Audio/video entertainment system and method

• US 7,859,597 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2007
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Entertainment LLC
• Original Assignee: Immersion Entertainment LLC
• Inventors: Wood, Mark A., Anderson, Tazwell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Natnael; Paulos M
• Application Number:
  US11/702,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20070256107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,422 Days
• Field of Search: 455556-557, 725/81, 725/141, 340/825.69, 340/825.72
• US Class Current: 348/725
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/89 using three or more audio channels, e.g. triphonic or quadraphonic
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/027 Spatial or constructional arrangements of microphones, e.g. in dummy heads

Abstract

The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method for programming and/or charging one or more audio/video devices such that the audio/video devices will be programmed and charged to receive transmitted audio and video signals associated with an event, allowing a user to use the audio/video device to observe the sights and sounds of the event. A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a cart with a docking port for each of a plurality of personal audio/video devices, a charger configured to charge the power source of each personal audio/video display device, and programming logic configured to program each of the personal audio/video devices.

Claims

1. A method for providing video content related to an entertainment event to a user, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of handheld devices having memory, programmable portable receivers and portable displays to users;

formatting a plurality of video signals related to the entertainment event into video content, said video signals being produced by different cameras located at the entertainment event;

transmitting said video content wirelessly from a wireless transmitter of a communications network over a broadcast area encompassing at least a portion of the event, to said portable receivers located within the broadcast area, wherein the formatting is done in a manner that allow users to select, at the corresponding individual portable receiver, from said video content, and to display, via the corresponding individual portable display, an image defined by said video content selected by the individual corresponding user; and

programming the receivers to at least one frequency range associated with the communications network; and

programming the receivers to condition the video content to be compatible with the display based on programming information stored in the memory, wherein the programming information represents at least one of an upgrade, update, alteration or modification to the devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said formatting separates said video content, at said portable receiver, into individual video channels having unique transmit frequency ranges.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting includes broadcasting the video content over the broadcast area encompassing the event to permit users to carry said portable receivers and portable displays about the broadcast area and choose where the users would like to view individually selected images.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the event is a car race and the video content selected by the spectator carries video signals associated with a desired in-car view.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising locating a plurality of cameras at the event to obtain the different views of the event produced as the video signals.

6. The method of claim 1, further, comprising:

formatting a plurality of audio signals associated with the event into audio content; and

transmitting said audio content wirelessly over the broadcast area to the portable receivers, the portable receivers having speakers, the audio content being formatted in a manner that allows users to play, over the speakers of the corresponding portable receiver, an audio signal selected from said audio content.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the event is a car race and said audio content includes dialogue between drivers and the driver'"'"'s pit crews.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio content and video content are wirelessly transmitted from a common transmitter.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising charging usage fees before authorizing the portable devices to display the video content.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising reprogramming the portable receivers to an alternative frequency range associated with a second communications network.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing in memory, in the handheld devices, programming information identifying the at least one frequency range associated with the communications network that carries the video content.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the formatting includes, within the video content, at least first and second video signals multiplexed over different unique first and second frequency ranges.

13. The method of claim 1, wirelessly receiving, at the receiver, at least one of software and firmware, which is stored in memory and used by signal processing logic in the handheld devices to access and select from the video content.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising implementing at least one of software and firmware by signal processing logic in the handheld devices to condition video content received by the receivers to be compatible with the displays, and configuring the receivers to wirelessly receive upgrades, updates, alterations or modifications to at least one of the software and firmware.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising reprogramming the receiver to receive video content from different communications networks.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting wirelessly at least one audio signal over the broadcast area to the handheld devices, the audio signal being generated from at least one of a microphone located close to a sideline of the event, a microphone located in a helmet of a player, a microphone located to pick up sounds from participants in the event, and a commentator microphone.

17. A method for providing video content related to an entertainment event to a user, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of handheld devices having memory, programmable portable receivers and portable displays to users;

formatting a plurality of video signals related to the entertainment event into video content, said video signals being produced by different cameras located at the entertainment event;

transmitting said video content wirelessly from a wireless transmitter of a communications network over a broadcast area encompassing at least a portion of the event, to said portable receivers located within the broadcast area, wherein the formatting is done in a manner that allow users to select, at the corresponding individual portable receiver, from said video content, and to display, via the corresponding individual portable display, an image defined by said video content selected by the individual corresponding user; and

programming the receivers to at least one frequency range associated with the communications network; and

formatting a plurality of audio signals associated with the event into audio content; and

transmitting said audio content wirelessly over the broadcast area to the portable receivers, the portable receivers having speakers, the audio content being formatted in a manner that allows users to play, over the speakers of the corresponding portable receiver, an audio signal selected from said audio content, wherein the audio content is transmitted separately from the video content.

