Providing user communication

• US 20080168506A1
• Filed: 01/09/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pickelsimer, Lisa A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,071,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/61
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing user communication. First an invitation input may be received from a first user. The invitation input may comprise a recommendation to a second user to take an action regarding content to be delivered over a content delivery system. Then, the invitation input may be transmitted to the second user. Next, an acceptance input may be received from the second user. The acceptance input may comprise an acceptance to the invitation input. The acceptance input may then be transmitted to the first user in response to receiving the acceptance input.

Claims

1. A method for providing user communication, the method comprising:

receiving an invitation input from a first user, the invitation input comprising a recommendation to a second user to take an action regarding content to be delivered over a content delivery system; and

transmitting the invitation input to the second user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the invitation input comprises receiving the invitation input over the content delivery system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the invitation input comprises receiving the invitation input from a first user device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the invitation input comprises receiving the invitation input from a first user device comprising one of the following:

a network interface unit, a residential gateway, a set-top box, a terminal unit, a scrambler/descrambler, a digital storage media unit, a control device, a television, an LCD screen, a cable modem, a computer, and a projection unit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the invitation input comprises receiving the invitation input indicating the second user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the invitation input from the first user, the invitation input comprising the recommendation comprises receiving the invitation input from the first user, the invitation input comprising the recommendation comprising at least one of the following:

a recommendation to view a program, a recommendation to jump to the program, a recommendation to record the program, and a reminder regarding the program.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the invitation input from the first user, the invitation input comprising the recommendation to the second user to take the action regarding content to be delivered over the content delivery system comprises receiving the invitation input from the first user, the invitation input comprising the recommendation to the second user to take the action regarding content to be delivered over the content delivery system comprising one of the following:

a full-duplex, two-way broadband network, a hybrid fiber-coax (HFC) network, a data network, the internet, cable television network, and a telecommunications network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the invitation input from the first user, the invitation input comprising the recommendation to the second user to take the action regarding content to be delivered over the content delivery system comprises receiving the invitation input from the first user, the invitation input comprising the recommendation to the second user to take the action regarding content comprising one of the following:

a broadcast multimedia service, a high-definition multimedia service, a digital television multimedia service, an analog multimedia service, a Video-on-Demand service, a streaming video, a multimedia messaging service, a voice over IP service, an interactive multimedia service, and an e-mail service.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the invitation input comprises transmitting the invitation input over the content delivery system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the invitation input comprises transmitting the invitation input from a second user device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the invitation input comprises transmitting the invitation input from a second user device comprising one of the following:

a network interface unit, a residential gateway, a set-top box, a terminal unit, a scrambler/descrambler, a digital storage media unit, a control device, a television, an LCD screen, a cable modem, a computer, and a projection unit.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the invitation input comprises transmitting the invitation input to a second user device being configured to store the invitation input in a database associated with the second user.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an acceptance input from the second user, the acceptance input comprising an acceptance to the invitation input; and

transmitting the acceptance input to the first user in response to receiving the acceptance input.

14. A method for providing user communication, the method comprising:

providing content to a first user and a second user;

receiving a first input from the first user in response to at least a portion of the content, the first input being selected by the first user from an input set comprising a portion of a plurality of selectable elements, the input set being defined by the first user; and

transmitting the first input to the second user.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving an invitation input from the first user, the invitation input comprising an invitation from the first user to the second user for the second user to interact contemporaneously with the first user in response to at least the portion of the content;

transmitting the invitation input to the second user;

receiving an acceptance input from the second user, the acceptance input comprising an acceptance to the invitation; and

transmitting the acceptance input to the first user in response to receiving the acceptance input.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving the invitation input from the first user, the invitation input comprising the invitation further comprises receiving the invitation input from the first user wherein the invitation comprises at least one of the following:

a username of the second user, a service location of the second user, a system identification of the second user, an e-mail address of the second user, and an account number of the second user.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving the invitation input from the first user further comprises receiving the invitation input comprising at least one of the following:

a request to the second user for the second user to be added to the first user'"'"'s input set;

a content recommendation, a content tuning instruction;

a selected portion of the content;

a message, a content recording instruction;

a pointer to a specific location within content stored at a memory location in a video on demand (VOD) server, a set-top box, a television, a cable modem, a personal computer, a portable device, and a computer file; and

a pointer to a specific location within content to be stored at a memory location in the VOD server, the set-top box, the television, the cable modem, the personal computer, the portable device, and the computer file.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving the first input comprises receiving the first input wherein at least one of the plurality of selectable elements corresponds to a personal expression.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving the first input comprises receiving the first input wherein the at least one of the plurality of selectable elements comprises at least one of the following:

an emotional icon, an alphanumeric shorthand text, and an avatar.

20. A system for providing user communication, the system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

receive an invitation input from a first user, the invitation input comprising a recommendation to a second user to take an action regarding content to be delivered over a content delivery system; and

transmit the invitation input to the second user.