Providing a Content Mark

• US 20090063994A1
• Filed: 05/23/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gathen, Mark, Pickelsimer, Lisa A., Fabricant, Robert, Musick, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US12/126,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20090063994A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/753
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/735 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles

Abstract

A content mark may be provided. 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. In addition, the invitation input may include a pointer corresponding to a predetermined point in the content to be delivered. Next, the invitation input may be transmitted to the second user. Then an acceptance of the invitation input may be received from the second user. In response to the received acceptance, the content may be transmitted to the second user. The content may be configured to start at the predetermined point determined, for example, by the first user.

Claims

1. A method for providing a content mark, 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, the invitation input including a pointer corresponding to a predetermined point in the content to be delivered; and

transmitting the invitation input to the second user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the invitation input including the pointer comprises receiving the invitation input including the pointer comprising data indicating a duration of a portion of the content measured from the predetermined point.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the invitation input 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, the invitation input including the pointer corresponding to the predetermined point in the content to be delivered, the predetermined point being determined by the first user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the invitation input 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, the invitation input including a message from the first user to the second user regarding the content.

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

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

7. 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.

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

9. 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.

10. 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 high-definition multimedia service, a digital television multimedia service, an analog multimedia service, a Video-on-Demand service, and a video delivered to a personal computer (PC) service.

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

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

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. A computer-readable medium which stores a set of instructions which when executed performs a method for providing a content mark, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

transmitting an invitation input to a second user;

receiving an acceptance of the invitation input from the second user; and

transmitting, in response to the received acceptance, the content to the second user, the content configured to start at a predetermined point determined by a first user.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising receiving the invitation input from the first user.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein receiving the invitation input comprises receiving the invitation input comprising a recommendation to the second user to take an action regarding the content to be delivered over a content delivery system.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein transmitting the invitation input to the second user comprises transmitting the invitation input to the second user, the invitation input including a pointer corresponding to a predetermined point in content comprising Video-on-Demand content.

20. A system for providing a content mark, 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 over a content delivery system from a first user, the invitation input comprising a recommendation to a second user to take an action regarding content, the invitation input including a pointer corresponding to a predetermined point in the content and a duration of a portion of the content measured from the predetermined point;

transmit, over the content delivery system, the invitation input to the second user, the invitation input configured cause the content to start at the predetermined point; and

receive, over the content delivery system, an acceptance of the invitation input from the second user.