SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTONOMOUS BROADCASTING

• US 20160029102A1
• Filed: 10/06/2015
• Published: 01/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BoxCast, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Boxcast, LLC (BoxCast, Inc.)
• Inventors: Daily, Gordon R., Hartman, Justin R., Helbling, Joel S., Hopper, Ronald C.
• Granted Patent: US 10,200,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0209 Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/231 Content storage operation, e.g. caching movies for short term storage, replicating data over plural servers, prioritizing data for deletion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26241 involving the time of distribution, e.g. the best time of the day for inserting an advertisement or airing a children program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63 Control signaling related to video distribution between client, server and network components; Network processes for video distribution between server and clients or between remote clients, e.g. transmitting basic layer and enhancement layers over different transmission paths, setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet between remote STB's; Communication protocols; Addressing real-time session protocols H04L65/1101; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64746 Control signals issued by the network directed to the server or the client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/262 Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects

Abstract

Computer-implemented systems and methods provide for the autonomous broadcasting of video data, audio data, or video and audio data during an event, wherein the broadcasting can be schedule in advance and from a remote location (i.e., over a network).

Claims

1. A system for scheduling broadcasting of video data, the system comprising:

scheduling logic;

a video acquisition device;

a broadcasting device;

a plurality of media servers; and

a network,

wherein the broadcasting device is situated behind a pre-existing firewall;

wherein the scheduling logic is remote from and in data communication with the broadcasting device and the media servers over the network;

wherein the scheduling logic interfaces with a first user to allow the first user to set a start time for an event;

wherein the scheduling logic transmits the start time to the broadcasting device over the network;

wherein at the start time, the video acquisition device begins acquiring video data and the broadcasting device transmits the video data to the media servers over the network;

wherein the media servers transmit the video data as a live video stream to a second user over the network;

wherein the scheduling logic manages the flow of the video data from the broadcasting device to the media servers; and

wherein the scheduling logic manages the flow of the live video stream from the media servers to the second user.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first user, the second user, and the broadcasting device are remote from one another.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein at the start time, the broadcasting device automatically powers on the video acquisition device.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the scheduling logic logs the start time in a schedule associated with the broadcasting device.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the scheduling logic interfaces with the first user to allow the first user to set an end time for the event;

wherein the scheduling logic logs the end time in the schedule;

wherein the scheduling logic transmits the end time to the broadcasting device over the network; and

wherein at the end time, the broadcasting device ceases transmission of the video data captured by the video acquisition device.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein at the end time, the broadcasting device automatically powers off the video acquisition device.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the broadcasting device transmits the video data captured by the video acquisition device to the media servers in a first video resolution and a second video resolution.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the first video resolution is lower than the second video resolution.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the video data in the first video resolution is used for the live video stream.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein the video data in the first video resolution is stored on the media servers for subsequent retrieval by a third user.

11. The system according to claim 7, wherein the video data in the second video resolution is stored on the media servers for subsequent retrieval by a third user.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the media servers include at least one streaming server for transmitting the live video stream to the second user over the network;

and

wherein the media servers include at least one storage server for storing the video data for subsequent retrieval by a third user over the network.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the scheduling logic dynamically scales the media servers based on demand for the live video stream.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein prior to the start time:

the scheduling logic calculates an estimated bandwidth on the media servers for the event, and the scheduling logic reserves the estimated bandwidth on the media servers.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the broadcasting device periodically polls the scheduling logic to detect any changes in the start time.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein the broadcasting device periodically polls the scheduling logic to detect any changes in the end time.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the video data includes audio data.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein the video acquisition device is operable to acquire the audio data.

19. The system according to claim 1, wherein the video acquisition device is a digital video camera.

20. The system according to claim 1, wherein the network is the Internet.