Enabling interactive activities for content utilizing matrix codes

• US 8,430,302 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2011
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Minnick, Dan J., Kummer, David A., Kennedy, John T., Gratton, Max S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNSON, SONJI N
• Application Number:
  US13/020,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20120199643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 by using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8186 specially adapted to be executed by a peripheral of the client device, e.g. by a reprogrammable remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot

Abstract

An electronic device may generate a matrix code that includes information for performing an interactive activity related to content, combine the matrix code with the content, and transmit the combination of the matrix code and the content to a display device. Subsequently, the displayed matrix code may be captured by a matrix code reader in order to initiate performance of the interactive activity. In some implementations, the content may be a sporting event and capture of the matrix code may initiate performance of an activity corresponding to a fantasy sporting event league associated with the sporting event. In various implementations, the matrix code reader'"'"'s initiation of performance of the interactive activity related to the content may utilize one or more other electronic devices located in a user location.

Claims

1. A method for enabling interactive activity for content utilizing matrix codes, the method comprising:

generating at least one matrix code, utilizing at least one processing unit, wherein the at least one matrix code includes information that can be utilized to perform at least one interactive activity related to at least one instance of content, wherein the information identifies at least one list of operations to perform as part of performing the at least one interactive activity;

combining the at least one matrix code with the at least one instance of content utilizing the at least one processing unit;

transmitting the combination of the at least one matrix code and the at least one instance of content, utilizing the at least one processing unit, to at least one display device wherein the at least one matrix code can be captured by at least one matrix code reader to initiate performance of the at least one interactive activity related to the at least one instance of content when the at least one matrix code is displayed by the at least one display device, wherein performance of the at least one interactive activity related to the at least one instance of content utilizes at least one electronic device located in a user location, the at least one electronic device other than the at least one matrix reader and an electronic device that includes the at least one processing unit;

capturing the at least one matrix code on the at least one matrix code reader; and

transmitting the at least one list of operations to perform from the at least one matrix code reader to the at least one electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one instance of content comprises at least one sporting event, the at least one interactive activity comprises at least one activity corresponding to at least one fantasy sporting event league associated with the at least one sporting event, and the information comprises data that enables at least one user to initiate performance of the at least one activity corresponding to the at least one fantasy sporting event league at least by capturing the at least one matrix code utilizing the at least one matrix code reader.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one instance of content comprises content related to food preparation and the at least one list of operations comprises at least one list of operations for preparing at least one food item.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic device transmits at least a part of the at least one list of operations to perform to at least one additional display device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic device performs at least one first operation from the at least one list of operations and transmits at least one instruction to at least one user indicating that the at least one user is to perform at least one second operation from the at least one list of operations that is subsequent to the at least one first operation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic device detects at least one status of performance of at least one operation from the at least one list of operations utilizing at least one sensor and transmits the at least one status to at least one user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one electronic device receives at least one user instruction from the at least one user in response to the at least one status and performs at least one action specified by the at least one user response.

8. A method for enabling interactive activity for content utilizing matrix codes, the method comprising:

generating at least one matrix code, utilizing at least one processing unit, wherein the at least one matrix code includes information that can be utilized to perform at least one interactive activity related to at least one instance of content, wherein the information comprises at least one list of operations to perform as part of performing the at least one interactive activity;

combining the at least one matrix code with the at least one instance of content utilizing the at least one processing unit;

transmitting the combination of the at least one matrix code and the at least one instance of content, utilizing the at least one processing unit, to at least one display device wherein the at least one matrix code can be captured by at least one matrix code reader to initiate performance of the at least one interactive activity related to the at least one instance of content when the at least one matrix code is displayed by the at least one display device, wherein performance of the at least one interactive activity related to the at least one instance of content utilizes at least one electronic device located in a user location other than the at least one matrix reader and an electronic device that includes the at least one processing unit;

capturing the at least one matrix code on the at least one matrix code reader; and

transmitting the at least one list of operations to perform from the at least one matrix code reader to the at least one electronic device, wherein the at least one electronic device alters at least a portion of the at least one list of operations based on at least one location factor of the user location.

9. A system for enabling interactive activity for content utilizing matrix codes, comprising:

an interactive activity assistance computing device, comprising;

at least one processing unit that generates at least one matrix code, which includes information that can be utilized to perform at least one interactive activity related to at least one instance of content, and combines the at least one matrix code with the at least one instance of content, wherein the information identifies at least one list of operations to perform as part of performing the at least one interactive activity;

at least one output component that transmits the combination of the at least one matrix code and the at least one instance of content to at least one display device;

at least one matrix code reader, comprising;

at least one optical detector that captures the at least one matrix code displayed by the at least one first display device; and

at least one matrix code reader processing unit that initiates performance of the at least one interactive activity related to the at least one instance of content in response to the at least one optical detector capturing the at least one matrix code; and

at least one electronic device that is located at a user location and is utilizable to perform at least a portion of the at least one interactive activity, wherein the at least one matrix code reader processing unit is configured to transmit the at least one list of operations to perform to the at least one electronic device utilizing at least one communication component.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one electronic device detects at least one status of performance of at least one operation from the at least one list of operations utilizing at least one sensor and transmits the at least one status to at least one user.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one electronic device receives at least one user instruction from the at least one user in response to the at least one status and performs at least one action specified by the at least one user response.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one electronic device performs at least one first operation from the at least one list of operations and transmits at least one instruction to at least one user indicating that the at least one user is to perform at least one second operation from the at least one list of operations that is subsequent to the at least one first operation.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one electronic device transmits at least a part of the at least one list of operations to perform to at least one additional display device utilizing at least one output component.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one instance of content comprises content related to food preparation and the at least one list of operations comprises at least one list of operations for preparing at least one food item.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one instance of content comprises at least one sporting event and the performance of the at least one interactive activity comprises performing at least one activity corresponding to at least one fantasy sporting event league associated with the at least one sporting event utilizing the information.

16. A method for enabling interactive activity for content utilizing matrix codes, the method comprising:

generating at least one matrix code, utilizing at least one processing unit, wherein the at least one matrix code includes information that can be utilized to perform at least one interactive activity related to at least one instance of content, wherein the information comprises at least one list of operations to perform as part of performing the at least one interactive activity;

combining the at least one matrix code with the at least one instance of content utilizing the at least one processing unit;

transmitting the combination of the at least one matrix code and the at least one instance of content, utilizing the at least one processing unit, to at least one display device wherein the at least one matrix code can be captured by at least one matrix code reader to initiate performance of the at least one interactive activity related to the at least one instance of content when the at least one matrix code is displayed by the at least one display device, wherein performance of the at least one interactive activity related to the at least one instance of content utilizes at least one electronic device located in a user location other than the at least one matrix reader and an electronic device that includes the at least one processing unit;

capturing the at least one matrix code on the at least one matrix code reader; and

transmitting the at least one list of operations to perform from the at least one matrix code reader to the at least one electronic device, wherein the at least one electronic device alters at least one operation of the at least one list of operations based on at least one location factor of the user location.