System and method for enabling collaborative media stream editing

• US 8,826,136 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2005
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Original Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Inventors: Auterinen, Otso
• Primary Examiner(s): SALOMON, PHENUEL S
• Application Number:
  US11/167,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20060294467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,354 Days
• Field of Search: 715/202, 715/723, 715/733
• US Class Current: 715/723
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/005 Reproducing at a different information rate from the information rate of recording for television signals H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A system and method for editing multimedia content. A server transmits multimedia content to a plurality of electronic devices. Each of the plurality of electronic devices enables a user to perform at least one action in relation to the multimedia content. A voting engine gathers information concerning the actions performed by users in relation to the multimedia content transmitted to the electronic devices. In response to the information gathered by the voting engine, the multimedia content is modified based upon predefined criteria. The modified multimedia content is subsequently provided to later users.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing multimedia content to a plurality of viewers;

tracking a frequency of at least one type of actions performed by the plurality of viewers in relation to the provided multimedia content;

in response to the tracked frequency of the at least one type of actions performed by the plurality of viewers satisfying a predefined criteria, modifying the multimedia content accordingly, wherein the multimedia content is modified in a manner selected from the group consisting of eliminating a portion of the multimedia content, modifying a portion of the multimedia content to be played at a slower-than-normal rate, modifying a portion of the multimedia content to be played at a faster-than-normal rate, zooming into an image presented in the multimedia content, panning within the multimedia content, modifying audio-related aspects of the multimedia content, or some combination thereof;

providing the modified multimedia content to at least one subsequent viewer, wherein the tracked types of actions comprise at least one of fast forwarding through a portion of the multimedia content, replaying a portion of the multimedia content, viewing a portion of the multimedia content at a slower-than-normal rate, skipping a portion of the multimedia content, and manipulating audio-related aspects of the multimedia content; and

wherein the predefined criteria comprises at least one of a number of consecutive viewers performing the same action, a frequency of performing a particular action, and whether a certain percentage of viewers perform a particular action.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before providing the multimedia content to the plurality of viewers, receiving the multimedia content from a recording device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of viewers uses a controller to perform the tracked type of actions.

4. A computer program product, embodied in a computer-readable storage medium, comprising:

computer code for enabling a device to provide multimedia content to a plurality of viewers;

computer code for tracking a frequency of at least one type of actions performed by the plurality of viewers in relation to the provided multimedia content;

computer code for, in response to the tracked frequency of the at least one type of actions satisfying a predefined criteria, modifying the multimedia content accordingly, wherein the multimedia content is modified in a manner selected from the group consisting of eliminating a portion of the multimedia content, modifying a portion of the multimedia content to be played at a slower-than-normal rate, modifying a portion of the multimedia content to be played at a faster-than-normal rate, zooming into an image presented in the multimedia content, panning within the multimedia content, modifying audio-related aspects of the multimedia content, or some combination thereof;

computer code for enabling the device to provide the modified multimedia content to at least one subsequent viewer;

wherein the tracked types of actions comprise at least one of fast forwarding through a portion of the multimedia content, replaying a portion of the multimedia content, viewing a portion of the multimedia content at a slower-than-normal rate, skipping a portion of the multimedia content, and manipulating audio-related aspects of the multimedia content; and

wherein the predefined criteria comprises at least one of a number of consecutive viewers performing the same action, a frequency of performing a particular action, and whether a certain percentage of viewers perform a particular action.

5. The computer program product of claim 4, further comprising computer code for enabling the device to receive the multimedia content from a recording device.

6. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of users uses a controller to perform the tracked type of actions.

