U.S. Patent No. 10,532,283: Virtual playbook with user controls
Issued January 14, 2020 to Electronic Arts Inc.
Priority Date: December 3, 2008
Summary:
U.S. Patent No. 10,532,283 (the ’283 Patent) relates to providing users control over video viewing and playback. The ’283 Patent details a method of enabling users to change video and audio outputs while viewing a game to edit a game camera in real time. This may include changing the camera angle and field of view, adding overlays (such as arrows or circles to bring attention to a play happening in a particular area of the game environment), choosing audio sources (such as commentary, coach, player, or fan audio in a sports video game), or picture-in-picture with another video source.
Abstract:
A computerized method operable on a computer system for compositing data streams to generate a playable composite stream includes receiving a plurality of independent data streams that are included in a broadcast stream. The independent data streams include a video stream and a metadata stream. The metadata stream includes a plurality of user selectable graphics metadata for a plurality of graphics options. The computerized method further includes receiving a user selection for at least one of the graphics options; and compositing the at least one graphics option with the video stream to generate a composite video stream, which includes the at least one graphics option and the video stream.
Illustrative Claim:
1. A method comprising: posting, by a media server system, a link to initiate streaming of real-time live gameplay of a video game that is being played by at least one game player on at least one game player device; enabling selection of the link by a plurality of spectators on a plurality of spectator computers coupled to the media server system; receiving in real time by the media server system via a first network connection a video game stream of the real-time live gameplay of the video game as the at least one game player is playing the video game, wherein the video game stream is of a first field of view displayed to the at least one game player during the real-time live gameplay; streaming in real time by the media server system the video game stream of the real-time live gameplay of the video game via a second network connection to one or more commentator computer systems as the video game stream is being received by the media server system; receiving in real time by the media server system a selection of a second field of view of the real-time live gameplay of the video game that is different than the first field of view and contemporaneous comment selection associated with the real-time live gameplay of the video game from at least one of the one or more commentator computer systems as at least one commentator is generating the contemporaneous comments on the at least one of the one or more commentator computer systems, wherein the second field of view can be from any angle or field of view within the video game, wherein the comment selection is a predetermined comment that is selected and placed onto a specific position within the second field of view of the game, wherein the comment selection is configured to be displayed in the specific position for a predetermined period of time on a spectator computer; generating in real time the video game stream from the second field of view for display using game code of the video game; generating by the media server system a composite stream of at least a portion of the video game stream from the second field of view and the contemporaneous comment selection associated with the real-time live gameplay of the video game; receiving at a particular moment in time by the media server system a selection of the link from a particular spectator computer of the plurality of spectator computers; and in response to receiving the selection of the link from the particular spectator computer, initiating over a third network connection to the particular spectator computer of the plurality of spectator computers a real-time streaming of the composite stream being generated by the media server system at substantially the particular moment in time and thereafter.