Live concert/event video system and method

Abstract

One aspect of the invention is a method of providing video to attendees of a live concert. Video of different views of the live concert is captured. A plurality of video streams are provided to attendees of the live concert while the live concert is occurring. The plurality of digital video streams enable an attendee of the live concert to select which of the plurality of digital video streams to view using a portable digital device associated with that attendee such that the attendee may choose from among the different views of the live concert.

1 . A live concert video system, comprising: 
 a plurality of video cameras collectively operable to capture different views of a live concert and wherein each of the plurality of video cameras provides a video signal;    a streaming server operable to provide a plurality of digital video streams to attendees of the live concert while the live concert is occurring, wherein ones of the plurality of digital video streams are responsive to ones of the video signals provided by the plurality of video cameras; and    wherein the plurality of digital video streams provided by the streaming server enable an attendee of the live concert to select which of the plurality of digital video streams to view using a portable digital device associated with that attendee such that the attendee may choose from among the different views of the live concert.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , 
 wherein the streaming server is further operable to provide a digital video stream comprising pre-recorded content.    
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , 
 wherein at least one of the plurality of digital video streams is synchronized with a digital audio stream that can be heard using the portable digital device.    
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , 
 wherein at least one of the plurality of digital video streams is not associated with an audio signal.    
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 computer software associated with the system and operable to capture statistics concerning which of the plurality of digital video streams were selected by a particular attendee during a particular time period of the concert.    
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , 
 wherein at least one of the plurality of digital video streams is provided by the streaming server to the portable digital device using a point to point connection.    
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , 
 wherein at least one of the plurality of digital video streams is provided by the streaming server to the portable digital device using a point to multipoint connection.    
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , 
 wherein the streaming server provides the plurality of digital video streams through a communications network to the portable digital device.    
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , 
 wherein the portable digital device is a wireless device that receives one of the plurality of digital streams through a wireless communications link.    
   
   
       10 . A method of providing video to attendees of a live concert, comprising: 
 capturing video of different views of a live concert;    providing a plurality of digital video streams to attendees of the live concert while the live concert is occurring, wherein the plurality of digital video streams enable an attendee of the live concert to select which of the plurality of digital video streams to view using a portable digital device associated with that attendee such that the attendee may choose from among the different views of the live concert.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 determining whether a particular portable digital device has authority to receive the plurality of digital video streams for viewing;    preventing the particular portable digital device from receiving at least one of the plurality of digital video streams if it is determined that the portable digital device does not have authority.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 determining whether a particular attendee of the live concert has authority to view the plurality of digital video streams;    preventing the particular attendee from viewing at least one of the plurality of digital video streams if it is determined that the particular attendee does not have authority to do so.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the portable digital device is a phone and authority is determined using an identification code associated with the phone.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein authority is determined partly in response to the input of an identification code associated with a ticket to the live concert.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 providing at least one digital video stream to attendees of the concert comprising pre-recorded content.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:. providing a digital video stream of at least a portion of the live concert to attendees of the live concert after the live concert has concluded.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein at least one attendee of the live concert is allowed to grant another person access to the stream or recording of at least a portion of the live concert.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 providing a plurality of digital video streams to nonattendees of the live concert while the live concert is occurring, wherein the plurality of digital video streams enable a nonattendee of the live concert to select which of the plurality of digital video streams to view using a portable digital device associated with that nonattendee such that the nonattendee may choose from among the different views of the live concert.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , 
 wherein the plurality of digital video streams are provided to nonattendees of the live concert using at least one wireless communication link.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 10 , 
 wherein the portable digital device comprises a wireless telephone.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 10 , 
 wherein the portable digital device comprises a computer.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 capturing statistics concerning which of the plurality of digital video streams were selected by a particular attendee during a particular time period.    
   
   
       23 . A portable digital device, comprising: 
 a display screen;    a computer readable storage medium;    computer software stored on the computer readable storage medium and running on the portable digital device, the computer software causing live concert video to be output to the display screen during a live concert in response to a choice input by the user of the portable digital device, wherein the choice input represents a selection of one of a plurality of different views of the live concert each captured by a different video camera.    
   
   
       24 . The device of  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 a wireless communications link operable to receive the live concert video.    
   
   
       25 . The device of  claim 22 , 
 wherein the computer software is further operable to determine whether the portable digital device has authority to output the live concert video and to prevent output of the live concert video if it is determined that the portable digital device does not have authority.    
   
   
       26 . The device of  claim 22 , 
 wherein the computer software is further operable to determine whether a particular attendee of the live concert has authority to view the live concert video based upon input to the portable digital device provided by the particular attendee; and    prevent output of the live concert video if it is determined that the particular attendee does not have authority.    
   
   
       27 . The device of  claim 25 , 
 wherein the portable digital device comprise a phone and authority is determined using an identification code associated with the phone.    
   
   
       28 . The device of  claim 25 , 
 wherein authority is determined partly in response to the input of an identification code associated with a ticket to the live concert.    
   
   
       29 . The device of  claim 26 , 
 wherein authority is determined partly in response to the input of an identification code associated with a ticket to the live concert.    
   
   
       30 . The device of  claim 25 , 
 wherein the determination of authority involves communication with another device other than the portable digital device through a communication network.    
   
   
       31 . The device of  claim 22 , 
 wherein the computer software is further operable to control access to, and allow the viewing on the display screen of, a cache or recording of at least a portion of the live concert after the live concert has concluded.    
   
   
       32 . The device of  claim 22 , 
 wherein the computer software is further operable to prevent viewing of the live concert video if the portable digital device is not located within a particular geographic area.    
   
   
       33 . The device of  claim 22 , 
 wherein the portable digital device comprises a wireless telephone.    
   
   
       34 . The device of  claim 22 , 
 wherein the portable digital device comprises a computer.