DISC JOCKEY MULTISITE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for managing the presence of a DJ across multiple locations. This method comprises generating an avatar image of a DJ using a DJ console at a primary location on a ship and transmitting an audio stream from the DJ console to multiple other locations on the ship. The avatar can then be displayed at each of the other locations. Finally, the displayed image can be animated in coordination with movements of the DJ using the DJ console. In this way, regardless of a member of the public's location at any of the locations, the member of the public can experience the DJ's live performance as if the DJ were physically present at the member's location. (See Figure 1 for abbreviations.)

Description

Title of the invention: MULTI-SITE DISC JOCKEY Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of coordinating the performance of a DJ and more particularly the multi-room reception of the audio and video of the DJ's performance. Technical background

[0002] The venerable DJ has been an integral part of the live social entertainment venue since the advent of recordable music. Traditionally, the DJ selects a playlist of music and sequentially plays each song on the playlist through a DJ console so that the music can be amplified through speakers located near the console. During the playback of the playlist, the DJ can engage in dialogue with the audience as well as dance with them as well. Like any other musical performance, the ability to experience a DJ's performance relies on the audience, DJ, and DJ console being brought together at the same venue.

[0003] A DJ's performance can often be non-professional in nature, a hobby of the artist. But in many cases, the DJ is a professional and therefore receives financial compensation from an employer or client, as the case may be. Like any other musical entertainment, a good DJ can be expensive. For a captive single-site venue such as a nightclub or restaurant, a lot is expected. But for a larger venue such as a hotel and particularly a cruise ship where many venues require entertainment, hiring multiple DJs can be very expensive. Of course, as is the case in a multi-room nightclub, it is still possible to simultaneously broadcast live video from one venue to display screens at other venues within the same venue.But in doing so, aside from the hosts in the main venue, there is no immersion in the DJ's performance as other hosts in other rooms of the venue are simply watching the performance on a TV screen. Summary of the invention

[0004] Embodiments of the present invention address technical deficiencies in the art with respect to multi-room reception of audio and video of a DJ's performance. To this end, embodiments of the present invention provide a novel and non-obvious method for managing a DJ's presence at multiple venues. Embodiments of the present invention also provide a novel and non-obvious computing device suitable for performing the method. Finally, embodiments of the present invention provide a novel and non-obvious data processing system incorporating the preceding device in order to carry out the preceding method.

[0005] In one embodiment of the invention, a method for managing the presence of a DJ at multiple locations includes generating an avatar image corresponding to a DJ operating a DJ console at a primary location on a vessel, or optionally at a location external to the vessel, and transmitting from the DJ console an audio stream produced by the DJ console to multiple other locations on the vessel. The avatar may then be displayed at each of the other locations. Ultimately, the display may be animated in coordination with movements of the DJ operating the DJ console. In this manner, regardless of an audience member's location at any of the locations, the audience member may experience the DJ's live performance as if the DJ were present in person at the audience member's location.

[0006] In one aspect of the embodiment, the avatar image is displayed holographically at each of the other sites so as to provide a more realistic appearance of the avatar. In another aspect of the embodiment, the avatar image may be displayed at the main site proximate the DJ so as to create a contrast between the appearance and movement of the avatar and the appearance and movement of the DJ. In each case, in yet another aspect of the embodiment, an image of a face of a host at one of the other sites may be superimposed on a face of the avatar at that site so as to create a novelty experience of the hosts at that site.

[0007] Optionally, one or more of the other sites may be a host's cabin on the ship. In this case, at least one light fixture in the cabin may be remotely activated in coordination with the audio stream. Therefore, even if the host remains in the privacy of his or her cabin, the host may immerse himself or herself in the DJ's performance as if he or she were present in the main site with the DJ.

[0008] In another embodiment of the invention, a data processing system may be adapted to manage the presence of a DJ at multiple sites. The system includes a host computing platform that has one or more computers, each with memory and one or more processing units including one or more processing cores. The system also includes a module for managing the presence of a DJ at multiple sites. The module includes computer program instructions that are enabled, while being executed in the memory of at least one of the processing units of the host computing platform, to generate an avatar image corresponding to a DJ using a DJ console at a main site on a vessel and to transmit from the DJ console an audio stream produced by the DJ console to multiple other sites on the vessel while displaying the avatar image at each of the other sites.The program instructions are furthermore at . authorized to animate the displayed avatar image in coordination with movements of the DJ using the DJ console.

