Systems and methods for communications between client devices of a broadcast system

• US 10,123,086 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2017
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Inventors: St. John-Larkin, David Christopher, Kummer, David A., Card, II, John Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Ricky
• Application Number:
  US15/465,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20170353767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26606 for generating or managing entitlement messages, e.g. Entitlement Control Message [ECM] or Entitlement Management Message [EMM] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/274 Storing end-user multimedia data in response to end-user request , e.g. network recorder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4661 Deriving a combined profile for a plurality of end-users of the same client, e.g. for family members within a home user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 : dummy group

Abstract

Systems and methods may provide for communication between a plurality of client devices of a broadcast system. The communication may be, for example, a recommendation of a program that is communicated from one subscriber to another subscriber or subscribers via their client devices. The communication also may be a comment regarding a program, for example, recently viewed at the client device of the one subscriber. In general, the communication may be a message from one subscriber to another subscriber or subscribers. Further, the communication may be configured to perform a function on one or more other client devices. Such a function may include, but is not limited to, setting a timer to record a program, ordering or purchasing a program or service, cancelling an ordered/purchased program or service, setting or altering user preferences, controlling access to channels, etc.

Claims

1. A method between client devices of a television broadcast system, the method comprising:

establishing, at a first client device, a communication connection on a network;

initiating, by the first client device, a search of other client devices on the network;

identifying, by the first client device, a second client device responsive to the search;

initiating, by the first client device, a registration of the first client device, where the registration is associated with the second client device;

evaluating, by the first client device, a user profile associated with the second client device to determine if the second client device will accept the communication including the request to perform the function, wherein the user profile associated with the second client device includes user defined settings to accept or not accept each of;

a message from the first client device, and

a functional instruction from the first client device;

transmitting, by the first client device to the second client device, a communication including a request to perform a function on the second client device, wherein when the function is received by the second client device, the second client device confirms permission to execute the function using the registration and executes the function after confirming permission;

establishing, by the first client device, the second client device as a trusted device for executing the function with one or more conditions, wherein when the first client device transmits another request to perform the function, the second client device will automatically establish permission for the second client device to execute the function as long as the one or more conditions are met;

transmitting, from the first client device, to the second client device, a second communication including another request to perform the function, wherein when the function is received by the second client device, the second client device determines that the one or more conditions are met and automatically establishes permission for the second client device to execute the function; and

receiving, at the first client device, a communication indicating that the function has been executed based on the permission.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user profile associated with the second client device includes user defined settings to accept or not accept a message of a certain type.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the function is executable by the second client device to cause the second client device to record program content.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the recording of program content is based on a preset limit of storage space allotted to recordings of programs by timers set by the first client device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein when the communication is received, the message is displayable on a display device associated with the second client device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the displayed message provides a tutorial for performing an operation associated with a client device.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the displayed message provides an opportunity for a user to confirm permission for the second client device to execute the function.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein when the function includes one of:

purchasing a program or service, cancelling a purchased program or service, setting user preferences, and controlling access to channels.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the registration includes subscribing to a specified group or groups of client devices, wherein each client device in a group of client devices is related to a specific interest.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein when the communication is received, the message is displayable on a display device associated with the first client device, wherein the displayed message provides one of:

a tutorial for performing an operation associated with a client device, and an opportunity for a user to confirm permission for the first client device to execute the function.

10. A method between client devices of a television broadcast system, the method comprising:

receiving, at an first client device on a network, a communication including a request from a second client device to establish a registration for the second client device, wherein the registration is associated with the first client device;

establishing, by the first client device, the registration of the second client device;

receiving, at the first client device, from the second client device, a communication including a request to perform a function;

evaluating, by the first client device, a user profile associated with the second client device to determine if the first client device has permission to accept the communication including the request to perform the function, wherein the user profile associated with the second client device includes user defined settings for the first client device to accept or not accept each of;

a message from the second client device, and

a functional instruction from the second client device;

establishing, by the first client device, permission for the first client device to execute the function using the registration established for the second client device;

establishing, by the first client device, the first client device as a trusted device for executing the function with one or more conditions, wherein when the first client device receives another request to perform the function, the first client device will automatically establish permission for the first client device to execute the function as long as the one or more conditions are met;

receiving, at the first client device, from the second client device, a second communication including another request to perform the function;

determining, by the first client device, that the one or more conditions are met;

automatically establishing, by the first client device, permission for the first client device to execute the function; and

automatically executing, by the first client device, the function.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the user profile associated with the second client device includes user defined settings for whether the first client device can accept or not accept a message of a certain type.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the function is executable by the first client device to cause the first client device to record program content.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the recording of program content is based on a preset limit of storage space allotted to recordings of programs by timers set by the second client device.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein when the function includes one of:

purchasing a program or service, cancelling a purchased program or service, setting user preferences, and controlling access to channels.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the registration includes subscribing to a specified group or groups of client devices, wherein each client device in a group of client devices is related to a specific interest.