Electronic handheld audio/video receiver and listening/viewing device

• US 9,300,924 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2012
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Entertainment LLC
• Original Assignee: Immersion Entertainment LLC
• Inventors: Anderson, Tazwell L. Jr., Wood, Mark A., Anderson, Geoffrey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Ngoc
• Application Number:
  US13/591,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20130100293A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: 725/63, 725/74, 725/82, 725/105, 725/135, 725/81, 348157-159
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/002 Non-adaptive circuits, e.g. manually adjustable or static, for enhancing the sound image or the spatial distribution control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field H04S7/30

Abstract

A handheld device in an audio and video system including a system for receiving and processing video and/or audio signals, a system for displaying a virtual image to a user, and a system for producing sounds audible to a user. The handheld device also incorporates a shroud to block ambient light when the handheld unit is engaged with the user'"'"'s face. As a result, the user may hear sounds produced from the received audio signals. Further the user may see the virtual images produced from the received video signals when the handheld device is engaged with the users face.

Claims

1. A method for providing a plurality of user selectable, different viewing perspectives associated with an event to a user of a portable handheld device while attending the event live, the handheld device having a receiver, signal processing logic, a display and a user interface, the method comprising:

obtaining video signals from a plurality of cameras located at an event, at least two of the cameras being located at different locations around the event and producing video signals defining live video content of the event from different viewing perspectives;

receiving, through the user interface of the handheld device, an input indicating a desire to view a first video signal from said video signals;

wirelessly transmitting the first video signal to the receiver of the handheld device;

displaying, on the display, live video content from the first video signal indicated at the user interface to be desirable to be viewed by a first user;

wherein the live video content from the first video signal corresponds to one viewing perspective of the event associated with a single one of the cameras located at the event; and

wherein the transmitting and displaying operations occur continuously a) only in response to input by the first user of the first video signal for viewing while said live event occurs and b) until the first user chooses to input an indication to view another live video content from said video signals.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising demodulating the first video signal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining audio signals from a plurality of audio sources located at the event, at least two of the audio sources being located at different locations around the event and producing audio signals defining live audio content of the event from different perspectives;

entering, through the user interface of the handheld device, an input indicating a desire to listen to a first audio signal from said audio signals;

wirelessly transmitting the first audio signal at the receiver of the portable handheld device;

playing the first audio signal; and

wherein the audio transmitting and playing operations occur continuously a) only in response to the input indicating the desire by the first user to listen to the first audio signal while said live event occurs and b) until the first user chooses to input an indicating of a desire to listen to another live audio content from the audio signals.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying further comprises holding the handheld device to the first user'"'"'s face.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying further comprises blocking ambient light when the handheld device is held to the first user'"'"'s face.

6. A portable wireless handheld device to be used at an event by a user while watching the event live, the portable wireless handheld device comprising:

a user interface for entering an input indicating a desire to view first video content from a first source out of a plurality of sources located at the event for viewing by a first user on said display;

a receiver configured to wirelessly receive the first video content transmitted wirelessly to said receiver, the first video content being produced at the first source;

signal processing logic configured for operation by the first user;

a display configured to display the first video content only from the first source of said plurality of sources; and

wherein the receiver and display receive and display the first video content continuously a) only in response to the first user'"'"'s input of the first video signal for viewing while said live event occurs and b) until the first user chooses to input an indication to view another live video content from said video signals.

7. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 6, further comprising logic to analyze information received by said receiver indicating whether the device is authorized to display a select image defined by said select video content.

8. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 6, further comprising a handheld housing containing the receiver, signal processing logic, and display.

9. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 6, wherein said receiver wirelessly receives a plurality of audio signals associated with the event, the user interface configured to allow the first user to select at least one of said audio signals.

10. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 6, wherein said receiver wirelessly receives a plurality of video signals defining said video content from a plurality of cameras at the event that the user is attending live and at another remote event.

11. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 6, wherein said event is an automobile race and said plurality of video signals provide video content from at least one of a live on-track video camera, an on-board race car video camera and a pit crew video camera.

12. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 6, wherein the first video content includes intermittent images of said event.

13. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 6, wherein said display is a liquid crystal display.

14. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 6, wherein said display comprises a plurality of screens.

15. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 6, further comprising a shroud substantially surrounding said display.

16. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 6, wherein a plurality of cameras provide a sideline view of said event and a user view of said event.

17. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 6, wherein said receiver receives a plurality of multiplexed video signals carried over a carrier frequency.

18. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 6, wherein the video content displayed corresponds to a single video camera and wherein the user is able to view video content from the single video camera uninterrupted until the user chooses to select another single video camera.

19. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 6, wherein said receiver is configured to receive wirelessly video content originating at another event remote from the event that the user is attending live.

20. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 6, wherein said event is a game played on a field and one of a plurality of cameras is located on at least one of i) said field and ii) on a helmet of a player.

21. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 6, wherein said event is a game played on a field and said video content received by said receiver includes a first image from a field sideline perspective of said game and a second image from a user perspective of said game, said signal processing logic allowing the user to select one of the first and second images.

22. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 6, wherein said event occurs at a stadium and said handheld device is configured to operate at said stadium.

23. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 6, wherein said video content includes first and second images associated with separate first and second events, said signal processing logic allowing said user to enter an input indicating a desire to view one of the first and second images.

24. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 6, wherein said receiver permits the user to roam away from the event while said display intermittently displays images defined by said video content.

25. The portable wireless handheld device of claim 6, further comprising a housing adapted to be held against a user'"'"'s face and cover a user'"'"'s eyes.