System and method for processing streaming media of an event captured by nearby mobile phones

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9497424-B2
Application number	US-201213705900-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2012
Priority date	Dec 5, 2012
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

Systems, processes and computer-readable media that incorporate the subject disclosure may include, for example, the establishment of wireless communications with a wireless communications device positioned for monitoring an event. A media stream including event media is received from the wireless communications device. The event media is generated by the wireless communications device obtained from the observation position. The media stream is forwarded to a media production processor. Upon selection, the media production processor uses the media stream to prepare media program coverage of the event. Other embodiments are disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
facilitating establishment, by a system comprising a processor, of wireless communications with a mobile phone;
determining an observation position of the mobile phone relative to an event, the mobile phone being equipped with a video camera to generate event video of the event obtained from the observation position;
receiving, by the system, a first video stream from the mobile phone, wherein the first video stream comprises the event video;
generating, by the system based on the event video, a second video stream comprising a low-bandwidth representation of the event video;
providing, by the system, the second video stream to a media production processor;
receiving, by the system from the media production processor, a selection of the second video stream;
in response to the selection of the second video stream by the media production processor, providing, by the system to the media production processor, a third video stream comprising a high-bandwidth representation of the event video;
providing, by the system to the media production processor, the observation position of the mobile phone; and
determining, by the system, a ranking of the first video stream relative to other video streams comprising other event video of the event,
wherein the ranking is determined based on applying weighting values to a plurality of criteria, wherein the plurality of criteria includes a quality of images in the first video stream and a communications channel quality,
wherein the providing of the third video stream and the observation position causes the media production processor to generate video coverage of the event, and wherein an identification of a user of the mobile phone is included in a credit portion of the video coverage of the event responsive to the video coverage including at least a portion of the high-bandwidth representation of the event video from the third video stream.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the establishment of the wireless communications with the mobile phone comprises:
facilitating establishment of wireless communications with the mobile phone through a wireless access node of a plurality of wireless access nodes; and
prioritizing transport of the first video stream with respect to other network traffic.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the determining of the observation position of the mobile phone comprises estimating the observation position according to a location of the wireless access node with respect to the event.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of criteria includes a monitored history of quality of event content previously provided by the mobile phone.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein generating of the second video stream comprises applying a low-resolution video compression algorithm to the first video stream.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third video stream is forwarded to the media production processor for use in a video program providing coverage of the event.

7. A device, comprising:
a memory that stores computer instructions; and
a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the computer instructions, performs operations comprising:
facilitating establishment of wireless communications with a wireless communications device;
determining an observation position of the wireless communications device relative to an event, the wireless communications device to generate event media of the event monitored from the observation position;
receiving a first media stream from the wireless communications device, wherein the first media stream comprises the event media;
generating, based on the event media, a second media stream comprising a low-bandwidth representation of the event media;
providing the second media stream to a media production processor;
receiving a selection of the second media stream from the media production processor;
in response to the selection of the second media stream by the media production processor, providing, to the media production processor, a third media stream comprising a high-bandwidth representation of the event media;
forwarding the observation position of the wireless communications device to the media production processor; and
determining a ranking for the first media stream relative to other media streams comprising other event media of the event,
wherein the ranking is determined based on applying weighting values to a plurality of criteria, wherein the plurality of criteria includes a quality of images in the first media stream and a communications channel quality,
wherein the providing of the third media stream and the observation position causes the media production processor to generate media coverage of the event, and wherein an identification of a user of the wireless communications device is included in a credit portion of the media coverage of the event responsive to the media coverage including at least a portion of the high-bandwidth representation of the event media from the third media stream.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein during establishment of the wireless communications with the wireless communications device, the processor performs operations comprising:
facilitating establishment of wireless communications with the wireless communications device through a wireless access node of a plurality of wireless access nodes; and
prioritizing transport of the first media stream with respect to other network traffic.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein during determination of the observation position of the wireless communications device, the processor performs operations comprising estimating the observation position according to a location of the wireless access node with respect to the event.

10. The device of claim 7 , wherein the first media stream comprises video.

11. The device of claim 7 , wherein the processor comprises a plurality of processors operating in a distributed processing environment.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein generating of the second media stream comprises applying a low-resolution video compression algorithm to the second media stream.

13. The device of claim 7 , wherein the first media stream is forwarded under direction of the processor to the media production processor for use in a media program providing coverage of the event.

14. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions which, responsive to being executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
determining an observation position of a mobile phone relative to an event, the mobile phone to generate event video of the event monitored from the observation position;
receiving a first video stream from the mobile phone, wherein the first video stream comprises the event video;
generating, based on the event video, a second video stream comprising a low-bandwidth representation of the event video;
providing the second video stream to a media production processor;
receiving a selection of the second video stream from the media production processor;
in response to the selection of the second video stream by the media production processor, providing a third video stream comprising a high-bandwidth representation of the event video to the media production processor;
providing the observation position of the mobile phone to the media production processor; and
determining a ranking for the first video stream relative to other video streams comprising other event video of the event according to applying weighting values to a plurality of criteria including a quality of images in th

Assignees

• At & T Mobility Ii Llc
• At & T Mobility Ii Llc

Inventors

• Kosseifi Mario
• Abnave Shravari
• Fix Jeremy
• Meredith Sheldon Kent

Classifications

• H04N21/21805

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

• H04N21/2187

  Live feed · CPC title

• H04N7/181 Primary

  for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources · CPC title