System and method of voting via an interactive television system

• US 8,567,676 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2013
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Howcroft, Jerald Robert, Piatt, Kathy Goode
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAIL, ALLYSON NEEL
• Application Number:
  US13/738,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20130132985A1
• Time in Patent Office: 292 Days
• Field of Search: 235/386, 463/1, 700/91
• US Class Current: 235/386
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• 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 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8545 for generating interactive applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method includes determining, at a first computing device associated with a network, whether voting for video content is permitted from a second computing device. The second computing device is coupled to the network to receive the video content. The method further includes, in response to determining that voting for the video content is permitted from the second computing device, sending data related to a graphical user interface to the second computing device. The graphical user interface enables receipt of voting input for the video content. The method further includes, in response to determining that voting for the video content is permitted from the second computing device, updating a voting record for the video content with the voting input received from the second computing device via the graphical user interface.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, at a first computing device associated with a network, whether voting for video content is permitted from a second computing device, wherein the second computing device is coupled to the network to receive the video content; and

in response to determining that voting for the video content is permitted from the second computing device;

sending data related to a graphical user interface to the second computing device, the graphical user interface enabling receipt of voting input for the video content; and

updating a voting record for the video content with the voting input received from the second computing device via the graphical user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether voting for the video content is permitted from the second computing device includes sending data related to a second user interface to the second computing device to receive one or more authentication tokens, and wherein voting for the video content is permitted based on validation of the one or more authentication tokens.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether voting for the video content is permitted from the second computing device includes:

sending a second graphical user interface to the second computing device, wherein the second graphical user interface enables receipt of account information; and

verifying the account information received from the second computing device via the second graphical user interface, wherein voting for the video content is permitted from the second computing device when the account information matches stored account information associated with the second computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, at the first computing device, information indicating a request to vote from the second computing device, wherein determining whether voting for the video content is permitted from the second computing device includes determining whether an Internet protocol address associated with the second computing device matches stored account information associated with the second computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the voting record for the video content is updated with the voting input received from the second computing device via the graphical user interface in response to determining that a previous vote for the video content has not been received from the second computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is an internet protocol television network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second computing device is a set-top box device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a message to the second computing device indicating that the voting input associated with the video content was received from the second computing device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, determining that voting for the video content is prohibited from the second computing device.

10. A computing system comprising:

a processor; and

memory accessible to the processor, the memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising;

in response to identifying a voting event based on data embedded in video content sent to a computing device via a network, sending data related to a first graphical user interface to the computing device, the first graphical user interface including a selectable option to cast a vote related to the video content;

determining whether voting for the video content is permitted from the computing device in response to receiving information indicating a selection of the selectable option to cast the vote; and

in response to determining that voting for the video content is permitted from the computing device;

sending data related to a second graphical user interface to the computing device, the second graphical user interface enabling receipt of voting input for the video content; and

updating a voting record for the video content with the voting input received from the computing device via the second graphical user interface.

11. The computing system of claim 10, wherein determining whether voting for the video content is permitted from the computing device includes:

sending a third graphical user interface to the computing device, the third graphical user interface enabling receipt of payment information; and

verifying the payment information received from the computing device via the third graphical user interface, wherein voting for the video content is permitted from the computing device when the payment information matches stored payment information associated with the computing device.

12. The computing system of claim 11, wherein the data embedded in the video content includes information indicating that voting is permitted for the video content based on verification of payment information.

13. The computing system of claim 11, wherein the memory includes information indicating that voting is permitted for the video content based on verification of the payment information.

14. The computing system of claim 10, wherein the voting record is updated to indicate that the voting input associated with the video content has been received from the computing device, and wherein the operations further comprise sending a message to one or more devices associated with the computing device indicating that the voting input associated with the video content was received from the computing device.

15. The computing system of claim 10, wherein the one or more devices include a second computing device, a voice-over internet protocol phone, or both.

16. The computing system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise updating voting information related to the video content based on the voting input, and wherein the voting input includes at least one voting selection associated with the video content.

17. A computing device comprising:

a processor; and

memory accessible to the processor, the memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving data related to a first graphical user interface from a computing system associated with a network, wherein the first graphical user interface enables receipt of information that is used to determine whether voting is permitted for video content received via the network;

receiving data related to a second graphical user interface from the computing system, the second graphical user interface enabling receipt of voting input for the video content, wherein the second graphical user interface is sent in response to determining that voting for the video content is permitted; and

sending the voting input received via the second graphical user interface to the computing system, wherein the computing system updates voting information related to the video content in response to receiving the voting input.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the computing device is a set-top box device and the computing system is a server.

19. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the information includes subscriber account information, payment information, or one or more authentication tokens.

20. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the computing system sends a confirmation to one or more devices associated with the computing device in response to receiving the voting input, the confirmation indicating receipt of the voting input.