Method for providing multiple viewing opportunities of events at a venue

Abstract

A method for providing multiple viewing opportunities of events transpiring at a venue includes simultaneously communicating video taken from each of a plurality of video cameras, positioned at various locations at the venue, for receipt by each of a plurality of wireless mobile viewing devices at the venue. The communicating of the video is performed such that video taken from each video camera may be selectively received and viewed by each wireless mobile viewing device independently of receipt and viewing of video by any of the other wireless mobile viewing devices. The video may be communicated over the Internet, over a cellular network, and/or through a local wireless broadcast at the venue. The video cameras may be wireless, and the communicating of the video may be accomplished using a mobile communications hub such as a vehicle. The venue may be a sports arena, stadium, or speedway.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One or more preferred embodiments of the present invention now will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same elements are referred to with the same reference numerals, and wherein,

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a digital video system in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the digital video system is utilized at a motor speedway;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary racecar having wireless cameras mounted thereon;

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a wireless network utilized in the digital video system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a website provide in association with the digital video system of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a digital video system in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the digital video system is utilized at a football game.

Claims

1. A method for providing multiple viewing opportunities of events at a venue, comprising simultaneously communicating video taken from each of a plurality of video cameras, positioned at various locations at a venue, for receipt by each of a plurality of wireless mobile viewing devices at the venue, such that video taken from each video camera may be selectively received and viewed by each wireless mobile viewing device independently of receipt and viewing of video by any of the other wireless mobile viewing devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of simultaneously communicating video taken from each of the plurality of video cameras positioned at various locations at the venue includes communicating the video taken from each video camera over the Internet.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of simultaneously communicating video taken from each of the plurality of video cameras positioned at various locations at the venue includes communicating the video taken from each video camera over a cellular network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of simultaneously communicating video taken from each of the plurality of video cameras positioned at various locations at the venue includes simultaneously broadcasting, at the venue, the video taken from each of the plurality of video cameras.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the video taken from each video camera is simultaneously broadcast at the venue from the same transmitter.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the video taken from each video camera is simultaneously broadcast at the venue from each respective video camera.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said step of communicating video taken from each video cameras positioned at various locations at the venue includes streaming the video to one or more of the wireless mobile viewing devices at the venue.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising associating video taken from each video camera positioned at various locations at the venue with a unique IP address by which a wireless mobile viewing device may access video taken from such video camera.

9. A method for providing multiple viewing opportunities of events at a venue, comprising simultaneously broadcasting video taken from each of a plurality of video cameras, positioned at various locations at a venue, for receipt by each of a plurality of wireless mobile viewing devices at the venue, such that video taken from each video camera may be selectively received and viewed by each wireless mobile viewing device independently of receipt and viewing of video by any of the other wireless mobile viewing devices.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the video taken from each video camera is simultaneously broadcast at the venue from each respective video camera.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the video taken from each of the plurality of video cameras positioned at various locations at the venue is unilaterally broadcast from the same transmitter.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the transmitter from which the video is unilaterally broadcast is located at the venue.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said broadcasting includes unilaterally broadcasting the video taken from each of the plurality of video cameras positioned at various locations at the venue without regard to: whether any wireless mobile viewing device is within a transmission range of the broadcast; without regard to whether any wireless mobile viewing device has been detected within the transmission range of the broadcast; whether, for each respective video, the video has been selected for viewing by any wireless mobile viewing device; and whether, for each respective video, any wireless mobile viewing device receives the video.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of: (a) receiving, at a communications hub, the video taken from each of the plurality of video cameras positioned at various locations at the venue; and(b) communicating the received video to a transmitter for broadcasting to wireless mobile viewing devices at the venue.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the communications hub is mobile.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the communications hub comprises a vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of video cameras include a plurality of wireless video cameras.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the broadcast to each of the wireless mobile viewing devices is encrypted.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of video cameras may be controlled remotely from a central location.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the remote control of a video camera includes adjusting a viewing angle, magnification, or brightness of the video camera.