Techniques for viewing movies
First Claim
1. A controller for controlling pay-per-view streaming of digital audio and video content to a content display unit having a video display screen and audio speakers and being watched and/or listened to by an audience in a viewing area, the controller comprising:
- a housing configured to be disposed proximate the display unit, said housing including a base and a camera module mounted on the base;
a processor and memory located within the base; and
a plurality of cameras housed within the module and having a system field of view including the viewing area and operatively connected to the processor to detect a presence of one or more members of the audience in the viewing area;
wherein said housing is configured to be attachable to an upper edge of said display unit,wherein said base comprises a front portion extending forwardly and downwardly from said upper edge portion, the front portion includes a wall with an aperture extending therethough that faces the screen of the display unit, and wherein a reverse camera is housed within the front portion and oriented therein to view directly back through the aperture at the screen to capture a digital watermark inserted in the streamed digital video content on the screen to confirm that the controller is within the viewing area.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus is disclosed for streaming pay-per-view digital content to a content display unit a viewing audience is watching in a viewing area. An audience detection controller controls the display of content as a function of whether or not payment has been received for the number of viewers present in the viewing audience. The controller includes one or more light responsive cameras combined with a thermal camera to detect a presence of one or more members of the audience in the viewing area, and an operating system to analyze the captured images to detect the number of persons of the audience. The controller further includes a reverse camera to capture a watermark inserted in the streaming content to confirm the controller is in the same room as the display unit, IR lighting, and ambient light sensors to detect ambient light conditions.
59 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A controller for controlling pay-per-view streaming of digital audio and video content to a content display unit having a video display screen and audio speakers and being watched and/or listened to by an audience in a viewing area, the controller comprising:
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a housing configured to be disposed proximate the display unit, said housing including a base and a camera module mounted on the base; a processor and memory located within the base; and a plurality of cameras housed within the module and having a system field of view including the viewing area and operatively connected to the processor to detect a presence of one or more members of the audience in the viewing area; wherein said housing is configured to be attachable to an upper edge of said display unit, wherein said base comprises a front portion extending forwardly and downwardly from said upper edge portion, the front portion includes a wall with an aperture extending therethough that faces the screen of the display unit, and wherein a reverse camera is housed within the front portion and oriented therein to view directly back through the aperture at the screen to capture a digital watermark inserted in the streamed digital video content on the screen to confirm that the controller is within the viewing area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for controlling pay-per-view streaming of digital audio and video content being watched and/or listened to by an audience in a viewing area, the system comprising;
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a content display unit having a video display screen and audio speakers; a controller having a housing configured to be positionable proximate the display unit, said housing including a base and a camera module mounted on the base; a processor and memory located within the base; and a plurality of cameras housed within the module and having a system field of view including the viewing area and operatively connected to the processor to detect a presence of one or more members of the audience in the viewing area, wherein the cameras are configured to scan the viewing area during streaming of the content to capture video and/or still images of the viewing audience in the system field of view, wherein the processor is configured to analyze the captured video and/or still images to determine whether more audience members are present in the viewing area during streaming of the content than tickets purchased to view the pay-per-view digital content, and further comprising a reverse camera housed within the base at an orientation to view the screen of the display unit to capture at least a portion of a screen shot of the display unit; wherein said housing is attached to an upper edge of said display unit, wherein the base has a forwardly and downwardly extending front section which includes a reverse camera aperture extending through a wall of the front section and facing the screen of the display unit, and wherein the reverse camera is housed within the front section and oriented therein to view directly back through the reverse camera aperture at the screen to capture a digital watermark inserted in the streamed digital video content on the screen to confirm that the controller is within the system field of view. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method for controlling pay-per-view streaming of digital audio and visual content being watched and/or listened to by an audience in a viewing area, the method comprising;
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displaying the streaming digital video content on a display unit having a screen; delivering sound representing the streaming audio to the viewing area from speakers in said display unit, with a control module having HD camera units, a thermal camera, a processor and a memory, the control module having a housing configured to be positionable proximate the display unit, said housing including a base and a camera module mounted on the base;
a processor and memory located within the base and the HD camera units and the thermal camera are housed within the camera module;wherein said housing is attached to an upper edge of said display unit, wherein the base has a forwardly and downwardly extending front section which includes a reverse camera aperture extending through a wall of the front section and facing the screen of the display unit, and scanning the viewing area with the HD camera units and thermal camera during streaming of the content to capture video and/or still images of the viewing audience, analyzing the captured video and/or still images with the processor to determine whether more audience members are present in the viewing area during streaming of the content than tickets purchased to view the pay-per-view digital content, capturing a digital watermark inserted in the streamed digital content on the screen with a reverse camera housed within the front section and oriented therein to view directly back through the reverse camera aperture at the screen to confirm that the control module is within the viewing area, and pausing the streaming content when more audience members are detected than tickets purchased. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification