Wireless Networked Record Session Device
Patent No. US10841462 (titled "Wireless Networked Record Session Device") was filed by Fun In There Entertainment Llc on Oct 3, 2016.
What is this patent about?
’462 is related to the field of social media and entertainment, specifically addressing the creation and consumption of short-form video and audio content. The background involves the resurgence of interest in vintage recording booths, such as the Voice-O-Graph, which provided users with a physical recording experience. The patent aims to replicate and enhance this experience in a modern, networked environment, leveraging mobile devices and streaming technology.
The underlying idea behind ’462 is to create a virtual recording booth network where users can create and share short, live video and audio recordings, reminiscent of vintage record booth sessions. This involves using mobile devices as recording booths, applying filters to emulate the look and sound of older recording technologies, and streaming these sessions live to other users within the network. The system also incorporates social networking elements, such as ratings and contests, to drive engagement and content discovery.
The claims of ’462 focus on a wireless networked device that facilitates the creation and sharing of social entertainment media. The device's user interface allows users to record short, live sessions (up to 65 seconds) and associate them with specific video channels identified by hashtags. The interface also enables the purchase of virtual coins, with potential disbursement to other users. A key aspect is the push notification system , alerting users monitoring a particular hashtag channel about pending live recordings.
In practice, the invention works by allowing users to create short video or audio clips using their mobile devices, applying filters to mimic the aesthetic of vintage recording equipment. These clips are then streamed live to a network of other users who can watch or listen to them. The system uses hashtags to organize content into channels, allowing users to easily find content that interests them. The monetary incentive of purchasing coins adds a layer of gamification and potential revenue generation.
The invention differentiates itself from prior approaches by combining the nostalgia of vintage recording booths with modern social media and streaming technologies. Unlike traditional recording studios or social media platforms, ’462 focuses on short-form, live content creation and consumption within a structured, hashtag-driven environment. The use of filters to emulate vintage recording equipment and the integration of social networking elements like ratings and contests further distinguish it from existing solutions.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the mid-2010s when ’462 was filed, mobile devices were typically implemented with increasing camera and processing capabilities at a time when systems commonly relied on cloud-based servers for media storage and distribution. At this time, social media platforms were widely adopted, and sharing user-generated content was a common practice. Hardware and software constraints made real-time video processing and streaming from mobile devices non-trivial, requiring efficient encoding and network protocols.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The examiner approved the application because the closest prior art, Bernstein et al. and Hebbar et al., did not teach or suggest the specific combination of features recited in independent claim 5. These features include pushing notifications to wireless devices monitoring a sponsored video channel identified by a hashtag, allowing coin purchases for disbursement to other users, intermittently operating a camera to record a live session for a limited time, and associating the recorded session for arranged play within the sponsored video channel. The examiner also stated that the claim limitations did not fall within abstract idea groupings and that the applicant's arguments were persuasive in light of the claim limitations and the enabling portions of the specification. The dependent claims were also considered allowable due to their further limitations.
Claims
This patent contains 11 claims, with claim 1 being the only independent claim. Independent claim 1 is directed to a wireless networked record session device that allows users to create and share short video recordings within video channels identified by hashtags. The dependent claims generally elaborate on specific features and functionalities of the device described in the independent claim, such as audio filters, camera types, sequence rearrangement, recording length, remuneration, and video filters.
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Date
Description
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US10841462
- Application Number
- US15283713
- Filing Date
- Oct 3, 2016
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Dec 22, 2037
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents