Providing multiple perspectives of a venue activity to electronic wireless hand held devices

• US 7,812,856 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2001
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Front Row Technologies LLC (Ortiz & Lopez PLLC)
• Original Assignee: Front Row Technologies LLC (Ortiz & Lopez PLLC)
• Inventors: Ortiz, Luis M., Lopez, Kermit D.
• Primary Examiner(s): DIEP, NHON THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/902,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20020063799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,381 Days
• Field of Search: 248/157, 248/158, 248/159
• US Class Current: 348/159
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• 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 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• 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 5/38 Transmitter circuitry for the transmission of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing multiple perspectives of a venue activity to electronic hand held devices are disclosed. A system for providing venue-based data to venue-based wireless hand held device can include at least one processor for processing data captured by at least one venue-based video camera for transmission to remote wireless hand held devices and at least one transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the data to a the remote wireless hand held devices. Wireless hand held devices include a display screen for displaying received venue video data. A method for transmitting venue-based data to hand held devices includes steps of capturing video images from at least one perspective of a venue-based activity using at least one video camera, processing the video images into venue-based data formatted for transmission and use by at least one hand held device and transmitting the venue-based data to at least one hand held device. Hand held devices receive venue-based data, process the data for display on a display screen associated with hand held devices, and display processed data on the display screen, thereby enabling users of the hand held devices to view at least one perspective of venue-based data through the hand held devices.

Claims

1. A method for providing venue-based data to hand held devices, said method comprising the steps of:

capturing video images from more than one perspective of a venue-based activity using more than one video camera located at a sports and entertainment venue;

providing said video images to a server to process said more than one video perspective captured by more than one video camera into venue-based data formatted for wireless transmission via wireless data networks to more than one hand held device, each of said more than one hand held device further comprising at least one of a personal digital assistant and a smart phone, said more than one hand held device including at least one 802.11 wireless module for access to a wireless local area network and a cellular communications module for communication with a wireless cellular communications network, said more than one hand held device further comprising a touch-sensitive display screen to simultaneously and singularly display said venue-based data and to accept user input via said touch-sensitive display screen; and

retrieving said venue-based data from said server and wirelessly transmitting said venue-based data to at least one hand held device located at said sports and entertainment venue over said wireless local area network and also wirelessly transmitting said venue-based data to at least one hand held device located outside of said sports and entertainment venue over said wireless cellular communications network.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

providing said at least one hand held device as a hand held device adapted for use with a software module that contains access codes that permit said at least one hand held device located at said sports and entertainment venue to receive venue-based data over said local wireless network and display said venue-based data.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

receiving said venue-based data at said least one hand held device from at least one of said wireless local area network or said wireless cellular communications network;

processing said data to provide more than one video perspective for simultaneous display on said touch-sensitive display screen associated with said at least one hand held device, in response to receiving said data at said at least one hand held device; and

simultaneously displaying more than one video perspective on said touch-sensitive display screen, thereby enabling a user of said at least one hand held device to view more than one video perspective at a time through said at least one hand held device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of displaying said processed data including more than one video perspective on said touch-sensitive display screen, further comprises the step of:

displaying said processed data on said touch-sensitive display screen, in response to user input through a user interface associated with said touch sensitive display screen; and

displaying a single video perspective on said touch-sensitive display screen following a user selection of the single video perspective at said user interface.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one video camera is adapted to provide high-resolution wide-angle video data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said wirelessly transmitting said venue-based data to at least one hand held device located outside of said sports and entertainment venue over a wireless cellular communications network further comprises providing said venue-based data from said server to said at least one hand held device located at or outside of said sports and entertainment venue through said wireless cellular communications network, wherein said wireless cellular communications network comprises a CDMA wireless communications network.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

transmitting said venue-based data from said at least one venue-based data source to said at least one hand held device located at said sports and entertainment venue through more than one wireless gateway associated with said a wireless local area network also located at said sports and entertainment venue.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of:

transferring said data through a wireless gateway associated with said wireless local area network.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

processing said data for display on said touch-sensitive display screen associated with said at least one hand held device utilizing at least one image-processing module.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said venue-based data further comprises at least one of team data, venue information, statistics, merchandise information, concession information, advertisements, scores, charts, promotional information, propaganda, and scheduling, instant video replays.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said venue-based data further comprises instant replay video data.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said venue-based data further comprises promotional information.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said venue-based data further comprises venue and team information.

