Method and apparatus for cooperative recording

• US 9,148,585 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2004
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cragun, Brian John
• Primary Examiner(s): JONES, HEATHER RAE
• Application Number:
  US10/787,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20050193421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,233 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/71 Charge-coupled device [CCD] sensors; Charge-transfer registers specially adapted for CCD sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A method, system, and article of manufacture that allows amateur camera operators to share video and audio with other amateur camera operators at the same event over a cooperative, ad hoc network. One embodiment of the present invention comprises forming an ad hoc network comprising a plurality of recording devices, and communicating audiovisual signals between the plurality of recording devices in the ad hoc network. In some embodiments, this method may further comprise transmitting a replay request to the plurality of recording devices and receiving an audiovisual signal corresponding to the replay request, transmitting a push request to the plurality of recording devices, and/or transmitting a message to at least one of the plurality of recording devices.

Claims

1. A method of recording events, comprising:

joining a first recording device to an ad hoc network comprising a plurality of recording devices, the first recording device comprising a network interface, an audiovisual capture device that generates a primary audiovisual signal, and a storage medium;

receiving a secondary audiovisual signal and a descriptor packet associated with the secondary audiovisual signal via the network interface from another recording device in the ad hoc network, the descriptor packet describing the content of the secondary audiovisual signal;

wherein the descriptor packets include recording device location information to enable complimentary angle selection; and

configuring the recording device to select a preferred secondary audiovisual signal based on the contents of the descriptor packet; and

recording simultaneously the primary audiovisual signal and the selected secondary audiovisual signal onto the storage medium of the first recording device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a replay request to the plurality of recording devices;

and receiving an audiovisual signal corresponding to the replay request.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a push request to the plurality of recording devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a message to at least one of the plurality of recording devices.

5. The method of claim 1:

wherein the primary audiovisual signal comprises a primary video signal and a primary audio signal;

wherein the secondary audiovisual signal comprises a secondary video signal and a secondary audio signal; and

further comprising selecting an audio signal to record with the primary video signal and the secondary video signal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the audio signal recorded with the primary video signal and the secondary video signal comprises a composite audio signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the preferred secondary audiovisual signal is chosen from the group consisting of an audiovisual signal having a widest zoom, an audiovisual signal having a complementary zoom, an audiovisual signal having a complementary angle as defined by position and direction, a most popular audiovisual signal, an audiovisual signal showing a camera operator, and an audiovisual signal created by a specific individual.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the ad hoc network further comprises an event site audiovisual source.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of recording devices that form the ad hoc network varies as recording devices enter and leave an event location.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the ad hoc network comprises a peer-to-peer network architecture.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of recording devices communicate directly with each other via the ad hoc network.