Interaction of user devices and servers in an environment

• US 8,495,236 B1
• Filed: 07/24/2012
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Listen Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: ExXothermic, Inc.
• Inventors: Glasser, Lance A.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRUONG, LAN DAI T
• Application Number:
  US13/556,461
• Time in Patent Office: 364 Days
• Field of Search: 709/231, 709/203, 709/204, 709/205, 709/217, 709/227
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1091 Interfacing with client-server systems or between P2P systems
• 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 21/41415 involving a public display, viewable by several users in a public space outside their home, e.g. movie theatre, information kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79

Abstract

In an environment where video display devices are available for simultaneous viewing, servers provide audio streams to user devices for listening. People may, thus, listen to the audio streams through their user devices while watching the video display devices. An application on the user devices determines which audio streams are available, and the servers may indicate which audio streams are available. The application sends a request to a server to transmit a selected audio stream. The server transmits the selected audio stream, e.g. over a wireless network in the environment. A variety of additional features are enabled by the interaction of the application and the servers.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing an application for downloading into a personal user device;

the application determining a plurality of wireless audio streams that are available for streaming through the personal user device from at least one server, the application being stored within memory of the personal user device, the plurality of wireless audio streams corresponding to a plurality of video streams available for simultaneous viewing within an environment;

wherein the video streams are associated with plurality of video display devices that are distinct from the personal user device;

the application selecting a wireless audio stream from the plurality of wireless audio streams;

the application requesting the server to transmit the selected wireless audio stream;

the application receiving the selected wireless audio stream transmitted from the server; and

the application presenting the selected wireless audio stream through a listening device included in or connected to the personal user device, so that a user is capable of listening to the selected wireless audio stream through the personal user devices while watching the video streams through the video display devices;

wherein, in picture-in-picture situations, multiple video streams in the video streams may be available for only one video display device, but if associated audio streams are available simultaneously, then different users may listen to different selected wireless audio streams through the personal user devices.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the application placing an order for a beverage.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the application transmitting a request to the server to join or form a group of people within the environment.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the application facilitating a game played within the environment.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the personal user device downloading the application.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the application registering or logging in with the server.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

the application logging in with the server using an Internet-based social networking feature.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the application determining a plurality of display device identifiers that correspond to a plurality of display devices; and

the application presenting the display device identifiers for user selection.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the video streams are associated with the plurality of video display devices;

each of the video display devices has a display device identifier associated therewith;

the application determining the plurality of wireless audio streams that are available further comprises the application receiving a list of the display device identifiers; and

the application selecting the wireless audio stream further comprises the application selecting the display device identifier associated with a selected one of the video display devices.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

the application transmitting a request to change the video stream that is being presented through the selected video display device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the application receiving an advertisement from the server; and

the application presenting the advertisement.

12. A method comprising:

a server receiving a wireless audio stream that is one of a plurality of wireless audio streams that correspond to a plurality of video streams available for simultaneous viewing on a plurality of video display devices within an environment;

the server indicating that the wireless audio stream is available for access;

the server receiving a request to access the wireless audio stream from a personal user device that is within the environment, the personal user device running a downloaded application, the personal user device being distinct from the plurality of video display devices, and the personal user device including a listening device or being connected to a listening device; and

the server transmitting the wireless audio stream to the personal user device responding to user wireless audio stream selection;

wherein the downloaded application running on the personal user device presents the wireless audio stream through the listening device so that a user is capable of listening to the wireless audio stream through the personal user device while watching the video steams through the video display devices; and

wherein, in picture-in-picture situations, multiple of the plurality of video streams may be available for only one video display device, but if associated audio streams are available simultaneously, then different users may listen to different wireless audio streams through the personal user devices.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

the server receiving the wireless audio stream from a video display device on which a video stream is being presented that corresponds to the wireless audio stream.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

the server receiving the wireless audio stream and a corresponding video stream.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

the server transmitting the corresponding video stream to a video display device.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

