Methods and apparatus for providing chat data and video content between multiple viewers

• US 8,223,185 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2008
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dish Network LLC (Dish Network Corporation), Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Gratton, Max S., Ottmar, Desmond
• Primary Examiner(s): Ni, Suhan
• Application Number:
  US12/046,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20090233542A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,588 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416, 348/21, 348/25
• US Class Current: 348/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Various embodiments of apparatus and/or methods are described for providing communication between multiple content viewers. First video data is captured of a first user located locally with respect to a presentation device and transmitted to a base station located remotely with respect to the presentation device. The base station transmits a composite signal that includes video content provided by a content source communicatively coupled the base station and further includes second video chat data captured of a second user located remotely with respect to the presentation device. The composite signal is responsively presented by the presentation device to the first user.

Claims

1. A method for providing video communication between users, the method comprising:

capturing first video chat data of a first user located locally with respect to a presentation device;

transmitting a command from the presentation device to the base station;

transmitting the first chat data to a base station located remotely with respect to the presentation device;

receiving a composite signal from the base station, the composite signal including video content provided by a digital video recorder communicatively coupled to the base station and further including second video chat data captured of a second user located remotely with respect to the presentation device, wherein the command requests to change the video content output by the digital video recorder; and

outputting the composite signal for display on the presentation device.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the base station is integrated with the digital video recorder.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

transmitting the command from the base station to the digital video recorder to thereby manipulate the video content output by the digital video recorder.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

outputting the manipulated video content from the digital video recorder to a second presentation device located locally with respect to the second user.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein

the command is transmitted from the presentation device to the digital video recorder through the base station.

6. An apparatus comprising:

an input module that receives from a video capture device first video chat data of a first user located locally with respect to a presentation device and that receives a command from the first user;

a network interface module communicatively coupled to the input module that transmits the command and the first chat data to a base station located remotely with respect to the presentation device, that receives a composite signal from the base station, the composite signal including video content provided by a digital video recorder located remotely with respect to the apparatus and further including second video chat data captured of a second user located remotely with respect to the presentation device, wherein the command requests to change the video content provided by the digital video recorder; and

an output module communicatively coupled to the network interface module that outputs the composite signal for display on the presentation device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6,

wherein the apparatus manipulates the video content included in the composite signal responsive to the command.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the digital video recorder is integrated with the base station.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus comprises a mobile communication device.

10. A base station comprising:

a first input module that receives from a first video capture device first video chat data of a first user located locally with respect to a first presentation device;

a second input module that receives video content provided by a digital video recorder;

a processor communicatively coupled to the first input module and the second input module, the processor operable to combine the first video chat data and the video content into a composite signal, wherein the command requests to change the video content provided by the digital video recorder;

a network interface module communicatively coupled to the processor that transmits the composite signal to a second presentation device located remotely with respect to the base station and that receives second video chat data of a second user captured by a second video capture device located locally with respect to the second presentation device; and

an output module communicatively coupled to the network interface module that outputs the second video chat data for presentation on the second presentation device.

11. The base station of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operable to combine the second video chat data and the video content provided by the digital video recorder into a second composite signal, and wherein the output module outputs the second composite signal for presentation on the second presentation device.

12. The base station of claim 10, wherein:

the network interface module receives a second command from the second presentation device; and

the processor transmits the second command to the digital video recorder, the digital video recorder manipulating output of the video content based on the command.

13. The base station of claim 10, wherein the base station is integrated with the digital video recorder.

14. The base station of claim 10, wherein the base station is integrated within the first presentation device.

15. A method for providing video communication between users, the method comprising:

capturing first video chat data of a first user located locally with respect to a presentation device;

transmitting a command from the presentation device to the base station;

transmitting the first chat data to a base station located remotely with respect to the presentation device;

receiving a composite signal from the base station, the composite signal including video content provided by a television tuner device communicatively coupled to the base station and further including second video chat data captured of a second user located remotely with respect to the presentation device, wherein the command requests to change a channel output by the television tuner device; and

outputting the composite signal for display on the presentation device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the base station is integrated with the television tuner device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

transmitting the command from the base station to the television tuner device to thereby change the channel output by the television tuner device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

outputting the manipulated video content from the television tuner device to a second presentation device located locally with respect to the second user.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the command is transmitted from the presentation device to the television tuner device through the base station.

20. An apparatus comprising:

an input module that receives from a video capture device first video chat data of a first user located locally with respect to a presentation device and that receives a command from the first user;

a network interface module communicatively coupled to the input module that transmits the command and the first chat data to a base station located remotely with respect to the presentation device, that receives a composite signal from the base station, the composite signal including video content provided by a television tuner device located remotely with respect to the apparatus and further including second video chat data captured of a second user located remotely with respect to the presentation device, wherein the command requests to change a channel provided by the television tuner device; and

an output module communicatively coupled to the network interface module that outputs the composite signal for display on the presentation device.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the television tuner device is integrated with the base station.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the apparatus comprises a mobile communication device.

23. A base station comprising:

a first input module that receives from a first video capture device first video chat data of a first user located locally with respect to a first presentation device;

a second input module that receives video content provided by a television tuner device;

a processor communicatively coupled to the first input module and the second input module, the processor operable to combine the first video chat data and the video content into a composite signal, wherein the command requests to change a channel of the video content provided by the television tuner device;

a network interface module communicatively coupled to the processor that transmits the composite signal to a second presentation device located remotely with respect to the base station and that receives second video chat data of a second user captured by a second video capture device located locally with respect to the second presentation device; and

an output module communicatively coupled to the network interface module that outputs the second video chat data for presentation on the second presentation device.

24. The base station of claim 23, wherein the processor is further operable to combine the second video chat data and the video content provided by the television tuner device into a second composite signal, and wherein the output module outputs the second composite signal for presentation on the second presentation device.

25. The base station of claim 23, wherein:

the network interface module receives a second command from the second presentation device; and

the processor transmits the second command to the television tuner device, the television tuner device changing the channel of the video content based on the command.

26. The base station of claim 23, wherein the base station is integrated with the television tuner device.