Shared Multimedia Experience

• US 20120131110A1
• Filed: 11/24/2010
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Buyukkoc, Cagatay, Streijl, Robert C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,990,317 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43076 of the same content streams on multiple devices, e.g. when family members are watching the same movie on different devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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

A method includes receiving a request to establish a group presence session between at least a first device associated with a first network and a second device associated with a second network. During the group presence session, multimedia content is provided to the first device and to the second device at substantially the same time, and first presence information from the first device is provided to the second device at substantially the same time as second presence information from the second device is provided to the first device. The method further includes synchronizing the multimedia content, the first presence information, and the second presence information based on a first device capability, a second device capability, information associated with the first network, and information associated with the second network. Synchronized content streams that include the multimedia content and presence information are transmitted to the devices via the respective networks.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a group presence server that includes a processor, a request from a first device associated with a first network to establish a group presence session between at least the first device and a second device associated with a second network, wherein multimedia content is to be provided to the first device at substantially the same time as the multimedia content is to be provided to the second device during the group presence session, and wherein first presence information from the first device is to be provided to the second device at substantially the same time as second presence information from the second device is to be provided to the first device during the group presence session;

determining a first device capability of the first device and a second device capability of the second device;

synchronizing the multimedia content, the first presence information, and the second presence information, wherein synchronization is performed based on the first device capability, the second device capability, information associated with the first network, and information associated with the second network;

transmitting a first synchronized content stream to the first device via the first network, wherein the first synchronized content stream includes the multimedia content and the second presence information; and

transmitting a second synchronized content stream to the second device via the second network, wherein the second synchronized content stream includes the multimedia content and the first presence information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating a notification of the request to the second device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the notification is communicated to the second device based on input received from a user of the first device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the notification is communicated to the second device via at least one of an email message, an instant messaging (IM) message, a text message, a voice message, and a social networking site message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia content is associated with a television channel, wherein the first presence information is associated with a first picture-in-picture (PIP) stream, and wherein the second presence information is associated with a second PIP stream.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second PIP stream is superimposed on the multimedia content associated with the television channel at the first device.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the first PIP stream is superimposed on the multimedia content associated with the television channel at the second device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network includes an internet protocol television (IPTV) network of a first communications service provider.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second network includes a wireless network of the first communications service provider.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first device includes a set-top box (STB) device, and wherein the second device includes a wireless communication device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the second network is associated with a second communications service provider.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the group presence server is associated with a multimedia content service provider, and wherein the multimedia content is provided by the multimedia content service provider.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive a request from a first device associated with a first network to establish a group presence session between at least the first device and a second device associated with a second network, wherein multimedia content is to be provided to the first device at substantially the same time as the multimedia content is to be provided to the second device during the group presence session, and wherein first presence information from the first device is to be provided to the second device at substantially the same time as second presence information from the second device is to be provided to the first device during the group presence session;

determine a first device capability of the first device and a second device capability of the second device;

synchronize the multimedia content, the first presence information, and the second presence information, wherein synchronization is performed based on the first device capability, the second device capability, information associated with the first network, and information associated with the second network;

transmit a first synchronized content stream to the first device via the first network, wherein the first synchronized content stream includes the multimedia content and the second presence information; and

transmit a second synchronized content stream to the second device via the second network, wherein the second synchronized content stream includes the multimedia content and the first presence information.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

communicate a notification of the request to the second device; and

establish the group presence session when a response to the notification is received from the second device.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to communicate a request user interface to the first device, wherein the request user interface includes a plurality of selectable notification options.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of selectable notification options includes an email notification option, an instant messaging (IM) message notification option, a text message notification option, a voice message notification option, and a social networking site message notification option.

17. A system comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive a request from a set-top box (STB) device associated with an internet protocol television (IPTV) network to establish a group presence session between at least the STB device and a second device associated with a second network, wherein multimedia content is to be provided to the STB device at substantially the same time as the multimedia content is to be provided to the second device during the group presence session, and wherein first presence information from the STB device is to be provided to the second device at substantially the same time as second presence information from the second device is to be provided to the STB device during the group presence session;

determine a first device capability of the STB device and a second device capability of the second device;

synchronize the multimedia content, the first presence information, and the second presence information, wherein synchronization is performed based on the first device capability, the second device capability, information associated with the IPTV network, and information associated with the second network;

transmit a first synchronized content stream to the STB device via the IPTV network, wherein the first synchronized content stream includes the multimedia content and the second presence information; and

transmit a second synchronized content stream to the second device via the second network, wherein the second synchronized content stream includes the multimedia content and the first presence information.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the second network includes a wireless network, and wherein the IPTV network and the wireless network are associated with the same communications service provider.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the IPTV network and the second network are associated with different communications service providers.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the multimedia content includes one of television content, video on demand (VoD) content, and gaming content, wherein the first presence information includes at least a first video stream that is received at the STB device via a first camera, and wherein the second presence information includes at least a second video stream that is received at the second device via a second camera.