METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORKING FOR TELEVISION VIEWING

• US 20090293079A1
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Business Network Services, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Sieh, Hubert, Sartini, Robert A., Schultz, Paul T., McKee, Martin W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,246,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/105 Human resources
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• 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

Abstract

An approach is provided for extending social networking to television viewing. A community of a plurality of users is created, wherein each user is logged in a device configured to present audio-video content. Presence information of one of the users in the community is determined and transmitted to a corresponding device of another one of the users.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

creating a community of a plurality of users each logged in a device configured to present audio-video content;

determining presence information of one of the users in the community; and

transmitting the presence information to a corresponding device of another one of the users.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the device is a computing device, a mobile device, a telephony device, or a set-top box.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a communication session between the one user and the other user during presentation of the audio-video content, wherein the communication session includes either an instant messaging session, Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Message Service (MMS), electronic mail, a voice session, or a video session.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting information about the audio-visual content the one user is watching to the corresponding device.

5. A method according to claim 4, further comprising:

transmitting feedback of the one user on the audio-visual content to the corresponding device.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein the corresponding device is configured to automatically record the audio-visual content.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the automatic recording is based on community presence information.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the one user invites one or more of the other users in the community to watch the audio-visual content.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the devices of the invited users are configured to automatically or manually respond to the invitation with one of acceptance to watch the audio-visual content, acceptance to record the audio-visual content, or refusal of the invitation.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a social networking module configured to create a community of a plurality of users each logged in a device configured to present audio-video content;

a presence module configured to determine presence information of one of the users in the community; and

a communication module configured to transmit the presence information to a corresponding device of another one of the users.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the device is a computing device, a mobile device, a telephony device, or a set-top box.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the communication module is further configured to establish a communication session between the one user and the other user during presentation of the audio-video content, the communication session including either an instant messaging session, Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Message Service (MMS), electronic mail, a voice session, or a video session.

13. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the communication module is further to transmit information about the audio-visual content the one user is watching to the corresponding device.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the communication module is further to transmit feedback of the one user on the audio-visual content to the corresponding device.

15. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the corresponding device is configured to automatically record the audio-visual content.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the automatic recording is based on community presence information.

17. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the one user invites one or more of the other users in the community to watch the audio-visual content.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the devices of the invited users are configured to automatically or manually respond to the invitation with one of acceptance to watch the audio-visual content, acceptance to record the audio-visual content, or refusal of the invitation.

19. A method comprising:

joining a community of set-top boxes that are configured to present audio-video content;

receiving presence information about members of the set-top boxes; and

presenting audio-video content to be shared by the community based on the presence information.

20. A method according to claim 19, further comprising:

initiating a communication session with one of the members during presentation of the audio-video content, wherein the communication session includes either an instant messaging session, Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Message Service (MMS), electronic mail, a voice session, or a video session.

21. A method according to claim 19, further comprising:

receiving feedback from a user on the audio-video content; and

transmitting the feedback to one or more of the set-top boxes for presentation to the corresponding members.

22. A set-top box apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to join a community of set-top boxes that are configured to present audio-video content;

a communication interface configured to receive presence information about members of the set-top boxes; and

a presentation module configured to present audio-video content to be shared by the community based on the presence information.

23. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the communication interface is further configured to initiate a communication session with one of the members during presentation of the audio-video content, the communication session including either an instant messaging session, Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Message Service (MMS), electronic mail, a voice session, or a video session.

24. An apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising:

an input interface configured to receive feedback from a user on the audio-video content, wherein the feedback is transmitted to one or more of the set-top boxes for presentation to the corresponding members.