Image capture, processing and delivery at group events

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for image acquisition and distribution of individuals at large events. In one aspect, a method for providing an image of attendees at an event includes operating one or more image capturing devices to record images of attendees of an event situated at locations in an event venue, processing the images to form a processed image, and distributing the processed image to the individual. The processing includes mapping the locations to a grid including coordinates corresponding to predetermined positions associated with the event venue, defining an image space containing an individual at a particular location in the event venue based on the coordinates, and forming the processed image based on the image space.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing an image of attendees at an event, comprising:
 operating one or more image capturing devices to record images of attendees of an event situated at locations in an event venue;   processing the images, the processing including:
 mapping the locations to a grid including coordinates corresponding to predetermined positions associated with the event venue, 
 defining an image space containing an individual at a particular location in the event venue based on the coordinates, and 
 forming a processed image based on the image space; and 
   distributing the processed image to the individual.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the event venue includes at least one of a stadium, an arena, a ballpark, an auditorium, a music hall, an amphitheater, a building to host the event, or an outdoor area to host the event. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the attendees include fans or spectators at a sporting event. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined positions include seating in the event venue. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operating includes manually triggering the one or more image capturing devices to record the images at an operator-selected instance based on an occurrence of the event. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operating includes automatically triggering the one or more image capturing devices to record the images based on at least one of sound, visual stimulus, or mechanical perturbation generated at the event venue. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operating includes temporally capturing a series of images of the attendees after one of a manual triggering or an automatic triggering of the one or more image capturing devices. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the series of images are captured at a speed of at least two images per second. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more image capturing devices are automated to record the images by continuously panning in one or both of horizontal and vertical directions along a predetermined trajectory to capture the series of images with a predetermined focusing of the locations in the event venue. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more image capturing devices are automated to record the images by moving to and stopping at a plurality of imaging positions along a predetermined trajectory to capture the series of images while stopped at the corresponding imaging position, wherein the one or more image capturing devices are configured to have a predetermined focusing of the locations in the event venue. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more image capturing devices are configured to have a predetermined focusing of the locations in the event venue. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the forming the processed image based on the image space includes producing a segmented image. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the producing the segmented image includes cropping at least one of the recorded images to a size defined by the image space. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the producing the segmented image further includes overlapping two or more of the recorded images to form a merged image. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the distributing includes wirelessly transmitting the processed image to a mobile device of the individual. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising producing a graphical user interface on the mobile device to present the processed image to the individual. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the graphical interface further presents event-related content with the processed image. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the event-related content includes one or both of information associated with the event and an image of an occurrence of the event, the occurrence temporally corresponding to the processed image. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the graphical interface includes an interface to report a security-related incident to authorities at the event venue. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing the images further includes attaching meta data with image data of the processed image. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processed images include links to external websites. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising wirelessly transmitting a message to prompt the individual of the event to provide location information via the graphical user interface on the mobile device. 
     
     
         23 . An imaging service system, comprising:
 a plurality of cameras arranged in an event venue to capture images of attendees at an event corresponding to an occurrence of the event;   a trigger module in communication with the plurality of cameras to initiate the capture of the images; and   one or more computers in communication with the cameras to receive the captured images and provide coordinates to the captured images that correspond to locations in the event venue to associate individuals among the attendees to respective locations in the event venue.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the event venue includes at least one of a stadium, an arena, a ballpark, an auditorium, a music hall, an amphitheater, a building to host the event, or an outdoor area to host the event. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the attendees include fans or spectators at a sporting event. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the locations correspond to seating in the event venue. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the plurality of cameras are arranged in the event venue to capture the images of the attendees at multiple directions. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the plurality of cameras temporally capture a series of images of the attendees. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more computers form a processed image of an individual or individuals proximate the location of the individual using the coordinates. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the one or more computers distribute the processed image to the individual using wireless communication to a mobile device of the individual. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the one or more computers sends the processed image to a social network site. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the one or more computers allow purchase of the processed image by the individual. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the trigger module is a manual trigger to initiate the capture of the images at an operator-selected instance based on the occurrence of the event. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the trigger module is an automatic trigger to initiate the capture of the images based on a detection of at least one of a sound, visual stimulus, or mechanical perturbation at the event. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the captured images of the attendees display one or more attendees' reaction to the occurrence of the event. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a plurality of lighting devices to direct light at selected sections of the event venue corresponding to sections where the plurality of cameras capture the images,   wherein the lighting devices are in communication with the trigger module and configured to emit light when triggered on the selected sections to be imaged.   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the plurality of lighting devices are configured to direct the light at the selected sections with angles corresponding to imaging angles formed between the camera and the section to be imaged. 
     
     
         38 . An imaging system for providing images of attendees at an event, comprising:
 a plurality of cameras arranged in an event venue to capture images of attendees at an event corresponding to an occurrence of the event; and   one or more computers in communication with the cameras to receive the captured images and provide coordinates to the captured images that correspond to locations in the event venue to associate individuals among the attendees to respective locations in the event venue,   wherein the captured images of the attendees display one or more attendees' reaction to the occurrence of the event.   
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , further comprising:
 a trigger module in communication with the plurality of cameras to initiate the capture of the images.   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , further comprising:
 a plurality of lighting devices to direct light at selected sections of the event venue corresponding to sections where the plurality of cameras capture the images,   wherein the lighting devices are in communication with the trigger module and configured to emit light when triggered on the selected sections to be imaged.   
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the trigger module is a manual trigger to initiate the capture of the images at an operator-selected instance based on the occurrence of the event. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the trigger module is an automatic trigger to initiate the capture of the images based on a detection of at least one of a sound, visual stimulus, or mechanical perturbation at the event. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the event venue includes at least one of a stadium, an arena, a ballpark, an auditorium, a music hall, an amphitheater, a building to host the event, or an outdoor area to host the event. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the attendees include fans or spectators at a sporting event. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the locations correspond to seating in the event venue. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the plurality of cameras are arranged in the event venue to capture the images of the attendees at multiple directions. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the plurality of cameras temporally capture a series of images of the attendees. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the one or more computers form a processed image of an individual or individuals proximate the location of the individual using the coordinates. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the one or more computers distribute the processed image to the individual using wireless communication to a mobile device of the individual. 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the one or more computers sends the processed image to a social network site. 
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the one or more computers allow purchase of the processed image by the individual. 
     
     
         52 . A method for providing crowd sourcing for security at an event, comprising:
 operating one or more image capturing devices to capture images of attendees of an event situated at locations in an event venue;   processing the captured images to form security reference images, the processing including mapping the locations of the attendees in the captured images to a grid including coordinates corresponding to predetermined positions associated with the event venue;   distributing at least one of the security reference images to at least some of the attendees;   receiving a message from an attendee identifying at least one of a position or an object in the security reference image, the message indicating an alleged disturbance in the event venue;   processing the message to determine the location of the alleged disturbance using the identified position or object in the security reference image; and   providing an alert message to an authority associated with the event to alert the authority of the alleged disturbance, the alert message including the determined location.   
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the one or more image capturing devices capture the images of attendees at one or more instances prior to and during the event. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein each of the security reference image are associated with a particular section or sections of the event venue. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the processing further includes:
 defining an image space based on a particular location in the event venue using the coordinates, and   segmenting the captured images to a size defined by the image space to form a reduced-size security reference image.   
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the distributing includes wirelessly transmitting the security reference images to a mobile device of the attendee. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the message received from the attendee is an anonymous message.