Mobile device with smart buffering

• US 8,693,848 B1
• Filed: 11/29/2012
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FanVision Entertainment, LLC
• Original Assignee: Kangaroo Media Incorporated (Game Day Entertainment LLC)
• Inventors: Arseneau, Jean, Charette, Alain, Pacor, Victor J., O'Byrne, Charles John, Ahuja, Uday
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier, Robert
• Application Number:
  US13/689,680
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 386/296, 386/291, 386/298, 386/292, 386/248, 386/324, 386/341
• US Class Current: 386/296
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• 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 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection

Abstract

Methods for automatically buffering and displaying video feeds associated with a live event are described. The video feeds displayed on the mobile device may comprise live video feeds or replays associated with the live event. A replay may comprise a playback of one or more buffered video feeds in a particular sequence and at a particular playback rate. The particular sequence may be determined based on the viewing behavior of the end user of the mobile device and/or the viewing behaviors of one or more other end users using other mobile devices at the live event. In some cases, the replay may comprise a shared replay in which a group of end users attending the live event may interact with each other while sharing a common replay.

Claims

1. A method for buffering video feeds associated with a live event using a mobile device, comprising:

acquiring one or more video feeds associated with the live event;

determining one or more group devices associated with a group of spectators at the live event;

acquiring one or more video feed identifications corresponding with video feeds displayed on the one or more group devices;

ranking the one or more video feeds based on the one or more video feed identifications; and

automatically buffering a first set of the one or more video feeds based on the ranking of the one or more video feeds.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the determining one or more group devices includes determining the one or more group devices based on a physical location of each of the one or more group devices at the live event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the determining one or more group devices includes acquiring one or more common interests associated with the group of spectators and determining the one or more group devices based on the one or more common interests.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the determining one or more group devices includes determining a degree of closeness associated with a social graph for each spectator of the group of spectators and determining the one or more group devices based on the degree of closeness associated with the social graph.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the automatically buffering a first set comprises concurrently buffering the first set on the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the automatically buffering a first set includes determining a maximum number of video feeds to be buffered concurrently based on a sound volume associated with the live event.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the automatically buffering a first set includes determining a maximum number of video feeds to be buffered concurrently based on a sound volume associated with the group of spectators.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the automatically buffering a first set includes determining a maximum number of video feeds to be buffered concurrently based on an identification of a particular milestone at the live event.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the automatically buffering a first set is performed automatically without intervention by an end user of the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the acquiring a plurality of video feeds includes acquiring the plurality of video feeds from a head end.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the mobile device comprises a handheld electronic device with a touchscreen interface.

12. A mobile device for automatically buffering video feeds associated with a live event, comprising:

a receiver, the receiver receives a plurality of video feeds of the live event as the live event occurs;

one or more processors in communication with the receiver, the one or more processors determine one or more group devices associated with a group of spectators at the live event, the one or more processors acquire one or more video feed identifications corresponding with video feeds displayed on the one or more group devices, the one or more processors rank the plurality of video feeds based on the one or more video feed identifications, the one or more processors determine a first set of the plurality of video feeds based on the ranking of the plurality of video feeds; and

a memory buffer in communication with the one or more processors, the memory buffer stores the first set of the plurality of video feeds.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein:

the memory buffer comprises a multi-port memory; and

the receiver receives the plurality of video feeds from a head end.

14. A method for buffering video feeds associated with a live event using a mobile device, comprising:

acquiring a map of a venue associated with the live event;

determining a first object to track during the live event;

acquiring a location of the first object relative to the map;

acquiring one or more video feeds of the live event, the one or more video feeds correspond with one or more fields of view;

determining a first set of the one or more video feeds, each video feed of the first set includes the location of the first object within its field of view;

determining one or more group devices associated with a group of spectators at the live event;

acquiring one or more video feed identifications corresponding with video feeds displayed on the one or more group devices;

ranking the first set of the one or more video feeds based on the one or more video feed identifications; and

automatically buffering a subset of the first set based on the ranking of the first set.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the determining one or more group devices includes determining the one or more group devices based on a physical location of each of the one or more group devices at the live event.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the determining one or more group devices includes determining a degree of closeness associated with a social graph for each spectator of the group of spectators and determining the one or more group devices based on the degree of closeness associated with the social graph.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the automatically buffering a subset of the first set comprises concurrently buffering the subset on the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the automatically buffering a subset of the first set includes determining a maximum number of video feeds to be buffered concurrently based on a sound volume associated with the live event.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the automatically buffering a subset of the first set includes determining a maximum number of video feeds to be buffered concurrently based on a sound volume associated with the group of spectators.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the first object comprises a ball used by participants at the live event; and

the map includes a three-dimensional model of the venue.