IP Library Granted Patent US 8,982,220
Granted Patent B2
US 8,982,220 · App. 13/459,595 · Granted Mar 17, 2015

Broadcasting content

Inventors: Paul T. Schultz (Colorado Springs, CO); Robert A. Sartini (Colorado Springs, CO)
Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
H04N5/772H04N5/23206H04N9/8211
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,982,220
App. No.
13/459,595
Granted
Mar 17, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

User imaging terminals (such as mobile phones with camera or video functionality) may be used to take images that are used to create an image stream of an event. In one example, a device may receive the images and transmit the images to one or more second users. The device may receive indications, from second devices associated with the second users, of whether the images are approved by the second users for incorporation into an image stream; and perform facial detection of the images to detect faces within the images. The device may generate the image stream, based on the images that are approved by the second users and based on results of the facial detection of the images; and transmit the image stream to one or more display devices.

Claims (119)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a server device, images, captured using a plurality of first devices, by first users associated with the plurality of first devices;

transmitting, by the server device, the images to one or more second devices associated with second users;

receiving, by the server device, indications, from the one or more second devices, of whether the images are approved by the second users for incorporation into an image stream;

performing, by the server device, a facial detection process on the images to detect faces within the images;

ranking, by the server device and based on a result of performing the facial detection of the images, the images;

generating, by the server device, the image stream, based on the images that are approved by the second users and based on ranking the images; and

transmitting, by the server device, the image stream to one or more display devices.

2. The method of claim 1 , where generating the image stream further includes:

selecting images for the image stream using a selection technique based on a quantity of faces that are detected in the images,

where images with a higher quantity of detected faces are more likely to be selected than images with a lower quantity of detected faces.

3. The method of claim 1 , where generating the image stream further includes:

generating the image stream as an image stream in which at least some of the images in the image stream are displayed using panning or zooming effects based on faces that are detected in the at least some of the images.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving voice tags, associated with the images received from the plurality of first devices;

transcribing the voice tags to text; and

incorporating the text in the image stream.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

performing facial recognition for the detected faces; and

modifying one or more of the images by substituting a graphic icon for selected ones of the detected faces.

6. The method of claim 1 , where receiving the images includes:

receiving the images as multimedia message service (MMS) images.

7. The method of claim 1 , where the image stream includes one or more of the images and one or more of:

one or more videos,

audio, or

text.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the server device and from a first device, of the plurality of first devices, sensor data relating to information sensed by the first device using one or more of:

a magnetic compass,

an accelerometer,

a gyroscope,

a temperature sensor,

a barometric pressure sensor,

a motion sensor,

a proximity sensor, or

a light sensor; and

processing the images to perform one or more actions,

the one or more actions being determined based on the sensor data.

9. A system comprising:

at least one processor to:

receive images, captured using a plurality of first devices associated with first users;

transmit the images to one or more second devices associated with second users;

receive indications, from the one or more second devices, of whether the images are approved by the second users for incorporation into an image stream;

perform a facial detection process on the images to detect faces within the images;

rank, based on a result of performing the facial detection process on the images, the images;

generate the image stream, based on the images that are approved by the second users and based on ranking the images; and

transmit the image stream to one or more display devices.

10. The system of claim 9 , where the processor is further to:

select images for the image stream using a selection technique based on a quantity of faces that are detected in the images,

where images with a higher quantity of detected faces are more likely to be selected than images with a lower quantity of detected faces.

11. The system of claim 9 , where the processor is further to:

generate the image stream as an image stream in which at least some of the images in the image stream are displayed using panning or zooming effects based on faces that are detected in the at least some of the images.

12. The system of claim 9 , where the processor is further to:

receive voice tags, associated with the images received from the plurality of first devices;

transcribe the voice tags to text; and

incorporate the text in the image stream.

13. The system of claim 9 , where the processor is further to:

perform facial recognition for the detected faces; and

modify one or more of the images by substituting a graphic icon for selected ones of the detected faces.

14. The system of claim 9 , where the images include multimedia message service (MMS) images.

15. The system of claim 9 , where the image stream includes one or more of the images and one or more of:

one or more videos,

audio, or

text.

16. The system of claim 9 , where the at least one processor is further to:

receive, from a first device, of the plurality of first devices, sensor data relating to information sensed by the first device using one or more of:

a magnetic compass,

an accelerometer,

a gyroscope,

a temperature sensor,

a barometric pressure sensor,

a motion sensor,

a proximity sensor, or

a light sensor; and

process the images from the plurality of first devices to perform one or more actions,

the one or more actions being determined based on the sensor data.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a device, cause the at least one processor to:

receive images, captured using a plurality of first devices associated with first users;

transmit the images to one or more second devices associated with second users;

receive indications, from the one or more second devices, of whether the images are approved by the second users for incorporation into an image stream;

perform a facial detection process on the images to detect faces within the images;

rank, based on a result of performing the facial detection process on the images, the images;

generate the image stream, based on the images that are approved by the second users and based on ranking the images; and

transmit the image stream to one or more display devices.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

select images for the image stream using a selection technique based on a quantity of faces that are detected in the images,

where images with a higher quantity of detected faces are more likely to be selected than images with a lower quantity of detected faces.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

generate the image stream as an image stream in which at least one of the images in the image stream are displayed using a panning effect or a zooming effect based on faces that are detected in the at least one of the images.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

receive voice tags, associated with the images received from the plurality of first devices;

transcribe the voice tags to text; and

incorporate the text in the image stream.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

perform facial recognition for the detected faces; and

modify one or more of the images by substituting a graphic icon for selected ones of the detected faces.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , where the images include multimedia message service (MMS) images.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , where the image stream includes one or more of the images and one or more of:

one or more videos,

audio, or

text.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

receive, from a first device, of the plurality of first devices, sensor data relating to information sensed by the first device using one or more of:

a magnetic compass,

an accelerometer,

a gyroscope,

a temperature sensor,

a barometric pressure sensor,

a motion sensor,

a proximity sensor, or

a light sensor; and

process the images from the plurality of first devices to perform one or more actions,

where the one or more actions are determined based on the sensor data.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 30, 2012
From: SCHULTZ, PAUL T.; SARTINI, ROBERT A.
To: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
Reel/Frame 028127/0924 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation In Part 12980608 · Dec 29, 2010
Continuation In Part 12961852 · Dec 7, 2010
Related Publication 20120212668A1 · Aug 23, 2012