Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US8128469?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2015-05-04 02:00:27
Document Index: 1068001

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 08155517', 'Application No. 0804274', 'Application No. 08155517', 'Application No. 08155517', 'Application No. 08155517', 'Application No. 08155517']

Patent US8128469 - Media system and method - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsAn interactive media system configured to present a substantially real-time simulation of an actual live event involving a moveable object in an arena, the system comprising: a tag attachable to a moveable object involved in an actual live event in an arena; one or more base stations located relative...http://www.google.com/patents/US8128469?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US8128469 - Media system and methodAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS8128469 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 12/921,052PCT numberPCT/GB2009/050222Publication dateMar 6, 2012Filing dateMar 5, 2009Priority dateMar 7, 2008Also published asCA2717491A1, CN101960820A, DE602008001496D1, EP2106830A1, EP2106830B1, US20100331065, WO2009109784A1Publication number12921052, 921052, PCT/2009/50222, PCT/GB/2009/050222, PCT/GB/2009/50222, PCT/GB/9/050222, PCT/GB/9/50222, PCT/GB2009/050222, PCT/GB2009/50222, PCT/GB2009050222, PCT/GB200950222, PCT/GB9/050222, PCT/GB9/50222, PCT/GB9050222, PCT/GB950222, US 8128469 B2, US 8128469B2, US-B2-8128469, US8128469 B2, US8128469B2InventorsJesus Hormigo Cebolla, Jamil Nadim El ImadOriginal AssigneeVirtually Live Ltd.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (40), Non-Patent Citations (5), Referenced by (7), Classifications (35), Legal Events (1) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetMedia system and method
US 8128469 B2Abstract
1. An interactive media system configured to present a substantially real-time simulation of an actual live event involving a moveable object in an arena, the system comprising:
a. a tag attachable to a moveable object involved in an actual live event in an arena;
b. one or more base stations located relative to the arena and operable to receive a signal from the tag;
c. a location platform configured to determine the location of the tag in the arena based on the signal received from the tag by the or each base station, and to output location data representing a location of the tag in the arena;
d. a virtual world environment unit operable to create a simulation of the actual live sporting event in substantially real-time, the simulation including:
i. a simulated arena based on library information for the arena;
ii. a simulated object in the arena, said object being involved in the actual live event;
iii. simulated movement of the object in the arena based on substantially real-time location data received by the unit for the object;
iv. a simulated virtual spectator area which is separate from the simulated arena; and
v. a simulated user in the simulated virtual spectator area, whereby the user is permitted to observe the simulation of the actual live event and to provide interaction commands which permit the user to interact with at least one other user; and
e. an access interface in communication with the virtual world environment unit, the access interface being arranged to provide the user with access to the simulated arena and to permit the user to observe the simulated event in substantially real-time.
4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising one or more additional tags attachable to respective additional objects involved in the actual live event, wherein
a. the one or more base stations are operable to receive a signal from each respective tag;
b. the location platform is configured to determine the location of each tag based on the signal received from that tag by the or each base station, and to output location data representing the locations of each tag in the arena; and
c. the virtual world environment unit simulates the actual live event including the objects and movement of the objects in the arena using the location data for each tag.
9. A method of providing a substantially real-time simulation of an actual live event involving a moveable object in an arena, the method comprising the steps of:
a. tracking the location of a moveable object in an arena and generating location data representing the location of the object in the arena by utilizing one or more base stations located relative to the arena to receive a signal from a tag attached to the moveable object, and determining the location of the tag in the arena based on the signal received from the tag by the or each base station;
b. transmitting the location data to a virtual world environment unit;
c. generating a simulation of the event in the virtual world environment unit comprising the steps of:
i. simulating an arena based on library information for the arena;
ii. simulating an object in the arena, said object being involved in the actual live event;
iii. simulating movement of the object in the arena based on substantially real-time location data received by the unit for the object;
iv. simulating a virtual spectator area which is separate from the simulated arena;
v. simulating a user in the virtual spectator area; and
vi. permitting the user to observe the simulation of the actual live event, and to provide interaction commands which permit the user to interact with at least one other user; and
d. permitting the user to access the simulated arena and observe the simulated event in substantially real-time.
This application is a U.S. National Stage filing under 35 U.S.C. �371 of International Application No. PCT/GB2009/050222, filed Mar. 5, 2009, which in turn claims priority to European Patent Application No. 08155517.9, filed Apr. 30, 2008, which in turn claims priority to British Patent Application No. 0804274.9, filed Mar. 7, 2008.
In some embodiments, there is no separately identifiable tag 3 as such, but the entire animate or inanimate object is optically tracked�in other words, the object or a part thereof is the tag 3. In some cases this is achieved by tracking the movement of areas of contrast in an image (which may be assumed to be or registered as animate or inanimate objects for tracking). Other more complex image analysis techniques may be used to identify and track animate and inanimate objects in an image. In these embodiments, the location platform may automatically designate detected objects for tracking. The automatic designation may be supplemented or replaced by manual intervention by a user to designate objects for tracking within an image or series of images.
In another example, a fixed set of base stations 10 or cell stations 10 can be provided in or around the arena 1. In a learning process, an RFID location tag 3, preferably passive but it may also be active, is moved throughout the live arena 1 in an ordered manner and the signal characteristics received by the base stations 10 are logged for many locations of the location tag 3. This provides a map showing the signal characteristics at the logged locations�or a look-up table. In use, the signal characteristics of a location tag 3 are noted by the location platform 4 and entered into the map or look-up table and the best match tag location for those signal characteristics is returned by the map/look-up table thereby deriving the location of the tag 3.
A user of a virtual environment, or resident when in the virtual environment, views a 3-D graphically rendered image of the environment, usually from a first person perspective. In this example, access to the virtual environment is restricted to a predetermined resident allowed to relevant sections of the virtual environment upon payment of a subscription or upon payment of a one-off charge for the duration of an event. Access for that resident/user is then enabled. Access is controlled by an administrator or a system with administrator rights. Access to the whole of the modelled arena or only specific areas of the modelled arena may be enabled and so a resident can be restricted to a certain seat in a stadium, the touch line of a playing field or a specific aerial view. Access may be granted to the whole of the arena�access all areas�in which case the resident is able to experience being part of the real live event by walking onto a playing surface and following a ball or, in the case of a racing circuit, driving a car alongside a real-life racing driver.
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Extended European Search Report in European Patent Application No. 08155517.9; Sep. 9, 2008; 4 pages; European Patent Office; Rijswijk, Netherlands.2Mafalda Pereira; Communication Pursuant to Article 94(3) EPC in European Patent Application No. 08155517.9; Aug. 19, 2009; 6 pages; European patent Office; Rijswijk, Netherlands.3Mafalda Pereira; European Search Report in European Patent Application No. 08155517; Sep. 2, 2008; 2 pages; The Hague.4Mafalda Pereira; International Search Report in PCT/GB2009/050222; Apr. 7, 2009; 3 pages; European Patent Office; Rijswijk, Netherlands.5Mafalda Pereira; Interview Summary of telephonic interview held in European Patent Application No. 08155517.9; Mar. 4, 2010; 2 pages; European Patent Office; Rijswijk, Netherlands.Referenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS8589423Jan 18, 2011Nov 19, 2013Red 5 Studios, Inc.Systems and methods for generating enhanced screenshotsUS8628424Jun 28, 2012Jan 14, 2014Red 5 Studios, Inc.Interactive spectator features for gaming environmentsUS8632411Jun 28, 2012Jan 21, 2014Red 5 Studios, Inc.Exchanging virtual rewards for computing resourcesUS8793313Sep 8, 2011Jul 29, 2014Red 5 Studios, Inc.Systems, methods and media for distributing peer-to-peer communicationsUS8795086Jul 20, 2012Aug 5, 2014Red 5 Studios, Inc.Referee mode within gaming environmentsUS8834268Jul 13, 2012Sep 16, 2014Red 5 Studios, Inc.Peripheral device control and usage in a broadcaster mode for gaming environmentsUS20140031121 *Jul 25, 2012Jan 30, 2014Mark KernBroadcaster mode and broadcasting features for gaming environments* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification463/4, 345/16, 455/517, 380/44, 235/382, 345/473, 345/42, 345/7, 463/9International ClassificationA63F13/00, A63F9/24Cooperative ClassificationH04L67/38, H04L29/06, A63F2300/69, A63F13/10, A63F2300/513, H04N21/2187, A63F13/12, A63F2300/8082, A63F13/06, A63F2300/10, H04N7/173, H04N21/4781, H04N21/4788, A63F13/02European ClassificationA63F13/10, H04N21/2187, H04L29/06, A63F13/06, A63F13/02, A63F13/12, H04N21/4788, H04N7/173, H04N21/478G, H04L29/06C4Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionDec 1, 2010ASAssignmentOwner name: WHITE FEATHER TECHNOLOGIES S.L., SPAINEffective date: 20080305Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:HORMIGO CEBOLLA, JESUS;REEL/FRAME:025405/0157Owner name: VIRTUALLY LIVE LTD., VIRGIN ISLANDS, BRITISHEffective date: 20080305Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:EL IMAD, JAMIL NADIM;WHITE FEATHER TECHNOLOGIES S.L.;REEL/FRAME:025405/0378RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services