SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FACILITATING TRANSMISSION OF CONTENT FROM A SOURCE TO A USER DEVICE

• US 20110264768A1
• Filed: 04/25/2011
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Tedesco, Daniel E., Fincham, Magdalena M., Tulley, Stephen C., Walker, Jay S., Smith, Zachary T.
• Application Number:
  US13/093,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20110264768A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/00 Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD] real-time bi-directional transmission of motion video data H04N7/14 ; broadcast or conference over packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/87 Regeneration of colour television signals H04N9/80 takes precedence

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method provides for registering a user device with a service, associating one or more selected sources of content with the user device and obtaining content from the one or more selected sources in accordance with one or more content rules. Qualifying content comprising content satisfying the one or more content rules is then transmitted to the user device for viewing by an associated viewing user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

registering, by a processor of a computing device, a user device operable to receive, over a network, content from one or more available sources, thereby determining a registered user device,

wherein a source of the one or more available sources comprises an account of a social networking web site or an account of a photography storage web site;

receiving, in association with the user device and by the processor, a selection of one or more of the one or more available sources, thereby determining one or more selected sources;

receiving, in association with the user device, an indication of at least one content rule for use in determining which content available via the one or more selected sources is to be transmitted to the user device, thereby determining at least one selected content rule;

monitoring, by the processor, content posted on the one or more selected sources;

selecting, by the processor and based on the at least one selected content rule and the monitoring, content to transmit to the registered user device, thereby determining selected content; and

transmitting the selected content to the registered user device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is the user device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the account is an account of a user to whom content from the one or more registered sources is displayed via the registered user device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is operated by a first entity that is distinct from an entity that operates any of the at least one or more available sources.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the registered user device is a dedicated device made available to users by an entity that also operates the computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the registered user device comprises a digital photo frame.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the network comprises at least one of the Internet and a wireless network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a minimum content threshold

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the minimum content threshold comprises an indication of at least one of a frequency with which new content is to be transmitted to the registered user device and a minimum amount of new content that is to be transmitted to the registered user device per predetermined unit of time.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining, based on the minimum content threshold, that new content is due to be transmitted to the registered user device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a default content rule associated with the device, for use in determining default content to transmit to the registered user device if use of the at least one selected content rule is insufficient to satisfy the minimum content threshold;

using the default content rule to select default content for the registered user device, thereby determining selected default content; and

transmit the selected default content to the registered user device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the default content rule selects content based on a location of at least one user associated with the at least one selected source.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

contacting a user associated with a source of the at least one selected sources; and

outputting a reminder to the user to post content to the at least one selected source in order to satisfy the minimum frequency.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, for the selected content, information descriptive of the selected content; and

annotating the selected content with the information, wherein transmitting the selected content comprises transmitting the selected content as annotated.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the selected content comprises:

populating a customized newsletter with the selected content, the customized newsletter further comprising narrative text description of activities of users associated with the at least one or more selected sources, the narrative text description being generated based on content posted on the one or more selected sources, which may include content that is not selected for transmission to the registered user device.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, in association with the registered user device, a schedule governing when content is to be transmitted to the registered user device; and

wherein transmitting the selected content comprises transmitting the selected content in accordance with the schedule.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the schedule is a means for ensuring that selected content is transmitted to the registered user device with at least a minimum frequency.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein transmitting comprises:

transmitting a first portion of the selected content at a first time after the determining the selected content and transmitting a second portion of the selected content at a second time that is after the first time and after determining the selected content.

19. A method, comprising:

registering, by a processor of a computing device, a user device operable to receive, over a network, content from one or more available sources, thereby determining a registered user device,

wherein a source of the one or more available sources comprises an account of a social networking web site or an account of a photography storage web site and

further wherein the registered user device is associated with a first user who is designated as a viewer of content transmitted to the registered user device;

receiving, in association with the user device and by the processor, a selection of one or more of the one or more available sources, thereby determining one or more selected sources;

receiving, in association with the user device and by the processor, information identifying a second user to serve as a content manager for the user device, the content manager being designated to identify and approve content to be transmitted to the registered user device, the content manager being a user who is distinct from the first user;

receiving, by the processor and from the content manager, an indication of content selected by the content manager to be transmitted to the registered user device, thereby determining selected content; and

transmitting, by the processor, the selected content to the registered user device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein one of the at least one selected sources is an account of a third user who is distinct from both the first user and the second user.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the content manager is provided permission to review content posted by the third user to the third user'"'"'s account and select content from the third user'"'"'s account for transmission to the registered user device.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving, from the third user, content for transmission to the registered user device, thereby determining suggested content;

forwarding the suggested content to the content manager for approval; and

only transmitting the suggested content to the registered user device if approval thereof is received from the content manager.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

storing a minimum content threshold in association with the registered user device, the minimum content threshold comprising an indication of at least one of a minimum amount of new content to be transmitted to the registered user device per predetermined unit of time and a minimum frequency with which new content is to be transmitted to the registered user device.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

determining, for a current time, that the minimum content threshold will not be satisfied if new content is not transmitted to the registered user device before a predetermined time that is after a current time; and

contacting the content manager with a reminder to the content manager to select and authorize for transmission to the registered user device new content from at least one of the one or more selected sources.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

reviewing the content available on the one or more selected sources; and

including, in the reminder, a suggestion of some content that may be appropriate to transmit to the registered user device.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving, from the content manager, narrative text to transmit to the registered user device along with the selected content; and

transmitting to the registered user device the narrative text along with the selected content.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the computing device comprises a device operated by the content manager.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein the computing device comprises a server device operated by an entity distinct from the content manager.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein the registered user device comprises a dedicated device dedicated to displaying the selected content.

30. The method of claim 19, wherein the network comprises at least one of the Internet and a wireless network.

31. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

storing, in association with the registered user device, a schedule governing when content is to be transmitted to the registered user device; and

wherein transmitting the selected content comprises transmitting the selected content in accordance with the schedule.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the schedule is a means for ensuring that selected content is transmitted to the registered user device with at least a minimum frequency.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein transmitting comprises:

transmitting a first portion of the selected content at a first time after the determining the selected content and transmitting a second portion of the selected content at a second time that is after the first time and after determining the selected content.

34. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving from the content manager instructions for transmitting the selected content to the registered user device; and

transmitting the content to the registered user device in accordance with the received instructions.

35. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving from the content manager instructions for displaying the content on a display portion of the registered user device; and

forwarding, to the registered user device, the instructions for displaying.