Systems and methods for autonomous broadcasting

• US 9,686,574 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2016
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BoxCast, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Boxcast, LLC (BoxCast, Inc.)
• Inventors: Daily, Gordon R., Hartman, Justin R., Helbling, Joel S., Hopper, Ronald C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheleheda, James R
• Application Number:
  US15/188,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20160301963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 364 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0209 Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/231 Content storage operation, e.g. caching movies for short term storage, replicating data over plural servers, prioritizing data for deletion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26241 involving the time of distribution, e.g. the best time of the day for inserting an advertisement or airing a children program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63 Control signaling related to video distribution between client, server and network components; Network processes for video distribution between server and clients or between remote clients, e.g. transmitting basic layer and enhancement layers over different transmission paths, setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet between remote STB's; Communication protocols; Addressing real-time session protocols H04L65/1101; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64746 Control signals issued by the network directed to the server or the client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/262 Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects

Abstract

Computer-implemented systems and methods provide for the autonomous broadcasting of video data, audio data, or video and audio data during an event, wherein the broadcasting can be schedule in advance and from a remote location (i.e., over a network).

Claims

1. A method comprising:

situating an autonomous broadcast device (ABD) behind a router; and

establishing an Internet connection for the ABD behind the router, wherein the router prevents remote access to the ABD from outside the router,

wherein, the ABD autonomously performs the following actions without any modification to or circumvention of the router;

issue a request via the Internet connection to a first server situated outside the router and receive data relating to a recording start time of a live event from the first server in response to the request;

receive digital content of the live event after the recording start time from a digital recording device proximate to the live event;

transmit streaming information via the Internet connection to a second server, wherein the second server is configured to stream the digital content to a plurality of users;

transmit the digital content via the Internet connection to the second server contemporaneously with the live event and based on the data relating to the recording start time;

receive data relating to a recording end time for the live event from the first server via the Internet connection; and

cease transmission of the digital content based on the data relating to the recording end time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ABD lacks a user interface permitting a user to input the recording start time of the live event via the ABD.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the router comprises a firewall.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first server and second server are the same server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second server comprises a plurality of servers.

6. A method comprising:

situating an autonomous broadcast device (ABD) behind a router; and

establishing an Internet connection for the ABD behind the router, wherein the router prevents remote access to the ABD from outside the router,

wherein, the ABD autonomously performs the following actions without any modification to or circumvention of the router;

issue a request via the Internet connection to a server situated outside the router and receive data relating to a recording start time of a live event from the server in response to the request;

receive digital content of the live event after the recording start time from a digital recording device proximate to the live event;

transmit streaming information via the Internet connection to the server; and

transmit the digital content via the Internet connection to the server contemporaneously with the live event and based on the data relating to the recording start time, wherein the digital content is transmitted out of band from the streaming information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the streaming information is transmitted using a first protocol and the digital content is transmitted using a second protocol.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the server is configured to stream the content to a plurality of users and the router comprises a firewall.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the ABD lacks a user interface permitting a user to input the recording start time of the live event via the ABD.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the ABD autonomously receives data relating to a recording end time for the live event from the server via the Internet connection, and wherein the ABD ceases transmission of the digital content based on the data relating to the recording end time.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the server comprises a plurality of servers.

12. A system comprising:

an autonomous broadcasting device (ABD) situated behind a router;

scheduling logic remote from and in data communication with the ABD over a network; and

a server,

wherein the scheduling logic interfaces with a first user to allow the first user to set a recording start time for a live event,

wherein, in response to a request initiated autonomously by the ABD, the scheduling logic transmits data relating to the recording start time to the ABD over the network without modification or circumvention of the firewall, wherein, based on the data relating to the recording start time, the ABD autonomously transmits video data of the live event without modification or circumvention of the firewall contemporaneously with the live event from a video acquisition device to the server over the network, and

wherein the server transmits the video data as a live video stream to a second user over the network.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first user, the second user, and the ABD are remote from one another.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the scheduling logic stores the data relating to the recording start time in a schedule associated with the ABD.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the scheduling logic is stored on the server.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the scheduling logic interfaces with the first user to allow the first user to set a recording end time for the live event and transmits data relating to the recording end time to the ABD over the network, and

wherein, based on the data relating to the recording end time, the ABD ceases transmission of the video data captured by the video acquisition device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the scheduling logic stores the data relating to the recording end time in the schedule.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the scheduling logic stores usage information of the second user.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the usage information comprises an IP address of the second user.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the usage information comprises a viewing duration of the second user.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the router comprises a firewall.

22. A method comprising:

receiving and storing on a server schedule data from a first user, the schedule data comprising data relating to a recording start time for a live event;

in response to a request from an autonomous broadcasting device (ABD), transmitting the data relating to the recording start time to the ABD, wherein the ABD is remote from the server and situated behind a router, and wherein the request is initiated autonomously by the ABD and no modification to or circumvention of the router is necessary for communication between the ABD and the server;

receiving streaming information from the ABD;

receiving a first transmission of digital content of the live event from the ABD contemporaneously with the live event and based on the data relating to the recording start time; and

contemporaneously with the live event, streaming the digital content to a plurality of second users.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the streaming information is received out of band from the digital content.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the schedule data further comprises data relating to a recording end time for the live event, the method further comprising, in response to a request from the ABD, transmitting the data relating to the recording end time to the ABD.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising dynamically scaling the server based on demand for the digital content being streamed to the plurality of second users.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising storing the digital content and streaming the digital content to a user after the live event has concluded.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising logging usage statistics for at least one of the plurality of second users.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the usage statistics comprise an IP address of the at least one of the plurality of second users.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the usage statistics comprise a viewing duration of the at least one of the plurality of second users.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein the server comprises a plurality of servers and the router comprises a firewall.