Social multi-camera interactive live engagement system

Abstract

A social multi-camera interactive live engagement (SMILE) system including video and audio processing arrays performs an audio-video processing method. The method includes receiving multiple video streams from distinct sources and preparing multiple distinct composited video streams from the multiple video streams. Each of the distinct composited video streams configures video images from a different selected one of the multiple video streams in a primary region and video images from remaining ones of the multiple video streams in respective secondary regions adjacent to the primary region. The method include streaming the multiple distinct composited video streams configured for presentation in a user interface to a client device, at different times determined in response to user selection input from the client device, and more detailed aspects, supporting a novel user interface design.

1 . A method for multi-camera interactive live engagement, the method comprising:
 receiving, at one or more computer servers, multiple live video streams from distinct video camera sources;   preparing multiple distinct composited video streams from the multiple live video streams, wherein each of the distinct composited video streams is contemporaneous with other ones of the multiple distinct composited video streams and configures video images from a different selected one of the multiple live video streams in a primary region and video images from remaining ones of the multiple live video streams in respective secondary regions adjacent to the primary region; and   contemporaneously streaming the multiple distinct composited video streams each addressed to different ones of multiple client devices and configured for presentation in a user interface at different times determined in response to user selection inputs received from the different ones of multiple client devices, wherein each of the multiple client devices is provided only one of the distinct composited video streams for display at any particular time of the different times based on a corresponding one of the user selection inputs.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising serving a selected one of the multiple distinct composited video streams over a network, formatted for display in the user interface using a browser application. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising serving with the selected one of the multiple distinct composited video streams, a user selection object at least partially overlaying the display and configured to correlate user selection inputs to respective different ones of the respective secondary regions. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising receiving the user selection inputs indicating user selection of one of the respective secondary regions wherein video images from one of the remaining ones of the multiple live video streams are placed. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising swapping the selected one of the multiple distinct composited video streams for a different one of the multiple distinct composited video streams, wherein the one of the remaining ones of the multiple live video streams indicated by the one of the user selection inputs is the selected one of the multiple live video streams located in the primary region. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising serving an interactive portion of the user interface configured for enabling a client to provide one of the multiple live video streams to the one or more computer servers using an Internet Protocol (IP). 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising selecting a subset of the multiple live video streams that are received from client sources via the interactive portion of the user interface. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising preparing a composited one of the multiple live video streams by compositing the subset of the multiple live video streams, wherein the composited one of the multiple live video streams includes a matrix of different display regions each configured for displaying a corresponding different one of the subset of the multiple live video streams. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising serving at least one of a text newsfeed, a text chat stream, a schedule for planned content programs comprising multiple distinct composited video streams, an interactive object for accessing an archive of past content programs comprising multiple distinct composited video streams, or a schedule for planned competitive video game programs comprising multiple distinct composited video streams, in a window of the user interface adjacent to a window containing a display of the multiple distinct composited video streams. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising implementing the one or more computer servers using a cloud computing architecture. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus comprising a processor coupled to a memory, the memory holding instructions that when executed by the processor, causes the apparatus to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, via input ports coupled to the processor, multiple live video streams from distinct sources;   preparing in real time multiple distinct composited video streams from the multiple live video streams, wherein each of the distinct composited video streams is contemporaneous with other ones of the multiple distinct composited video streams and configures video images from a different selected one of the multiple live video streams in a primary region and video images from remaining ones of the multiple live video streams in respective secondary regions adjacent to the primary region; and   contemporaneously streaming the multiple distinct composited video streams each addressed to different ones of multiple client devices and configured for presentation in a user interface at different times determined in response to user selection inputs received from the different ones of multiple client devices, wherein each of the multiple client devices is provided only one of the distinct composited video streams for display at any particular time of the different times based on a corresponding one of the user selection inputs.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the memory holds further instructions for serving a selected one of the distinct composited video streams over a network, formatted for display in the user interface using a browser application. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the memory holds further instructions for serving with the selected one of the distinct composited video streams, a user selection object at least partially overlaying the display and configured to correlate the user selection inputs to respective different ones of the respective secondary regions. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the memory holds further instructions for receiving the user selection inputs indicating user selections of one of the respective secondary regions wherein video images from one of the remaining ones of the multiple live video streams are placed. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the memory holds further instructions for swapping the selected one of the distinct composited video streams for a different one of the distinct composited video streams, wherein the one of the remaining ones of the multiple live video streams indicated by one of the user selection inputs is the selected one of the multiple live video streams located in the primary region. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the memory holds further instructions for serving an interactive portion of the user interface configured for enabling a client to provide one of the multiple live video streams to the input ports using an Internet Protocol (IP). 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the memory holds further instructions for selecting a subset of the multiple live video streams that are received from client sources via the interactive portion of the user interface. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the memory holds further instructions for preparing a composite one of the multiple live video streams by compositing the subset of the multiple live video streams, wherein the composite one of the multiple live video streams includes a matrix of different display regions each configured for displaying a corresponding different one of the subset of the multiple live video streams. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the memory holds further instructions for serving at least one of a text newsfeed, a text chat stream, a schedule for planned content programs comprising multiple distinct composited video streams, an interactive object for accessing an archive of past content programs comprising multiple distinct composited video streams, or a schedule for planned competitive video game programs comprising multiple distinct composited video streams, in a window of the user interface adjacent to a window containing a display of the multiple distinct composited video streams. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus comprises a server portion of a cloud computing architecture. 
     
     
         21 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium holding program instructions, that when executed by a processor, causes a computer to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, via input ports coupled to the processor, multiple live video streams from distinct sources;   preparing in real time multiple distinct composited video streams from the multiple live video streams, wherein each of the distinct composited video streams is contemporaneous with other ones of the multiple distinct composited video streams and configures video images from a different selected one of the multiple live video streams in a primary region and video images from remaining ones of the multiple live video streams in respective secondary regions adjacent to the primary region; and   contemporaneously streaming the multiple distinct composited video streams each addressed to different ones of multiple client devices and configured for presentation in a user interface at different times determined in response to user selection inputs received from the different ones of multiple client devices, wherein each of the multiple client devices is provided only one of the distinct composited video streams for display at any particular time of the different times based on a corresponding one of the user selection inputs.