Distribution of multiple signals of video content independently over a network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11711592-B2
Application number	US-201113006904-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2011
Priority date	Apr 6, 2010
Publication date	Jul 25, 2023
Grant date	Jul 25, 2023

Abstract

A stereoscopic production solution, e.g., for live events, that provides 3D video asset distribution to multiple devices and networks is described. In some embodiments, live or recorded 3D video content may be accessible by different service providers with different subscribers/users and protocols across a network of the content provider. A first video signal corresponding to a first video feed for one eye of a viewer may be received and a second video signal corresponding to a second video feed for the second eye of the viewer may be received. The first video signal and the second video signal may be encoded. The encoded first video signal and the encoded second video signal may be transmitted independently over a network. The two video signals may be received and frame synced at an off-site location for eventual rendering to a display device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a computing device, a first Internet Protocol (IP) stream comprising a first video signal, corresponding to a first eye video feed, without corresponding audio for the first video signal;
receiving by the computing device and independently from the first IP stream, a second IP stream comprising a combined audio-video signal, wherein the combined audio-video signal comprises an audio signal and a second video signal corresponding to a second eye video feed;
decoding the combined audio-video signal into the second video signal and the audio signal;
frame synchronizing the first video signal with the second video signal; and
causing synchronized output of the first video signal, the second video signal, and the audio signal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first video signal comprises a resolution equal to an original resolution of the first eye video feed and the second video signal comprises a resolution equal to an original resolution of the second eye video feed.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the synchronized output comprises a first synchronized audio-video signal encoded in a first format, and a second synchronized audio-video signal encoded in a second format.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the frame synchronizing the first video signal with the second video signal comprises generating a frame synchronized video signal comprising the first eye video feed and the second eye video feed, and further comprising:
generating a first video content stream comprising the frame synchronized video signal in a first encoding format; and
generating a second video content stream comprising the frame synchronized video signal in a second encoding format.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the causing synchronized output of the first video signal, the second video signal, and the audio signal comprises transmitting a single encapsulated Internet Protocol (IP) stream comprising the first video signal, the second video signal, and the audio signal.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first IP stream comprises a first encapsulated IP stream, and wherein the second IP stream comprises a second encapsulated IP stream.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the frame synchronizing comprises comparing:
a first plurality of time codes, associated with the first video signal, and
a second plurality of time codes, associated with the second video signal.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the causing the synchronized output comprises outputting via a stereoscopic display device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the causing the synchronized output comprises transmitting to a client device.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the first video signal and the second video signal via separate IP streams.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the transmitting comprises multicasting, based on a format used by the client device, to a plurality of encoding and distribution platforms.

12. An apparatus comprising:
one or more processors: and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
receive a first Internet Protocol (IP) stream comprising a first video signal corresponding to a first eye video feed without corresponding audio for the first video signal;
receive, independently from the first IP stream, a second IP stream comprising a combined audio-video signal, wherein the combined audio-video signal comprises an audio signal and a second video signal corresponding to a second eye video feed;
decode the combined audio-video signal into the second video signal and the audio signal;
frame synchronize the first video signal with the second video signal; and
cause synchronized output of the first video signal, the second video signal, and the audio signal.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to cause the synchronized output by outputting via a stereoscopic display device.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to cause the synchronized output by transmitting to a client device.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to transmit by transmitting the first video signal and the second video signal via separate IP streams.

16. A system comprising:
a first device and a second device,
wherein the first device comprises:
one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first device to:
receive a first Internet Protocol (IP) stream comprising a first video signal, corresponding to a first eye video feed, without corresponding audio for the first video signal;
receive, independently from the first IP stream, a second IP stream comprising a combined audio-video signal, wherein the combined audio-video signal comprises an audio signal and a second video signal corresponding to a second eye video feed;
decode the combined audio-video signal into the second video signal and the audio signal;
frame synchronize the first video signal with the second video signal; and
cause synchronized output of the first video signal, the second video signal, and the audio signal; and

wherein the second device comprises:
one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors of the second device, cause the second device to send data to the first device.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the first device, when executed by the one or more processors of the first device, cause the first device to cause the synchronized output by outputting via a stereoscopic display device.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the first device, when executed by the one or more processors of the first device, cause the first device to cause the synchronized output by transmitting to a client device.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the first device, when executed by the one or more processors of the first device, cause the first device to transmit by transmitting the first video signal and the second video signal via separate IP streams.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the instructions stored in the memory of the first device, when executed by the one or more processors of the first device, cause the first device to transmit by multicasting, based on a format used by the client device, to a plurality of encoding and distribution platforms.

21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause:
receiving a first Internet Protocol (IP) stream comprising a first video signal corresponding to a first eye video feed without corresponding audio for the first video signal;
receiving independently from the first IP stream, a second IP stream comprising a combined audio-video signal, wherein the combined audio-video signal comprises an audio signal and a second video signal corresponding to a second eye video feed;
decoding the combined audio-video signal into the second video signal and the audio signal;
frame synchronizing the first video signal with the second video signal; and
causing synchronized output of th

Assignees

• Holden Danial E
• Vrbas Austin
• Francisco Mark
• Harrell Mike
• Baker Robert
• Comcast Cable Comm Llc

Inventors

• Holden Danial E
• Vrbas Austin
• Francisco Mark
• Harrell Mike
• Baker Robert

Classifications

• H04N21/816 Primary

  involving special video data, e.g 3D video · CPC title

• H04N13/194

  Transmission of image signals · CPC title

• H04N19/597

  specially adapted for multi-view video sequence encoding · CPC title

• H04N21/2187

  Live feed · CPC title

• H04N21/2365

  Multiplexing of several video streams · CPC title