WO2021214506A1 - System for a virtual audience participating individually in sport and performance venues - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a technological solution for admitting into stadiums and other sport and performance venues, a remote virtual audience that participates completely individually, by means of: a kit physically installed in a seat, stands or physical space reserved for each virtual spectator; an environment solution in the venue, based on fixed cameras, screens and microphones located in strategic sites, drones and a server; and a spectator solution, with a front end, formed mainly by virtual reality glasses and various devices.

Description

SYSTEM FOR VIRTUAL PUBLIC PARTICIPATING IN AN INDIVIDUAL WAY IN SPORTS AND SHOWS STAGES

Technical Sector:

The invention belongs to the technical field of information and communication technologies applied to entertainment.

Previous technique:

Although virtual reality and augmented reality have undergone great development in recent years and their use in the entertainment and tourism sectors is increasingly widespread, their application to mass shows is limited.

Currently the state of the art is manifested in the development of projects that, in the case of football, for example, "would allow people to watch the game from their home, from different points of view, through virtual reality glasses, choosing the point of view at all times and listening to the meeting as if they were on the field " ¹ . This is thanks to cameras and microphones located in strategic places on the field and the stadium in general. This, beyond the capacity of transmission and hardware improvement, is circumscribed in the scope of quite previous patents such as PA / a / 2000/012307 ²

This type of access to the show, although it is partially interactive, is massive, not individual, since all spectators share the use of cameras and microphones that are installed in specific areas (in the case of a football stadium in the arches, the main rostrum, the substitute bench).

This and all the available solutions have been conceived up to now as complementary approaches to physical assistance to the stages. Not as approaches capable of also substituting physical presence on stage, since they have not been designed considering this requirement.

The recent Coronavirus pandemic has determined the obligation or convenience of establishing social distancing and makes it impossible to develop, at least in the very short term, massive sports and artistic events with a physical audience. This is generating a large amount of economic losses to companies and sports and entertainment institutions, as well as serious damage to their workers. The shows are being performed without an audience or with mannequins or robots that have no interaction with real spectators.

¹ The Telefónica company and FC Barcelona presented at e! last MohÜe World Congress, a 5G network project for the Nou Camp Stadium, and they reported that it would allow this type of performance with high quality thanks to the new network capacity.

² A virtual view system that uses live images from cameras placed around a sports arena to generate virtual views of the sporting event from any contemplated point of view. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a solution that, at least temporarily, replaces the physical presence in stadiums and other scenarios, reproducing in the best possible way the experience for both spectators and event participants (athletes and artists) and facilitating maximum interaction.

Disclosure of the invention:

The invention consists of a system to admit virtual audiences in stadiums and other sports and entertainment venues that participate in a totally individual way, through a kit physically installed in the corresponding seat or grandstand, and complementary devices, simulating the individual experience and active by a real spectator and contributing to generate environmental effects that are consolidated and broadcast on stage and are perceived by all participants (virtual audience and also by players or artists).

To respond to the current situation (requirement of social distancing), and achieve a greater approximation for virtual spectators to the experience of physical attendance at events, it is necessary to solve the problems described below accompanied by the solution that the invention offers:

Problem 1: The spectator's participation is not associated with a physical place reserved for him, as it is in real attendance.

Solution: In the invention, each virtual spectator has a physical place reserved, either an armchair or a real space in the stands, depending on the stage. An individual kit is installed in this space.

Problem 2: Currently, it is not possible to actively participate in the event beyond choosing at all times the image of one of the cameras installed in a very limited number, in the place of the show, and perceiving ambient sound.

Solution: The invention makes it possible to participate: i) viewing the image that the viewer decides individually and receiving sound from the corresponding physical location; and ii) providing sound (including voice), lights, gestures and images, also as part of the individual solution, from the seat or space in the stands that corresponds to the virtual spectator.

Problem 3: There is no individual perspective of the scene, nor can the movement of the camera be controlled individually, the experience being subject to the locations and perspectives of common cameras.

Solution: There is an individual perspective associated with each physical location (armchair) in which a mobile camera is installed, making it possible to control, as indicated, the movement of the camera individually.

Problem 4: The participants (players and artists) do not experience the active presence of the public.

