Systems and methods of customized television programming over the internet

• US 8,286,218 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2007
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AJP Enterprises LLC
• Original Assignee: AJP Enterprises LLC
• Inventors: Pizzurro, Alfred J., Falson, Christopher John
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Assistant Examiner(s): TESFAYE, AKLIL M
• Application Number:
  US11/759,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20070288978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,951 Days
• Field of Search: 725/32, 725 34- 38, 725/42, 725/44, 725 46- 49, 725 59- 61, 725109-112, 725/24, 725/135, 715723-726, 348/722
• US Class Current: 725/135
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23412 for generating or manipulating the scene composition of objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234318 by decomposing into objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• 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 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• 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 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• 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 21/47205 for manipulating displayed content, e.g. interacting with MPEG-4 objects, editing locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4784 receiving rewards
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A production facility receives program content from a plurality of broadcast feeds over the Internet. In an embodiment, the production facility comprises server on a computer network, such as the Internet. The server comprises computer programs configured to manipulate the audio and video data of the multiple program contents. At the production facility, the program content can be manipulated to produce a production. Program manipulation can comprise at least one of green screen technology, music, graphics, Foley, sound effects, voice over, advertising, or the like. The production is broadcast over the computer network to viewers, where the viewers receive the production. In an embodiment, the production is customized based on the viewers'"'"' input received while broadcasting. In other words, the production is customized in real time based at least in part on the interaction of the production with the viewers. In another embodiment, the viewers can further manipulate the program content of the production to create a new production, which can be broadcast over the customized programming system.

Claims

1. A method of producing interactive television over the Internet comprising:

receiving over the Internet at at least one server at a production facility a plurality of programming content from different providers, the plurality of programming content received from multiple video cameras positioned at different locations;

receiving at the server over the Internet, from user computers that are remotely located from the production facility, first viewer input from multiple first viewers wherein the multiple first viewers vote on different portions of the programming content received from the multiple video cameras, wherein the first viewer input selects different portions of the programming content received from the multiple video cameras;

combining the different portions of the programming content from the multiple video cameras based at least in part on the first viewer input to create a viewer-customized production that is streamed over the Internet to at least a second viewer; and

receiving over the Internet at the server different music from different providers, wherein the different music is composed by the different providers;

adding desired music to the viewer-customized production based on the first viewer input wherein the multiple first viewers vote on different portions of the music to select the desired music from the different music;

receiving over the Internet at the server different audio commentaries about the programming content from different providers, wherein the different audio commentaries represent different points of view;

receiving over the Internet at the server second viewer input from the second viewer that selects a desired commentary from the different audio commentaries;

combining the desired commentary with the viewer-customized production; and

transmitting the viewer-customized production with the programming content and desired music selected with the first viewer input and the desired commentary selected by the second viewer input over the Internet to at least the second viewer, wherein advertising is inserted into the viewer-customized production based on at least in part on interests of the second viewer, and based in part on interaction of the second viewer with the viewer-customized production;

tracking usage of items included in the viewer-customized production, the items comprising the programming content and desired music selected with the first viewer input and the desired commentary selected with the second viewer input;

tracking which of the different providers provided the programming content, which of the different providers provided the desired music, which of the different providers provided the desired commentary included in the viewer-customized production; and

paying the different providers that provided the programming content, the desired music and the desired commentary based at least in part on the usage in the viewer-customized production a share of revenues associated with the viewer-customized production.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first viewer input comprises at least one of a vote, survey results, talent scouting, sharing the viewer-customized production, recommending, critiquing, requesting similar programming, responding to advertising, pausing, rewinding, fast forwarding, blocking, and an Internet Protocol address of the viewer.

