36 results about "Audience participation" patented technology

A method and apparatus provide interactive audience participation at live spectator events. Enjoyment for a plurality of spectators is enhanced. Participating spectators employ wireless interactive devices that present a promotional message and include user input and output interfaces. Spectators are queried, and enter answers via the user input interface. The answers are transmitted to a central processor, stored as spectator data, and processed into results. A visual display or the user output interface announces the results to the spectators.

In one form, an audience participation method and apparatus whereby mass audience members who are physically present in a venue can, upon being cued, convey quantitative data regarding their personal real-time individual and collective preferences, choices, opinions, and other personal responses concerning events taking place in the venue or otherwise, to digital image data processing systems, data bases and data transmission media by the act of posing passive, user-manipulated personal data-source devices, a multiplicity of such devices being visible within the Field of View (FOV) of one or more venue-associated digital imagers which can collect images of the devices and pass said images to image analysis computer programs with the analysis results being promptly available for uses by other venue systems such as those used for announcements and displays to the venue audiences as well as optionally being made available to information systems addressing audiences not within the venue.

According to the present invention there is provided a method of analysis of the audience for channels selectable by a channel selector device for presentation on a presentation device, the channel selector device providing data indicating which channels are selected and the lengths of time for which selected channels remain selected. The data relating to the lengths of time for which channels remain selected is subject to a capping procedure, whereby the indicated length of time for which a channel remains selected is reduced to a capped maximum permitted length of time if the indicated length of time exceeds the maximum permitted length, to provide capped data. The capped data is employed to select, in dependence upon the indication of the channel selected and length of time for which the channel is selected, an array of probabilities of individuals' exposure (PIVs) to the presentation of the channel on a presentation device, for individuals of different demographies, whereby the data provided by the channel selector device can be resolved into data estimating the likelihood of individuals of different demographies participating in the audience.

An audio-video system and method employs a dual-control interface for directly controlling the play speed of a video track while switching among a plurality of audio tracks independently of the video. The dual-control interface enables the user to adjust the play speed of the video track to match or synchronize with the tempo of a selected audio track at any point in time. The video speed and audio selection commands can be recorded as a file or on disk along with the underlying video and audio resources for playback or editing on PCs or game consoles. An Internet-enabled version can connect to streaming audio and / or video resources from Internet websites, for play on wireless mobile devices or Internet browsers. An Auto Beat feature may be used to automatically detect the beat of a currently selected audio track and convert it to the video track play speed. The audio-video system is particularly suitable for making personally editable music video and / or playing video games, audience participation (karaoke) games, and the like.

A two-way PDA, cell phone and laptop audience participation system providing the ability for real-time audience participation in questions and surveys and for real-time generation and display of results. A plurality of two-way wireless communication devices such as PDAs, cellphones or laptops are provided for use by participants at an event. At least one two-way wireless communication device, such as a wireless tablet, is provided for use by a presenter. Communications are between the presenter and participants are managed by a central server, wireless access points and routers.

The present invention provides a solution to the problem of providing a cost effective means of enhancing the pleasure of an attendee at a musical or dramatic or other type of public performance, or at a large classroom or other teaching venue, through a system and method for collecting video images and text at a performance, transmitting these data to authorized individual viewing devices in an attendee's possession at the performance venue, the attendee being able to select the video image desired or text or a combination of both for viewing at the attendee's location.

A method and system provide interactive participation during shopping activity occurring at a shopping venue. Enjoyment for a plurality of enrolled participants is enhanced. Participants employ wireless interactive devices that present a promotional message and include user input and output interfaces. Participants are queried, and enter answers via the user input interface. The promotional messages are preferably related to businesses associated with the shopping venue.

User equipment (UE) includes a short-range transceiver configured for communication with a plurality of wireless access points (APs) distributed throughout a venue. The individual UEs can communicate with the venue via the APs. The UEs can be configured to play interactive games with the venue, some of which may be displayed on the large screen in the venue and others that are displayed on the display of the UE. Data may be sent to the UEs individually or in groups. The data may be in the form of advertising, text messaging, images, video, multimedia, or the like. An array of UEs can receive portions of an overall image and function as individual pixels in a large display.

Multiple schemes and techniques for enhancing slide content sharing during presentations, engaging audience participation, and facilitating social networking through digital devices within in-person conferences are described. For example, Internet-enabled digital devices used by persons attending presentations are used to establish dialog loops with presenters and other attendees or remote participants. The dialog loops allow seamless sharing of slides, Q&A sessions, instantaneous surveys and the establishment of connections between people that may be unknown to each other in the conference space thereby facilitating more meaningful business or professional experiences in these settings.

