Methods, apparatus, and program products for controlling presentation of an experiential data stream responsive to conversations in a shared social space

• US 7,818,771 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 6, LLC
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Ducheneaut, Nicolas B., Nickell, Eric S., Thornton, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley; Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLYNN, RANDY A
• Application Number:
  US10/997,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20060174292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,156 Days
• Field of Search: 725 32- 36, 725/42, 725/55, 725/86, 725100-102, 725/135, 386/35, 386/40, 386/46, 386/95, 709204-207
• US Class Current: 725/80
• 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 21/4788 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 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Apparatus, methods, and a computer-usable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to enable a presentation device to automatically accommodate conversations in a social space. This system monitors a first playback position in a time dimension of an experiential data stream on a local device for at least one local audience member, and monitors one or more utterances received by the local device. Then, the system enables the presentation of the experiential data stream in response to the step of monitoring.

Claims

1. A computer controlled method for presenting an experiential data stream in a shared social space to at least one local audience member, said method comprising:

preparing to present content from an experiential data stream, wherein the experiential data stream includes a commercial break having a start and an end, wherein a local audience member in said shared social space has access to at least a prerecorded partial version of said experiential data stream, and wherein other audience members from said shared social space record said experiential data stream from different feeds;

monitoring a first playback position in a time dimension of said experiential data stream on a local device for at least one local audience member;

detecting a proximity to the end of the commercial break from the first playback position in the experiential data stream;

monitoring one or more utterances received by the local device to determine whether the other audience members from the shared social space and the local audience member are conversing;

extending the commercial break with additional advertising in response to determining that the other audience members and the local audience member are conversing at the end of the commercial break; and

signaling the local device to present the experiential data stream in response to determining that the audience members have completed their conversation.

2. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein signaling the local device further comprises:

monitoring said experiential data stream for said start of said commercial break; and

advancing said first playback position to substantially said end of said commercial break.

3. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

detecting substantially the end of a commercial break in said experiential data stream; and

delaying signaling the local device to present the experiential data stream.

4. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein some of said one or more utterances are received from a remote device.

5. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein monitoring said one or more utterances further comprises using a conversation finder to monitor said one or more utterances for one or more conversations.

6. The computer controlled method of claim 3, further comprising presenting replacement/additional content in response to delaying signaling the local device to present the experiential data stream.

7. The computer controlled method of claim 6, wherein said replacement/additional content is selected from the group consisting of one or more still pictures, locally stored video content, video content provided by a program insertion provider service, a status display of a shared social space, a text representation of said shared social space, a graphical representation of said shared social space, and images of one or more audience members.

8. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

presenting replacement/additional content in response to extending the commercial break.

9. The computer controlled method of claim 8, wherein said replacement/additional content is an advertisement and wherein determining said social/view balance determines that said one or more utterances have a higher priority than the presentation of said experiential data stream.

10. The computer controlled method of claim 8, wherein said replacement/additional content is selected from the group consisting of one or more still pictures, locally stored video content, video content provided by a program insertion provider service, a status display of a shared social space, a text representation of said shared social space, a graphical representation of said shared social space, and images of one or more audience members.

11. The computer controlled method of claim 8, wherein some of said one or more utterances are received from a remote device.

12. The computer controlled method of claim 8, wherein monitoring said one or more utterances further comprises using a conversation finder to monitor said one or more utterances for one or more conversations.

13. A non-transitory computer-usable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause said computer to perform a method for presenting an experiential data stream in a shared social space to at least one local audience member, said method comprising:

preparing to present content from an experiential data stream, wherein the experiential data stream includes a commercial break having a start and an end, wherein a local audience member in said shared social space has access to at least a prerecorded partial version of said experiential data stream, and wherein other audience members from said shared social space record said experiential data stream from different feeds;

monitoring a first playback position in a time dimension of said experiential data stream on a local device for at least one local audience member;

detecting a proximity to the end of the commercial break from the first playback position in the experiential data stream;

monitoring one or more utterances received by the local device to determine whether the other audience members from the shared social space and the local audience member are conversing;

extending the commercial break with additional advertising in response to determining that the other audience members and the local audience member are conversing at the end of the commercial break; and

signaling the local device to present the experiential data stream in response to determining that the audience members have completed their conversation.

14. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 13, wherein signaling the local device further comprises:

monitoring said experiential data stream for said start of said commercial break; and

advancing said first playback position to substantially said end of said commercial break.

15. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises:

detecting substantially the end of a commercial break in said experiential data stream; and

delaying signaling the local device to present the experiential data stream.

16. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 13, wherein some of said one or more utterances are received from a remote device.

17. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 13, wherein monitoring said one or more utterances further comprises using a conversation finder to monitor said one or more utterances for one or more conversations.

18. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising presenting replacement/additional content in response to delaying signaling the local device to present the experiential data stream.

19. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 18, wherein said replacement/additional content is selected from the group consisting of one or more still pictures, locally stored video content, video content provided by a program insertion provider service, a status display of a shared social space, a text representation of said shared social space, a graphical representation of said shared social space, and images of one or more audience members.

20. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises:

presenting replacement/additional content in response to extending the commercial break.

21. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 20, wherein said replacement/additional content is an advertisement and wherein determining said social/view balance determines that said one or more utterances have a higher priority than the presentation of said experiential data stream.

22. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 20, wherein said replacement/additional content is selected from the group consisting of one or more still pictures, locally stored video content, video content provided by a program insertion provider service, a status display of a shared social space, a text representation of said shared social space, a graphical representation of said shared social space, and images of one or more audience members.

23. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 20, wherein some of said one or more utterances are received from a remote device.

24. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 20, wherein monitoring said one or more utterances further comprises using a conversation finder to monitor said one or more utterances for one or more conversations.

25. An apparatus for presenting an experiential data stream in a shared social space to at least one local audience member, the apparatus comprising:

a presentation preparation logic configured to prepare content from said experiential data stream for presentation, wherein the experiential data stream includes a commercial break having a start and an end, wherein a local audience member in said shared social space has access to at least a prerecorded partial version of said experiential data stream, and wherein other audience members from said shared social space record said experiential data stream from different feeds;

a position monitor logic configured to;

monitor a first playback position in a time dimension of said experiential data stream; and

detect a proximity to the end of the commercial break from the first playback position in the experiential data stream;

an audio monitor logic configured to monitor one or more utterances received by the apparatus to determine whether the other audience members from the shared social space and the local audience member are conversing;

a signal logic configured to signal the apparatus to present the experiential data stream; and

a balance evaluation logic configured;

configuring a delay logic to extend the commercial break by presenting additional advertising and delaying activation of the enablement logic in response to the audio monitor logic determining that the other audience members and the local audience member are conversing at the end of the commercial break; and

configuring the enablement logic to signal the apparatus to present the experiential data stream in response to the audio monitor logic determining that the audience members have completed their conversation.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the enablement logic further comprises:

a content monitor logic configured to monitor said experiential data stream for said start of said commercial break; and

an advance playback position logic configured to advance said first playback position to substantially said end of said commercial break.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a content monitor logic configured to detect substantially the end of a commercial break in said experiential data stream; and

a delay logic, responsive to the balance evaluation logic, configured to delay activation of the signal logic.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein some of said one or more utterances are received from a remote device.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the audio monitor logic further comprises a conversation finder configured to analyze said one or more utterances for one or more conversations.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a presentation logic configured to present replacement/additional content responsive to the delay logic.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said replacement/additional content is selected from the group consisting of one or more still pictures, locally stored video content, video content provided by a program insertion provider service, a status display of a shared social space, a text representation of said shared social space, a graphical representation of said shared social space, and images of one or more audience members.

32. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a presentation logic configured to present replacement/additional content in response to the delay logic delaying activation of the signal logic.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said replacement/additional content is an advertisement and the balance evaluation logic determines that said one or more utterances have a higher priority than the presentation of said experiential data stream.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said replacement/additional content is selected from the group consisting of one or more still pictures, locally stored video content, video content provided by a program insertion provider service, a status display of a shared social space, a text representation of said shared social space, a graphical representation of said shared social space, and images of one or more audience members.

35. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein some of said one or more utterances are received from a remote device.

36. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the audio monitor logic further comprises a conversation finder configured to detect one or more conversations from said one or more utterances.