Network-extensible reconfigurable media appliance

• US 7,805,405 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dennis Fernandez
• Inventors: Fernandez, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene; John E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Myint; Dennis
• Application Number:
  US12/238,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20090019511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 707/804, 707/805, 707/621, 707/622
• US Class Current: 707/621
• 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. Network extensible reconfigurable media appliance comprising:

a media unit comprising a sensor, and a first reconfigurable logic circuit;

a controller comprising microprocessor, and a second reconfigurable logic circuit; and

a communication unit comprising a network controller, and a third reconfigurable logic circuit,

wherein one or more of the reconfigurable logic circuits process billing, DRM, security, identification, authoring, and tagging, wherein the sensor is part of a micro-sensor platform for low-power wireless sensor network of collaborative network-extensible reconfigurable media appliances, each such appliance synchronizing with one or more other appliance in such network according to each such appliance sensor generation of one or more metadata tag for collaborative media generation according to a network-extensible reconfigurable effects studio for providing synchronized collaborative media from such networked appliances;

wherein one or more of the reconfigurable logic circuits adaptively guides one or more media appliance operator in making discretionary emergency decisions to take alternate script paths, alter flow of script, storyboard or digital template, or deviate from such script, storyboard or digital template when one or more emergency condition or event does not occur according to such script, storyboard or digital template, said adaptive emergency guidance automatically employing one or more non-deterministic script, storyboard or digital template according to automated logic specified using Bayesian modeling, neural networks, fuzzy logic, or other adaptive technique for making emergency decisions under complex conditions or under incomplete information.

2. Appliance of claim 1 wherein the appliance processes biometric, GPS, media, cellular, security, news, sports, repository, and rendering services.

3. Network-extensible reconfigurable media process steps:

pre-producing a media program;

scripting the media program according to a storyboard or template;

sensing video according to the scripted media program by a sensor; and

post-producing the media program by storing, distributing, and displaying the media program, wherein the sensor is part of a micro-sensor platform for low-power wireless sensor network of collaborative network-extensible reconfigurable media appliances, each such appliance synchronizing with one or more other appliance in such network according to each such appliance sensor generation of one or more metadata tag for collaborative media generation according to a network-extensible reconfigurable effects studio for providing synchronized collaborative media from such networked appliances;

wherein one or more of reconfigurable logic circuits adaptively guides one or more media appliance operator in making discretionary emergency decisions to take alternate script paths, alter flow of script, storyboard or digital template, or deviate from such script, storyboard or digital template when one or more emergency condition or event does not occur according to such script, storyboard or digital template, said adaptive emergency guidance automatically employing one or more non-deterministic script, storyboard or digital template according to automated logic specified using Bayesian modeling, neural networks, fuzzy logic, or other adaptive technique for making emergency decisions under complex conditions or under incomplete information.

4. Process of claim 3 wherein the script comprises branching points defined by user-discretionary meta data or tags for non-linearly streaming the flow or paths of the media program.

5. Process of claim 3 further comprising step:

reconstructing a media event by joining the media program with another media program produced by a peer network-extensible reconfigurable media appliance.