Performing social networking functions using matrix codes

• US 8,746,554 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2012
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Gomez, Mark H., Anguiano, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): St Cyr, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/673,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20130068838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/383, 235/454, 235/462.1, 235/462.45
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

A matrix code reader may detect a matrix code (such as a QR code), which may be displayed along with content and include information identifying the content. The matrix code reader may obtain user information associated with a social networking service and, based at least on the content information and the user information, may transmit an instruction to the social networking service to perform a social networking service function. The matrix code reader may obtain the user information and/or the instruction to perform the social networking service function from information included in the matrix code, from a non-transitory storage medium of the matrix code reader, from a user, and so on. In some implementations, the matrix code reader may determine that additional information or a confirmation to transmit the instructions is needed and may prompt a user for the additional information or confirmation.

Claims

1. A method for performing social networking service functions utilizing matrix codes, the method comprising:

detecting, utilizing at least one matrix code reader, at least one matrix code included in at least one instance of content displayed by at least one display device, wherein the at least one matrix code includes information identifying the at least one instance of content;

obtaining, utilizing the at least one matrix code reader, user information associated with at least one social networking service; and

transmitting at least one instruction to perform at least one social network service function, utilizing the at least one matrix code reader, to the at least one social networking service based at least on the information identifying the at least one instance of content and the user information, wherein the at least one instruction to perform at least one social network service function comprises scheduling at least one social event associated with the at least one instance of content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user information associated with the at least one social networking service is included in the at least one matrix code.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one matrix code detected by the at least one matrix code reader was included in the at least one instance of content by an electronic device prior to the electronic device transmitting the at least one instance of content to the display device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the user information associated with the at least one social networking service is stored by the electronic device and included in the at least one matrix code.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user information associated with the at least one social networking service is stored by the at least one matrix code reader.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one instruction to perform at least one social network service function is included in the at least one matrix code.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one matrix code reader selects the at least one instruction to perform at least one social network service function in response to detecting that the at least one matrix code includes the information identifying the at least one instance of content.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing at least one of decoding the at least one matrix code utilizing the at least one matrix code reader or transmitting the at least one matrix code from the at least one matrix code reader to at least one matrix code decoding computing device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one instruction to perform at least one social network service function further comprises at least one of posting at least one status update regarding the at least one instance of content, posting at least one comment regarding the at least one instance of content, posting at least one review of the at least one instance of content, or submitting a request to join a group associated with the at least one instance of content.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising scheduling a social gathering for individuals to attend following completion of the at least one instance of content.

11. A system for performing social networking service functions utilizing matrix codes, comprising:

at least one display device that displays at least one instance of content which includes at least one matrix code wherein the at least one matrix code includes information identifying the at least one instance of content; and

at least one matrix code reader device, comprising;

at least one optical detector that detects the at least one matrix code displayed with the at least one instance of content by the at least one display device;

at least one processing unit that obtains user information associated with at least one social networking service; and

at least one communication component;

wherein the at least one processing unit transmits at least one instruction to perform at least one social network service function, to the at least one social networking service via the at least one communication component based at least one the information identifying the at least one instance of content and the user information, and wherein the at least one instruction to perform at least one social network service function comprises scheduling at least one social event associated with the at least one instance of content.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising at least one electronic device comprising:

at least one output component; and

at least one electronic device processing unit that combines the at least one matrix code with the at least one instance of content and transmits the at least one instance of content including the at least one matrix code to the at least one display device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one electronic device further includes at least one non-transitory storage medium that stores the user information associated with the at least one social networking service and the at least one electronic device processing unit includes the user information in the at least one matrix code.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processing unit determines the at least one instruction by at least one of determining that the at least one matrix code includes the at least one instruction or selecting the at least one instruction in response to detecting that the at least one matrix code includes the information identifying the at least one instance of content.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one instruction to perform at least one social network service function further comprises at least one of posting at least one status update regarding the at least one instance of content, posting at least one comment regarding the at least one instance of content, posting at least one review of the at least one instance of content, or submitting a request to join a group associated with the at least one instance of content.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processing unit decodes the at least one matrix code.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising at least one matrix code decoding computing device wherein the at least one processing unit transmits the at least one matrix code to the least one matrix code decoding computing device via the at least one communication component and the least one matrix code decoding computing device decodes the received at least one matrix code.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one matrix code reader device further comprises at least one input/output component and the at least one processing unit:

determines that additional information beyond the user information is required to transmit the at least one instruction;

prompts at least one user for the additional information via the at least one input/output component; and

receives the additional information via the at least one input/output component.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processing unit obtains the user information associated with at least one social networking service from at least one of the at least one matrix code or a non-transitory storage medium of the at least one matrix code reader device.

20. A method for performing social networking service functions utilizing matrix codes, the method comprising:

determining, utilizing at least one electronic device, to include at least one matrix code in at least one instance of content to transmit to at least one display device;

including the at least one matrix code in the at least one instance of content, wherein the at least one matrix code includes information identifying the at least one instance of content and user information associated with at least one social networking service; and

transmitting the at least one instance of content from the at least one electronic device to the at least one display device wherein, when the at least one instance of content is displayed by the at least one display device, the at least one matrix code can be detected and decoded by at least one matrix code reader such that the at least one matrix code reader transmits at least one instruction to perform at least one social network service function to the at least one social networking service based at least on the information identifying the at least one instance of content and the user information decoded from the at least one matrix code, wherein the at least one instruction to perform at least one social network service function comprises scheduling at least one social event associated with the at least one instance of content.