Patent Publication Number: US-2017374407-A1

Title: Multimedia servers that broadcast a channel listing and packet-switched audio

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The methods of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/294,085, filed on Jan. 11, 2010; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/004,847 titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING AN AUDIO COMPONENT OF A MULTIMEDIA CONTENT DISPLAYED ON AN ELECTRONIC DISPLAY DEVICE TO ONE OR MORE WIRELESS COMPUTING DEVICES” filed on Jan. 11, 2011; and the methods of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/016,148 titled “AUDIO APPARATUS THAT EXTRACTS THE AUDIO OF A MULTIMEDIA CHANNEL AND SERVES THE AUDIO ON A NETWORK WHILE THE VIDEO IS DISPLAYED” filed on Sep. 2, 2013 are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY 
     This disclosure relates generally to wireless communication and specifically to the wireless delivery of an audio component that has been extracted from a multimedia channel while the visual component is played on a monitor. 
     BACKGROUND 
     When a video monitor is visible to many viewers, using loudspeakers to broadcast the accompanying audio may be problematic. Noise from the surrounding environment may interfere with the audio, different individuals may be viewing different video monitors, individuals who are not watching the video may not wish to hear the audio, different individuals may prefer the audio in different languages or sound levels, a video provider may be unable to gauge viewership, the available channels may be unknown or unchangeable by viewers, and a media provider may be unable to interact with viewers. Thus there is a need for methods, apparatus, and systems that transmit audio to wireless electronic devices such that the audio may be played in sync with the video playing on a video monitor. There is also need for methods, apparatus, and systems that allow a user to request which visual component is played on a video monitor or locate the video monitor that is playing a visual component of interest. There is further need for methods, apparatus, and systems that allow a server to select which visual component is played on a video monitor based on assessed interest and suggestions from users. In addition, there is need for methods, apparatus, and systems that allow a user of the wireless electronic device to review a channel listing and select one audio stream from a plurality of multimedia channels, and allow a user to receive and interact with visual content that is not the visual component of their selected multimedia channel. 
     SUMMARY 
     Disclosed are a method, system, and apparatus for providing an audio component of a multimedia channel to one or more wireless computing devices. In an example embodiment, an apparatus extracts the audio component of the multimedia channel while the visual component is playing on a video monitor. In one embodiment, the audio component is packetized into data packets and transmitted via a wireless network such that the data packets can be received by a wireless computing device and the audio component can be played by the wireless computing device in synchronization with the visual component playing on the video monitor. 
     In one aspect, the apparatus may serve to a wireless computing device a visual content that is not the visual component of the multimedia channel that the apparatus is streaming to the wireless computing device. In this aspect the user may watch or partially watch the visual component of the multimedia channel on a video monitor while they view or interact with the alternative visual content on their wireless computing device. This is useful when a user of a wireless computing device may wish to view and interact with alternative content while they stream an audio component of a multimedia channel. This is also useful when a multimedia provider, monitor owner, location host, or third party wishes to advertise to or interact with the user of the electronic device. 
     In one aspect, the wireless computing device may display a direction indicator showing the direction of the video monitor that is playing, or will play, the visual component of a multimedia channel. In this aspect the direction indicator may show the direction of the video monitor that is playing, or will play, the visual component of the multimedia channel having an audio component that the user has selected or may select for streaming to their wireless computing device. This is useful when a location has a plurality of video monitors showing a plurality of visual components and the user wants to view a particular visual component. 
     In one aspect, a wireless computing device may suggest that the apparatus set the visual component playing on a video monitor (e.g. set the TV channel) to a visual component of a user-selected multimedia channel, wherein the suggesting may comprise the user selecting the audio component of that user-selected multimedia channel. In one aspect the suggesting may comprise voting. In one aspect, the apparatus may also turn on a video monitor based in part on the suggestion of a wireless computing device. Before setting a visual component to play on a video monitor, the apparatus may consider the location of the suggesting wireless computing device relative to one or more video monitors, and may set the visual component playing on a video monitor if that video monitor is close to, or visible from, the wireless computing device. This is useful when a user of a wireless computing device may wish to view a particular visual component on a video monitor and stream the audio on their wireless computing device. For example a user may select the audio component of a football game and the apparatus may set the channel to play the visual component of that game on a video monitor near the user&#39;s table at a restaurant or bar while the user streams the audio to their mobile phone. Before setting a visual component to play on a video monitor, the apparatus may consider a count of some set of monitors and consider other suggestions (e.g. channel votes) from a plurality of wireless computing devices. The apparatus may set the visual component playing on a video monitor to accommodate or partially accommodate the channel votes from the plurality of wireless computing devices. This is useful when there are multiple wireless computing devices at a location having one or more video monitors and a plurality of multimedia channels, because voting may be used to partially accommodate the diverse channel preferences of the users of the multiple wireless computing devices. For example when a restaurant or bar is crowded with people and there are a plurality of multimedia channels available, user votes may be used determine what channels are played on the available video monitors. 
