Methods, apparatus, and program products for controlling presentation of an experiential data stream responsive to conversations in a shared social space

• US 20060174292A1
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 6, LLC
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Ducheneaut, Nicolas B., Nickell, Eric S., Thornton, James D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,818,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• 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 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Apparatus, methods, and program products that enable a presentation device to automatically accommodate conversations in a social space.

Claims

1. A computer controlled method comprising:

preparing to present content from an experiential data stream;

monitoring a first playback position in a time dimension of said experiential data stream on a local device for at least one local audience member;

monitoring one or more utterances received by the local device; and

enabling the presentation of the experiential data stream responsive to the step of monitoring.

2. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein said experiential data stream includes a commercial break having a start and an end, and wherein the step of enabling further comprises:

monitoring said experiential data stream for said start of said commercial break; and

advancing said first playback position to substantially said end of said commercial break.

3. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein said experiential data stream includes a commercial break having a start and an end, wherein the method further comprises:

detecting substantially the end of a commercial break in said experiential data stream;

determining a social/view balance responsive to the step of monitoring said one or more utterances; and

delaying the step of enabling responsive to the step of determining.

4. The computer controlled method of claim 3, wherein some of said one or more utterances are received from a remote device.

5. The computer controlled method of claim 3, wherein the step of monitoring said one or more utterances further comprises using a conversation finder to monitor said one or more utterances for one or more conversations.

6. The computer controlled method of claim 3, further comprising presenting replacement/additional content responsive to the step of delaying.

7. The computer controlled method of claim 6, wherein said replacement/additional content is selected from the group consisting of one or more still pictures, locally stored video content, video content provided by a program insertion provider service, a status display of a shared social space, a text representation of said shared social space, a graphical representation of said shared social space, and images of one or more audience members.

8. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

determining a social/view balance responsive to the step of monitoring said one or more utterances;

delaying the step of enabling responsive to the step of determining; and

presenting replacement/additional content.

9. The computer controlled method of claim 8, wherein said replacement/additional content is an advertisement and the step of determining said social/view balance determines that said one or more utterances have a higher priority than the presentation of said experiential data stream.

10. The computer controlled method of claim 8, wherein said replacement/additional content is selected from the group consisting of one or more still pictures, locally stored video content, video content provided by a program insertion provider service, a status display of a shared social space, a text representation of said shared social space, a graphical representation of said shared social space, and images of one or more audience members.

11. The computer controlled method of claim 8, wherein some of said one or more utterances are received from a remote device.

12. The computer controlled method of claim 8, wherein the step of monitoring said one or more utterances further comprises using a conversation finder to monitor said one or more utterances for one or more conversations.

13. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-usable data carrier storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause said computer to perform a method comprising;

preparing to present content from an experiential data stream;

monitoring a first playback position in a time dimension of said experiential data stream on a local device for at least one local audience member;

monitoring one or more utterances received by the local device; and

enabling the presentation of the experiential data stream responsive to the step of monitoring.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein said experiential data stream includes a commercial break having a start and an end, and wherein the step of enabling further comprises:

monitoring said experiential data stream for said start of said commercial break; and

advancing said first playback position to substantially said end of said commercial break.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein said experiential data stream includes a commercial break having a start and an end, wherein the product further comprises:

detecting substantially the end of a commercial break in said experiential data stream;

determining a social/view balance responsive to the step of monitoring said one or more utterances; and

delaying the step of enabling responsive to the step of determining.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein some of said one or more utterances are received from a remote device.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the step of monitoring said one or more utterances further comprises using a conversation finder to monitor said one or more utterances for one or more conversations.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising presenting replacement/additional content responsive to the step of delaying.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein said replacement/additional content is selected from the group consisting of one or more still pictures, locally stored video content, video content provided by a program insertion provider service, a status display of a shared social space, a text representation of said shared social space, a graphical representation of said shared social space, and images of one or more audience members.

20. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the product further comprises:

determining a social/view balance responsive to the step of monitoring said one or more utterances;

delaying the step of enabling responsive to the step of determining; and

presenting replacement/additional content.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein said replacement/additional content is an advertisement and the step of determining said social/view balance determines that said one or more utterances have a higher priority than the presentation of said experiential data stream.

22. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein said replacement/additional content is selected from the group consisting of one or more still pictures, locally stored video content, video content provided by a program insertion provider service, a status display of a shared social space, a text representation of said shared social space, a graphical representation of said shared social space, and images of one or more audience members.

23. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein some of said one or more utterances are received from a remote device.

24. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the step of monitoring said one or more utterances further comprises using a conversation finder to monitor said one or more utterances for one or more conversations.

25. An apparatus for presenting an experiential data stream to at least one local audience member, the apparatus comprising:

a presentation preparation logic configured to prepare content from said experiential data stream for presentation;

a position monitor logic configured to monitor a first playback position in a time dimension of said experiential data stream;

an audio monitor logic configured to monitor one or more utterances received by the apparatus; and

an enablement logic configured to enable the presentation of the experiential data stream responsive to activation by the audio monitor logic.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said experiential data stream includes a commercial break having a start and an end, and wherein the enablement logic further comprises:

a content monitor logic configured to monitor said experiential data stream for said start of said commercial break; and

an advance playback position logic configured to advance said first playback position to substantially said end of said commercial break.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said experiential data stream includes a commercial break having a start and an end, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a content monitor logic configured to detect substantially the end of a commercial break in said experiential data stream;

a balance evaluation logic configured to determine a social/view balance responsive to the audio monitor logic; and

a delay logic, responsive to the balance evaluation logic, configured to delay activation of the enablement logic.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein some of said one or more utterances are received from a remote device.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the audio monitor logic further comprises a conversation finder configured to analyze said one or more utterances for one or more conversations.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a presentation logic configured to present replacement/additional content responsive to the delay logic.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said replacement/additional content is selected from the group consisting of one or more still pictures, locally stored video content, video content provided by a program insertion provider service, a status display of a shared social space, a text representation of said shared social space, a graphical representation of said shared social space, and images of one or more audience members.

32. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a balance evaluation logic configured to determine a social/view balance responsive to the audio monitor logic;

a delay logic, responsive to the balance evaluation logic, configured to delay activation of the enablement logic; and

a presentation logic configured to present replacement/additional content.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said replacement/additional content is an advertisement and the balance evaluation logic determines that said one or more utterances have a higher priority than the presentation of said experiential data stream.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said replacement/additional content is selected from the group consisting of one or more still pictures, locally stored video content, video content provided by a program insertion provider service, a status display of a shared social space, a text representation of said shared social space, a graphical representation of said shared social space, and images of one or more audience members.

35. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein some of said one or more utterances are received from a remote device.

36. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the audio monitor logic further comprises a conversation finder configured to detect one or more conversations from said one or more utterances.