Second Screens and Widgets

• US 20100222102A1
• Filed: 01/28/2010
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Tony F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,433,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8186 specially adapted to be executed by a peripheral of the client device, e.g. by a reprogrammable remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information

Abstract

Cell phones and other devices are used to complement enjoyment of television or other video media, through use of corresponding software applications (“widgets”). A great variety of related features and arrangements are particularly detailed.

Claims

1. A method comprising the acts:

(a) using a cell phone to indicate a user'"'"'s interest in a software widget promoted on a screen of a television, the widget providing content or interactivity related to video programming presented on said screen;

(b) in response to the indicated interest, transferring a version of said software widget to the cell phone.

2. The method of claim 1 that includes transferring the version of the software widget from the television to the cell phone.

3. The method of claim 1 in which (a) includes gesturing towards the television screen with the cell phone.

4. The method of claim 1 in which (a) includes using a camera associated with the cell phone to capture image data including at least a portion of the television screen.

5. The method of claim 1 in which (a) includes using a microphone or camera associated with the cell phone to capture data from the television, deriving information from the captured data, and using the derived information to aid in identifying a software widget to be transferred to the cell phone.

6. The method of claim 1 that includes identifying to the cell phone, over a wireless network connection, one or more widgets that may be transferred

7. The method of claim 1 that includes rendering a sound effect associated with transferring of the software widget to the cell phone.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the sound effect comprises a sucking sound.

9. A method employing a network-connected television, on a screen of which is presented video programming and at least one icon representing a software widget, the widget being viewer-invocable to supplement the video programming with presentation of related content on the television screen, the method including the acts:

transferring a counterpart software widget to a cell phone operated by the viewer of the television screen; and

executing the counterpart widget on the cell phone, including supplementing the video programming on the television screen with presentation of related content on a screen of the cell phone;

wherein the viewer'"'"'s use of the widget on the cell phone does not interfere with enjoyment by others of the video programming on the television screen.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the invoked widget has a first degree of interactivity on the television screen, and the counterpart widget executing on the cell phone has a second degree of interactivity greater than the first degree of interactivity.

11. The method of claim 9 that includes transferring the counterpart software widget to the cell phone using the network to which the television is connected.

12. A system comprising a television and a cell phone, the television and phone each comprising plural components including a display screen, a processor and a memory, components of the television being operative to present video programming on the television display screen, wherein:

the memory of the television stores widget information that, in response to user selection, supplements the video programming with presentation of further content on the television screen; and

the memory of the cell phone stores corresponding widget information that, in response to user selection, supplements the video programming with presentation of further content on the cell phone screen.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein at least one of said widget information comprises linking information by which the system communicates with a remote system to invoke operation of a widget.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the widget in the memory of the television is branded with a commercial brand, and the widget in the memory of the cell phone is branded with the same commercial brand.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the widget in the memory of the television has a particular “

look and feel,” and

the widget in the memory of the cell phone has the same “

look and fell,”

wherein the user experiences presented by the widgets are congruent.

16. A method involving a television and a cell phone, comprising the acts:

receiving information about an available software widget at the television, the software widget serving to complement video programming presented on a television screen with additional associated content or interactivity;

transmitting a notification about the available software widget from the television;

receiving the notification about the available software widget at the cell phone;

in response to user input through a user interface of the cell phone, requesting the software widget;

receiving widget data at the cell phone; and

invoking the widget by user input through the user interface of the cell phone.

17. The method of claim 16 that includes issuing a request from the cell phone for notification about available software widgets, to which the television responds by transmitting said notification.

18. The method of claim 16 in which the user input to request the software widget comprises positioning the cell phone relative to the television in a prescribed manner.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the information about the new widget comprises the widget software

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the information about the new widget comprises linking information by which communication can be established with a remote system to invoke operation of the widget.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the information about the new widget comprises a link to a remote repository where widget software is stored.

22. A tangible medium storing software instructions which, when executed by a processor, yield a widget that serves to complement television programming with related content or interactivity, the software instructions receiving input data indicating whether the software is being executed by a television or by a cell phone, wherein if the software is executed by a cell phone, a richer experience is provided than if the software is executed by a television.

23. A method comprising:

establishing communication between a cell phone and a television, across a network connection, the cell phone including a screen on which a cell phone processor presents a keyboard user interface, in accordance with software instructions stored in a memory;

receiving typed text through the keyboard user interface on the cell phone;

transferring the typed text to the television across the network connection; and

controlling an aspect of the television'"'"'s operation in accordance with the transferred typed text.

24. A method of distributing software to a cell phone, comprising the acts:

electronically advertising availability of the software from a packet-based message broadcast from a television over a home network;

promoting availability of the software by providing a visual notification thereof on a screen of the television;

receiving a user indication of interest responsive to the visual notification;

by reference to data from the packet-based message, transferring the software to the cell phone.

25. The method of claim 24 that includes transferring the software from the television to the cell phone.

26. A method of distributing software to a cell phone, comprising the acts:

capturing visual or audio output from a television using a cell phone;

by reference to the captured output, identifying a type of information being presented by the television;

identifying software relevant to the identified type of information;

presenting a notification to a user from the cell phone, alerting the user to the availability of said software; and

in response to a user instruction, transferring the software to the cell phone for use by the user.