     In one aspect, the apparatus may assess interest in a visual component before or after turning on a video monitor or setting the channel of a video monitor. Interest may be assessed by the number or percentage of wireless computing devices that select a certain audio component, the number or percentage of wireless computing devices near that video monitor, the number or percentage of people near that video monitor, the number or percentage of wireless computing devices near another video monitor, the number or percentage of people near another video monitor, an apparatus configuration, an anticipated popularity, marketing metrics, ad spend, network analytics, social media mentions, polling, or another assessment of interest. Interest may also be assessed by a sensor (e,g, camera) tracking the number of people near a video monitor or the number of eyes looking at a video monitor. 
     The methods, systems, and apparatuses disclosed herein may be implemented in any means for achieving various aspects, and may be executed in a form of machine readable non-transient storage medium embodying a set of instruction that, when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform any of the operations disclosed herein. Other features will be apparent from the accompanying drawing and from the detailed description that follows. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Example embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of the apparatus, wireless computing device, multimedia source, and video monitor, according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the apparatus, multimedia source, and video monitor, according to another embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram of a channel listing, according to one embodiment. The logos pictured are trademarks of their respective owners. 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of the method, according to one or more embodiments, wherein the steps may be in any order. 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram of the method, according to other embodiments, wherein the steps may be in any order. 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram of the method, according to still other embodiments, wherein the steps may be in any order. 
     
    
    
     Other features of the present embodiments will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A method, system, and apparatus provide an audio component  102  of a multimedia channel  101  to one or more wireless computing devices  107 . Although the present embodiments have been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the various embodiments. 
     An apparatus  105  of the present application may also be called “Eyesync”, “electronic display device”, and “audio device”. The video monitor  104  of the present application may also be called a “display”. The multimedia channel  101  of the present application may also be called “multimedia content” and “multimedia stream”. A multimedia channel  101  may comprise at least one visual component  103  and at least one audio component  102 . A multimedia channel  101  may be one of a plurality of multimedia channels  101 . “Synchronization” may mean that the audio and video are played with relative timing that is sufficient for human consumption. 
     In an example embodiment, an apparatus  105  extracts an audio component  102  of a multimedia channel  101  produced by a multimedia source  100  while the visual component  103  is playing on a video monitor  104 . The audio component  102  is packetized into data packets and transmitted via a wireless network such that the data packets can be received by a wireless computing device  107  and the audio component  102  can be played by the wireless computing device  107  in synchronization with the visual component  103  playing on the video monitor  104 . 
     The apparatus  105  may comprise: one or more audio inputs  102 , one or more network interfaces  200 , one or more processors with one or more memories  201 , one or more sensors (e.g. camera, GPS)  205 , and one or more applications  202  configured to extract the audio component  102  from the audio input  102 , packetize the audio component  102  into data packets, and transmit the data packets via the network interface such that the data packets can be received by the wireless computing device  107  and the audio component  102  can be played by the wireless computing device  107  in synchronization with the visual component  103  playing on a video monitor  104 . In one embodiment, the apparatus  105  does not output the visual component  103  and thus the apparatus  105  may not buffer the visual component  103 . In another embodiment, the apparatus  105  may comprise one or more video inputs and outputs, and may output the visual component  103  after buffering (e.g. delaying) the visual component  103 . 
