DYNAMIC VIDEO IMAGE SYNTHESIS USING MULTIPLE CAMERAS AND REMOTE CONTROL

• US 20170111674A1
• Filed: 10/15/2015
• Published: 04/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: MEREDITH, SHELDON KENT, FIX, JEREMY
• Granted Patent: US 10,129,579 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• 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 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6408 Unicasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving, at a broadcast image processor, from a single broadcast event, a plurality of camera feeds, wherein the camera feeds each comprise an image of the single broadcast event from a different angle, providing, by the broadcast image processor, a summary of the plurality of camera feeds to a media processor, receiving, by the broadcast image processor, a request to select a requested angle from among the plurality of camera feeds from the media processor, and creating, by the broadcast image processor, a custom view from the plurality of camera feeds according to the request for the media processor. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a broadcast image processor, from a broadcast event, a plurality of camera feeds, wherein the camera feeds each comprise an image of the broadcast event from a different angle;

storing in a buffer of data, by the broadcast image processor, data generated by the plurality of camera feeds for a predetermined period of time;

generating, by the broadcast image processor, a summary of selectable options associated with the plurality of camera feeds, wherein the summary of selectable options associated with the plurality of camera feeds is sent to a media processor;

receiving, by the broadcast image processor, a request from the media processor for presenting a custom viewing of the broadcast event according to the summary of selectable options, wherein the request comprises timing data and camera angle data for generating the custom viewing of the broadcast event;

selecting, by the broadcast image processor, a first camera feed of the plurality of camera feeds and a second camera feed of the plurality of camera feeds according to the camera angle data and timing data included in the request;

selecting, by the broadcast image processor, from the buffer of data, first data generated by the first camera feed of the plurality of camera feeds according to first timing data included in the request and second data generated by the second camera feed of the plurality of camera feeds according to second timing data included in the request, wherein the first timing data and second timing data are for different times;

synthesizing, by the broadcast image processor, the custom viewing of the broadcast event according to the first data and the second data; and

providing, by the broadcast image processor, the custom viewing of the broadcast event to the media processor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from the media processor by the broadcast image processor, a rewind request to select the custom viewing angle from an earlier point in time in the buffer from among the plurality of camera feeds.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the camera feeds include audio information, and wherein the broadcast image processor comprises a processing system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein first data comprises first images at a first viewing angle, wherein the second data comprises second images at a second viewing angle, and wherein the synthesizing comprises interpolating between the first images and the second images to generate the custom viewing of the broadcast event.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the summary of selectable options includes a visual presentation of the plurality of camera feeds.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the summary of selectable options includes a visual presentation of a timeline of available content of the plurality of camera feeds in the buffer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the summary of selectable options includes an option to watch a live presentation of the event from the custom viewing or a buffered presentation of the custom viewing from the buffer, and

wherein the broadcast image processor provides one of the live presentation of the event from the custom viewing or the buffered presentation of the custom viewing from the buffer to the media processor according the option.

8. A non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

receiving a broadcast event from a broadcast image processor, wherein the broadcast event includes a plurality of camera feeds, wherein the camera feeds each comprise an image of the broadcast event from a different angle over a time period;

receiving a summary of selectable options associated with the plurality of camera feeds from the broadcast image processor;

presenting the summary of selectable options associated with the plurality of camera feeds in a selection presentation, wherein the selection presentation includes time selection data and camera angle creation data, wherein the selection presentation receives an input to create a request including a custom time and a custom camera angle;

sending the request to the broadcast image processor; and

receiving, from the broadcast image processor, a synthesized custom view including a first camera feed of the plurality of camera feeds during a first time period and a second camera feed of the plurality of camera feeds during a second time period according to the request.

9. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the camera angle creation data includes a visual presentation of the plurality of camera feeds, and wherein the processing system comprises a plurality of processors operating in a distributed processing environment.

10. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the time selection data includes a visual presentation of a timeline of available content of the plurality of camera feeds in a buffer of the broadcast image processor, and wherein the first time period and the second time period are different times and have a same length of time.

11. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the receiving of the synthesized custom view is via a unicast channel between the broadcast image processor and a media processor.

12. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the broadcast event is received at a media processor via a broadcast channel from the broadcast image processor.

13. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the request is sent to the broadcast image processor from a media processor via a unicast channel.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a processing system including a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

receiving a plurality of virtual camera feeds for a video gaming event, wherein the virtual camera feeds each comprise an image from the video gaming event;

storing data generated by the plurality of virtual camera feeds in a buffer;

providing the video gaming event to a media processor;

providing, to the media processor via a unicast communication path, a summary of selectable options associated with the plurality of virtual camera feeds to a media processor and a summary of contents of the buffer;

receiving a request from the media processor for presenting a custom viewing of the video gaming event based on the summary of selectable options, wherein the request comprises timing data and camera angle data for generating the custom viewing of the video gaming event; and

creating a custom view from the plurality of virtual camera feeds according to the request by synthesizing a first virtual camera feed and a second virtual camera feed in real time of the plurality of virtual camera feeds, wherein the first virtual camera feed and the second virtual camera feed are determined based on the request.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the request is received by an image processor from the media processor via the unicast communication path.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise providing the custom view to the media processor via the unicast communication path, and wherein the processing system comprises a plurality of processors operating in a distributed processing environment.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise providing, to the media processor, a summary of the plurality of virtual camera feeds via the unicast communication path.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a second request to select a second custom angle from a prior point of the plurality of virtual camera feeds in the buffer.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise creating the second custom angle from the plurality of virtual camera feeds in the buffer by synthesizing a first virtual camera feed of the plurality of virtual camera feeds and a second virtual camera feed of the plurality of virtual camera feeds.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise providing the second custom angle to the media processor via the unicast communication path.