Video camera system with distributed control and methods for use therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016295246-A1
Application number	US-201514677024-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 2, 2015
Priority date	Apr 2, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a video camera system that includes a first subset of video cameras that are configured to generate at least one broadcast video signal of an event, and a second subset of video cameras that are each individually controllable in response to subscriber control data from a corresponding one of a plurality of video player systems to generate a plurality of processed video signals of the event. A video access server receives the subscriber control data from the video player systems corresponding to a plurality of subscribers for control of the second subset of video cameras, and for routing the processed video signals of the event such that each of the plurality of processed video signals of the event is routed to the corresponding one of the plurality of video player systems. Other embodiments are disclosed.

First claim

1 . A video camera system comprising:
a plurality of video cameras including a first subset of video cameras that are configured to generate at least one broadcast video signal of an event, and wherein the plurality of video cameras include a second subset of video cameras that are each individually controllable by a corresponding one of a plurality of subscribers of the video camera system via subscriber control data from a corresponding one of a plurality of video player systems to generate a corresponding one of a plurality of processed video signals of the event; and a video access server configured to receive the subscriber control data from the plurality of video player systems corresponding to a plurality of subscribers for control of the second subset of video cameras, and for routing the plurality of processed video signals of the event such that the corresponding one of the plurality of processed video signals of the event is routed to the corresponding one of the plurality of video player systems.

2 . The video camera system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of video player systems are configured to display the corresponding one of the plurality of processed video signals of the event contemporaneously with the broadcast video signal of the event.

3 . The video camera system of claim 1 wherein the subscriber control data from the corresponding one of the plurality video player systems includes a group identification signal that identifies at least one associated video player system that is authorized to view the corresponding one of the plurality of processed video signals of the event, and wherein the video access server further routes the corresponding one of the plurality of processed video signals of the event to the at least one associated video player system.

4 . The video camera system of claim 3 further comprising:
a messaging server configured to exchange messaging data between the corresponding one of the plurality video player systems and the at least one associated video player system.

5 . The video camera system of claim 4 wherein the corresponding one of the plurality of video player systems is configured to display the corresponding one of the plurality of processed video signals of the event contemporaneously with the messaging data.

6 . The video camera system of claim 1 wherein the second subset of video cameras includes a plurality of camera drones, wherein each of the plurality of camera drones is individually controllable in response to the subscriber control data from the corresponding one of the plurality of video player systems.

7 . The video camera system of claim 6 wherein the video access server limits a position of each of the plurality of camera drones to be within a restricted area of the event.

8 . The video camera system of claim 7 wherein the video access server further limits the position of each of the plurality of camera drones to avoid collision with others of the plurality of camera drones.

9 . The video camera system of claim 1 wherein a number of video cameras in the second subset of video cameras is selected to correspond to a number of the plurality of subscribers.

10 . A method comprising:
generating at least one broadcast video signal of an event via a first subset of a plurality of video cameras; receiving subscriber control data from a plurality of video player systems corresponding to a plurality of subscribers; generating a plurality of processed video signals of the event by individually controlling a second subset of the plurality of video cameras of the event in response to the subscriber control data from corresponding ones of the plurality of video player systems; and routing the plurality of processed video signals of the event such that each of the plurality of processed video signals of the event is routed to the corresponding one of the plurality of video player systems.

11 . The method of claim 10 wherein each of the plurality of video player systems are configured to display a corresponding one of the plurality of processed video signals of the event contemporaneously with the broadcast video signal of the event.

12 . The method of claim 10 wherein the subscriber control data from the corresponding one of the plurality video player systems includes a group identification signal that identifies at least one associated video player system that is authorized to view a corresponding one of the plurality of processed video signals of the event, and wherein the method further comprises:
routing the corresponding one of the plurality of processed video signals of the event to the at least one associated video player system.

13 . The method of claim 12 further comprising:
communicating messaging data between the corresponding one of the plurality of the plurality video player systems and the at least one associated video player system.

14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the corresponding one of the plurality of video player systems is configured to display the corresponding one of the plurality of processed video signals of the event contemporaneously with the messaging data.

15 . The method of claim 10 wherein the second subset of the plurality of video cameras includes a plurality of camera drones, wherein each of the plurality of camera drones is individually controllable in response to the subscriber control data from the corresponding one of the plurality of video player systems.

16 . The method of claim 15 further comprising:
limiting a position of each of the plurality of camera drones to be within a restricted area of the event and to avoid collision with others of the plurality of camera drones.

17 . The method of claim 10 wherein a number of video cameras in the second subset of the plurality of video cameras is selected to correspond to a number of the plurality of subscribers.

18 . The video camera system of claim 1 wherein each of the second subset of video cameras is at least one of: positioned, oriented, panned, or zoomed in response to the subscriber control data from the corresponding one of the plurality of video player systems.

19 . The method of claim 10 wherein each of the second subset of the plurality of video cameras is at least one of: positioned, oriented, panned, or zoomed in response to the subscriber control data from the corresponding one of the plurality of video player systems.

Assignees

• Vixs Systems Inc

Inventors

• Laksono Indra
• Daub Sally Jean
• Pomeroy John
• Zhao Xu Gang

Classifications

• H04N23/90

  Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums · CPC title

• H04N21/25816

  involving client authentication (restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06) · CPC title

• H04N21/47202

  for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand · CPC title

• H04N21/2187

  Live feed · CPC title

• H04N21/2541

  Rights Management (protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08) · CPC title