Entertainment companion content application for interacting with television content

• US 8,793,730 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2010
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mowrey, David, Poffenberger, Laura
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAIG, SAHAR A
• Application Number:
  US12/982,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20120174155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 725/40, 725/133, 725/153
• US Class Current: 725/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program

Abstract

Methods and system for providing companion content at a secondary device for a content being rendered on a main device includes establishing a connection between the secondary device and a device that interfaces with the main device so as to enable the secondary device to access and control the content being rendered on the main device. The method further includes detecting data associated with the content being rendered on the main device through the connection, wherein the data includes metadata associated with the content rendered on the main device. The metadata is communicated to a remote application over the internet. The remote application is configured to analyze the metadata to produce communication content that relates to the content rendered on the main device. Companion content for the content being rendered on the main device is obtained from the remote application and rendered on the secondary device while the content is rendering on the main device. The analysis of the metadata detects changes in the content being rendered on the main device which results changes in the obtained companion content that is rendered on the secondary device.

Claims

1. A method for providing companion content on a secondary device for content being rendered on a main device, comprising:

detecting a connection between the secondary device and a device that interfaces with the main device, the connection enabling access and control of the content being rendered on the main device by the secondary device;

detecting data associated with the content being rendered on the main device, at the device, through the connection, the data includes metadata associated with the content rendered on the main device;

communicating with a remote application over the internet, the remote application configured to analyze the metadata to produce companion content that relates to the content rendered on the main device;

obtaining the companion content from the remote application; and

providing the companion content to the secondary device for rendering while the content is being rendered on the main device,

wherein the analyzing of the metadata detects changes in the content being rendered on the main device and produces changes in the obtained companion content that is provided to the secondary device, wherein the analyzing and obtaining of companion content including the changes to the companion content are performed without requesting user action at the secondary device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a connection further includes,

detecting connection of the secondary device to the device through an application programming interface (API) of the device and detecting connection to a network through a connection interface, wherein the API is configured to detect and provide access to the data of the content rendering on the main device and enable the secondary device to control the main device through the API.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the content further includes,

detecting a request from the secondary device to an application programming interface in the device, wherein the request calls for data identifying the content rendered on the main device;

and

transmitting the metadata associated with the content through the API in response to the request.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the request is sent periodically, after a period of time, continuously or in response to triggering of an event related to the content being rendered on the main device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the content further includes,

processing at least a portion of the metadata and identifying additional content for rendering on the secondary device, wherein the additional content is returned for rendering alongside the companion content or separately from the companion content.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein communicating with a remote application further includes,

transmitting at least a second portion of the metadata defining the content to the remote application for further processing or for processing interactively using the local application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the metadata by the remote application further includes,

performing one or more of (a) conducting a search using a search query, (b) collecting data content from a third party content provider, (c) collecting data content from a specific content provider based on the analysis of the metadata, (d) mining data associated with one or more users to identify data content and (e) assembling data for presentation in a specific order on the secondary device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein in response to analyzing the metadata, the remote application obtains data from a social network service provider.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein in response to analyzing the metadata, the remote application obtains advertising data from one or more promotional content providers, the advertising data relates to the content presented on the main device or the secondary device.

10. A method for generating companion content for a secondary device based on content being rendered on a main device having a display, comprising:

detecting execution of a local application on the secondary device, the local application establishing a wireless connection between the secondary device and a device that interfaces with the main device, the local application connecting to an application programming interface (API) to access the device that interfaces with the main device, the API providing metadata regarding content being rendered on the main device and access to control selection of what is rendered on the main device,

wherein the local application is interfaced over the internet with a remote application, the remote application configured to receive and analyze at least part of the metadata transmitted by the local application, the remote application being configured to produce companion content that relates to the content rendered on the main device;

forwarding the companion content produced by the remote application, to the local application of the secondary device for rendering the companion content on the secondary device while the content is being rendered on the main device; and

detecting changes in the content being rendered on the main device based in part on the analyzing of the metadata obtained from the local application,

