Method of distributing sports entertainment

• US 9,661,359 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2013
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: U'R There Entertainment, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: U'R There Entertainment, Ltd.
• Inventors: Frederick, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALLEN C
• Application Number:
  US14/109,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20140104430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 348157
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2223 being a public access point, e.g. for downloading to or uploading from clients arrangements specially adapted to plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/233 Processing of audio elementary streams monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A method for distributing sports entertainment includes the step of providing a plurality of video cameras positioned on vehicles or athletes that are participating in sporting events, transmitters for transmitting information from the plurality of cameras to a processing station, retransmission equipment for directing the camera feed from each of the plurality of cameras to separate channels for distribution and remote viewing at viewers'"'"' locations, and channel selectors that permit viewers to select from among the various channels, thereby allowing the viewers to select from the plurality of camera feeds. The cameras are simultaneously operated during the sporting event so as to generate a plurality of camera feeds during the event, each feed reflecting the perspective of an individual participant. The plurality of feeds is received by the retransmission equipment and retransmitted to selectable channels, each channel being associated with a respective camera feed. A viewer is thus allowed to select from the plurality of channels to thus enable his or her viewing of the sports event through the perspective of the participant of greatest interest to the viewer.

Claims

1. A system for distributing, to at least one individual, audio information reflecting the perspective of one or more participants in a sporting event, the system comprising:

a first device positioned on or adjacent to a first participant of the one or more participants in the sporting event and configured to generate a first audio signal reflecting the perspective of the first participant of the one or more participants during the sporting event;

a first transmitter positioned on or adjacent to the first participant and configured to transmit the first audio signal generated by the first device during the sporting event; and

receiving and retransmission equipment configured to receive the first audio signal transmitted from the first transmitter and receive a second audio signal transmitted from a second transmitter positioned on or adjacent to a second participant during the sporting event, the receiving and retransmission equipment being further configured to direct the first audio signal and the second audio signal to first and second respective channels of a distribution system during the sporting event, the distribution system enabling remote listening by the at least one individual on an electronic device;

wherein the at least one individual is able to select from among the first channel and the second channel during the sporting event and thereby listen to the audio information of the one or more participants during the sporting event on the electronic device; and

wherein the receiving equipment is configured to receive continuous audio signals from the first transmitter and second transmitters as well as from additional transmitters positioned on or adjacent to additional participants in the sporting event; and

the audio signals available for listening are configured to change during the sporting event based on the level of interest in particular participants.

2. The distribution system of claim 1, wherein:

the audio signals available for listening are determined based on the actions of a plurality of listeners during the sporting event.

3. The distribution system of claim 1, wherein:

the receiving equipment is further configured to receive additional information from the first and second transmitters, the additional information including video information reflecting images from the perspective of a respective participant in the sporting event; and

the retransmission equipment is further configured to direct the received additional information to a respective one of the first and second channels of the distribution system during the sporting event.

4. The distribution system of claim 1, wherein the distribution system is a television distribution system configured to permit the at least one individual to select from the first and second channels of the television distribution system during the sporting event, and thereby listen to the audio signals reflecting the perspective of the one or more respective participants on the electronic device.

5. The distribution system of claim 1, wherein the distribution system is the Internet, whereby the at least one individual is able to select from the first and second channels during the sporting event and thereby listen to the audio signals reflecting the perspective of the one or more respective participants on the electronic device.

6. The distribution system of claim 1, further comprising

adding advertising information to at least one of the first information and the second information regarding audio signals reflecting the perspective of the one or more participants, whereby the at least one individual listens to the advertising information along with the audio signals of the sporting event.

7. The distribution system of claim 6, wherein the advertising information includes information about the sporting event or the one or more participants within the advertising information.

8. A method for distributing, to at least one individual, audio information reflecting a perspective of one or more participants in a sporting event, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first audio signal generated by a first device positioned on or adjacent to a first participant of the one or more participants during the sporting event, the first audio signal reflecting the perspective of the first participant of the one or more participants;

receiving a second audio signal generated by a second device positioned on or adjacent to a second participant of the one or more participants during the sporting event, the second audio signal reflecting the perspective of the second participant of the one or more participants;

directing the first audio signal to a first channel of a distribution system and the second audio signal to a second channel of the distribution system during the sporting event;

enabling at least one individual to select from the first and second channels during the sporting event and thereby listen to the audio information of the sporting event on an electronic device; and

receiving continuous audio signals from additional devices positioned on or adjacent to additional participants in the sporting event; and

wherein the audio signals available for listening are changed during the sporting event based on the level of interest in particular participants.

9. The distribution system of claim 8, wherein:

the audio signals available for listening are determined based on the actions of a plurality of viewers during the sporting event.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving additional information from the first and second devices, the additional information including video information reflecting images from the perspective of a respective participant in the sporting event; and

directing the received additional information to a respective one of the first and second channels of the distribution system during the sporting event.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the distribution system is a television distribution system configured to permit the at least one individual to select from the first and second channels of the television distribution system during the sporting event, and thereby listen to the audio signals reflecting the perspective of the one or more respective participants on the electronic device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the distribution system is the Internet, whereby the at least one individual is able to select from the first and second channels during the sporting event and thereby listen to the audio signals reflecting the perspective of the one or more respective participants on the electronic device.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising

adding advertising information to at least one of the first information and the second information regarding audio signals reflecting the perspective of the one or more participants, whereby the at least one individual listens to the advertising information along with the audio signals of the sporting event.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the advertising information includes information about the sporting event or the one or more participants.