14. A method for wirelessly transmitting venue-based data to hand held devices located within and outside of a sports and entertainment venue, said method comprising the steps of:

capturing video images from more than one perspective of a venue-based activity using more than one video camera located at a sports and entertainment venue;

providing said video images to a server to process said more than one video perspective captured by more than one video camera into venue-based data formatted for wireless transmission via wireless data networks to more than one hand held device, each of said more than one hand held device further comprising at least one of a personal digital assistant and a smart phone, said more than one hand held device including at least one 802.11 wireless module for access to a wireless local area network and a cellular communications module for communication with a wireless cellular communications network, said more than one hand held device further comprising a touch-sensitive display screen to simultaneously and singularly display said venue-based data and to accept user input via said touch-sensitive display screen;

wirelessly transmitting venue-based data including video captured from multiple perspective by cameras located at said a sports and entertainment venue to at least one hand held device among said more than one hand held device located at said sports and entertainment venue over said wireless local area network from said server;

wirelessly transmitting said venue-based data to at least one hand held device among said more than one hand held device located at or outside of said sports and entertainment venue over said wireless a cellular communications network; and

processing said venue-based data received by said more than one hand held device to provide processed data including more than one video perspective for display on said touch-sensitive display screen associated with said more than one hand held device; and

displaying at least one video perspective processed as data on said touch-sensitive display screen of said more than one hand held device.

15. A method for displaying a particular perspective of a venue-based activity at least one authorized hand held device having a display screen, said method comprising the steps of:

simultaneously capturing a plurality of video perspectives of a venue-based activity utilizing more than one camera located at a sports and entertainment venue;

processing said plurality of video perspectives at a server into encrypted video data packet for display on a touch-sensitive display screen associated with said at least one authorized hand held device provided in the form of at least a smart phone or personal digital assistance, said at least one hand held device further comprising at least one 802.11 wireless module for access to a wireless local area network and a cellular communications module for communication with a wireless cellular communications network;

wirelessly transmitting said encrypted video packet over an 802.11 wireless local area network to said at least one authorized hand held device said plurality of video perspectives of a venue-based activity from said server;

processing said plurality of video perspectives at said at least one authorized hand held device into decrypted video data packet for display on said touch-sensitive display screen associated with said at least one authorized hand held device; and

displaying a particular video perspective on said touch-sensitive display screen, in response to a user selection of said particular video perspective from among said plurality of video perspectives.

16. An entertainment venue multimedia system configured with a data processing system and wireless infrastructure for providing venue-based data to authorized hand held devices located within and outside of an entertainment venue via data communication networks including cellular communications and local wireless networking capabilities, said multimedia system comprising:

more than one venue-based camera capturing a different video perspective within an entertainment venue;

a server receiving and processing more than one video perspective received from said more than one venue-based camera;

wireless data communication networks including a wireless local area network and a wireless cellular communications network in communication with said server, said wireless data communication networks accessing and transmitting said more than one video perspective from said server to more than one hand held device; and

at least one hand held device in secure communications with said server, said at least one hand held device each further comprising at least one of a personal digital assistant and a smart phone and said more than one hand held device including at least one 802.11 wireless module for access to a wireless local area network and a cellular communications module for communication with a wireless cellular communications network, said more than one hand held device further comprising a touch-sensitive display screen to display venue-based data including simultaneously and singularly displaying video perspectives from said more than one venue-based camera and to accept user input via said touch-sensitive display screen;

wherein said system wirelessly transmits venue-based data including video from said more than one venue-based camera from said server to said at least one hand held device located in said entertainment venue over a wireless local area network and said system is also wirelessly transmits said venue-based data including video from said more than one venue-based camera from said server to hand held devices located outside of said sports and entertainment venue over a wireless cellular communications network.

17. The system of claim 16, said at least one personal digital assistant including cellular communications and local wireless networking capabilities further comprising a removable module that contains at least one of electronics or access codes that permit said at least one authorized personal digital assistant including cellular communications and local wireless networking capabilities to receive said video perspectives transmitted by said server.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said removable module comprises a smart card.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein said module comprises a removable cartridge that provides decryption codes to enable said at least one authorized personal digital assistant including cellular communications and local wireless networking capabilities to receive video perspectives from said server, if said video perspectives are encrypted.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein said removable module further comprises a plurality of tuners integrated with said at least one authorized personal digital assistant including cellular communications and local wireless networking capabilities, wherein said plurality of tuners are activated by at least one authorized personal digital assistant including cellular communications and local wireless networking capabilities to receive video perspectives transmitted from said server for display at said touch-sensitive display screen associated with the at least one authorized personal digital assistant including cellular communications and local wireless networking capabilities.