Virtual playbook with user controls

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10532283-B2
Application number	US-201615012792-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2016
Priority date	Dec 3, 2008
Publication date	Jan 14, 2020
Grant date	Jan 14, 2020

Abstract

A computerized method operable on a computer system for compositing data streams to generate a playable composite stream includes receiving a plurality of independent data streams that are included in a broadcast stream. The independent data streams include a video stream and a metadata stream. The metadata stream includes a plurality of user selectable graphics metadata for a plurality of graphics options. The computerized method further includes receiving a user selection for at least one of the graphics options; and compositing the at least one graphics option with the video stream to generate a composite video stream, which includes the at least one graphics option and the video stream.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
posting, by a media server system, a link to initiate streaming of real-time live gameplay of a video game that is being played by at least one game player on at least one game player device;
enabling selection of the link by a plurality of spectators on a plurality of spectator computers coupled to the media server system;
receiving in real time by the media server system via a first network connection a video game stream of the real-time live gameplay of the video game as the at least one game player is playing the video game, wherein the video game stream is of a first field of view displayed to the at least one game player during the real-time live gameplay;
streaming in real time by the media server system the video game stream of the real-time live gameplay of the video game via a second network connection to one or more commentator computer systems as the video game stream is being received by the media server system;
receiving in real time by the media server system a selection of a second field of view of the real-time live gameplay of the video game that is different than the first field of view and contemporaneous comment selection associated with the real-time live gameplay of the video game from at least one of the one or more commentator computer systems as at least one commentator is generating the contemporaneous comments on the at least one of the one or more commentator computer systems, wherein the second field of view can be from any angle or field of view within the video game, wherein the comment selection is a predetermined comment that is selected and placed onto a specific position within the second field of view of the game, wherein the comment selection is configured to be displayed in the specific position for a predetermined period of time on a spectator computer;
generating in real time the video game stream from the second field of view for display using game code of the video game;
generating by the media server system a composite stream of at least a portion of the video game stream from the second field of view and the contemporaneous comment selection associated with the real-time live gameplay of the video game;
receiving at a particular moment in time by the media server system a selection of the link from a particular spectator computer of the plurality of spectator computers; and
in response to receiving the selection of the link from the particular spectator computer, initiating over a third network connection to the particular spectator computer of the plurality of spectator computers a real-time streaming of the composite stream being generated by the media server system at substantially the particular moment in time and thereafter.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the video game is a multiplayer video game, the at least one game player on the at least one game player device includes a plurality of game players on a plurality of game player devices, and the receiving in real time the video game stream of the real-time live game play includes receiving the video game stream from at least one of the plurality of game player devices.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spectators have capability to be commentators.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contemporaneous comments include telestration information.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contemporaneous comments include chat messages.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contemporaneous comments include audio commentary.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the first network connection, the second network connection and the third network connection overlap.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating the composite stream includes combining and synchronizing the at least a portion of the video game stream and the at least some of the contemporaneous comments.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initiating the real-time streaming of the composite stream includes initiating real-time streaming of a first independent stream including the at least a portion of the video game stream and of a second independent stream including the at least some of the contemporaneous comments.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the posting the link to initiate streaming of real-time live gameplay of the video game that is being played by the at least one game player on the at least one game player device includes posting a plurality of links, each link to initiate streaming of real-time live gameplay of a different video game instance that is being played by at least one different game player on at least one different game player device.

11. A media server system, comprising:
at least one processor;
at least one network interface; and
memory storing computer program code configured to cause the at least one processor to perform the steps of:
posting a link to initiate streaming of real-time live gameplay of a video game that is being played by at least one game player on at least one game player device;
enabling selection of the link by a plurality of spectators on a plurality of spectator computers;
receiving in real time by the at least one network interface via a first network connection a video game stream of the real-time live gameplay of the video game as the at least one game player is playing the video game, wherein the video game stream is of a first field of view displayed to the at least one game player during the real-time live gameplay;
streaming in real time by the at least one network interface the video game stream of the real-time live gameplay of the video game via a second network connection to one or more commentator computer systems as the video game stream is being received by the media server system;
receiving in real time by the at least one network interface a selection of a second field of view of the real-time live gameplay of the video game that is different than the first field of view and contemporaneous comment selection associated with the real-time live gameplay of the video game from at least one of the one or more commentator computer systems as at least one commentator is generating the contemporaneous comments on the at least one of the one or more commentator computer systems, wherein the second field of view can be from any angle or field of view within the video game, wherein the comment selection is a predetermined comment that is selected and placed onto a specific position within the second field of view of the game, wherein the comment selection is configured to be displayed in the specific position for a predetermined period of time on a spectator computer;
generating in real time the video game stream from the second field of view for display using game code of the video game;
generating a composite stream of at least a portion of the video game stream from the second field of view and the contemporaneous comment selection associated with the real-time live gameplay of the video game;
receiving at a particular moment in time by the at least one network interface a selection of the link from a particular spectator computer of the plurality of spectator computers; and
in response to receiving the selection of the link from the particular spectator computer, initiating over a third network connection to the particular spectator computer of the plurality of spectator computers a real-time streaming of the composite stream being generated at substantially the particular moment in time and thereafter.

12. The media server system of claim 11 , wherein the video game is a multiplayer video game, the at least one game player on the at least one game player device includes

Assignees

• Electronic Arts Inc

Inventors

• Parker Jason
• Kralian Kevin
• Moore Rob
• Proctor Kevin
• Jacob Tommy
• Nishimura Hitoshi

Classifications

• H04N21/8545

  for generating interactive applications · CPC title

• H04N21/23614

  Multiplexing of additional data and video streams (arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28) · CPC title

• H04N21/8549

  Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer {(retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739)} · CPC title

• A63F13/65

  automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition · CPC title

• H04N21/21805 Primary

  enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras · CPC title