[0009] In yet another embodiment of the invention, a computing device includes a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with program instructions stored therein. The instructions are executable by at least one processing core of a processing unit to cause the processing unit to perform a method for managing the presence of a DJ at multiple sites. The method includes generating an avatar image corresponding to a DJ using a DJ console at a primary site on a vessel and transmitting from the DJ console an audio stream produced by the DJ console to multiple other sites on the vessel while also displaying the avatar image at each of the other sites. The method further includes animating the displayed avatar image in coordination with movements of the DJ using the DJ console.

[0010] In this manner, the technical deficiencies of producing a multi-site performance of a DJ are overcome due to the ability to simulate the DJ's live performance at each of the different sites of the single venue without relegating the hosts at the different sites to watching the performance presented on a single television screen.

[0011] Additional aspects of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be acquired by practice of the invention. Aspects of the invention will be realized and achieved by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are provided by way of example and explanation only and are not limited to the invention as claimed. Brief description of the figures

[0012] The accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. The embodiments illustrated therein are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instruments shown, in which:

[0013] [Fig.l] is a graphical illustration reflecting different aspects of a process for managing a DJ's presence at multiple sites;

[0014] [Fig.2] is a block diagram showing a data processing system adapted to carry out one aspect of the process of [Fig.l]; and

[0015] [Fig.3] is a flowchart illustrating one aspect of the process of [Fig.l]. Detailed description of the invention

[0016] Embodiments of the invention provide for managing the presence of a DJ at multiple locations. According to one embodiment of the invention, an avatar is generated for a DJ providing a DJ performance at a primary location of a single venue such as a ship. The audio performance of the DJ may be transmitted for amplification at each of the one or more other locations of the single venue in conjunction with amplification of the audio performance at the primary location. Similarly, the DJ's avatar is displayed at each of the other locations, for example as a hologram, and the movement of the avatar may be coordinated with the movement of the DJ such that the avatar becomes, essentially, a live replica of the DJ. In this manner, regardless of the location of the single venue, a host may experience the audio performance of the DJ as if the DJ had been present at that location.

[0017] In illustrating one aspect of the embodiment, [Fig. 1] graphically depicts a process for managing a DJ's presence at multiple venues. As shown in [Fig. 1], an onboard operator 130 of a DJ console 140 uses the DJ console 140 to produce amplified music 190 for listening at a primary venue 110A of a vessel 100. A video sensor 150 captures video imagery of the operator 130 to create an avatar 160 of the operator 130 exhibiting movements mapping movements detected in the captured video imagery.

[0018] The amplified music 190 for listening in the main site 110A may be transmitted over the shipboard data communications network 120 to one or more remote sites 110B on board the ship 100 including other public entertainment areas on board the ship 100 and even the various private accommodations of the guests of the ship 100. It should be noted that the avatar 160 may be transmitted over the network 120 to the various remote sites 110B and projected therein by a video projector 170 as an animated video. Optionally, the avatar 160 may also be projected by a video projector 170 in the main site 110A.

[0019] In one aspect of the embodiment, the avatar 160 may be projected by the video projector 170 as a three-dimensional hologram. In another aspect of the embodiment, the lighting 180 of both the main site 110A and the remote sites 110B may be color and strobe coordinated so that the same lighting effects experienced by hosts in the main site 110A are experienced by hosts in the remote sites 110B. However, as will be recognized, in any event, only one operator 130 using a single DJ console 140 for hosts present not only in the main site 110A but also in the remote sites 110B will be required and in any event, the movement of the operator 130 while using the DJ console 140 in the main site 110A will be visible to hosts listening to the performance of the operator 130 in the remote sites 110B.

[0020] Aspects of the process described in connection with [Fig.l] may be implemented in a data processing system. In another illustration, [Fig.2] schematically represents a data processing system adapted to perform the management of the presence of a DJ at multiple sites. In the data processing system illustrated in [Fig.l], a host computing platform 200 is provided. The host computing platform 200 includes one or more computers 210, each with a memory 220 and one or more processing units 230.The computers 210 of the host computing platform 200 (only a single computer shown for simplicity of illustration) may be co-located with each other and in communication with each other over a local area network, or over a data communication bus, or the computers may be arranged remotely from each other and in communication with each other through the network interface 260 over a data communication network 240.