wherein the companion content returned for rendering on the secondary device is refreshed based on detected changes in the content being rendered on the main device, wherein the analyzing and obtaining of companion content including the detected changes are performed without requesting user action at the secondary device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein producing companion content further includes,

performing one or more of (a) conducting a search using a search query, (b) collecting data content from a third party content provider, (c) collecting data content from a specific content provider based on the analysis of the metadata by the remote application, (d) mining data associated with one or more users to identify data content, and (e) assembling data for presentation in a specific order on the secondary device, wherein the conducting of a search, collection of data, mining of data and assembling of data is performed by the remote application without requesting user action at the secondary device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein in response to the analyzing of the metadata, the remote application obtains data from a social network service provider.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein in response to analyzing the metadata, the remote application obtains advertising data that relates to the content presented on the main device or the secondary device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein conducting a search further includes,

generating a search query based on the analysis of the metadata received from the local application executing on the secondary device;

and

obtaining search results based on the search query, the search results being included in the companion content returned to the local application by the remote application.

15. The method of claim 10, further includes providing a social network interface along with the companion content for presentation at the secondary device, the social network interface used for interaction within a social network.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein mining data further includes,

mining historical data related to one or more users to identify content associated with the third party content provider or specific content provider;

and

collecting data content from the third party or specific content providers that is related to the content rendered at the main device or the secondary device, the data content collected from any one of the third party content provider or specific content provider returned to the secondary device with the companion content for rendering.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein detecting changes further includes,

dynamically refining companion content based on the changes detected in the content during analyzing of the metadata by the remote application, the companion content reflecting the changes to the content on the main device is returned to the local application on the secondary device for rendering.

18. A system for providing companion content at a secondary device for a content being rendered on a main device, comprising:

a local application executing on the secondary device, the local application configured to,

establish a wireless connection between the secondary device and a device that interfaces with the main device, wherein the local application connects to an application programming interface (API) of the device that interfaces with the main device;

detect data associated with the content being rendered on the main device through the wireless connection, wherein the local application receives data regarding the content being rendered on the main device and access to control selection of what is being rendered on the main device through the API of the device, wherein the data includes metadata associated with the content being rendered on the main device;

process at least a portion of the metadata locally in substantial real-time;

communicate with a remote application over the internet to obtain the companion content using the metadata, wherein the remote application is configured to analyze the metadata received from the secondary device to produce companion content that relates to the content being rendered on the main device; and

render the companion content on the secondary device while the content is being rendered on the main device,

wherein the analyzing of the metadata detects changes in the content being rendered on the main device and produces changes in the companion content that is returned for rendering on the secondary device, the analyzing and obtaining of companion content including changes to the companion content are performed without requesting user action at the secondary device.

19. A system for generating companion content for a secondary device based on content being rendered on a main device having a display, comprising:

a remote application executing on a server, the remote application configured to,

detect execution of a local application on the secondary device, wherein the local application establishes a wireless communication connection between the secondary device and a device that interfaces with the main device, the local application connects to an application programming interface (API) of the device to access the device, the API of the device provides metadata regarding content being rendered on the main device and access to control selection of what is being rendered on the main device through the wireless communication connection, wherein the remote application executing on the server is interfaced with the local application executing on the secondary device over an internet;

receive the metadata from the local application executing on the secondary device in substantial real-time;

analyze at least part of the metadata received from the local application to produce companion content that relates to the content rendered on the main device;

return the companion content for the content to the local application on the secondary device for rendering in substantial real-time; and

detect changes in the content being rendered on the main device based in part on the analysis of the metadata obtained from the local application, the detection of changes in the content is reflected in the companion content being returned to the local application, wherein the companion content returned for rendering on the secondary device is refreshed based on detected changes in the content being rendered on the main device, wherein receiving the metadata, analyzing at least part of the metadata, returning the companion content and refreshing the companion content based on detecting changes to the content rendered on the main device, is carried out by the remote application without requesting user action at the secondary device.