System and method for interacting with social networking in an internet protocol television system

• US 8,566,876 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2009
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Morris, Scott, Hill, Nicholas P., Meuninck, Troy C., Ng, Virginia S.
• Primary Examiner(s): SALCE, JASON P
• Application Number:
  US12/612,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20110107382A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 725 40- 53, 725 59- 61, 725/109, 715716-718, 715733-736, 715738-739, 705/319, 709204-205
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4661 Deriving a combined profile for a plurality of end-users of the same client, e.g. for family members within a home user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• 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 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

In an Internet protocol television network, a set-top box includes a social network interface module and a remote control interface module. The social network interface module receives a first selection of a content item from the remote control interface module, and receives a second selection of a comment from the remote control interface module. The social network interface module also posts the second selection on a social network system.

Claims

1. A set-top box for an Internet protocol television network, comprising:

a memory to store computer instructions;

a social network interface controller; and

a remote control interface controller coupled with the memory and the social network interface controller,

wherein the social network interface controller responsive to executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising;

receiving a first selection of a content item from the remote control interface controller, wherein the content item is currently being presented by the set-top box;

receiving a second selection of a predetermined comment of a plurality of predetermined comments from the remote control interface controller, wherein the plurality of predetermined comments are displayed by equipment of a user;

posting the second selection on a first social network system;

receiving a third selection of a characteristic of the content item of a plurality of predetermined characteristics of the content item, wherein the plurality of predetermined characteristics of the content item are displayed by the equipment of the user;

accessing a group of posts related to the content item that are provided to the social network system by other computing devices in communication with the social network system; and

presenting limited posts on a display device that is presenting the content item, wherein the limited posts are a subset of the group of posts, and wherein the limited posts are selected based on the selection of the characteristic of the content item.

2. The set-top box of claim 1, wherein, before receiving the first selection, the set-top box displays a plurality of content items on the display device, wherein the limited posts are selected by the social network interface controller from the group of posts based on posting criteria established from user input at the set-top box including the third selection of the characteristic of the content item.

3. The set-top box of claim 2, wherein the plurality of content items includes a first particular content item that is recorded on the set-top box.

4. The set-top box of claim 3, wherein the plurality of content items includes a second particular content item that is being displayed by the equipment of the user concurrently with receiving the selection of the comment.

5. The set-top box of claim 1, wherein the social network interface controller further receives a fourth selection of the social network system, wherein interaction with the social network system is initiated based on a selection of a channel corresponding to the social network system, wherein the interaction continues via windows presented on the display device after selection of a different channel, and wherein the interaction is ceased based on a selection of ending the interaction established from user input at the set-top box.

6. The set-top box of claim 5, wherein the fourth selection includes enrollment information associated with the user of the set-top box.

7. A method comprising:

receiving, by a social network interface module, a selection of a content item, wherein the content item is received by a set-top box of an Internet protocol television system;

receiving, by the social network interface module, a selection of a predetermined comment of a plurality of predetermined comments from the set-top box, wherein the plurality of predetermined comments are displayed by equipment of a user, and wherein the predetermined comment is about the content item, and is selected based on user input at the set-top box; and

posting, by the social network interface module, the predetermined comment about the content item from the social network interface module to an account on a social network system wherein a user associated with the set top box is enrolled onto the account, wherein interaction with the social network system is initiated based on a selection of a channel corresponding to the social network system, wherein the interaction continues after selection of a different channel, and wherein the interaction is ceased based on a selection of ending the interaction established from user input at the set-top box;

receiving, by the social network interface module, a selection of a characteristic of the content item from a plurality of characteristics of the content item, wherein the plurality of characteristics of the content item are displayed by the equipment of the user; and

presenting, by the social network interface module, limited posts regarding the content item on a display device, wherein the limited posts are originated by other computing devices in communication with the social network system, wherein the limited posts are a subset of a group of posts on the social network system, and wherein the limited posts are related to the selection of the characteristic of the content item.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising, before posting the comment, receiving by the social network interface module a selection of the social network system from among a plurality of social network systems, wherein the selection is received by the equipment of the user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving of the selection of the social network system further comprises receiving enrollment information associated with the user.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the content item is selected from among a plurality of content items, wherein the interaction continues after the selection of the different channel via windows presented at a display device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of content items includes a first particular content item that is recorded on the set-top box.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of content items includes a second particular content item that is being displayed by the equipment of the user concurrently with the selection of the comment.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving, by the social network interface module, a selection of a search criteria associated with the second particular content item;

receiving, by the social network interface module, a post from the social network system based upon the search criteria; and

sending, by the social network interface module, the post to the set-top box.

14. Machine-executable code embedded within a non-transitory tangible medium and including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving at a social network interface module a selection of a content item, wherein the content item is received by a set-top box in an Internet protocol television system;

receiving at the social network interface module a selection of a predetermined comment of a plurality of predetermined comments from the set-top box, wherein the plurality of predetermined comments are displayed by equipment of a user, and wherein the predetermined comment is about the content item, and is selected by a user of the set-top box;

posting the comment about the content item from the social network interface module to an account on a social network system, wherein the user is enrolled onto the account;

receiving a selection of a characteristic of the content item of a plurality of predetermined characteristics of the content item, wherein the plurality of predetermined characteristics of the content item are displayed by the equipment of the user; and

presenting a limited number of posts regarding the content item on a display device, wherein the limited number of posts are originated by other computing devices in communication with the social network system, and wherein the limited number of posts are a subset of a group of posts related to the content item that are provided to the social network system, wherein the subset is selected based on the selection of the characteristic of the content item.

15. The machine-executable code embedded within the non-transitory tangible medium of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise, before posting the comment, receiving at the social network interface module a selection of the social network system from among a plurality of social network systems, wherein the selection is received by the equipment of the user, wherein the characteristic comprises a cast of the content item.

16. The machine-executable code embedded within the non-transitory tangible medium of claim 15, wherein, in receiving at the social network interface module the selection of the social network system, the operations further comprise receiving enrollment information associated with the user.

17. The machine-executable code embedded within the non-transitory tangible medium of claim 14, wherein the content item is selected from among a plurality of content items, wherein interaction with the social network system is initiated based on a selection of a channel corresponding to the social network system, wherein the interaction continues after selection of a different channel, and wherein the interaction is ceased based on a selection of ending the interaction established from user input at the set-top box.

18. The machine-executable code embedded within the non-transitory tangible medium of claim 17, wherein the plurality of content items includes a first particular contentment item that is recorded on the set-top box.

19. The machine-executable code embedded within the non-transitory tangible medium of claim 18, wherein the plurality of content items includes a second particular content item that is being displayed by the equipment of the user concurrently with the selection of the comment.

20. The machine-executable code embedded within the non-transitory tangible medium of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving at the social network interface module a selection of a search criteria associated with the second particular content item;

receiving at the social network interface module a post from the social network system based upon the search criteria; and

sending the post to the set-top box.