     In one embodiment, the apparatus  105 , may comprise one or more network servers  106  and a network server  106  may comprise one or more processors in one or more chassis. When there is a plurality of network servers  106  they may negotiate with each other to determine which one or more network servers  106  may become one or more channel servers, wherein the one or more channel servers may provide one or more service beacons and serve one or more channel listings  109  to wireless computing devices  107 . This is useful in order to off-load these tasks from some of the network servers  106  or concentrate these tasks in one or more network servers  106 . For example, one or more network servers  106  may be configured with addition compute power in order to take on these tasks. During the negotiation, the network servers  106  may consider or compare their excess processing power (e.g their configurations) in order to determine which may have more excess processing power and, as a result, which may become the channel server(s). A network server  106  may also be a media server, wherein a media server may serve one or more audio components  102  to wireless computing devices  107 . A network server  106  that is a channel server may also be a media server. 
     Thus, the apparatus  105  may serve to a wireless computing device  107  a channel listing  109  of the audio components  102  available on a local network. This is particularly useful when a plurality of visual components  103  are playing in close proximity and a user  108  may wish to consider the plurality of available audio components  102  before selecting  113  at least one. Furthermore, a method for providing an audio component  102  of a multimedia channel  101  to a wireless computing device  107  may comprise serving a channel listing  109  to the wireless computing device  107 . The channel listing  109  may comprise one or more channel indicators  300   301   302 , such as locally unique channel numbers or letters, assigned to each of the one or more multimedia channels  101 , audio components  102 , or visual components  103 . The channel indicators  300   301   302  may comprise metadata of a channel or component, such as a channel name, a program name  301 , a language, a video resolution, a channel graphic  300 , and a program graphic  301 . For example, a channel indicator  300   301   302  may comprise: a channel number (e.g. 2), a channel name (e.g. CBS San Francisco), a program name (e.g. Major League Baseball), a channel graphic (e.g. the CBS logo), and a program graphic (e.g. the MLB logo). The channel indicator  300   301   302  may also comprise other descriptive metadata, for example, a program summary (e.g. 49ers vs. Bears)  302 , channel summary (e.g. Sports), and program or channel graphics  302  concerning the multimedia channel  101 , audio component  102 , or visual component  103 . The metadata may also provide the language of the audio component  102  (e.g. “Spanish”) or the video resolution (e.g. “HD” or “1080p” or “15,360×8,640 pixels”). The channel listing  109  may allow a user  108  of a wireless computing device  107  to view the channel indicator alternatives  300   301   302  (e.g. audio component  102  alternatives  300   301   302 ) and select  113  a channel indicator  300   301   302  or an audio component indicator  300   301   302 . In response to the user&#39;s  108  selection  113  the apparatus  105  may extract, packetize, and wirelessly transmit, the selected  113  audio component  102 . In turn, the wireless computing device  107  may receive the transmitted packets and play, using a client application, the selected  113  audio component  102  in synchronization with the visual component  103  of the associated multimedia channel  101 . The apparatus  105  may also treat the selection  113  as a channel suggestion  113  or take another action. 
     In one embodiment, the apparatus  105  may wirelessly serve a channel listing  109  to a wireless computing device  107  in response to a wireless request  113  made by the wireless computing device  107 . The channel listing  109  may inventory the audio components  102  of the multimedia channels  101  that are playing on one or more video monitors  104 . The channel listing  109  may also inventory the audio components  102  of a plurality of multimedia channels  101  available to the apparatus  105  but not playing on any video monitor  104 . The channel listing  109  may be a complete or partial listing. In one embodiment the apparatus  105  may advertise itself or a channel listing  109 , or both, on a wireless network without receiving a request  113  from the wireless computing device  107 . The apparatus  105  may communicate with the wireless computing device  107  using a network protocol for advertisement and discovery of network services, such as Simple Service Discovery Protocol (SSDP); Universal Plug and Play (UPnP); Service Location Protocol (SLP, srvloc); Bonjour; Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP); or another protocol supporting distributed systems. The apparatus  105  may acquire a network address of the wireless network and may assign a network address to a wireless server  106  of the apparatus  105 . A wireless computing device  107  may discover the apparatus  105  and may receive the channel listing  109 , may control the apparatus  105  or a network server  106  of the apparatus  105  by sending wireless commands to them, may receive wireless events from the apparatus  105  (e.g. network server  106 ), and may present a user  108  interface on the wireless computing device  107  to allow the user  108  to control the apparatus  105  or a server  106  of the apparatus  105  through the wireless network. The apparatus  105  may communicate with the wireless computing device  107  using unicast or multicast communication. 
