METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN MULTIPLE TELEVISION VIEWERS

• US 20090167839A1
• Filed: 12/27/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Ottmar, Desmond
• Application Number:
  US11/964,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20090167839A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.80
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Various embodiments of apparatus and/or methods are described for providing communication between multiple television viewers. A television receiver receives broadcast television content and outputs the broadcast television content for presentation on a presentation device. A link is established between the local television receiver and a remote television receiver. The local television receiver receives non-broadcast content from the remote television receiver, and outputs the non-broadcast content simultaneously with the broadcast television content for presentation on the presentation device.

Claims

1. A method for providing communication between multiple television viewers, the method comprising:

receiving broadcast television content, on a local television receiver, from a programming source;

outputting the broadcast television content for presentation on a presentation device;

establishing a link between the local television receiver and a remote television receiver;

receiving non-broadcast content from the remote television receiver, the non-broadcast content captured by the remote television receiver;

outputting the non-broadcast content simultaneously with the broadcast television content for presentation on the presentation device; and

recording the non-broadcast content to a storage medium for subsequent presentation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-broadcast content comprises audio chat data captured by the remote television receiver.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the non-broadcast content comprises video chat data captured by the remote television receiver;

the broadcast television content is outputted for presentation in a first region of a display area of the presentation device; and

the non-broadcast content is outputted for presentation in a second region of a display area of the presentation device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving user input requesting replay on the presentation device of a portion of the non-broadcast content; and

outputting the portion of the non-broadcast content for presentation on the presentation device while simultaneously outputting the broadcast television content for substantially real-time presentation on the presentation device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

capturing video data of a viewer of the presentation device;

transmitting the video data to the remote television receiver; and

recording the video data to the storage medium for subsequent presentation on the presentation device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving user input requesting replay of a portion of the video data; and

outputting the portion of the video data for presentation on the presentation device while simultaneously outputting the broadcast television content for substantially real-time presentation on the presentation device.

7. A method for providing video chat services between multiple television viewers, the method comprising:

receiving broadcast television content, on a local television receiver, from a programming source;

outputting the broadcast television content for presentation in a first region of a display area of a presentation device;

establishing a link between the local television receiver and a remote television receiver;

receiving video chat data from the remote television receiver, the video chat data captured by the remote television receiver;

outputting the video chat data simultaneously with the broadcast television content in a second region of the display area;

receiving user input selecting a portion of the video chat data; and

transmitting the portion of the video chat data to a selected recipient.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein transmitting the portion of the video chat data further comprises transmitting the video chat data to a second remote television receiver.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising recording the video chat data to a storage medium for subsequent presentation.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving user input requesting replay of a portion of the video chat data; and

outputting the portion of the video chat data for presentation on the presentation device while simultaneously outputting the broadcast television content for substantially real-time presentation on the presentation device.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

capturing second video data of a viewer of the presentation device;

receiving user input selecting a portion of the second video data; and

transmitting the portion of the video chat data to the selected recipient.

12. A digital video recorder comprising:

a receiver that receives broadcast television content from a programming source;

a processor communicatively coupled to the receiver that;

outputs the broadcast television content for presentation on a presentation device;

establishes a link to a remote television receiver;

receives non-broadcast content from the remote television receiver, the non-broadcast content captured by the remote television receiver;

outputs the non-broadcast content simultaneously with the broadcast television content for presentation on the presentation device; and

a storage medium communicatively coupled to the processor that stores the non-broadcast content to a storage medium for subsequent presentation.

13. The digital video recorder of claim 12, wherein the non-broadcast content comprises audio chat data captured by the remote television receiver.

14. The digital video recorder of claim 12, wherein the non-broadcast content comprises video chat data captured by the remote television receiver, and wherein the processor:

outputs the broadcast television content for presentation in a first region of a display area of the presentation device; and

outputs the non-broadcast content for presentation in a second region of a display area of the presentation device.

15. The digital video recorder of claim 12, further comprising:

an input module that receives user input requesting replay on the presentation device of a portion of the non-broadcast content; and

wherein the processor outputs the portion of the non-broadcast content for presentation on the presentation device while simultaneously outputting the broadcast television content for substantially real-time presentation on the presentation device.

16. The digital video recorder of claim 12, further comprising:

a microphone communicatively coupled to the processor that captures audio data of a viewer of the presentation device;

wherein the processor transmits the audio data to the remote television receiver; and

wherein the storage medium records the audio data for subsequent presentation on the presentation device.

17. The digital video recorder of claim 12, further comprising:

a video camera communicatively coupled to the processor that captures video data of a viewer of the presentation device;

wherein the processor transmits the video data to the remote television receiver; and

wherein the storage medium records the video data for subsequent presentation on the presentation device.

18. The digital video recorder of claim 17, further comprising:

an input module that receives user input requesting replay on the presentation device of a portion of the video data; and

wherein the processor outputs the portion of the video data for presentation on the presentation device while simultaneously outputting the broadcast television content for substantially real-time presentation on the presentation device.

19. A digital video recorder including:

a receiver that receives broadcast television content from a programming source;

a processor communicatively coupled to the receiver that;

establishes a link to a remote television receiver;

receives video chat data from the remote television receiver, the video chat data captured by the remote television receiver;

outputs the broadcast television content for presentation in a first region of a display area of a presentation device; and

outputs the video chat data simultaneously with the broadcast television content in a second region of the display area; and

an input module communicatively coupled to the processor that receives user input selecting a portion of the video chat data;

wherein the processor transmits the portion of the video chat data to a selected recipient

20. The digital video recorder of claim 19, wherein the selected recipient comprises a second remote television receiver.

21. The digital video recorder of claim 19, wherein:

the processor records the video chat data to a storage medium for subsequent presentation;

the input module receives user input requesting replay of a portion of the video chat data; and

the processor outputs the portion of the video chat data for presentation on the presentation, device while simultaneously outputting the broadcast television content for substantially real-time presentation on the presentation device.

22. The digital video recorder of claim 19, further comprising;

a video camera that captures second video data of a viewer of the presentation device;

wherein the input module receives user input selecting a portion of the second video data; and

wherein the processor transmits the portion of the second video chat data to the selected recipient.