System and method for providing event spectators with audio/video signals pertaining to remote events

• US 7,725,073 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2003
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Entertainment LLC
• Original Assignee: Immersion Entertainment LLC
• Inventors: Kniskern, Robert J., Steele, Todd H., Anderson, Tazwell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Safaipour; Bobbak
• Application Number:
  US10/680,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20040136547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,422 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.06, 455/145, 455/3.03, 455/566, 455/567, 455/556.1, 455/557
• US Class Current: 455/3.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/57 for mobile receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/63 to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/07 characterised by processes or methods for the generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/236 Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream multiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• 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 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• 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 7/52 Systems for transmission of a pulse code modulated video signal with one or more other pulse code modulated signals, e.g. an audio signal or a synchronizing signal assembling of a multiplex stream by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, remultiplexing of multiplex streams, insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, assembling of a packetised elementary stream at server side H04N21/236; disassembling of a multiplex stream, remultiplexing of multiplex streams, extraction or processing of Service Information, disassembling of packetised elementary stream at client side H04N21/434

Abstract

A system and method providing content for access by a portable device at an event is provided. The method includes receiving a plurality of signals from a plurality of sources and combining at least some of the plurality of signals for transmission to a plurality of broadcast systems, with the plurality of broadcast systems corresponding to a plurality of events. The method further includes determining the broadcast systems to which each of the combined signals is to be transmitted, transmitting the combined signals to at least one of the determined broadcast systems, and broadcasting the combined signals received by at least one of the broadcast systems corresponding to at least one event. The combined signals are configured to allow selection of content with a portable device, with the content defined by at least one of audio and video signals of the combined signals.

Claims

1. A system for providing sporting event content to a portable device, the system comprising:

an interface configured to receive signals from sources at local and remote sporting events, the signals defining video event content associated with the local and remote sporting events;

a mixer to mix the received signals to generate at least one combined signal including the video event content from the sources;

a user interface coupled to the mixer to receive inputs from a user that instruct the mixer to mix desired combinations of the video event signals to generate the at least one combined signal;

multiple broadcast antenna located to service different regions, at least a first antenna servicing the local event, the first antenna configured to wirelessly transmit the combined signal to portable devices within a corresponding service area that includes the local event, the combined signal configured to allow a user to select individually the video event content of interest to view on one of the portable devices;

a control unit to designate which of the multiple broadcast antenna are to receive the combined signal; and

a router capable of routing the combined signal to one or more of the multiple broadcast antenna that are designated to receive the combined signals.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising mixing logic to categorize the video event content based upon one of a geographic location of the corresponding sporting event, and a type of the sporting event.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the router routes first video event content to at least a first antenna and second video event content to at least a second antenna.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control logic provides conditional access to the combined signal such that only authorized portable devices are able to display the video event content.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the mixer generates first and second channels in the combined signal, the first channel including video event content from the local event, the second channel including video event content from at least one remote sporting event.

6. A system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a monitoring system configured to view content from the sources.

7. A system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a quality control system configured to determine a quality level for the signals received from the sources.

8. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first antenna is located proximate to a stadium where the local event is occurring and a second antenna is located remote from the local event, the first and second antenna transmitting local event content.

9. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sources comprises at least one of over air television, event cameras, AM/FM radio, satellite, VCR/DVD, cable television, satellite television, and Internet.

10. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the mixer is configured to select signals to combine based on signal selection criteria, the signal selection criteria based on at least one of (i) spectator or regional preferences, (ii) a geographic location of a source of the signals, and (iii) predetermined criteria, (iv) time of day, (v) type of event and (vi) content variety.

11. A system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising content insertion control logic configured to insert, into the combined signal, non-event content including at least one of advertisements and commercials.

12. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to designate each of the antenna to receive the combined signal.

13. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to designate a plurality of the antenna to receive the combined signal.

14. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the mixer generates multiple combined signals.

15. A system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a plurality of frequency modulators configured to modulate the received signals on different frequencies.

16. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the mixer is located remote from the local event.

17. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control logic designates that each of the multiple broadcast antenna are to receive each of the combined signals.

18. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control logic determines a type of communication link to be used to transmit the combined signal.

19. A method for providing sporting event content to a portable device, the method comprising:

receiving, at an interface, signals from sources at local and remote sporting events, the signals defining video event content associated with local and remote sporting events;

receiving, at a user interface, user inputs from a user to designate desired combinations of the video event signals;

processing the received signals at a mixer, based on the user inputs of the desired combinations, to generate at least one combined signal of the video event content;

connecting to multiple broadcast antenna that are located to service different regions, at least a first antenna servicing the local sporting event;

designating, which of the antenna are to receive the combined signal;

routing the combined signal to one or more of the antenna that are designated to receive the combined signal;

wirelessly transmitting, from the designated antenna, the combined signal to portable devices within a corresponding service region that includes the local event; and

configuring the combined signal to allow users of the portable devices to select individually the video event content of interest to view on one of the portable devices.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising categorizing the video event content based upon one of a geographic location of the corresponding sporting event, and a type of the sporting event.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the routing includes routing video event content first to at least a first antenna and routing second video event content to at least a second antenna.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising providing conditional access to the combined signal such that only authorized portable devices are able to display the video event content.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the processing operation to generate the combined signal comprises:

generating a first channel, carrying video event content from the local event; and

generating a second channel, carrying event content from at least one remote sporting event.

24. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the combined signal is configured to allow selection of content by the portable devices.

25. A method in accordance with claim 19, further comprising selecting additional content to include in the combined signal.

26. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the determining comprises selecting signals to combine based on signal selection criteria including at least one of (i) spectator or regional preferences, (ii) a geographic location of a source of the signals, (iii) predetermined criteria, (iv) time of day, (v) type of event and (vi) content variety.