Performance analysis for combining remote audience responses

• US 8,806,518 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2012
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Anderson, Glen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beliveau, Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): FOGG, CYNTHIA M
• Application Number:
  US13/534,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20140007147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 725/9
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/236 Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream multiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2408 Monitoring of the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. client requests monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/437 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38

Abstract

Performance analysis for combining remote audience responses is described. In one example, a performance is presented to a plurality of viewer devices through a remote network connection. An audience response received from each of the plurality of viewer devices through the remote network connection during the presentation of the performance. The received audience responses are combined into a single media stream and the combined media stream is sent to each of the plurality of viewer devices during the performance.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

presenting a performance to a plurality of viewer devices through a remote network connection;

receiving an audience response from each of the plurality of viewer devices through the remote network connection during the presentation of the performance;

classifying each of the plurality of viewer devices as either having a fast connection or a slow connection;

combining audience responses from viewer devices classified as having fast connections into a single stream;

abstracting audience responses from viewer devices classified as having slow connections into generalized responses;

combining the combined fast connection and abstracted slow connection audience responses to a single media stream; and

sending the combined media stream to each of the plurality of viewer devices during the performance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting a performance comprises presenting a live performance by at least one performer during the performance, the method further comprising sending the combined media stream to the at least one performer during the performance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an audience response comprises receiving audio of a user of a respective viewer device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising converting audience responses from slow viewer devices to a graphical representation of each respective audience response before combining the received audience responses.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving fast viewer device audience responses comprises receiving audio of users of viewer devices and wherein combining the received audio responses comprises combining the received user audio with the converted graphical representations to a single media stream.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein classifying the viewer devices comprises classifying the viewer devices based on the duration between a presentation of a cue to each viewer and the receipt of a reply.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein combining further comprises filtering the received audience responses.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein filtering the received audience responses comprises removing the received audience responses that do not exceed a threshold.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the threshold is at least one of a threshold volume amplitude, a threshold facial expression change, or a threshold response strength indication.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein combining comprises averaging the received audience response.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the combined media stream to timing of the presented performance.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the presented performance is prerecorded and wherein associating comprises synchronizing the combined media stream to the recording of the performance.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising presenting the performance after combining the received audience responses to a plurality of viewer devices in combination with the combined media stream.

14. A method comprising:

receiving a presentation of a performance at a viewer device from a remote server through a network connection;

presenting the presentation of the performance to a user of the viewer device;

observing a user response at the viewer device during the presentation of the performance;

sending a representation of the observed user response to the remote server during the performance;

receiving classification of each of a plurality of viewer devices as either having a fast connection or a slow connection;

receiving a media stream of combined audience responses sent by other viewer devices to the remote server during the performance, the media stream being a combination of audience responses from users of viewer devices classified as having a fast connection and a generalized response abstracted from audience responses of viewer devices classified as having a slow connection; and

presenting the media stream in combination with the presentation of the performance to the user of the viewer device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving a presentation comprises receiving a presentation of a performance as the performance is being made by at least one performer.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein observing a user response comprises observing the user with a camera, the method further comprising converting the observation by the camera into a numerical representation of the observed response, the numerical representation indicating an amount and a type of a response of the user.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving rules from the remote server for converting an observed user response into a representation of the observed user response;

and applying the rules to convert an observed user response into a representation of the observed user response before sending the representation.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a network output interface to transmit a performance to a plurality of viewer devices through a remote network connection;

a network input interface to receive an audience response from each of the plurality of viewer devices through the remote network connection during the presentation of the performance;

a classification module to classify each of the plurality of viewer devices as either having a fast connection or a slow connection;

and a combining module to combine audience responses received from viewer devices classified as having a fast connection into a single stream, to abstract audience responses received from viewer devices classified as having a slow connection into generalized responses, to combine the combined fast connection and abstracted slow connection audience responses to a single media stream, wherein the network output interface sends the combined media stream to each of the plurality of viewer devices during the performance.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a synchronization module to associate the combined media stream to timing of the performance.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a network input interface to receive a presentation of a performance at a viewer device from a remote server through a network connection;

a display to present the presentation of the performance to a user of the viewer device;

a camera to observe a user response at the viewer device during the presentation of the performance; and

a network output interface to send a representation of the observed user response to the remote server during the performance the network input interface to receive classification of each of a plurality of viewer devices as either having a fast connection or a slow connection the network input interface to further receive a media stream of combined audience responses sent by other viewer devices to the remote server during the performance, the media stream being a combination of audience responses from users of viewer devices classified as having fast connections and a generalized response abstracted from audience responses of viewer devices classified as having slow connections, the display to present the media stream in combination with the presentation of the performance to the user of the viewer device.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising a processor to convert the observed user response to a representation of the observed user response before sending the representation of the observed user response to the remote server.