Audience-condition based media selection

• US 8,290,604 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2008
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Capio, Oliver R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flanders, Andrew C
• Application Number:
  US12/291,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20100048300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94, 704500-504, 705/26.1, 705/14.49, 705/14.73, 463/1, 463/35
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

Methods and systems for audience-based media selection are provided. A media player may play a first media file, which may be viewed by one or more audience members. The audience around the media player may be monitored, and audience members having a line-of-sight to the media player are identified. Information concerning various conditions of such audience members determined. Media file play may be adjusted based on the detected audience condition.

Claims

1. A method for audience-condition based media selection, the method comprising:

playing a media file on a media player;

identifying an audience member from an audience proximate to the media player, the audience member having a line-of-sight with the media player;

detecting a condition associated with the identified audience member;

recognizing a plurality of other audience members having a line-of-sight with the media player;

establishing a count of the plurality of other audience members;

storing the count in association with the media file being played, wherein the count indicates a popularity of the media file being played; and

adjusting the media file play based on the condition of the identified audience member.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing information concerning the identified audience member, the stored information associated with the media filed being played.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the stored information concerning the identified audience member includes a duration of the line-of-sight in association with the media file being played.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the line-of-sight includes the use of facial recognition.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein detecting the condition further comprises identifying a facial expression, and wherein adjusting the media file play is further based on the identified expression.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the condition further comprises determining a gender of the audience member, and wherein adjusting the media file play includes playing gender-specific content.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the gender is identified using facial recognition.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising storing the gender information in association with the media file being played.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the condition further comprises determining an age group of the audience member, and wherein adjusting the media file play includes playing age-appropriate content.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the age group is identified using facial recognition.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing the age information in association with the media file being played.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the condition further comprises identifying a location on the media player to which the line-of-sight is directed, and wherein adjusting the media file play includes playing dynamic content at the identified location.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the media file play includes adjusting an audio component of the media file play.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the audience is in a virtual environment.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the condition further comprises detecting an audio response from the audience member, and wherein adjusting the media file play is further based on the audio response.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining content of the audio response using voice recognition, and wherein adjusting the media file play is further based on the determined content.

17. A system for audience-condition based media selection, the system comprising:

a memory configured to;

store a plurality of media files for presentation on a media player, and

an audience monitoring module;

a sensor configured to;

monitor an audience proximate the media player,

detect lines-of-sight with audience members to the media player, and

identify lines of sight for a plurality of audience members; and

a processor configured to;

determine a condition of an audience member with a line-of-sight as detected by a sensor,

generate instructions for adjustment of media file presentation based on the condition, the instruction generated in response to execution of the audience monitoring module,

establish a count of the identified lines-of-sight of the plurality of audience members,

supply the count to memory for storage in association with the media file being played, and

provide the instructions to the media player, the instructions resulting in an adjustment to the media presented on the media player.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the sensor is further configured to use facial recognition to identify a gender of an audience member.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the sensor is further configured to use facial recognition to identify an age group of an audience member.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the memory is further configured to store information concerning the audience member in association with the media file being played.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a computer processor to perform a method for audience-condition based media selection, the method comprising:

playing a media file on a media player;

identifying an audience member from an audience proximate to the media player, the audience member having a line-of-sight with the media player;

detecting a condition associated with the identified audience member;

recognizing lines-of-sight to a plurality of audience members;

establishing a count of the identified lines-of-sight for the plurality of audience members; and

providing the count to a memory in association with the media file being played; and

adjusting the media file play based on the condition of the identified audience member.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises using facial recognition in recognizing lines-of-sight to a plurality of audience members.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises identifying an audience member from an audience in a virtual environment.

22. A method for audience-condition based media selection, the method comprising:

playing a media file on a media player embedded in a virtual environment, the media file being viewable by a virtual audience;

detecting information regarding a member of the virtual audience, wherein the information detected includes line of sight with the media player;

ascertaining information regarding a plurality of other virtual audience members, wherein the information ascertained includes lines of sight with the media player;

establishing a count of the plurality of other virtual audience members;

storing the count in association with the media file being played, the count indicating a popularity of the media file being played;

analyzing the detected information to determine a condition associated with the virtual audience member; and

adjusting the media file play based on the determined condition of the identified audience member.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein detecting the information regarding the virtual audience member includes receiving feedback from the virtual audience member, the feedback received in response to the playing of the media file.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein detecting the information regarding the virtual audience member includes monitoring one or more activities in which the virtual audience member is engaged within the virtual environment.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the information regarding the virtual audience member further includes information regarding the virtual environment in which the media player is embedded.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising maintaining information regarding each media file viewed by the virtual audience member and a response by the virtual audience member to each viewed media file.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the maintained information further includes the determined condition associated with the virtual audience member.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein adjusting media file play is further based on the maintained information.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein adjusting media file play for other virtual audience members is based on the maintained information.

30. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a computer processor to perform a method for audience-condition based media selection, the method comprising:

playing a media file on a media player embedded in a virtual environment, the media file being viewable by a virtual audience;

detecting information regarding a member of the virtual audience, wherein the information detected includes line of sight with the media player;

ascertaining information regarding a plurality of members of the virtual audience, wherein the information ascertained includes lines of sight with the media player;

establishing a count of the ascertained members of the virtual audience;

providing the count to the storage medium in association with the media file being played;

analyzing the detected information to determine a condition associated with the virtual audience member; and

adjusting the media file play based on the determined condition of the identified audience member.