     The wireless network used to serve the channel listing  109  may be the same wireless network used to transmit packets. Alternatively, the wireless network used to serve the channel listing  109  may be different than the wireless network used to transmit packets. A wireless network may be centralized or ad-hoc. 
     In one embodiment, the apparatus  105  may serve to a wireless computing device  107  a visual content  112  that is not the visual component  103  of the multimedia channel  101  that the apparatus  105  is streaming to the wireless computing device  107 . In one embodiment the apparatus  105  may serve to a wireless computing device  107  a visual content  112  that is not the visual component  103  of any of the available multimedia channels  101 . The visual content  112  may or may not enable the user  108  of the wireless computing device  107  to cause a different audio component  102  to be extracted, packetized, and transmitted from the apparatus  105 . The visual content  112  may be marked as lower priority than the audio packets in order to help ensure that the wireless computing device  107  does not interrupt the audio component  102  in order to process the visual content  112 . The visual content  112  may be an advertisement, interactive content, informative content, data gathering, promotion, sweepstakes, question, entertainment, or message. The topic of the visual content  112  may concern a multimedia channel  101 , a visual component  103 , or an audio component  102 . The topic of the visual content  112  may concern a nominal location of the apparatus  105  (e.g. a business, a restaurant, a city, a region, a festival, a trade show, a common interest of the location&#39;s users  108 ). The topic of the visual content  112  may concern a communication between users  108 , and may or may not be limited to users  108  at the location of the apparatus  105  (e.g. social engagement between wireless computing device users  108 ). The topic of the visual content  112  may comprise a predictive game (e.g. will the 49ers rush or pass on the next down) presented by the apparatus  105 . The topic of the visual content  112  may comprise a question (e.g. trivia, feedback request) presented by the apparatus  105 . 
     In one embodiment, the wireless computing device  107  may display a direction indicator  303  showing the direction of the video monitor  104  that is playing, or will play, the visual component  103  of a multimedia channel  101 . In one embodiment the direction indicator  303  may show the direction of the video monitor  104  that is playing, or will play, the visual component  103  of the multimedia channel  101  having an audio component  102  that the user  108  has selected  113  for streaming to their wireless computing device  107 . The direction indicator  303  may be, for example, an arrow, arrow head, polygon, pointing hand, or any symbol indicating a direction. Prior to the display of the direction indicator  303 , the user  108  may request  113  the location  110  of a monitor  104  playing the visual component  103  of a particular multimedia channel  101  or audio component  102 . The direction indicator  303  may be accompanied by a channel indicator  300   301   302  or other metadata  300   301   302 . The direction indicator  303  may also be accompanied by a distance indicator  303  (e.g. graphical or numeric) showing the approximate distance of the video monitor  104 . The length of the direction indicator  303  or a length of a portion of the direction indicator  303  (e.g. the arrow shaft) may indicate the distance of the video monitor  104 . The wireless computing device  107  may compute the direction indicator  303  or distance indicator  303  from video monitor  104  location data  110  sent by the apparatus  105 , may display a direction indicator  303  or distance indicator  303 , may communicate its location data  110  to the apparatus  105 , and may receive video monitor  104  direction or distance data from the apparatus  105 . 
     In one embodiment, a wireless computing device  107  may select  113  an indicator (e.g. symbol) of one or more video monitors  104 , or an indicator (e.g. symbol) of one or more viewing directions. This may allow a user  108  to select  113  one or more preferred video monitors  104  for viewing a visual component  103 , a ranking or rating of video monitors  104  for viewing a visual component  103 , one or more preferred viewing directions for viewing a visual component  103  (e.g. if the user  108  is in a north facing chair surrounded by video monitors), or a ranking or rating of viewing directions for viewing a visual component  103 . In this aspect, a wireless computing device  107  may indicate a viewing direction by employing Hall sensors, or another direction sensor, acting as a compass in the device. Effectively, then, the orientation of a wireless computing device  107  may, by itself, indicate a preferred viewing direction. A wireless computing device  107  may also indicate a viewing direction when a user  108  selects  113  a viewing direction on a map displayed on the wireless computing device  107 . Furthermore, a wireless computing device  107  may indicate a video monitor  104  when a user  108  selects  113  a monitor indicator (e.g. an icon or symbol of a monitor) on a location map displayed on the wireless computing device  107 . A location map may be a map showing the video monitors  104  that are associated with the apparatus  105  and showing one or more local features, landmarks or monuments so the map may be correctly oriented by the user  108  or the wireless computing device  107 . Data for a location map may be sent to the wireless computing device  107  from the apparatus  105  and the location map may be presented by a client application on the wireless computing device  107 . 