Solution: In the invention, the participants listen to the voices of the public and perceive their images, signals and sounds through screens and microphones.

Problem 5: Virtual viewers do not communicate with each other. Solution: In the invention virtual viewers can communicate with each other, particularly if they are in adjacent or close locations, and can generate collective expressions.

Complementarily, the invention makes it possible to make available to virtual spectators all the common features that are currently available (visualization of images and sounds from cameras and microphones located in different parts of the sports or drone stage; comments, statistics, and other features of augmented reality that can be accessed by all virtual users).

Although the state of technology is very advanced, current solutions respond to a different need and reality. In the current situation (mandatory or recommended social distancing, depending on the country, due to the Coronavirus pandemic) and future similar situations, in which physical attendance at sporting events and shows is not possible, spectators are required to be willing to pay for tickets virtual amounts of the order of magnitude of those currently paid, in order to make the continuation of sporting and entertainment businesses and projects financially viable. For this, they demand an experience as close as possible to reality and an individual and personalized treatment.

As indicated, the invention consists of a system to admit virtual audiences in stadiums and other sports and entertainment venues that participate fully individually, through a kit physically installed in the corresponding seat or grandstand, and complementary devices, simulating the active experience of a real spectator and contributing to generate environmental effects that are consolidated and broadcast on stage and are perceived by all participants (virtual audience and also by players or artists).

This invention is applicable to replace the physical public when there are restrictions for it, or to receive, in a specially reserved area on the stage, a virtual public that cannot go to the stadium, in particular because they are in another city or country, so complementary to the real public.

The system consists of three units operatively linked to each other:

(1) Integrated kit, or joint arrangement of elements, for installation in sports or entertainment venues, in the armchair or bleacher that corresponds to each virtual spectator, with an operating system and devices that allow some of the following functions: image reception to through individual cameras that allow mobile vision, reception of sound from the show, data transmission to the front end, contribution to surrounding sound and contribution of lights or images, with one or more of the following additional features i) short video repetitions and photography, ii) internal communication with the closest sites and with any other viewer upon request with prior approval, iii) participation in group expressions.

Referential Hardware / Software required for this unit:

• Dome camera or similar or multi-angle camera arrangement (in a single device).

• Microphone

• LED lamp.

• Cabling connecting individual kits and other devices (Ethernet, Power over Ethernet). Optional 4G or 5G backup. • Solid state memory (flash drive).

• Android, arduino or similar operating system

(2) An environment solution, composed of a set of devices that are installed on stage that allow the following functions: i) external image reception (fixed cameras, mobiles, microphones, drones), ii) reception of narration and comments by people on stage; iii) internal communication (consolidation of ambient sound, transmission of sound and video to individual solution kits, iv) augmented reality (texts, statistics, etc.). In addition, this environment solution includes a system for the emission of image, audio and gesture signals generated by the virtual assistants individually or collectively, through large screens and microphones located in strategic places, in such a way that the signals consolidated or Individuals may be perceived by the participants of sporting events or shows (players or artists).

Hardware / Software required for this unit:

• High quality cameras located at strategic points.

• Drones.

• Servers.

• Screens located at strategic points.

• Speakers.

• Microphones.

(3) Solution for the viewer consisting mainly of virtual reality glasses and devices that allow: i) reading of gestures (mainly movement); ii) audio and video reception, iii) active noise cancellation iv) control for additional functions and v) communication with computers and social networks.

Hardware / Software required for this unit (viewer property):

• Virtual reality glasses, with headset and microphone.

• Cell phone, computer or tablet.

• Optionally, smart virtual reality glasses, with headset and microphone could replace all of the above.

Best way to carry out the invention:

To put it into practice, the owners of sports and entertainment stadiums or arenas are required to contact technology companies for the provision of the devices and equipment and their installation on the stages. Since the operating systems and devices are available in the market, it is only required that the technology companies integrate the kits to give them in the most efficient way and at the lowest possible cost all the required features.

You can then schedule sporting and entertainment events without a physical audience and exclusively for virtual audiences and sell tickets to the events or subscriptions for a set of events. Additionally, when the physical public can attend the stages, special areas of the stage can be reserved for virtual public, being possible the attendance of public located for example in other cities or countries.

