Self-contained data communication system nodes as stand-alone pods or embedded in concrete walkways and in walls at public venues including sports and entertainment venues

• US 8,320,820 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2010
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arena IP, LLC (Ortiz & Lopez PLLC)
• Original Assignee: Front Row Technologies LLC (Ortiz & Lopez PLLC)
• Inventors: Ortiz, Luis M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gesesse, Tilahun B
• Application Number:
  US12/871,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20110212682A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.01, 455/3.02, 455/3.06, 455/344, 455/66.1, 455/899, 455/414.1
• US Class Current: 455/3.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A system supports communications of video and data to hand held devices located within a public venue (e.g., sports stadium). At least one pod includes wireless communications electronics and an integrated antennae deployed as a communications node within the public venue and provides data including video through a data network from at least one server to hand held wireless devices located in the public venue. The pod can include a rechargeable power source sustaining self-contained operation of the wireless communication electronics. An optional solar cell can provide electrical power to charge the rechargeable power source. A pod can be embedded in the wall or floor surface of said public venue and can be provided in the form of a core hole plug.

Claims

1. A system providing communications capacity and supporting the communications of video and data to hand held wireless devices located throughout a sports and entertainment venue, comprising:

at least one server managing data including video of various perspectives of an activity captured by video cameras located throughout the sports and entertainment venue; and

more than one self-contained pod including wireless communications electronics and an integrated antennae for said self-contained pod to operate as a wireless access point sustaining bi-directional communication with said at least one server, said more than one self-contained pod deployed as a matrix of communications nodes throughout a sports and entertainment venue to provide enhanced communications capacity for and data network access by said hand held wireless devices being used by spectators located throughout the sports and entertainment venue and providing access to said data from the at least one server to said hand held wireless devices in use by the spectators.

2. The system supporting the communications of video and data to said hand held wireless devices located within a sports and entertainment venue of claim 1, wherein the more than one self-contained pod each further comprise a rechargeable power source sustaining self-contained operation of the wireless communication electronics.

3. The system supporting the communications of video and data to said wireless hand held devices located within a sports and entertainment venue of claim 2, wherein said more than one self-contained pod each further comprise a solar cell providing electrical power to charge the rechargeable power source.

4. The system supporting the communications of video and data to said hand held wireless devices located within a sports and entertainment venue of claim 1, wherein at least one of the more than one self-contained pod is embedded in a wall or floor surface of said sports and entertainment venue.

5. The system supporting the communications of video and data to said hand held wireless devices located within a sports and entertainment venue of claim 1, wherein at least one of the more than one self-contained pod further comprises a core hole plug serving as a pod and including the wireless communications electronics therein, wherein the at least one of the more than one self-contained pod is embedded in a wall or floor surface of said sports and entertainment venue.

6. The system supporting the communications of video and data to hand held wireless devices located within a sports and entertainment venue of claim 1, wherein the more than one self-contained pod further comprises a rechargeable power source sustaining self-contained operation of the wireless communication electronics included therein.

7. The system supporting the communications of video and data to said wireless hand held devices located within a sports and entertainment venue of claim 6, wherein the more than one self-contained pod further comprises a solar cell providing electrical power to charge the rechargeable power source.

8. A system supporting the communications of hand held wireless devices located throughout a sports and entertainment venue, comprising more than one self-contained pod including wireless communications electronics and an integrated antennae for said more than one self-contained pod to operate as a wireless access point and deployed as a matrix of communications nodes throughout said sports and entertainment venue to provide enhanced wireless communications capacity throughout the sports and entertainment venue and to support bi-directional communication of said hand held wireless devices used by spectators located throughout the sports and entertainment venue with at least one server to obtain access to data including the video from said at least one server, wherein said at least one server manages video of various perspectives of an activity captured by video cameras located throughout the sports and entertainment venue.

9. The system supporting the communications of hand held wireless devices located throughout a sports and entertainment venue of claim 8, further comprising a rechargeable power source contained in said more than one self-contained pod for sustaining operation of the wireless communication electronics without the need for external power.

10. The system supporting the communications of video and data to said hand held wireless devices located within a sports and entertainment venue of claim 9, wherein said more than one self-contained pod each further comprise a solar cell providing a electrical power to charge the rechargeable power source.

11. The system supporting the communications of video and data to said hand held wireless devices located within a sports and entertainment venue of claim 9, wherein at least one of the more than one self-contained pod is embedded in a wall or floor surface of said sports and entertainment venue.

12. The system supporting the communications of video and data to said hand held wireless devices located within a sports and entertainment venue of claim 9, wherein at least one of the more than one self-contained pod further comprises a core hole plug including the wireless communications electronics held therein, wherein the at least one of the more than self-contained one pod is embedded in a wall or floor surface of said sports and entertainment venue.

13. The system supporting the communications of video and data to said hand held wireless devices located within a sports and entertainment venue of claim 8, wherein the more than one self-contained pod further comprises a rechargeable power source sustaining self-contained operation of the wireless communication electronics included therein.

14. The system supporting the communications of video and data to said hand held wireless devices located within a sports and entertainment venue of claim 13, wherein the more than one self-contained pod further comprises a solar cell providing an electrical power to charge the rechargeable power source.

15. A system supporting the communications of video and data to hand held wireless devices located throughout a public venue, comprising more than one self-contained pod including wireless communications electronics and an integrated antennae operating as a wireless access point and deployed as a matrix of communications nodes throughout the public venue to provide enhanced wireless communications capacity throughout the sports and entertainment venue and to support bi-directional communication of the hand held wireless communication device used by spectators located throughout the sports and entertainment venue and provide data including video from at least one server accessed over a data network through said at least one contained in a self-contained pod by said hand held wireless devices located throughout the public venue.

16. The system supporting the communications of video and data to said hand held wireless devices located within a public venue of claim 15, wherein the more than one self-contained pod each further comprise a rechargeable power source sustaining self-contained operation of the wireless communication electronics.

17. The system supporting the communications of video and data to said hand held wireless devices located within a pubic venue of claim 16, wherein said more than one self-contained pod each further comprise a solar cell providing a electrical power to charge the rechargeable power source.

18. The system supporting the communications of video and data to said hand held wireless devices located within a public venue of claim 16, wherein at least one of the more than one self-contained pod is embedded in a wall or floor surface of said public venue.

19. The system supporting the communications of video and data to said hand held wireless devices located within a pubic venue of claim 15, wherein at least one of the more than one self-contained pod further comprises a core hole plug including the wireless communications electronics held therein, wherein the at least one of the more than one self-contained pod is embedded in a wall or floor surface of said pubic venue.

20. The system supporting the communications of video and data to said hand held wireless devices located within a pubic venue of claim 19, wherein the at least one self-contained pod further comprises a rechargeable power source sustaining self-contained operation of the wireless communication electronics included therein.

21. The system supporting the communications of video and data to said hand held wireless devices located within a public venue of claim 20, wherein the at least one self-contained pod further comprises a solar cell providing an electrical power to charge the rechargeable power source.