the server receiving a second one of the wireless audio streams simultaneously with the first wireless audio stream;

the server indicating that the second wireless audio stream is available for access in addition to the first wireless audio stream;

the server receiving a request to access the second wireless audio stream from a second user personal device that is within the environment; and

the server transmitting the second wireless audio stream to the second user personal device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the video streams are presented on a plurality of video display devices;

the video display devices are associated with display device identifiers; and

the indicating that the first and second wireless audio streams are available for access further comprises transmitting a list of the display device identifiers to the first and second user personal devices.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein:

both the first and second wireless audio streams correspond to one of the wireless video streams.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein:

a video stream that corresponds to the audio stream is being presented on a video display device;

and the method further comprises synchronizing the wireless audio stream and the video stream.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

the server transmitting a visual message to the user personal device.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

the server altering the wireless audio stream by inserting an alternate audio segment into a portion of the wireless audio stream; and

the server transmitting the altered audio stream to the user personal device.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

the server receiving a login request from the user personal device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the login request is associated with an Internet-based social networking feature.

24. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

the server receiving a social interaction request from the user personal device.

25. A server device comprising:

at least one wireless audio input at which at least one wireless audio stream can be received, the at least one wireless audio stream being one of a plurality of wireless audio streams that correspond to a plurality of video streams that are available for simultaneous viewing on a plurality of video display devices in an environment; and

a networking I/O adapter through which a request can be received from a personal user device to access the at least one wireless audio stream, the personal user device being within the environment, the personal user device running a downloaded application, the personal user device being distinct from the plurality of video display devices, and the personal user device including a listening device or being connected to a listening device; and

wherein the server is capable of transmitting the at least one wireless audio stream to the personal user device responding to user wireless audio stream selection;

wherein the downloaded application running on the personal user device presents the wireless audio stream through the listening device so that a user is capable of listening to the wireless audio stream through the user device while watching the video steams through the video display devices; and

wherein, in picture-in-picture situations, multiple of the plurality of video streams may be available for only one video display device, but if associated audio streams are available simultaneously, then different users may listen to different wireless audio streams through the personal user devices.

26. The server device of claim 25, further comprising:

a plurality of the audio inputs at which more than one of the wireless audio streams can be received;

and wherein;

a plurality of the requests can be received through the networking I/O adapter from a plurality of the user personal devices to access the more than one wireless audio streams; and

the server is capable of transmitting the more than one wireless audio streams to the plurality of user personal devices.

27. The server device of claim 25, wherein:

the server is capable of transmitting to the user device a list of audio streams that are available from the server.

28. The server device of claim 25, wherein:

the server is capable of synchronizing the at least one audio stream with a corresponding video stream that is presented through a display video device that is separate from the user personal device.

29. The server device of claim 25, wherein:

the server is capable of receiving a beverage order from the user personal device through the networking I/O adapter.

30. A method comprising:

a personal user device transmitting to a server a request to receive a wireless audio stream associated with a video stream for a display device that is available for public viewing within an environment, the wireless audio stream being included in a plurality of wireless audio streams, the video stream being included in a plurality of video streams, and the display device being included in a plurality of display devices;

the personal user device transmitting to the server a request to join or form a group of people for social interaction within the environment; and

the personal user device facilitating a game played within the environment by the group of people;

wherein the personal user device runs a downloaded application, the personal user device being distinct from the plurality of video display devices, and the personal user device including a listening device or being connected to a listening device;

wherein the downloaded application running on the personal user device presents the wireless audio stream through the listening device so that a user is capable of listening to the wireless audio stream through the personal user device while watching the video steams through the video display devices; and

wherein the server is capable of transmitting the at least one wireless audio stream to the personal user device responding to user wireless audio stream selection;

wherein, in picture-in-picture situations, multiple of the plurality of video streams may be available for only one video display device, but if associated audio streams are available simultaneously, then different uses may listen to different wireless audio streams through the personal user devices.