;

monitoring access to the personal content;

determining demographic information representative of the personal content; and

selecting the marketing content based on the access that is monitored and the demographic information.

14. The server of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving audio content associated with the image, wherein the personal content includes the audio content, and wherein the selecting of the marketing content is based in part on a subject matter of the audio content determined from voice recognition analysis.

15. The server of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

generating personal content that includes the image, wherein the personal content is associated with a first subscriber of the mobile communication device;

providing an offer to share a portion of the personal content with a second subscriber in exchange for an incentive for the first subscriber;

receiving an acceptance of the offer; and

enabling the second subscriber to gain access to the portion of the personal content responsive to the acceptance.

16. The server of claim 1, wherein the server is operated by a service provider, wherein the camera is operated by a second entity different from the service provider, and wherein the image is received from the camera in exchange for an incentive provided to the second entity.

17. A mobile communication device comprising:

a memory to store executable instructions; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the executable instructions, performs operations comprising;

transmitting location information to a server device, wherein a camera of a group of cameras at the location is selected by the server device for capturing an image of a portion of the location, wherein a product image is recognized by the server device, and wherein the product image is modified by the server device to generate a selectable product image in the image for presentation at a media device; and

transmitting a request to the server device to share an image with a second mobile communication device, wherein the server device streams the image to the second mobile communication device responsive to the request.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 17, wherein the media device receives a selection of the selectable product image in the image that is presented at the media device, and wherein the server device transmits a website link to the media device responsive to the selection of the selectable product image.

19. A method, comprising:

selecting, by a system comprising a processor, a camera from a group of cameras at a location of a mobile communication device, wherein the group of cameras is associated with a user in accordance with a user subscription to a networked service;

receiving, by the system, an image from the camera, wherein the image captures a portion of the location;

performing, by the system, image recognition on the image to identify a product image present in the image;

modifying, by the system, the product image in the image to generate a selectable product image;

transmitting, by the system, the image to a media device for presentation at the media device;

receiving, by the system, a selection from the media device of the selectable product image from the image being presented of the media device; and

transmitting, by the system, a website link to media device responsive to receiving the selection.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving, by the system, audio content associated with the image;

generating, by the system, personal content that includes the audio content, the image, or a combination thereof; and

enabling, by the system, access to the personal content.