7. A system, comprising:

a server configured to transmit multimedia content;

a plurality of electronic devices in communication with the server configured to receive the multimedia content, each of the plurality of electronic devices enabling a user to perform at least one action in relation to the multimedia content; and

a voting engine configured to track a frequency of at least one type of actions performed by users of the plurality of electronic devices in relation to the multimedia content transmitted to the plurality of electronic devices,

wherein, in response to the frequency of the at least one type of actions tracked by the voting engine satisfying a predefined criteria, the server is further configured to modify the multimedia content accordingly, wherein the multimedia content is modified in a manner selected from the group consisting of eliminating a portion of the multimedia content, modifying a portion of the multimedia content to be played at a slower-than-normal rate, modifying a portion of the multimedia content to be played at a faster-than-normal rate, zooming into an image presented in the multimedia content, panning within the multimedia content, modifying audio-related aspects of the multimedia content, or some combination thereof,

wherein the modified multimedia content is subsequently provided to the plurality of electronic devices,

wherein the tracked types of actions comprise at least one of fast forwarding through a portion of the multimedia content, replaying a portion of the multimedia content, viewing a portion of the multimedia content at a slower-than-normal rate, skipping a portion of the multimedia content, and manipulating audio-related aspects of the multimedia content, and

wherein the predefined criteria comprises at least one of a number of consecutive viewers performing the same action, a frequency of performing a particular action, and whether a certain percentage of viewers perform a particular action.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the voting engine is located within the server.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a recording device, the recording device providing the multimedia content to the server before the multimedia content is transmitted to the plurality of electronic devices.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory unit operatively connected to the processor and including;

computer code for enabling the apparatus to receive multimedia content from a remote location;

computer code for enabling the apparatus to provide the multimedia content to a viewer;

computer code for tracking a frequency of at least one type of actions performed by the viewer in relation to the multimedia content;

computer code for enabling the apparatus to transmit information concerning the observed actions to the remote location;

computer code for enabling the apparatus to receive the multimedia content in modified form from the remote location, wherein the multimedia content is modified in a manner selected from the group consisting of eliminating a portion of the multimedia content, modifying a portion of the multimedia content to be played at a slower-than-normal rate, modifying a portion of the multimedia content to be played at a faster-than-normal rate, zooming into an image presented in the multimedia content, panning within the multimedia content, modifying audio-related aspects of the multimedia content, or some combination thereof;

wherein the modified form of the multimedia content is represents modifications to the multimedia content in a manner according to the performed action when the tracked frequency of the performed action meets a predefined criteria, the tracked types of actions comprising at least one of fast forwarding through a portion of the multimedia content, replaying a portion of the multimedia content, viewing a portion of the multimedia content at a slower-than-normal rate, skipping a portion of the multimedia content, and manipulating audio-related aspects of the multimedia content; and

wherein the predefined criteria comprises at least one of a number of consecutive viewers performing the same action, a frequency of performing a particular action, and whether a certain percentage of viewers perform a particular action.

11. An apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a controller operatively connected to the processor, the controller permitting the viewer to perform the observed actions.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory unit operatively connected to the processor and including;

computer code for enabling the apparatus to receive tracking information concerning a frequency of at least one type of actions that have been performed on multimedia content by a plurality of users;

computer code for, in response to the tracked frequency of the at least one type of actions satisfying a predefined criteria, modifying the multimedia content accordingly, wherein the multimedia content is modified in a manner selected from the group consisting of eliminating a portion of the multimedia content, modifying a portion of the multimedia content to be played at a slower-than-normal rate, modifying a portion of the multimedia content to be played at a faster-than-normal rate, zooming into an image presented in the multimedia content, panning within the multimedia content, modifying audio-related aspects of the multimedia content, or some combination thereof;

computer code for enabling the apparatus to transmit the modified multimedia content to a remote location for subsequent exhibition to a viewer;

wherein the tracked types of actions comprise at least one of fast forwarding through a portion of the multimedia content, replaying a portion of the multimedia content, viewing a portion of the multimedia content at a slower-than-normal rate, skipping a portion of the multimedia content, and manipulating audio-related aspects of the multimedia content; and

wherein the predefined criteria comprises at least one of a number of consecutive viewers performing the same action, a frequency of performing a particular action, and whether a certain percentage of viewers perform a particular action.

13. An apparatus of claim 12, wherein the memory unit includes a voting engine configured to gather information concerning the frequency of the at least one type of actions in relation to the multimedia content.