[0021] The host computing platform 200 is communicatively coupled over the network 240 to an audio-visual interface 275 of a mixer 270 at a main site receiving as input the audio output of two or more media players 280, for example two or more DJ decks, or alternatively, two or more solid-state storage devices storing audio files thereon. The audio-visual interface 275 is also coupled to a video capture device 285 such as a camera adapted to capture video imagery of an operator of the mixer 270. The host computing platform 200 is still further communicatively coupled over the network 240 to a respective audio-visual interface 275 at corresponding remote sites, at which each audio-visual interface 275 provides an audio-visual signal received from the mixer 270 to an audio transducer 295 converting audio portions of the signal into audible music at the corresponding remote sites.The audio-visual interface 275 also provides video portions of the signal to a video projection device 290 for projecting video imagery at the corresponding remote sites. Optionally, the lighting control 265 may be provided to at least one of the remote sites.

[0022] Notably, a computing device 250 including non-transitory computer-readable storage means may be included with the data processing system 200 and accessed by the processing units 230 of one or more of the computers 210. The computing device stores 250 therein or retains therein a program module 300 that includes computer program instructions that, when executed by one or more of the processing units 230, perform a programmatically executable process for managing a DJ's presence at multiple venues. Specifically, the program instructions during execution receive video imagery captured by the video capture device 285 from a mixer operator and calculate cue portions of the captured video imagery of so as to follow the movement of the operator as the operator mixes music on the mixer 270 which is then broadcast over the network 240 for amplification by the audio transducer 295 at the remote sites.

[0023] Based on the tracked movements of the operator, the program instructions animate an avatar which is then transmitted over the network 240 to the audio-visual interface 275 at each remote site for visual projection by respective ones of the video projection device 290. Optionally, the program instructions choreograph the stroboscopic effect of the lights at one or more remote sites through the lighting controller 265 by transmitting different instructions to the lighting controller 265 over the network 240 to turn on and off the lighting at the remote site in synchronization with the turning on and off of the lighting at the primary site.

[0024] In another illustration of an exemplary operation of the module, [Fig. 3] is a flowchart illustrating one aspect of the process of [Fig. 1]. Beginning in block 310, a directive to enable multi-room DJ synchronization is received and in block 315, video imagery of the operator of a DJ console at a main site is captured to identify landmark positions on the video imagery, such as a site of a facial feature, hands, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, and feet. Identifying the landmark positions may be accomplished by subjecting the video imagery to a convolutional neural network trained to segment the human form imagery and to identify landmark features of the human form.In block 325, a facial image of a host in a remote site may be captured, for example by a camera present in the remote site or based on a pre-recorded image of a host in the remote site known to be present in the remote site. Then, in block 330, an avatar image is generated, which includes as a face portion of the avatar, the facial image of the host.

[0025] Next, in block 340 the music mixed by the operator on the DJ console is transmitted from the primary site to the remote site for amplification at the remote site in synchronization with the amplification of the music at the primary site. At the same time, in block 345 the additional imagery of the operator is captured at the primary site and in block 350, an offset position of each of the cue positions is determined in the additional imagery so as to measure a displacement of the cue positions as between the initially submitted video imagery and the additional imagery. The measured displacement is then applied to the corresponding elements of the avatar so as to coordinate the movement of the avatar with the movement of the operator. Next, in block 360 the avatar is rendered in the remote site.In decision block 365, if the termination of the multi-room performance is selected, then in block 370 the performance ends. But . otherwise, the process repeats through block 345 with the capture of the new operator imagery.

[0026] It is important that the foregoing flowchart and block diagram referred to herein illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of computer systems, methods, and devices according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block of the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions that includes one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function or functions. In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur in a different order than noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may be executed, in fact substantially simultaneously, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved.It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustration, may be implemented by special-purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or perform combinations of special-purpose computer and hardware instructions.

[0027] More specifically, the present invention may be embodied as a programmatically executable process. Similarly, the present invention may be embodied in a computing device, on which program instructions are stored and from which the program instructions are permitted to be loaded into and executed from the memory of a data processing system to perform the preceding programmatically executable process. Still further, the present invention may be embodied in a data processing system adapted to load the program instructions from a computing device and then execute the program instructions to perform the preceding programmatically executable process.