An audio-visual system and method employs a dual-control interface for directly controlling the video speed of an underlying video resource for video output, and for switching among any of a plurality of audio resources at different points in time independently of the video output. The video speed control allows a user to adjust the running speed of the video track to match or synchronize with the tempo or duration of a selected audio track at any point in time. The video speed and audio selection commands can be recorded and distributed on disk along with the audio-video application and underlying video and audio tracks. It can thus be operated for play on PCs or game consoles, or used as media for play on wireless mobile devices or Internet browsers. The audio-visual system is particularly suitable for making personally editable music video and / or playing video games, audience participation (karaoke) games, and the like.

A system in accordance with the invention includes an interactive video system that creates immersive multimedia experiences through responsive physical interaction and audience participation. The system transform floors, walls, screens, staging and other surfaces and video output devices into an interactive experience. Motion tracking and projection systems enable the combination of a background message to be manipulated in response to audience participation, including human body movements. Included within the system is a software application with a setup and programming user interface, used in conjunction with external hardware to which it is connected. External hardware includes, in one basic embodiment, one or more video projectors, one or more video cameras, and one or more computers. The computer receives input from the video cameras, and modifies the projected video based upon that input. A single system unit can be networked to other system units on a LAN, WAN, or global network.

The invention discloses a gift giving method and system. A live-broadcasting platform server counts and obtains the practical gift income of an anchor live-broadcasting room corresponding to an anchor client side; if the practical gift income (namely gifts given by audiences) is up to the first gift giving upper limit value, the anchor live-broadcasting room corresponding to the anchor client side is controlled to return gifts to audiences in the anchor live-broadcasting room in the anchor client side according to the first gift return proportion; namely, gift return to users in a live-broadcasting room can be carried out; users having relatively low payment rate in live broadcasting also can be used as targets, to which gifts are given; the gift giving range is enlarged from anchors to live-broadcasting audiences; all audiences in a current room can receive other limited small gifts separated according to the proportion; small gifts given by the audiences are innovatively bound with the audiences in the current room; the audience participation of the current room is improved; and thus, the gift effect is improved indirectly.

The invention relates to a film showing system with an interaction function and a method for interacting with audiences during showing. The system comprises a film server, a digital film projector, a screen, more than one mobile terminal and an interaction unit in the film server. The interaction unit is used for sending interaction information to the mobile terminals according to film plots and receiving interaction selection information sent by the mobile terminals to adjust showing contents of showing units in real time. The mobile terminals are used for receiving the interaction information and sending the interaction selection information to the interaction unit according to user selection. By means of the film showing system and the method, audiences can participate in the film showing according to film plots and pre-designed interaction information, and psychological needs of the majority of audiences can be met according to film final results affected by audience participation. Besides, the usage is convenient due to the interaction with the film server through a WIFI or Bluetooth mode by the mobile terminals.

The present invention relates to a method for providing interactive audience participation at live spectator events. The method includes providing spectators with an interactive device that presents a promotional message and includes a user interface, broadcasting audio programming to the spectator through the interactive device, querying the spectators, wherein answers to the querying may be entered by spectators via the user interface of the interactive device, transmitting the answers to a central processor, storing the answers as spectator data, processing the spectator data into results, storing the results of the processing of the spectator data and broadcasting the results of the processing of the spectator data.

A method for providing differing image streams to audience members in an interactive theater setting. The method includes positioning optical filters such as shuttered glasses between audience members and a display surface. During a display period, two or more image streams are provided on the display surface with the optical filters operating to transmit a first image stream. The method includes modifying an operating state of a subset of the optical filters during the display period to transmit a second image stream. The image streams may be provided by a set of projectors that operate concurrently to project the image streams upon the display surface such as over the same portion of the surface. Modifying the operating state may be in response to user input from audience members such as manual switching of operating state or channel by the user with a device linked to the filter or glasses.

The embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for generating a graphics interchange format (GIF) picture and are applied to the technical field of image processing. The method for generating the GIF picture comprises the following steps: obtaining key data in a video, wherein the key data identifies play characteristics of the video and / or audience participation of the video; according to the key data, obtaining at least one video clip of the video; and selecting at least one video clip for converting into the GIF picture. According to the method for generating GIF picture in the embodiments of the invention, a video can automatically generates a GIF picture, and the efficiency of converting the video into the GIF picture is improved.

A system and method for audience participation with a broadcast, such as a radio or television program distributed via terrestrial or satellite broadcast and IPTV multicast, is described. The system provides a distributed application architecture that self-organizes the audience's computers, including PCs, mobile devices, and set-top boxes, so that they work together and distribute the audience-participation communications and processing load so as to not overburden any one machine or communication channel. This same technique ensures that no over reliance is placed on one machine or channel. The system is arbitrarily scalable, without requiring significant infrastructure enhancements, with o(log n) response times. This allows live, real-time audience interactions such as voting or participation as a contestant, with live, real-time feedback to the studio originating the broadcast.