     In one embodiment, a wireless computing device  107  may select  113  an audio component  102  of a multimedia channel  101  even if a visual component  103  of the multimedia channel  101  is not playing on any of the video monitors  104  that are associated with the apparatus  105 . In such a case, the apparatus  105  may stream the selected  113  audio component  102  of the selected  113  multimedia channel  101  without playing a visual component  103  of the selected  113  multimedia channel  101 . 
     In one embodiment, the apparatus  105  may consider setting  114  a visual component  103  of a selected  113  multimedia channel  101  to play on one or more video monitors  104 . When a visual component  103  of a selected  113  multimedia channel  101  is already playing on one or more video monitors  104 , the apparatus  105  may consider setting  114  a visual component  103  of the selected  113  multimedia channel  101  to play on additional, fewer, different, or no video monitors  104 . When the apparatus  105  considers whether or where to play a visual component  103 , the apparatus  105  may consider a count of some set of the video monitors  104  that are associated with the apparatus  105 . The set may be the total set of associated video monitors  104 , a subset, or the null set. For example, the set may be the set of the video monitors  104  that are playing a certain visual component  103  or the set of the video monitors  104  that are not playing a certain multimedia channel  101 , or the set that are not playing anything at all (e.g. off). It is useful, for example, to count the video monitors  104  playing various visual components  103  if the objective is to adjust  114  the percentage of video monitors  104  so that it approximately reflects the demand for those various visual components  103 . The apparatus  105  may consider a location  110  of any wireless computing device  107  relative to a location of any video monitor  104 . This may be particularly useful when the apparatus  105  considers whether or where to play a visual component  103 . For example, the apparatus  105  may consider the location  110  of the wireless computing device  107  that selected  113  a certain audio component  102  relative to the location of a nearby video monitor  104  and choose to play an unrelated visual component  103  on a different video monitor  104 . It is useful, for example, to set  114  visual components  103  to play on video monitors  104  near the wireless computing devices  107  streaming the associated audio content  102 , or to set  114  visual components  103  to play on video monitors  104  most viewable by the users  108  of the wireless computing devices  107  streaming the associated audio content  102  (e.g. in front of them). 
     In one embodiment, a wireless computing device  107  may suggest (e.g. vote)  113  that the apparatus  105  set  114  the visual component  103  playing on a video monitor  104  (e.g. set a TV channel) to the visual component  103  of a user-selected  113  audio component  102 , wherein the suggesting  113  may comprise the user  108  selecting  113  an audio component  102  of a user-selected  113  multimedia channel  101 . The suggesting  113  may also comprise the user  108  selecting  113  one or more video monitors  104 . Thus, the user  108  may suggest  113  that the selected  113  audio component  102  be set  114  to play on any of the video monitors  104 , or on one or more specific video monitors  104 . The suggesting  113  may also comprise the user  108  selecting  113  a viewing direction (e.g. a preferred viewing direction). Prior to suggesting  113  that the apparatus  105  show a particular visual component  103  on a video monitor  104 , a user  108  may browse or search a catalog (e.g. the channel listing) of multimedia channels  101 , visual components  103 , and/or audio components  102 . The apparatus  105  may consider the location  110  of the wireless computing device  107  relative to the locations of one or more video monitors  104 , and may set  114  the visual component  103  playing on a video monitor  104  if that video monitor  104  is close to, or in a preferred viewing direction of, the wireless computing device  107 . The apparatus  105  may consider the location  110  of the wireless computing device  107  relative to the locations of one or more video monitors  104 , and may set  114  the visual component  103  playing on a video monitor  104  if that video monitor  104  is in the selected  113  viewing direction, or is visible to a user  108  of the wireless computing device  107  (e.g. viewable by a user  108  near the wireless computing device  107 ; e.g. there is no wall between the wireless computing device  107  and the video monitor  104 ). The apparatus  105  may also consider channel votes  113  from one or more other wireless computing devices  107  and their locations  110  relative to the locations of a plurality of video monitors  104 , and may set  114  the visual component  103  playing on a video monitor  104  in an attempt to accommodate or partially accommodate suggestions (e.g. votes)  113  from the one or more other wireless computing devices  107 . The apparatus  105  may consider channel votes  113  from the one or more wireless computing devices  107  closest to a video monitor  104 ; the one or more wireless computing devices  107  that selected  113  a viewing direction that may encompass the video monitor  