Mobile application for ad-hoc image display

• US 8,909,299 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2011
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mercuri, Marc, Tisdale, James Oliver III
• Primary Examiner(s): Sams, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US13/284,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20130109364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-457, 455/566, 455 411- 413, 345 11- 4
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2356/00 Detection of the display position w.r.t. other display screens
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/12 Synchronisation between the display unit and other units, e.g. other display units, video-disc players
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00

Abstract

An ad hoc imaging capability allows a plurality of mobile devices to render an ad hoc image at a venue, such as a sports arena. A mobile ad hoc image (“MAHI”) application can be downloaded to the spectators'"'"' mobile devices prior to the event. Seat location of a user is used by the MAHI application to select and display an image, which is a pixel of the ad hoc image. The ad hoc image can be animated or static. An authoring tool allows creation of an ad hoc image data structure whereby a previously created image or animation is mapped to the venue seating configuration. The ad hoc image data can be downloaded to, and cached by, the mobile device along with downloading the application, or the ad hoc image data can be streamed to the mobile device when the ad hoc image is to be displayed.

Claims

1. A method for displaying an ad hoc image at a venue comprising:

generating an ad hoc image data structure for the ad hoc image wherein the ad hoc image data structure comprises a plurality of a set of pixels, each set of pixels comprising one or more plurality of ad hoc image pixels;

prompting a user to enter identification information;

determine a seat location within the venue for the user based on the identification information;

providing a server configured for downloading a mobile ad hoc imaging application to a mobile device upon request to the user; and

downloading the mobile ad hoc imaging application to the user,

wherein the mobile ad hoc imaging application is configured to cause the mobile device to

receive the seat location within the venue for the user,

synchronize a display of the set of pixels comprising the one or more plurality of the ad hoc image pixels to a timing reference, and

display the set of pixels comprising the one or more plurality of the ad hoc image pixels in the venue.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the ad hoc image data structure comprises adapting an image to a seating configuration of the venue to create the set of pixels associated with the seat location in the venue.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the set of pixels is further associated with a time for displaying.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein downloading the ad hoc imaging application comprises

providing a quick response (“

QR”

) code identifying a web site providing the ad hoc imaging application and

downloading the ad hoc image application from the web site, wherein the ad hoc image application comprises the ad hoc image data structure comprising the set of pixels.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the seat location comprises a section number, a row number, and a seat number.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the display of the set of pixels comprises a display of one of the plurality of ad hoc image pixels associated with the seat location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein synchronize the display of the set of pixels to the timing reference uses time maintained in the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the mobile ad hoc imaging application receives a time value of a time at which the display of the set of pixels is to occur.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile ad hoc imaging application is further configured to:

display a second set of pixels associated with the seat location in the venue at a second time.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein generating the ad hoc image data structure for an image comprises generating the plurality of a set of pixels for display at a plurality of times.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein generating the plurality of the set of pixels for display at the plurality of times further comprises generating the plurality of the set of pixels for the plurality of times for a plurality of seat locations.

12. A system for providing an ad hoc image displayed in a venue comprising:

a server storing an ad hoc image data structure, where the ad hoc image data structure comprises a plurality of ad hoc image pixels, the server further storing a mobile ad hoc image application configured to

prompt a user to enter identification information,

determine a seat location within the venue for the user based on the identification information, where the seat location comprises a section number, row number, and seat number,

synchronize display of one of a plurality of ad hoc image pixels on a mobile device with respect to a timing reference, and

display one of the plurality of ad hoc image pixels in the venue at a first time.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the server is configured to email the ad hoc image data structure to a plurality of users.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of ad hoc image pixels is associated with a respective seat location of the venue.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the mobile ad hoc image application is further configured to display another one of the plurality of ad hoc image pixels in the venue at a second time.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the mobile device comprises a smart phone.

17. An instance of computer readable media comprising instructions that when executed cause a mobile computing device to:

prompt a user to enter identification information;

determine a seat location in a venue for the user based on the identification information;

retrieve an ad hoc image data structure comprising an ad hoc image pixel associated with the seat location;

ascertain a time associated with displaying the ad hoc image pixel;

determine a current time is the time associated with displaying the ad hoc image pixel; and

display the ad hoc image pixel.

18. The instance of computer readable media comprising instructions of claim 17, further comprising instructions causing the mobile computing device to:

select another ad hoc image pixel from the ad hoc image data structure associated with the seat location;

ascertain a second time associated with displaying the another ad hoc image pixel; and

display the another ad hoc image pixel.

19. The instance of computer readable media of claim 18 wherein ascertaining the time associated with displaying the ad hoc image pixel is indicated by data stored in a mobile ad hoc imaging application.

20. The instance of computer readable media of claim 19 wherein the instructions further cause the mobile device to

receive the ad hoc image data structure as streaming data at the venue.