On-demand live media content streaming

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method comprising receiving an initial request for content from a first user; sending one or more subsequent requests to other user(s), such as those at or near a location associated with the live content; receiving replies from the other users; presenting options to and receiving a selection from the first user; sending a confirmation request to a selected user; and receiving, by the first user, the live content from the selected user. In some embodiments, the method includes charging first user a fee for requesting and/or receiving the live content; and paying a fee to the selected user. The second fee may be specified by the selected user. In any case, the users need not know each other. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 providing, by a processing system having a processor, a first reply to first equipment of a first user, wherein the first reply includes an indication of a first fee to be charged to the first user for receiving first live content at a location from a second equipment of a second user and an indication of a second fee to be charged to the first user for receiving second live content at the location from a third equipment of a third user, wherein the second fee is different from the first fee and the second live content is different from the first live content;   receiving, by the processing system and based on the providing of the first reply, a first selection of one of the second user or the third user from the first equipment;   selecting, by the processing system and based on the receiving of the first selection, one of the first live content or the second live content, resulting in selected live content; and   providing, by the processing system, the selected live content to the first equipment.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first reply includes an indication of a first rating associated with the second user and an indication of a second rating associated with the third user, the second rating being different from the first rating. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first reply includes a first picture taken by the second equipment at the location and a second picture taken by the third equipment at the location. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first reply includes an identification of a first capability associated with the second equipment and an identification of a second capability associated with the third equipment, the second capability being different from the first capability. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 obtaining, by the processing system and from the first equipment of the first user subsequent to the providing of the selected live content to the first equipment of the first user, a rating based on a quality of a presentation of the selected live content.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the rating is based on resolution, image stabilization, video quality, audio quality, view obstructions, and interference. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the processing system, a second reply from the second equipment of the second user.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the second reply includes the first live content. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the second reply includes information about a third fee that is to be paid to the second user for providing the first live content. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the second reply includes a first identification of a first capability of the second equipment. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 providing, by the processing system, the first identification of the first capability of the second equipment to the first equipment of the first user.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the processing system, a third reply from the third equipment of the third user, wherein the third reply includes a second identification of a second capability of the third equipment; and   providing, by the processing system, the second identification of the second capability of the third equipment to the first equipment of the first user.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first capability is different from the second capability, the method further comprising:
 sending, by the processing system, a request for the first live content to the second equipment based on selected live content corresponding to the first live content.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first fee is less than the second fee. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first user and the second user are anonymous with respect to each other. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory, machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 providing a first reply to first equipment of a first user, wherein the first reply includes an indication of a first fee to be charged to the first user for receiving first live content from a second equipment of a second user and an indication of a second fee to be charged to the first user for receiving second live content from a third equipment of a third user, wherein the second live content is different from the first live content;   receiving, based on the providing of the first reply, a first selection of one of the second user or the third user from the first equipment;   selecting, based on the receiving of the first selection, one of the first live content or the second live content, resulting in selected live content; and   providing the selected live content to the first equipment.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the first reply includes a first indication of a first capability of the second equipment and a second indication of a second capability of the third equipment, the second capability being different from the first capability. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:   providing a first reply to first equipment of a first user, wherein the first reply includes an indication of a first fee to be charged to the first user for receiving first live content from a second equipment of a second user and an indication of a second fee to be charged to the first user for receiving second live content from a third equipment of a third user, wherein the second fee is different from the first fee;   receiving, based on the providing of the first reply, a first selection of one of the second user or the third user from the first equipment;   selecting, based on the receiving of the first selection, one of the first live content or the second live content, resulting in selected live content; and   providing the selected live content to the first equipment.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the first reply includes ratings associated with the second user and the third user. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 obtaining, from the third equipment of the third user, an indication that the third user is willing to go to a location corresponding to the first live content if a bid of the third user is accepted.