A software system is provided which links a broadcast station operating system or playback system via the internet to an external data source, such as a separate audience participation system for providing audience interaction with broadcast programming, and specifically radio programming to allow the automation system of the broadcast system operating system to play externally chosen; such as by audience participation, selections automatically and in real time.

A system and method for maintaining audience interest in productions is disclosed. The invention includes provisions by which the interest of the audience is retained throughout the entire event. In one aspect, the invention includes a sporting event with anonymous contestants. In another aspect, the invention includes a limited performance-enhancing feature. The invention also includes provisions to expand audience participation and interaction. The invention also includes prizes that are awarded to the audience, based on several factors, including association with contestants.

The invention provides a credit card fraud prevention verification method and apparatus. A client validity verification scheme is set according to gift taking times, audience participation or automatic verification modes are set for different gift taking times, the clients having greater gift taking times can be managed and controlled to prevent hikers or artisans from brushing the gifts by using software tools, more audience taking the gifts have the opportunity to obtain the gifts, accordingly more audience participate in the live broadcast activity, and the attraction of the live broadcast platforms and the user experience are improved.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus for detecting placards in a captured image, comprising: input circuitry operable to receive the captured image; detector circuitry operable to detect placards in the captured image on a basis of a predetermined shape and / or color of the placards, the detector circuitry being operable to detect placards of a plurality of different shapes and / or colors; and counter circuitry operable to count a number of detected placards of each different shape and / or color.

The embodiment of the invention discloses an auxiliary input method in video playing. The method comprises the following steps: receiving a video stream, obtaining time point information correspondingto the video stream sent by a server, wherein the time point information comprises at least one time point; playing the video stream, detecting a playing progress of the video stream, judging whetherthe playing progress reaches a target time point in the time point information, and if so, displaying an input box in a playing interface for playing the video stream; receiving input data input through the input box, wherein the input data correspond to the target time point; and displaying the input data. In addition, the embodiment of the invention further discloses an auxiliary input apparatus in video playing. By adoption of the auxiliary input method disclosed by the invention, the interactivity and audience participation degree in a video program playing process can be improved.

A two-way PDA, cell phone and laptop audience participation system providing the ability for real-time audience participation in questions and surveys and for real-time generation and display of results. A plurality of two-way wireless communication devices such as PDAs, cellphones or laptops are provided for use by participants at an event. At least one two-way wireless communication device, such as a wireless tablet, is provided for use by a presenter. Communications are between the presenter and participants are managed by a central server, wireless access points and routers.

A system for identifying audience members and sequencing audience participation, the system includes: a computing device with logic and storage devices electrically connected audience member control panels, audience identification devices, and a moderator or speaker user interface; wherein the audience control panels are configured for individual audience members to make requests; wherein the computing device: receives the audience member requests and position identifiers and places them in a sequential list in the order received; records position identifiers for the audience members in the sequential list; sends the sequential list to the moderator or speaker; retrieves audience member seat coordinates in response to the recorded position identifiers; calculates actuation commands to control the audience identification devices; actuates the audience identification devices to highlight or focus on an audience member; and activates a microphone located in the vicinity of the recognized audience member, while disabling additional audience member microphones.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus for detecting placards in a captured image, comprising: input circuitry operable to receive the captured image; detector circuitry operable to detect placards in the captured image on a basis of a predetermined shape and / or colour of the placards, the detector circuitry being operable to detect placards of a plurality of different shapes and / or colours; and counter circuitry operable to count a number of detected placards of each different shape and / or colour.

The present invention relates to an interactive system enabling audience participation at a live event taking place in a venue. The system includes use of an interactive device that presents a promotional message (that is displayed on an electronic display) to an audience member, wherein said audience member is capable of responding to said message by entering feedback into said interactive device. Said feedback is transmitted to a central processor, where said feedback is stored as audience data and subsequently processed into results.

The present invention provides a method and a system to involve audience in presentations over a communication network. The method includes providing the presenter with an Audience Response System Presenter Component having a presentation software with an interactive component for presenting an information and capturing audience inputs connected to the presenter's session and displaying it appropriately. Further, enabling the audience in a session to connect to a Server by using an Audience Response System Audience Component. Furthermore, enabling the presenters and audiences a better real time interactive communication to collect, view and share responses. At last, providing for display varied types of interactions with the audience and collecting audience input to be displayed using presenting software and Audience Response System Presenter Component.