Comment filters for real-time multimedia broadcast sessions

• US 7,809,773 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Slaney, Malcolm, Davis, Marc, Horowitz, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US11/963,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20090164484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 707/803, 707/913, 707/999.107, 707/805, 709/206, 725135-136
• US Class Current: 707/805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47205 for manipulating displayed content, e.g. interacting with MPEG-4 objects, editing locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/475 End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data
• 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 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/913 Multimedia

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to filtering comments presented to users in connection with multimedia content, such as video and audio content. In a particular implementation, there are two types of users of this system. A writer comments on sections of a real-time multimedia stream, while readers or viewers observe the discussion embodied by the comments that are displayed.

Claims

1. A method comprising

receiving a set of attributes from a first reader, the attributes characterizing one or more preferences for comment entries from one or more writers;

receiving, concurrently with a broadcast of a multimedia stream, the comment entries related to the multimedia stream;

filtering the related comment entries based on the set of attributes; and

providing the filtered comment entries to the first reader concurrently with the broadcasting in a user interface.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising broadcasting the multimedia stream to a plurality of readers.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the multimedia stream comprises video data.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of attributes comprises tags corresponding to a writer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of attributes comprises a user name.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of attributes comprises tags corresponding to a comment entry.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing, in the user interface, identifiers of the writers associated with the comment entries displayed in the user interface.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the user interface allows for selection and de-selection of the writers.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the user interface facilitates composition and submission of comment entries.

10. An apparatus comprising

a memory;

one or more processors;

logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to cause the one or more processors to;

receive a set of attributes from a first reader, the attributes characterizing one or more preferences for comment entries from one or more writers;

receive, concurrently with a broadcast of a multimedia stream, the comment entries related to the multimedia stream;

filter the related comment entries based on the set of attributes; and

provide the filtered comment entries to the first reader concurrently with the broadcasting in a user interface.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the logic is further operable to cause the one or more processors to broadcast the multimedia stream to a plurality of readers.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the multimedia stream comprises video data.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the set of attributes comprises tags corresponding to a writer.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the set of attributes comprises a user name.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the set of attributes comprises tags corresponding to a comment entry.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the logic is further operable to cause the one or more processors to provide, in the user interface, identifiers of the writers associated with the comment entries displayed in the user interface.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the user interface allows for selection and de-selection of the writers.

18. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the user interface facilitates composition and submission of comment entries.

19. A system comprising

a media streaming system operative to:

receive a first set of attributes from a first reader, the attributes characterizing one or more preferences for comment entries from one or more writers;

receive, concurrently with a broadcast of a multimedia stream, the comment entries related to the multimedia stream;

filter the related comment entries based on the first set of attributes; and

provide the filtered comment entries to the first reader concurrently with the broadcasting in a user interface; and

a client system operative to;

render the multimedia stream;

receive the filtered comment entries from the media streaming system;

filter the received comment entries against a second set of attributes;

render the filtered comment entries in proximity to the multimedia stream.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the multimedia stream comprises video data.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the first set of attributes comprises tags corresponding to a writer.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the second set of attributes comprises a user name.