Multiuser audiovisual control

• US 9,219,967 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2013
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Phuc H., Bruhn, Christopher William
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, PAUL
• Application Number:
  US14/088,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20150146879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 381/74, 381/77, 381/81, 381/123, 381/182, 381/306, 381/370
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/4341 Demultiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/15 Transducers incorporated in visual displaying devices, e.g. televisions, computer displays, laptops
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F

Abstract

Various audiovisual presentation arrangements are described. In some embodiments, a headset is configured to output audio to a user. A television receiver may be configured to output a plurality of video feeds for simultaneous presentation by a display device. Each video feed of the plurality of video feeds may be displayed in a different display region of the display device. The television receiver may receive a command indicative of a video feed of the plurality of videos feeds that the user is viewing on the display device. Based on the command, the television receiver may output, to the headset, an audio feed that corresponds to the video feed the user is viewing.

Claims

1. An audiovisual control system, the audiovisual control system comprising:

a receiving device configured to;

receive a first command selecting a first video feed of a plurality of video feeds that a first user is viewing on a display device;

based on the first command, output a first audio feed that corresponds to the first video feed the first user is viewing, wherein the first audio feed is output to a first headphone device;

receive a second command indicative of a change command from the first user corresponding to the first video feed;

determine whether a second user is viewing the first video feed;

in response to determining whether the second user is viewing the first video feed, process the change command;

receive a third command indicative of a second video feed of the plurality of video feeds that the second user is viewing on the display device; and

based on the third command, output a second audio feed that corresponds to the second video feed the second user is viewing, wherein the second audio feed is output to a second headphone device.

2. The audiovisual control system of claim 1, the audiovisual control system further comprising:

a television receiver configured to;

output the plurality of video feeds for simultaneous presentation by the display device, wherein each video feed of the plurality of video feeds is displayed in a different display region of the display device.

3. The audiovisual control system of claim 2, wherein the receiving device is integrated in the television receiver.

4. The audiovisual control system of claim 1, wherein no other user is viewing the first video feed;

and the receiving device is further configured to;

in response to determining that no other user is viewing the first video feed, change the first video feed to a new video feed based on the change command.

5. The audiovisual control system of claim 1, wherein the second user is viewing the first video feed;

and the receiving device is further configured to;

in response to determining that the second user is viewing the first video feed, output an indication that the first video feed will not be changed based on the change command received from the first user.

6. The audiovisual control system of claim 1, wherein the second user is viewing the first video feed;

and the receiving device is further configured to;

in response to determining that the second user is viewing the first video feed, discard the change command received from the first user.

7. The audiovisual control system of claim 1, the audiovisual control system further comprising:

the first headphone device configured to output audio to the first user wherein the first headphone device comprises a plurality of buttons, and the first headphone device is configured to;

receive, via a button of the plurality of buttons of the first headphone device, user input indicative of the first video feed of the plurality of video feeds; and

transmit the first command based on the user input.

8. The audiovisual control system of claim 1, the audiovisual control system further comprising:

a mobile device, configured to;

receive user input indicative of the first video feed of the plurality of video feeds; and

transmit the first command based on the user input to the receiving device via a network connection.

9. The audiovisual control system of claim 1, wherein the first headphone device comprises an accelerometer and the first headphone device is configured to:

receive, via the accelerometer, user input indicative of the first video feed of the plurality of video feeds; and

transmit the first command based on the user input.

10. The audiovisual control system of claim 1, the audiovisual control system further comprising:

a camera having a field of view including the first user, wherein a television receiver is further configured to;

receive one or more images from the camera; and

determine, using the one or more images, a display region of the display device that the first user is viewing;

wherein the display region being viewed is used as the first command.

11. A method for managing multiple video streams, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computerized receiving device, a first command selecting a first video feed of a plurality of video feeds that a first user is viewing on a display device;

based on the first command, outputting, by the computerized receiving device, a first audio feed that corresponds to the first video feed the first user is viewing, wherein the first audio feed is output to a first headphone device;

receiving, by the computerized receiving device, a second command indicative of a change command from the first user corresponding to the first video feed;

determining, by the computerized receiving device, whether a second user is viewing the first video feed;

in response to determining whether the second user is viewing the first video feed, processing, by the computerized receiving device, the change command;

receiving, by the computerized receiving device, a third command indicative of a second video feed of the plurality of video feeds that the second user is viewing on the display device; and

based on the third command, outputting, by the computerized receiving device, a second audio feed that corresponds to the second video feed the second user is viewing, wherein the second audio feed is output to a second headphone device.

12. The method for managing multiple video streams of claim 11, the method further comprising:

output the plurality of video feeds for simultaneous presentation by the display device, wherein each video feed of the plurality of video feeds is displayed in a different display region of the display device.

13. The method for managing multiple video streams of claim 12, wherein the computerized receiving device is integrated as part of a television receiver.

14. The method for managing multiple video streams of claim 11, wherein no other user is viewing the first video feed;

the method further comprising;

in response to determining that no other user is viewing the first video feed, changing, by the computerized receiving device, the first video feed to a new video feed based on the change command.

15. The method for managing multiple video streams of claim 11, wherein the second user is viewing the first video feed;

and the method further comprising;

in response to determining that the second user is viewing the first video feed, outputting, by the computerized receiving device, an indication that the first video feed will not be changed based on the change command received from the first user.

16. The method for managing multiple video streams of claim 11, wherein the second user is viewing the first video feed;

and the method further comprising;

in response to determining that the second user is viewing the first video feed, discarding, by the computerized receiving device, the change command received from the first user.

17. The method for managing multiple video streams of claim 11, the method further comprising:

receiving, by an accelerometer of the first headphone device, user input indicative of the first video feed of the plurality of video feeds; and

transmitting, by the headphone device, the first command based on the user input.

18. A non-transitory processor-readable medium for managing multiple video streams, comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:

receive a first command selecting a first video feed of a plurality of video feeds that a first user is viewing on a display device;

based on the first command, output a first audio feed that corresponds to the first video feed the first user is viewing, wherein the first audio feed is output to a first headphone device;

receive a second command indicative of a change command from the first user corresponding to the first video feed;

determine whether a second user is viewing the first video feed;

in response to determining whether the second user is viewing the first video feed, process the change command;

receive a third command indicative of a second video feed of the plurality of video feeds that the second user is viewing on the display device; and

output, based on the third command, a second audio feed that corresponds to the second video feed the second user is viewing, wherein the second audio feed is output to a second headphone device.