104 ; or from the one or more wireless computing devices  107  that have visibility of the video monitor  104  (e.g. viewable by a user  108  near the wireless computing device; e.g. there is no wall between the wireless computing device and the video monitor  104 ). The apparatus  105  may choose to play the visual component  103  of the user-selected  113  audio component  102  on one video monitor  104  but not another video monitor  104 . For example, the apparatus  105  may set  114  the multimedia channel  101  of a plurality of video monitors  104  in order to minimize, or approximately minimize, the sum of the distances from each wireless computing device  107  having a channel suggestion  113 , to the closest visible video monitor  104 , in the selected  113  viewing direction, that is showing its user-selected  113  multimedia channel  101 . The location  110  of a wireless computing device  107  relative to the location of a video monitor  104  may be determined using the GPS location  110  of the mobile device  107 , the strength of the mobile device&#39;s signal at the video monitor  104 , or using radiolocation of the mobile device  107 . The location of a video monitor  104  may be a location (e.g. GPS) of the video monitor  104 , a network server  106  location (e.g. GPS), or the location of a sensor (e.g. GPS)  205  near, on, or in the video monitor  104 . The locations of video monitors  104  and the locations of walls may be enter by an administrator of the apparatus  105  or determined by a sensor  205  of the apparatus  105 . 
     A channel suggestion  113  or channel vote  113  may comprise a selection  113 , a ranking  113 , a rating  113 , a plurality of selections  113 , or any means to indicate a preference  113 . In one embodiment, a wireless computing device  107  may be given (e.g. by entering a password or another authentication means) a super-user status whereby the channel suggestions  113  of that wireless computing device  107  are given priority by the apparatus  105 . 
     In one embodiment, the apparatus  105  may assess interest in a specific visual component  103  before turning on  114  a video monitor  104  or setting  114  a visual component  103  to show on a video monitor  104  (e.g. setting  114  the channel of a video monitor  104 ). The apparatus  105  may assess interest by the number or percentage of wireless computing devices  107  that select  113  a certain audio component  102 . For example, the apparatus  105  may assess greater interest in a first sporting event if a greater number of wireless computing devices  107  select  113  the audio of the first sporting event compared to a second sporting event. The apparatus  105  may also assess interest by the number or percentage of people near the video monitor  104  or another video monitor. For example, the apparatus  105  may assess interest in a sporting event by determining that a large number of people are proximate to (or in a position to view) a video monitor  104  showing a visual component  103  of that event or that a small number of people are proximate to (or in a position to view) a video monitor  104  not showing the event. The proximity of people may be approximated by the proximity of wireless computing devices  107  using GPS, signal strength, or radio location; or by a sensor (e.g. camera)  205  that evaluates the area surrounding a video monitor  104  to determine the number of people nearby. For example, eye, face or body recognition may be used to evaluate the number of people near a video monitor  104 . The apparatus  105  may further assess interest using a configuration. For example, the apparatus  105  may accept a content rating or content ranking of multimedia content or types of multimedia content of likely interest. In another example, the apparatus  105  may accept an hours listing of the facility&#39;s hours of operation and may turn off a video monitor  104  during hours outside of the hours of operation. The apparatus  105  may further assess interest using an anticipated popularity. For example, the apparatus  105  may poll individuals on a network to assess interest in a multimedia content. The apparatus  105  may also assess interest using marketing metrics. For example, the apparatus  105  may acquire click-through metrics from a web site to assess interest in a multimedia content. The apparatus  105  may also assess interest using ad spend. For example, the apparatus  105  may acquire ad-spend figures from an advertiser to assess interest in a multimedia content. The apparatus  105  may additionally assess interest using network analytics. For example, the apparatus  105  may acquire keyword analytics from a network search provider to assess interest in a multimedia content. The apparatus  105  may additionally assess interest using mentions on social media. For example, the apparatus  105  may acquire analytics from a social media provider or mine social media content to assess interest in a multimedia content. Interest may also be assessed by a sensor (e.g. camera)  205  tracking the number of people near the video monitor  104  or another video monitor  104 ; or the number of eyes looking at the video monitor  104  or another video monitor  104 . For example, the apparatus  105  may use a video camera to determine that many eyes are looking at a video monitor  104  showing a multimedia content and, based on the assessed interest, set  114  another video monitor  104  to show the same content. 