[0028] For this purpose, the computing device is a non-transitory computer-readable storage means or means retaining therein or storing thereon computer-readable program instructions. These instructions when executed from memory by one or more processing units of a data processing system, cause the processing units to carry out different program processes exemplary of different aspects of the programmatically executable process. In this regard, the processing units each include an instruction execution device such as a central processing unit or "CPU" of a computer. One or more computers may be included in the data processing system. It should be emphasized, while the CPU may be a CPU at a single core, it will be understood that multiple cores of the CPU may operate in the CPU and in either case, instructions are directly loaded from memory into one or more of the cores of the one or more of the CPUs for execution.

[0029] Aside from directly loading instructions from memory for execution by one or more cores of a CPU or multiple CPUs, the computer-readable program instructions described herein alternatively may be retrieved over a computer communications network into the memory of a computer of the data processing system for execution therein. Similarly, only a portion of the program instructions may be retrieved into memory over the computer communications network, while other portions may be loaded from permanent storage of the computer.Further, only a portion of the program instructions may be executed by one or more processing cores of one or more CPUs of one of the computers in the data processing system, while other portions may be cooperatively executed in a different computer in the data processing system that is co-located with the computer or positioned remotely from the computer on the computer communications network with results of the computation by the two computers shared between them.

[0030] The corresponding and equivalent structures, materials, acts of any means or step plus functional elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements, as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for the purpose of illustration and description but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Numerous modifications and variations will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.The embodiment has been selected and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to enable others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as adapted to the particular use contemplated.

[0031] The invention of the present application being thus described in detail and with reference to the embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims as follows.

Claims

Claims

1. A method of managing the presence of a DJ at multiple sites comprising: generating an avatar image corresponding to a DJ using a DJ console at a main site on a ship; transmitting from the DJ console an audio stream produced by the DJ console to multiple other sites on the ship; capturing an image of a face of a host at one of the other sites and superimposing said image of the face of the host at one of the other sites onto a face portion of the avatar image; displaying the avatar image, with the captured image of the face of the host at one of the other sites superimposed, at each of the other sites; and animating the displayed avatar image in coordination with movements of the DJ using the DJ console.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the avatar image is displayed holographically on each of the other sites.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the avatar image on the main site near the DJ.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the other sites is a cabin of a guest on the vessel.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising remotely activating at least one light fixture in the cabin in coordination with the audio stream.

6. A data processing system adapted for managing the presence of a DJ at multiple sites, the system comprising: a host computing platform comprising one or more computers, each with a memory and one or more processing units including one or more processing cores; and, a module for managing the presence of a DJ at multiple sites comprising computer program instructions authorized upon execution in the memory of at least one of the processing units of the host computing platform to perform: generating an avatar image corresponding to a DJ using a DJ console at a main site on a vessel; transmitting from the DJ console an audio stream produced by the DJ console to multiple other sites on the vessel; capturing an image of a host's face in one of the other sites and superimposing said image of the host's face in one of the other sites onto a portion of the face of the avatar image; displaying the avatar image, with the captured image of the host's face in one of the other sites superimposed, on each of the other sites; and animating the displayed avatar image in coordination with movements of the DJ using the DJ console.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the avatar image is displayed holographically on each of the other sites.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising displaying the avatar image on the main site near the DJ.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein one of the other sites is a cabin of a guest on the ship.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising remotely activating at least one light fixture in the cabin in coordination with the audio stream.

11. A computing device comprising non-transitory computer-readable storage means having program instructions stored therein, the instructions being executable by at least one processing core of a processing unit to cause the processing unit to perform a method for managing the presence of a DJ at multiple sites, the method including: generating an avatar image corresponding to a DJ using a DJ console at a main site on a vessel; transmitting from the DJ console an audio stream produced by the DJ console to multiple other sites on the vessel; capturing an image of a face of a host at one of the other sites and superimposing said image of the face of the host at one of the other sites onto a face portion of the avatar image;displaying the avatar image, with the captured image of the host's face superimposed on one of the other sites, on each of the other sites; and animating the displayed avatar image in coordination with movements of the DJ using the DJ console.;

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the avatar image is displayed holographically on each of the other sites.

13. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises displaying the avatar image on the main site proximate to the DJ.

14. The computing device of claim 11, wherein one of the other sites is a cabin of a guest on the ship.

15. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises remotely activating at least one light fixture in the booth in coordination with the audio stream.

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