Apparatus and method for providing media content

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may, for example, receive a request for a telepresence seat at an event, obtain media content comprising event images of the event that are captured by an event camera system, receive images that are captured by a camera system at a user location, and provide the media content and video content representative of the images to a processor for presentation at a display device utilizing a telepresence configuration that simulates the first and second users being present at the event, where the providing of the first and second video content establishes a communication session between the first and second users. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computing device comprising:
 a memory that stores instructions; and 
 a controller coupled to the memory, wherein the controller, responsive to executing the instructions, performs operations comprising:
 receiving a request for a telepresence session from a requesting device; 
 identifying latency network elements based on a latency test performed with respect to a plurality of network elements of a communication network that each form a portion of a potential route for transmission of telepresence session signals; 
 determining a latency area based on the identifying of the latency network elements and a topology of the communication network; 
 configuring a route to generate a configured route for the transmission of the telepresence session signals to avoid a portion of the latency area; and 
 providing the telepresence session at the requesting device using the configured route. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the latency test is performed by the network elements of the potential route for the telepresence session. 
     
     
       3. The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the latency test is performed in response to receiving the request. 
     
     
       4. The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the identifying further comprises analyzing latency parameters of network elements of the communication network obtained using packet latency telemetry. 
     
     
       5. The computing device of  claim 4 , wherein the latency parameters are obtained periodically, and wherein the latency parameters are selected based on a known or predicted cause of latency. 
     
     
       6. The computing device of  claim 1  wherein, in accordance with the topology of the communication network, the latency area includes a network element not experiencing latency. 
     
     
       7. The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the request comprises a request for a telepresence seat at an event, and wherein the telepresence session signals comprise event images captured at the event. 
     
     
       8. The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the providing of the telepresence session further comprises providing a delay of a presentation of a telepresence configuration. 
     
     
       9. The computing device of  claim 8 , wherein the telepresence session is provided at a plurality of requesting devices having different degrees of latency, and wherein the delay corresponds to a delay period calculated based on a comparison of the different degrees of latency. 
     
     
       10. A computing device, comprising:
 a memory that stores instructions; and 
 a controller coupled to the memory, wherein the controller, responsive to executing the instructions, performs operations comprising:
 receiving a request for a telepresence session from a requesting device; 
 identifying a dedicated route for transmission of telepresence session signals associated with the requesting device, the dedicated route comprising selected network elements of a communication network; 
 identifying latency network elements based on a latency test performed with respect to a plurality of network elements of the communication network; 
 determining a latency area based on the identifying of the latency network elements and a topology of the communication network; 
 reconfiguring the dedicated route to generate a reconfigured route that avoids the latency area; and 
 providing the telepresence session at the requesting device using the reconfigured route. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The computing device of  claim 10 , wherein the reconfiguring is performed in response to determining that the latency area includes a portion of the dedicated route. 
     
     
       12. The computing device of  claim 10 , wherein the network elements of the dedicated route are selected based on latency measurements of the network elements. 
     
     
       13. The computing device of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise offering a service plan in response to the request, and wherein the dedicated route is associated with the requesting device in accordance with the service plan. 
     
     
       14. The computing device of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 monitoring usage of telepresence sessions by a user of the requesting device; and 
 providing the dedicated route in accordance with the usage exceeding a usage threshold. 
 
     
     
       15. The computing device of  claim 10  wherein, in accordance with the topology of the communication network, the latency area includes a network element not experiencing latency. 
     
     
       16. The computing device of  claim 10 , wherein the providing of the telepresence session further comprises providing a delay of a presentation of a telepresence configuration. 
     
     
       17. A method comprising:
 receiving, by a computing device comprising a processor, a request for a telepresence session from a requesting device, wherein the request comprises a request for a telepresence seat at an event; 
 identifying, by the computing device, latency network elements based on a latency test performed with respect to a plurality of network elements of a communication network each forming a portion of a potential route for transmission of telepresence session signals, the telepresence session signals comprising event images captured at the event; 
 determining, by the computing device, a latency area based on the identifying of the latency network elements and a topology of the communication network; and 
 configuring, by the computing device, a route for the transmission of the telepresence session signals to avoid a portion of the latency area. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the potential route comprises a dedicated route associated with the requesting device, the dedicated route comprising a plurality of selected network elements, and wherein the configuring comprises re-configuring the dedicated route in accordance with determining that the latency area includes a portion of the dedicated route. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 17  wherein, in accordance with the topology of the communication network, the latency area includes a network element not experiencing latency. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising providing the telepresence session at the requesting device, the telepresence session including a presentation delay.