18. A method for providing video content related to an entertainment event to a user, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of handheld devices having memory, programmable portable receivers and portable displays to users;

formatting a plurality of video signals related to the entertainment event into video content, said video signals being produced by different cameras located at the entertainment event;

transmitting said video content wirelessly from a wireless transmitter of a communications network over a broadcast area encompassing at least a portion of the event, to said portable receivers located within the broadcast area, wherein the formatting is done in a manner that allow users to select, at the corresponding individual portable receiver, from said video content, and to display, via the corresponding individual portable display, an image defined by said video content selected by the individual corresponding user; and

programming the receivers to at least one frequency range associated with the communications network; and

formatting a plurality of audio signals associated with the event into audio content; and

transmitting said audio content wirelessly over the broadcast area to the portable receivers, the portable receivers having speakers, the audio content being formatted in a manner that allows users to play, over the speakers of the corresponding portable receiver, an audio signal selected from said audio content, wherein said video content includes first and second video signals associated with the event and said audio content includes first audio signals associated with the event, the first audio and video signals being transmitted over a first frequency, the second audio and video signals being transmitted over a second frequency.

19. A programmable portable wireless handheld device to receive video content related to an entertainment event, the portable wireless handheld device comprising:

memory to store programming information;

a programmable receiver configured to receive video content transmitted wirelessly from a communications network, the network having at least one wireless transmitter with a broadcast area encompassing at least a portion of the entertainment event, said video content including video signals being produced by at a plurality of cameras at said event;

a display configured to display images based on said video signals;

a user interface for selecting from said video content for viewing by a user on said display, wherein said receiver is programmed, based on the programming information stored in the memory, to at least one frequency range associated with the communications network that carries said video content; and

signal processing logic to condition the video content to be compatible with the display based on the programming information stored in the memory, wherein the programming information represents at least one of an upgrade, update, alteration or modification to the programmable portable wireless handheld device.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein said event occurs at a stadium and said handheld device is configured to operate at or away from said stadium.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein said receiver permits the user to roam away from the event while said display intermittently displays images defined by said video signal.

22. The device of claim 19, wherein the receiver is programmed to multiple channels that carry audio content transmitted wirelessly to said receiver, said audio content being associated with the event, the device further comprising a speaker to play selected audio content that is carried over a channel selected at the user interface.

23. The device of claim 19, wherein the programming information programs the receiver to at least first and second channels separately conveying first and second video signals associated with first and second views, respectively, of the entertainment event.

24. The device of claim 19, wherein the receiver is configured to wirelessly receive at least one of upgrades, updates, alterations and modifications to the programming information, which is stored in the memory and used by signal processing logic to access and select video content.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the video content comprises at least two video signals produced by different cameras located at the event, the video signals defining different views of the event.

26. The device of claim 19, further comprising signal processing logic to condition the video content to be compatible with the display based on the programming information received by the receiver and stored in the memory.

27. The device of claim 19, wherein the receiver is reprogrammed to a second network frequency range associated with the communications network.

28. The device of claim 19, wherein the signal processing logic selects between first and second video signals produced by different cameras and corresponding to first and second views of the event, respectively, based on individual user selections at the user interface.

29. The device of claim 19, wherein the receiver is reprogrammable to different frequency ranges to receive video content from different communications networks.

30. A method for providing video content related to an entertainment event to a plurality of portable handheld devices having memory, a receiver, a user interface and a display, the method comprising:

wirelessly transmitting video content, that is associated with the entertainment event, from at least one wireless transmitter within a communications network over a broadcast area encompassing at least a portion of the event;

configuring the user interfaces of the portable devices to receive user inputs indicating individual user selections regarding the video content that the individual users want to watch on the corresponding one of the handheld devices;

programming the receivers of the handheld devices to at least one frequency range associated with the wireless transmitter of the communications network in order to receive the video content, the receivers being programmed to the corresponding at least one frequency range based on programming information stored in the memory in the corresponding portable handheld device;

configuring the receivers to be reprogrammable to at least one alternative frequency range by changing the programming information stored in the corresponding memory; and

programming signal processing logic within the portable handheld devices to format and display the video content selected by the individual user selections, wherein the programming information represents at least one of an upgrade, update, alteration or modification to the device.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the receiver is reprogrammable to receive video content from different communications networks.

32. A programmable portable wireless handheld device to receive video content related to an entertainment event, the device comprising:

memory to store programming information;

a programmable receiver configured to receive video content, that is associated with the entertainment event, from a communications network, the network having at least one wireless transmitter with a broadcast area encompassing at least a portion of the entertainment event;

a display configured to display images based on the video content;

a user interface for selecting from the video content for viewing by a user on the display; and

signal processing logic to condition the video content to be compatible with the display based on the programming information received by the receiver and stored in the memory, wherein the programming information represents at least one of an upgrade, update, alteration or modification to the programmable portable wireless handheld device.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the receiver is programmable, based on the programming information stored in the memory, to at least one frequency range associated with the wireless transmitter of the communications network in order to receive the video content, the receiver being programmed to the corresponding frequency range based on the programming information stored in the memory, the receiver being configured to be reprogrammed to an alternative frequency range by changing the programming information stored in the memory.