Switching camera angles during interactive events

• US 9,548,950 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2009
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alexander Irvin Hopmann, Christopher Andrew Evans, Daniel Evan Socolof, Jeffrey David Henshaw
• Original Assignee: Alexander Irvin Hopmann, Christopher Andrew Evans, Daniel Evan Socolof, Jeffrey David Henshaw
• Inventors: Henshaw, Jeffrey David, Hopmann, Alexander Irvin, Evans, Christopher Andrew, Socolof, Daniel Evan
• Primary Examiner(s): ULRICH, NICHOLAS S
• Application Number:
  US12/586,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20100088159A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,668 Days
• Field of Search: 715/756, 725/135, 725/59, 348/211.12
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0246 Traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0282 Rating or review of business operators or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/155 involving storage of or access to video conference sessions tracking arrangements for later retrieval of a computer conference content or participants activities H04L12/1831

Abstract

Multiple camera angles of an interactive event are simultaneously transmitted as part of a broadcast. The simultaneous distribution of multiple synchronized streams of audio and/or visual information enables switching between cameras to be made by the audience members without interruption of the presentation of the event. In one embodiment, a performance studio might send out multiple synchronized concurrent streams. For example, a performance studio might transmit four distinct camera angles or streams, each at varying quality levels, such as the illustrated high-bandwidth and low-bandwidth encodings. Selection of the stream may also direct interactive feedback portions generated by the selecting audience member towards the selected object/individual. Alternatively, interactive feedback generated by the audience member may be directed globally to the producers of the event and selectively to the performers and other audience members of the event.

Claims

1. A method for participation in interactive online events, comprising:

at an interactive client of the interactive online event,

receiving multiple streams of an event from an event performance studio;

selecting a stream from the multiple streams;

displaying the selected stream of the event for user observation; and

transmitting user initiated feedback messages to an object of the selected stream and not to objects of non-selected streams.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein selection of the stream may include selection of a camera angle of the event.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user initiated feedback messages are transmitted globally to producers of the event.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the user initiated feedback messages to the object of the selected stream comprises displaying the user initiated feedback messages on a screen viewable by the object of the selected stream.

4. A interactive event system comprising:

a performance studio having at least two interactive displays and configured to produce two or more streams of an interactive event;

a production center for producing the interactive event based on event material received from the performance studio; and

at least two interactive clients, at least one of the interactive clients having i) a stream selector, and ii) at least one interactive display, wherein selection of a stream using the stream selector causes event feedback generated at a respective one of the interactive clients to be transmitted to an object of the selected stream and not to objects of non-selected streams.