     In one or more embodiments, the method may comprise: Negotiating  400 , between a first media server and a second media server, with a result being one of, the first media server becoming a channel server, and the second media server becoming the channel server; providing  401 , by the channel server, a service beacon of a wireless service network; requesting  402 , by a wireless computing device from the channel server via the wireless service network, a channel listing comprising at least one channel indicator for at least one audio component of each channel of a plurality of channels; serving  403 , by the channel server to the wireless computing device via the wireless service network, the channel listing; displaying  404 , by the wireless computing device, a direction indicator showing a direction of an at least one video monitor; selecting  405  from the channel listing, by the wireless computing device, a first channel indicator of a first audio component of a first channel of the plurality, wherein the selecting occurs when a visual component of the first channel is not playing on the at least one video monitor; extracting  406 , by the first media server, the first audio component wherein the channel server and the first media server are one of, the same server and different servers; packetizing  407 , by the first media server, the first audio component into one or more data packets; transmitting  408 , by the first media server, the packets via a wireless audio network, wherein the wireless service network and the wireless audio network are one of, the same network and different networks; receiving  409 , by the wireless computing device, the packets; playing  410 , by the wireless computing device, the first audio component of the first channel in synchronization with the visual component of the first channel playing on the at least one video monitor; and sending  411 , to the wireless computing device contemporaneously with the transmitting of the packets, a visual content that is not the visual component of the first channel, wherein the visual content does not enable the wireless computing device to cause a different audio component to be extracted, packetized, and transmitted to the wireless computing device. 
     In one or more embodiments, the method may comprise: Selecting  500 , by a wireless computing device, a channel indicator for an audio component of a multimedia channel when a visual component of the multimedia channel is not playing on an at least one video monitor of a plurality of video monitors; considering  501  a count of a set of the plurality of video monitors, then choosing to play the visual component on the at least one video monitor; considering  502  a count of a set of other wireless computing devices, then choosing to play the visual component on the at least one video monitor; considering  503  a location of the wireless computing device relative to a location of the at least one video monitor, then choosing to play the visual component on the at least one video monitor; considering  504  the location of the wireless computing device relative to a location of another video monitor, then choosing to play the visual component on the at least one video monitor; considering  505  a location of another wireless computing device relative to the location of the at least one video monitor, then choosing to play the visual component on the at least one video monitor; considering  506  the location of the another wireless computing device relative to the location of the another video monitor, then choosing to play the visual component on the at least one video monitor; setting  507  the visual component to play on the at least one video monitor; extracting  508 , by a media server, the audio component; packetizing  509 , by the media server, the audio component into one or more data packets; transmitting  510 , by the media server, the packets via a wireless network; receiving  511 , by the wireless computing device, the packets; playing  512 , by the wireless computing device, the audio component of the multimedia channel in synchronization with the visual component playing on the at least one video monitor. 
     In one or more embodiments, the method may comprise: extracting  600 , by a media server, an audio component of a multimedia channel; packetizing  601 , by the media server, the audio component into one or more data packets; transmitting  602 , by the media server, the packets via a wireless network; receiving  603 , by a wireless computing device, the packets; playing  604 , by the wireless computing device, the audio component of the multimedia channel in synchronization with a visual component of the multimedia channel that is playing on at least one video monitor; and sending  605 , by the media server, to the wireless computing device via the wireless network contemporaneously with the transmitting of the packets, a visual content that is not the visual component, wherein the visual content does not allow a user of the wireless computing device to cause a different audio component to be extracted, packetized, and transmitted from the media server, wherein the visual content is marked as lower priority than the packets. 
     In addition, the various operations, processes, and methods disclosed herein may be embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable medium and/or a machine accessible medium compatible with a data processing system, and may be performed in any order (e.g., including using means for achieving the various operations). Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.