Network-extensible reconfigurable media appliance

• US 7,784,077 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2006
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dennis Fernandez
• Inventors: Fernandez, Dennis S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trujillo; James
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONYERS, DAWAUNE A
• Application Number:
  US11/585,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20070150917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 707/827, 725/86, 725/149
• US Class Current: 725/86
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/74 Browsing; Visualisation therefor end-user interfaces for requesting or interacting with video content, e.g. video on demand interfaces or electronic program guides, H04N21/472
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64784 Data processing by the network data processing in packet switching systems H04L12/56; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; intermediate storage or scheduling H04L49/90; provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/617 Upgrading or updating of programs or applications for camera control
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2621 Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects during image pickup, e.g. digital cameras, camcorders, video cameras having integrated special effects capability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/913 Multimedia
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Extensible reconfigurable media appliance for security and entertainment captures images digitally for storage. Digital effects and filters are applied to incoming video stream on-the-fly or to video data stored in memory. Digital effects and filters are dynamically stored, modified, updated or deleted, providing extensible reconfigurable effects studio. Digital media appliance communicates wirelessly with other media appliances, computers, security systems, video storage, email, chat, cellular services or PDAs to provide seamless integration of captured video stream.

Claims

1. Location or directional orientation-based electronic method for configuring a wireless or mobile cellular or gaming appliance for non-linear media production comprising step:

configuring a wireless or mobile cellular or gaming appliance automatically via a controller to enable electronic pre-production of location or directional orientation-based media or gaming content according to a script, storyboard or template,

wherein the location or directional orientation-based media or gaming content is provided by a sensor comprising a single-chip accelerometer or acceleration detector, and the controller accesses the sensor to enable at least one meta data-structure to tag such location or directional orientation-based media or gaming content for synchronizing post-production non-linearly according to the script, storyboard or template;

said script, storyboard or template comprising a plurality of branching points of multiple media streams for enabling non-linear reconstruction of an event covered by a distributed group of network-extensible reconfigurable media appliances that dynamically join or leave said group to provide one or more of such media streams, whereby each appliance in said group is synchronized to cover the same event but provide a different media presentation of such same event according to said script, storyboard or template;

wherein the sensor is provided on-appliance for one or more appliance in said group, such that the controller determines real-time location or directional orientation for each such appliance separately having on-appliance sensor, such that the controller enables the non-linear reconstruction of the event covered by the distributed group of network-extensible media appliances by accessing such one or more appliances in said group having on-appliance sensor to tag location or directional orientation-based content associated or synchronizable with each such one or more appliances in said group having on-appliance sensor;

wherein the on-appliance sensor further comprises a micro-GPS transponder that enables the controller to determine real-time location or directional orientation for each such appliance separately having on-appliance sensor, such that the controller accesses each such transponder sensor to enable said at least one meta data-structure to tag such location or directional-based media or gaming content according to such micro-GPS transponder in each such appliance, whereby the non-linear reconstruction of the covered event is determined by the controller using the micro-GPS transponder-generated real-time location or directional orientation to enable said at least one meta-data structure for tagging said location or directional-based media or gaming content.

2. Method of claim 1 wherein:

the content is processed in real-time by reconfigurable logic that encodes digital video according to an H.264 video format.

3. Method of claim 1 wherein:

the controller accesses a user interface for guiding configuration of news, sports or movie content adaptively according to user selection of one or more branching point in the script, storyboard or template.

4. Method of claim 1 wherein:

the post-production is synchronized by re-constructing the media content with other media content from another media appliance or network peer device.

