Method and system of video on demand dating

• US 7,890,984 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2005
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Holdings LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Thompson, Page Hamilton, Strauss, Matthew E., Glashow, Rebecca Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirl; Joseph P
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, AN V
• Application Number:
  US11/719,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20080109860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,078 Days
• Field of Search: 725/32, 725/34, 725/37, 725/45, 725/87, 725/110, 705/1, 705/14, 709/1, 709/14
• US Class Current: 725/87
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• 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 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/816 involving special video data, e.g 3D video
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Method and system of video on demand (VOD) dating. The method and system permitting a user to select video personals for on demand view. The video personal include recordings of individual interviews or other activities which may be used to introduce the individual to the user and/or to otherwise facilitate dating.

Claims

1. A method of providing video on demand (VOD) dating, the method comprising:

storing video personals on a subscription television VOD server;

determining a television subscriber demanding viewing of one or more of the video personals;

selectively transmitting signals associated with the one or more demanded video personals to the demanding subscriber such that the one or more demanded video personals are viewable by the demanding subscriber to facilitate VOD dating;

providing the television subscriber with an interactive option to respond to one of the demanded video personals by using the subscription television system to prepare an electronic message on behalf of the subscriber;

providing a VOD dating menu to facilitate demanding the video personals;

including a number of selectable categories within the VOD dating menu, each of the selectable categories being selectable for on demand viewing of video personals associated with therewith; and

including a singles scene category within the VOD dating menu, wherein the singles scene category comprises an option for viewing out-takes or behind-the-scenes footage from previously recorded video personals.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising configuring the singles scene category for viewing video associated VOD dating in general.

3. A method of providing video on demand (VOD), comprising:

storing a number of video personals on a VOD server;

providing a VOD dating menu to facilitate demanding the video personals, wherein the dating menu includes a number of selectable categories within the VOD dating menu, each of the selectable categories being selectable for on demand viewing of video personals associated therewith, wherein one of the number of selectable categories comprises including a singles scene category within the VOD dating menu, wherein the singles scene category comprises an option for viewing out-takes or behind-the-scenes footage from previously recorded video personals;

determining a subscriber demanding viewing of one or more of the video personals or selectable categories; and

selectively transmitting signals associated with the one or more demanded video personals or selectable categories to the demanding subscriber such that the one or more demanded video personals are viewable by the demanding subscriber to facilitate VOD dating.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the VOD dating menu further includes a listing of personals videos ranked according to votes received from a plurality of subscribers.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising offering the subscriber an option to generate an email to an individual appearing in a personals video using a television.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the option for viewing is an option for viewing out-takes from a meet and greet event.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising offering the subscriber an option to view comments received from other individuals who attended the meet and greet event.

4. A method of providing video on demand (VOD) dating, the method comprising:

storing video personals on a subscription television VOD server;

determining a television subscriber demanding viewing of one or more of the video personals;

selectively transmitting signals associated with the one or more demanded video personals to the demanding subscriber such that the one or more demanded video personals are viewable by the demanding subscriber to facilitate VOD dating;

providing the television subscriber with an interactive option to respond to one of the demanded video personals by using the subscription television system to prepare an electronic message on behalf of the subscriber; and

automatically skipping to a predetermined portion of each of the demanded video personals during playback for the subscriber, wherein the predetermined portion of each of the demanded video personals contains each corresponding individual'"'"'s response to a predetermined question.