3. The method of claim 1, where the programming content comprises at least one of streaming audio, streaming video, and streaming audio/video.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the items included in the viewer-customized production comprises at least one of:

live interaction of multiple feeds, editing, mixing, keying, adding sound effects, adding audio digital replacement (ADR), adding graphics, editing graphics, adding video, editing video, adding audio, editing audio, adding music, adding subtitles, adding animation, adding digital and analog special effects, using computer generated imagery, adding advertisements, creating new commentary, adding text, creating new soundtrack, color grading, compositing, digital compositing performing voice over, using keying technology, and using digital cinema technology.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising manipulating the viewer-customized production by the second viewer.

6. The method of claim 1, where a production facility manipulates the programming content.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second viewer comprises a node of a peer-to-peer network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the programming content is related to at least one of interactive auctions, interactive retailers, interactive supermarket, interactive auto sales, bank and finance transactions, interactive search engine, interactive gambling, interactive video gaming, interactive graphics, interactive construction, interactive mining, interactive transport, interactive boardroom, interactive court proceedings, interactive government sessions, interactive human resources, interactive entertainment, interactive telecommunications, interactive market research, interactive interior design, interactive hotels, interactive business to business, interactive communities, interactive veterinary science, interactive sports, interactive product development, interactive talent search, interactive futures, interactive productions, interactive translation, interactive blue screen, interactive education, and interactive health.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the viewer-customized production includes training or product up selling.

10. An interactive television network comprising:

a plurality of programming content, the plurality of programming content provided by a plurality of content from different providers, the plurality of programming content received from multiple video cameras positioned at different locations;

at least one server at a production facility that receives the plurality of programming content from the Internet, wherein the production facility manipulates the programming content to create a viewer-customized production;

first viewer input received from user computers that are remotely located from the production facility, the first viewer input submitted by multiple first viewers over the Internet to the server at the production facility, wherein the multiple first viewers vote on different portions of the programming content received from the multiple video cameras to select different portions of the programming content received from the multiple video cameras;

wherein the multiple first viewers vote on different portions of the music to select desired music from different music from different providers, wherein the different music is composed by the different providers;

different audio commentaries about the programming content from different providers, wherein the different audio commentaries represent different points of view;

second viewer input that selects a desired commentary from the different audio commentaries,

wherein the server is configured to combine the selected different portions of the programming content from the multiple video cameras and the desired music based on the first viewer input with the desired commentary based on the second viewer input , and wherein the viewer-customized production is viewed over the Internet by at least the second viewer;

wherein the server is further configured to track usage of items included in the viewer-customized production, the items comprising the programming content and music selected with the first viewer input, and the desired commentary selected with the second viewer input;

wherein the server is further configured to track which of the different providers provided the programming content, which of the different providers provided the desired commentary, and which of the different providers provided the desired music included in the viewer-customized production; and

wherein the server is further configured to pay the different providers that provided the programming content, the desired music and the desired commentary a share of revenues associated with the viewer-customized production.

11. The network of claim 10, wherein the first viewer input comprises at least one of a vote, survey results, talent scouting, sharing the customized production, recommending, critiquing, requesting similar programming, responding to advertising, pausing, rewinding, fast forwarding, blocking, and an Internet Protocol address of the viewer.

12. The network of claim 10, where the programming content comprises at least one of streaming audio, streaming video, and streaming audio/video.

13. The network of claim 10, wherein the items included in the viewer-customized production comprises at least one of:

live interaction of multiple feeds, editing, mixing, keying, adding sound effects, adding audio digital replacement (ADR), adding graphics, editing graphics, adding video, editing video, adding audio, editing audio, adding music, adding subtitles, adding animation, adding digital and analog special effects, using computer generated imagery, adding advertisements, creating new commentary, adding text, creating new soundtrack, color grading, compositing, digital compositing, performing voice over, using keying technology, and using digital cinema technology.

14. The network of claim 10, wherein the second viewer comprises the production facility.

15. The network of claim 10, wherein at least one of the content providers comprises the production facility.

16. The network of claim 10, wherein the viewer-customized production includes training or product up selling.