Method and apparatus for cooperative recording

• US 9,497,408 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2015
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cragun, Brian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Heather
• Application Number:
  US14/860,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20160014369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/71 Charge-coupled device [CCD] sensors; Charge-transfer registers specially adapted for CCD sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A method, system, and article of manufacture that allows amateur camera operators to share video and audio with other amateur camera operators at the same event over a cooperative, ad hoc network. One embodiment of the present invention comprises forming an ad hoc network comprising a plurality of recording devices, and communicating audiovisual signals between the plurality of recording devices in the ad hoc network. In some embodiments, this method may further comprise transmitting a replay request to the plurality of recording devices and receiving an audiovisual signal corresponding to the replay request, transmitting a push request to the plurality of recording devices, and/or transmitting a message to at least one of the plurality of recording devices.

Claims

1. A camera, comprising:

an audiovisual recording device that generates a primary audiovisual signal;

a wireless network interface coupled to the audiovisual recording device and adapted to communicate the primary audiovisual signal to a plurality of other audiovisual recording devices over an ad hoc network, the wireless network interface further adapted to receive a secondary audiovisual signal and a descriptor packet associated with the secondary audiovisual signal from another recording device in the ad hoc network;

wherein the descriptor packet describes the content of the secondary audiovisual signal and wherein the descriptor packet includes recording device location information to enable complimentary angle selection; and

a processor adapted select a preferred secondary audiovisual signal based on the contents of the descriptor packet; and

a storage medium that simultaneously records the primary audiovisual signal and the selected secondary audiovisual signal.

2. The camera of claim 1, further comprising a peer-to-peer network manager coupled to the wireless network interface, wherein the peer-to-peer network manager cooperates with the wireless network interface to communicate with the ad hoc network of audiovisual recording devices.

3. The camera of claim 1, wherein the audiovisual recording device comprises a charge-coupled device array.

4. The camera of claim 1, wherein the audiovisual signal comprises a video signal and an audio signal.

5. The camera of claim 1, wherein the audiovisual signal consists essentially of photographs.

6. A computer program product, comprising:

(a) a program configured to perform a method of recording events, comprising;

joining a first recording device to an ad hoc network comprising a plurality of recording devices, the first recording device comprising a network interface, an audiovisual capture device that generates a primary audiovisual signal, and a storage medium;

receiving a secondary audiovisual signal and a descriptor packet associated with the secondary audiovisual signal via the network interface from another recording device in the ad hoc network, the descriptor packet describing the content of the secondary audiovisual signal;

wherein the descriptor packets include recording device location information to enable complimentary angle selection;

configuring the recording device to select a preferred secondary audiovisual signal based on the contents of the descriptor packet; and

recording simultaneously the primary audiovisual signal and the selected secondary audiovisual signal onto the storage medium of the first recording device; and

(b) a non-transitory computer-readable medium bearing the program.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprises a memory of a video camera.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the ad hoc network comprises at least one recording device provided by an event site.

9. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the program further comprises a peer-to-peer module that manages the communication of the audiovisual signals.

10. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising transmitting a replay request to the plurality of recording devices;

and receiving an audiovisual signal corresponding to the replay request.

11. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising transmitting a push request to the plurality of recording devices.

12. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising transmitting a message to at least one of the plurality of recording devices.

13. The computer program product of claim 6:

wherein the primary audiovisual signal comprises a primary video signal and a primary audio signal;

wherein the secondary audiovisual signal comprises a secondary video signal and a secondary audio signal; and

further comprising selecting an audio signal to record with the primary video signal and the secondary video signal.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the audio signal recorded with the primary video signal and the secondary video signal comprises a composite audio signal.

15. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the preferred secondary audiovisual signal is chosen from the group consisting of an audiovisual signal having a widest zoom, an audiovisual signal having a complementary zoom, an audiovisual signal having a complementary angle as defined by position and direction, a most popular audiovisual signal, an audiovisual signal showing a camera operator, and an audiovisual signal created by a specific individual.

16. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the ad hoc network further comprises an event site audiovisual source.

17. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the plurality of recording devices that form the ad hoc network varies as recording devices enter and leave an event location.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the ad hoc network comprises a peer-to-peer network architecture.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the plurality of recording devices communicate directly with each other via the ad hoc network.