Enabling users of peer to peer clients to socially interact while viewing videos

• US 8,407,750 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Vorbau, W. Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): HANCE, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US11/827,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20090019503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,085 Days
• Field of Search: 725/109, 725/117
• US Class Current: 725/109
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• 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 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 21/4788 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 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention pertain to enabling users of peer to peer clients to socially interact while viewing videos. According to one embodiment, a first client and a second client are physically remote from each other. A first video and a second video are for the same show but are in different formats. The first client accesses the first video and the second client accesses the second video. The users of the first client and the second client are enabled to socially interact with each other using peer to peer communications between the first client and the second client.

Claims

1. A method of enabling users of peer to peer clients to socially interact while viewing videos, the method comprising:

using a first client to access a first video and a second client to access a second video, wherein the first video and the second video are for the same show and are in different formats and the first video and the second video are not required to be from the same source;

enabling the users of the first client and the second client to socially interact with each other using peer to peer communications between the first client and the second client that are physically remote to each other; and

synchronizing the first video and the second video using a visual signature based on color associated with at least one of the videos, wherein the using of the signature associated with the at least one of the videos to synchronize the first video and the second video further comprises using a second visual signature based on changes in light and darkness associated with the at least one of the videos.

2. The method as recited by claim 1, wherein the using of the first client to access the first video and the second client to access the second video further comprises:

accessing the first video and the second video, wherein the first video and the second video are in different formats selected from a group consisting of Moving Pictures Experts Group 2 (MPEG-2), H.264, H.263, and MPEG-4.

3. The method as recited by claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining the first video and the second video from different vendors.

4. The method as recited by claim 1, wherein the using a signature associated with the at least one of the videos to synchronize the first video and the second video further comprises:

using an audio signature based on loudness of audio associated with the at least one of the videos.

5. A system of enabling users of peer to peer clients to socially interact while viewing videos, the system comprising:

a video position receiver configured for receiving data indicating a position that a first client is accessing a first video;

the video position receiver configured for receiving at a first client data indicating a position that a second client is accessing a second video, wherein the first video and the second video are for the same show and are in different formats, wherein the first video and the second video are not required to be from the same source and wherein peer to peer communications are used between the first client and the second client, which is not required to be in dose proximity with the first client; and

a video from different format peer to peer synchronizer configured for using the positions of the first video and the second video to synchronize positions of the first video and the second video whereby social interaction between the users of the first client and the second client is enabled, wherein the positions of the first video and the second video are determined based upon a visual signature created using color associated with at least one of the videos, wherein the synchronizing of positions of the first video and the second video further comprises using a second visual signature based on changes in light and darkness associated with the at least one of the videos.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the system further comprises:

a social interaction component for coordinating transmission of a message pertaining to a non-verbal social cue between the first client and the second client.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the non-verbal social cue pertains to an operation selected from a group consisting of a pause button being pressed, a play button being pressed, and a seek operation being performed.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the non-verbal social cue pertains to body language of a first user.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein a sensor detected the body language.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first user interacted with the first client to cause a description of their body language to be displayed on the second client.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein the first client communicates with a server to register.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first client interacts with the server to invite the second client to view the show.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the server enables the first client and the second client to communicate with each other using the peer to peer communications.

14. A non-transitory computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer system to perform a method of enabling users of peer to peer clients to socially interact while viewing videos, the method comprising:

using a first client to access a first video and a second client to access a second video, wherein the first video and the second video are for the same show and are in different formats and the first video and the second video are not required to be from the same source;

enabling the users of the first client and the second client to socially interact with each other using peer to peer communications between the first client and the second client that are physically remote to each other; and

synchronizing the first video and the second video using a visual signature based on color associated with at least one of the videos, wherein the using a signature associated with the at least one of the videos to synchronize the first video and the second video further comprises using a second visual signature based on changes in light and darkness associated with the at least one of the videos.

15. The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 14, wherein the computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer system to perform the method, and wherein the user of the first client to access the first video and the second client to access the second video further comprises:

accessing the first video and the second video from different vendors that are selected from a group consisting of Bit Torrent™

, Comcast™

, and iTunes™

.

16. The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 14, wherein the computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer system to perform the method, and wherein the using of the first client to access the first video and the second client to access the second video further comprises:

accessing the first video and the second video, wherein the first video and the second video are in different formats selected from a group consisting of Moving Pictures Experts Group 2 (MPEG-2), H.264, H.263, and MPEG-4.