Industrial application

The recent Coronavirus pandemic has determined the need to establish social distancing and makes it impossible to develop, at least in the very short term, massive sports and artistic events. This is causing a large amount of economic losses to companies and sports institutions and serious damage to their workers. The shows are being performed without an audience or with mannequins or robots that have no interaction with real spectators.

The solution allows, at least temporarily, to replace the physical presence in the stadiums, reproducing the experience in the best possible way for both spectators and event participants (athletes and artists), facilitating maximum interaction. It can also be applied in times when there is no restriction for the physical attendance of spectators who cannot go to the States, for example, because they reside in other cities or countries.

Having an experience as close as possible to reality, maximum interaction and personal and individualized treatment will help viewers to be willing to pay for virtual tickets amounts of the order of magnitude that they currently pay for physical assistance, in order to make financially viable the continuation of sports and entertainment companies and projects.

The possibilities of commercial use are multiple, highlighting the following: a) Sale of tickets with virtual access to a seat on the stage. (Since the space that the kits occupy is much less than that of a person, it is possible to have a number of kits that exceed the capacity, but this must be analyzed in order not to distort personal experience or generate competition for television in events that are also broadcast by this medium b) Subscriptions for seats on stage. c) Integration and sale of virtual access kits. d) Sale of virtual access complementary to physical access. e) Sale of virtual access with greater benefits and different approved devices, as technology continues to evolve.

Brief description of the drawings:

Figure 1 shows the three operatively linked units, which, for a better understanding, are presented including representation of the referential hardware and software:

The first (UNIT 1) consists of a personal kit that is installed in the armchair or grandstand, which contains (A) a dome camera or multi-angle arrangement of cameras, (B) microphone, (C) speaker, (D) lamp LEDs, (E) a solid state memory, and (F) a supporting operating system. It allows the external reception of image and sound, data transmission, data cache for repetitions, short video and photography, internal communication, contribution to ambient sound, contribution with lights, image, avatars, gestures and participation in group expressions.

The second (UNIT 2) consists of environment implements installed on the stage, which include (G) one or more high-quality cameras, (H) one or more microphones, (I) one or more drones, (J) servers. , and (K) one or more screens. It allows the reception of images, narration and comments, internal communication, augmented reality (texts, statistics, etc.) and also the emission of images and audio on stage so that they are perceived by the physical participants of the event.

The third (UNIT 3) consists of a set of devices that allows the reading of gestures, reception of audio and video, active noise cancellation and communication with computers / tablets / cell phones and social networks. Specifically, it includes (L) virtual reality glasses, (M) headphones and a microphone, and (N) a cell phone, computer or tablet. As indicated, if the virtual reality glasses are smart, they do not require other devices, so the image should be taken as a reference.

Claims

1. Individual solution (Integrated kit, or joint arrangement of elements), for installation in sports or entertainment venues, in the armchair, grandstand, or physical space reserved for each virtual spectator, with an operating system and devices that allow some of the following functions: i) image reception through individual cameras that allow mobile viewing, ii) reception of sound of the show from the individual position, iii) data transmission, iv) contribution to sound of the environment and contribution of lights or images, v ) repetitions of short video and photography, vi) internal communication with the closest sites and with any other viewer by request with prior approval, vii) participation in group expressions.

2. System for the emission of image, audio and gesture signals generated by virtual assistants individually or collectively, through large screens and microphones located in strategic places on the stage, in such a way that the consolidated or individual signals can be perceived by all participants in sporting events or shows (players or artists, as well as the virtual audience).

3. System to admit virtual audiences that participate in a totally individual way in stadiums and other sports and entertainment venues, composed of:

• The claim 1.

• Claim 2.

® Solution for the viewer (front-end) consisting mainly of virtual reality glasses and devices that allow: i) reading of gestures (mainly movement); ii) audio and video reception, iii) active noise cancellation iv) control for additional functions and v) communication with computers and social networks.

• Complementary environment solution composed of a set of devices that are installed on stage that allow the following functions: i) external image reception (fixed cameras, mobiles, microphones, drones), ii) reception of narration and comments by people in the stage; iii) internal communication (consolidation of ambient sound, transmission of sound and video to individual solution kits, iv) augmented reality (texts, statistics, etc.).