Network-extensible reconfigurable media appliance

• US 7,831,555 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2007
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• 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 Y
• Application Number:
  US11/934,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20100030843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 707/621, 707/636
• 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. Media processing comprising the steps of:

sensing by a sensor to generate an audio or visual (A/V) signal; and

processing the signal adaptively according to pre- or post-production guidance;

wherein the signal is provided to a distributed group of network-extensible media appliances, such signal being provided using programmable protocol translation via real-time or dynamic electronic signal processing to convert a communication format of the provided signal, at least one of the appliances in the distributed group thereby presenting electronically the processed signal via an audio or video renderer, such presenting appliance enabling user access to seam-less stream of audio or video according to one or more metadata or tags for integrating or synchronizing presentation of such audio or video effectively to reconstruct an event sensed by a plurality of appliances in the distributed group, whereby such distributed group of network-extensible media appliances collaborates to reconstruct the event effectively by integrating or synchronizing A/V signals that are collected from distributed media appliances, such A/V signals being integrated or synchronized to flow or branch according to a non-linear or non-deterministic script, template or storyboard;

wherein the sensor is associated biometrically with the presenting appliance and further generates therefrom a biometric sensing signal that senses an emotional interest variable according to one or more user biometric signature or sample identifier comparison which is exhibit-able externally by the accessing user, such that the sensed event is thereby reconstructed collaboratively for the plurality of appliances in the distributed group of network-extensible media appliances in real-time using the biometrically-sensed emotional interest variable when integrating or synchronizing the flow or branch of the A/V signals automatically according to a biometrically-sensed decision that is synchronized to an alternate path that biometrically-synchronizes flow or branch of the script, template or storyboard when presenting the reconstructed event to such accessing user via the video or audio renderer collaboratively with other appliances in the distributed group.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein:

the signal is encoded according to a video format enabling emotion recognition.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein:

the signal is processed for content, user or device authentication for security intelligence.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein:

the signal is processed using one or more tag according to a digital rights management (DRM) flag or meta-datastructure.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein:

the signal is rendered via an abstraction layer for presentation according to an ATSC format.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein:

the signal is processed for alternate rendering according to a non-linear branching-point for a news, sports or movie program.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein:

the signal is processed synchronously with a delegated A/V stream in an appliance group.

8. Media processing apparatus comprising:

a sensor to generate an audio or visual (A/V) signal; and

a processor to process the signal adaptively according to pre- or post-production guidance;

wherein the signal is provided to a distributed group of network-extensible media appliances, such signal being provided using programmable protocol translation via real-time or dynamic electronic signal processing to convert a communication format of the provided signal, at least one of the appliances in the distributed group thereby presenting electronically the processed signal via an audio or video renderer, such presenting appliance enabling user access to seam-less stream of audio or video according to one or more metadata or tags for integrating or synchronizing presentation of such audio or video effectively to reconstruct an event sensed by a plurality of appliances in the distributed group, whereby such distributed group of network-extensible media appliances collaborates to reconstruct the event effectively by integrating or synchronizing A/V signals that are collected from distributed media appliances, such A/V signals being integrated or synchronized to flow or branch according to a non-linear or non-deterministic script, template or storyboard;

wherein the sensor is associated biometrically with the presenting appliance and further generates therefrom a biometric sensing signal that senses an emotional interest variable according to one or more user biometric signature or sample identifier comparison which is exhibit-able externally by the accessing user, such that the sensed event is thereby reconstructed collaboratively for the plurality of appliances in the distributed group of network-extensible media appliances in real-time using the biometrically-sensed emotional interest variable when integrating or synchronizing the flow or branch of the A/V signals automatically according to a biometrically-sensed decision that is synchronized to an alternate path that biometrically-synchronizes flow or branch of the script, template or storyboard when presenting the reconstructed event to such accessing user via the video or audio renderer collaboratively with other appliances in the distributed group.