5. Pre-configured digital television media appliance for non-linear digital television media production comprising:

media unit comprising a high-definition video sensor for generating a digital television media content signal; and

digital signal processing (DSP) controller for pre-producing the digital television media content signal according to a script, storyboard or template, such that at least one meta data-structure tags the digital television media content signal for synchronizing post-production non-linearly according to the script, storyboard or template;

said script, storyboard or template comprising a plurality of branching points of multiple media streams for enabling non-linear reconstruction of an event covered by a distributed group of network-extensible reconfigurable media appliances that dynamically join or leave said group to provide one or more of such media streams, whereby each appliance in said group is synchronized to cover the same event but provide a different media presentation of such same event according to said script, storyboard or template;

wherein the sensor is provided on-appliance for one or more appliance in said group, such that the controller determines real-time location or directional orientation for each such appliance separately having on-appliance sensor, such that the controller enables the non-linear reconstruction of the event covered by the distributed group of network-extensible media appliances by accessing such one or more appliances in said group having on-appliance sensor to tag location or directional orientation-based content associated or synchronizable with each such one or more appliances in said group having on-appliance sensor;

wherein the on-appliance sensor further comprises a micro-GPS transponder that enables the controller to determine real-time location or directional orientation for each such appliance separately having on-appliance sensor, such that the controller accesses each such transponder sensor to enable said at least one meta data-structure to tag such location or directional-based media or gaming content according to such micro-GPS transponder in each such appliance, whereby the non-linear reconstruction of the covered event is determined by the controller using the micro-GPS transponder-generated real-time location or directional orientation to enable said at least one meta-data structure for tagging said location or directional-based media or gaming content.

6. Appliance of claim 5 further comprising:

communication unit for enabling cellular or wireless communication of the signal for post-production of such signal by a renderer.

7. Appliance of claim 6 wherein:

the communication unit performs programmable protocol translation, format conversion, network packet processing, and communication encryption or decryption.

8. Appliance of claim 6 wherein:

the sensor performs color-space conversion, backlight compensation, white balancing, gain control, activity detection, motion detection, gamma correction, multi-frame noise reduction, depth estimation, bad-pixel correction, and video stabilization.

9. Appliance of claim 6 wherein:

the controller authorizes content, device and user, and is powered by a methanol fuel cell.

10. Controller-based method for re-constructing digital television media content for

non-linear digital television post-production comprising steps:

accessing by at least one controller a first digital television media content from a first digital television media appliance, such first digital television media content being pre-produced according to a digital television script, storyboard or template;

accessing by at least one of such controller a second digital television media content from a second digital television media appliance, such second digital television media content being pre-produced according to the digital television script, storyboard or template; and

post-producing by at least one of such controller the first digital television media content and the second digital television media content, wherein at least one meta data-structure in each of such first and second digital television media content tags such corresponding digital television media content for synchronizing digital television post-production non-linearly according to the digital television script, storyboard or template;

said script, storyboard or template comprising a plurality of branching points of multiple media streams for enabling non-linear reconstruction of an event covered by a distributed group of network-extensible reconfigurable media appliances that dynamically join or leave said group to provide one or more of such media streams, whereby each appliance in said group is synchronized to cover the same event but provide a different media presentation of such same event according to said script, storyboard or template;

wherein an on-appliance sensor for determining location or directional orientation is provided in one or more appliance in said group, such that the controller determines real-time location or directional orientation for each such appliance separately having on-appliance sensor, such that the controller enables the non-linear reconstruction of the event covered by the distributed group of network-extensible media appliances by accessing such one or more appliances in said group having on-appliance sensor to tag location or directional orientation-based content associated or synchronizable with each such one or more appliances in said group having on-appliance sensor;

wherein the on-appliance sensor further comprises a micro-GPS transponder that enables the controller to determine real-time location or directional orientation for each such appliance separately having on-appliance sensor, such that the controller accesses each such transponder sensor to enable said at least one meta data-structure to tag such location or directional-based media or gaming content according to such micro-GPS transponder in each such appliance, whereby the non-linear reconstruction of the covered event is determined by the controller using the micro-GPS transponder-generated real-time location or directional orientation to enable said at least one meta-data structure for tagging said location or directional-based media or gaming content.

11. Method of claim 10 wherein:

at least one of the meta data-structure comprises a theatre-automation cue.

12. Method of claim 10 wherein:

the post-production is synchronized non-deterministically according to a Bayesian model, a neural network, or

fuzzy logic.