Method and apparatus for browsing using alternative linkbases

• US 8,813,125 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2011
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Convergent Media Solutions LLC (Strategic Intellectual Solutions, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Convergent Media Solutions LLC (Strategic Intellectual Solutions, LLC)
• Inventors: Reisman, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Chung, Jason J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Sumaiya A
• Application Number:
  US13/094,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20110219419A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 725/34, 725/44, 725109-110, 725/45, 715/733, 715/751, 709/204, 709/217
• US Class Current: 725/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2216/15 Synchronised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/426 Receiver side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/93 which locates resources of other pieces of information, e.g. URL [Uniform Resource Locator]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2358 for generating different versions, e.g. for different recipient devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25 Management operations performed by the server for facilitating the content distribution or administrating data related to end-users or client devices, e.g. end-user or client device authentication, learning user preferences for recommending movies maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4113 PC
• 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 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 : embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 : Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 : User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 : involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• 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 21/4358 : for generating different versions, e.g. for different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 : Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 : involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440263 : by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for displaying on a connected PDA
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 : Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 : involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 : Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 : for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 : for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47208 : for requesting near-video-on-demand content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 : for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 : Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• 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 21/6175 : involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6193 : involving transmission via a satellite arrangements for data linking, networking or transporting, or for controlling an end to end session in a satellite broadcast system H04B7/18526
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 : Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 : Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 : End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/85 : Assembly of content; Generation of multimedia applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 : using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 : Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8583 : by creating hot-spots
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 : by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods for navigating hypermedia using multiple coordinated input/output device sets. Disclosed systems and methods allow a user and/or an author to control what resources are presented on which device sets (whether they are integrated or not), and provide for coordinating browsing activities to enable such a user interface to be employed across multiple independent systems. Disclosed systems and methods also support new and enriched aspects and applications of hypermedia browsing and related business activities.

Claims

1. A method implemented by computer software when executing on a programmed computer system, for use in a context of a presentation of a particular media program to a particular user, the method comprising:

using, via the programmed computer system, a resolver service that enables provisioning of social community services to be based on an identity of the particular media program;

facilitating, via the programmed computer system, the particular user to select a particular one of a plurality of different social community services that maintain independent ongoing service relationships with respective non-identical populations of users who are members of the respective independent social community services, wherein at least one of the different social community services is operated independently of a provider of the resolver service, and wherein each independent social community service enables members of its respective user-member population to use at least one social communications service application that serves all or any portion of the respective user-member population; and

the resolver service facilitating the particular user to, via the programmed computer system, use the particular social community service to enable the particular user to communicate during the presentation of the particular media program with a sub-community of other users that are user-members of the particular social community service and for whom the resolver service is aware that they are being presented the particular media program.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular media program comprises a video program.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the video program is presented to the particular user on a television set.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising facilitating presentation of enhancement content related to the video program at a computerized device set independent of the television set.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the computerized device set is a member of a group consisting of a tablet computer, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a hand-held computer, a PDA and a cellular telephone.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the enhancement content comprises social communications from the sub-community of other users.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising facilitating presentation of enhancement content related to the video program at a computerized device set comprising the television set.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-defined sub-community of other users comprises users contained in a user-defined buddy list that includes a list of users individually selected by the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular media program is presented to the particular user on a first device set that is independent of the programmed computer system.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the particular user to access a web server that provides enhancement content related to the particular media program.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the enhancement content comprises social communications related to the particular media program and at least one other form of enhancement content that is not based on content that is input by users.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one social communications service application comprises an interactive messaging service accessed via the web server, wherein the interactive messaging service facilitates interactive messaging between the particular user and the sub-community of other users.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the users within the sub-community of other users are in communication with the web server during the presentation of the particular media program.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the enhancement content comprises social communications related to the particular media program and at least one other form of enhancement content is based on editorial content provided by a party outside of the sub-community of other users.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one social communications service application facilitates at least one of interactive messaging or chat between the particular user and the sub-community of other users.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the web server comprises a portal service that provides enhancement content resources for each of a plurality of different programs in addition to the particular media program.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, via the programmed computer system, information from the particular media program;

providing, via the programmed computer system, the obtained information to an automatic content recognition service to facilitate determination of the identity of the particular media program;

facilitating, via the programmed computer system, presentation of first enhancement content related to the particular media program, at a first time, based upon the determined identity of the particular media program; and

facilitating, via the programmed computer system, presentation of second enhancement content related to the particular media program, at a second time, based upon the determined identity of the particular media program, without any required user action between the first time and the second time,

wherein the obtained information is not trigger information provided by one of a program producer or program distributor that specifies that enhancement content is to be provided corresponding to a particular time position, and,

wherein the presentations of the first enhancement content and the second enhancement content are coordinated in time with the presentation of the particular media program.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, via the programmed computer system, information from the particular media program;

providing, via the programmed computer system, the obtained information to an automatic content recognition service to facilitate determination of the identity of the particular media program; and

facilitating, via the programmed computer system, presentation of enhancement content related to the particular media program, based upon the determined identity of the particular media program,

wherein the obtained information is not trigger information provided by one of a program producer or program distributor that specifies that enhancement content is to be provided corresponding to a particular time position, and,

wherein the presentation of the enhancement content is coordinated in time with the presentation of the particular media program.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one social communications service application facilitates bulletin board posting.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining, via the programmed computer system, presence information indicating whether members of a user-defined group are currently being presented the program.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining via the programmed computer system a plurality of program context parameters relating to the presentation of the particular media program to the particular user including a first program context parameter that is an indication of an identity of the particular media program and a second program context parameter that is an indication of a current time position in the presentation of the particular media program,

wherein the first and second program context parameters are separate and distinct, and

using the second program context parameter to relate communications by the particular user to the current time position.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular media program is presented at a first device set and the facilitating the particular user to access is performed at a second device set.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one social communications service application allows real time communications relating to the particular media program.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one social communications service application allows non-real time communications relating to the particular media program.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the sub-community of other users have been presented the particular media program at the same position at the same real time within a tolerance for delays or artifacts relating to at least one of network transmission or transport control operations.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular media program is presented to the particular user on a first device set, and the facilitating the particular user to access is performed by a second device set comprising the programmed computer system.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the sub-community of other users is further limited to a set of users that are individually selected by the particular user.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically associating a communication between the particular user and at least one user within the sub-community of other users.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular media program comprises a continuous media resource.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the sub-community of other users is further limited in accordance with at least one selection criteria specified by the particular user.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the presentations of the particular media program to the particular user and to the sub-community of other users are synchronized in real time within a tolerance for delays or artifacts relating to at least one of network transmission or transport control operations.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular media program is presented to the particular user in such a way that there is synchronicity in virtual time, wherein synchronicity in virtual time is with respect to time position in viewing a time-shifted version of the particular media program as viewed by each other user, irrespective of whether there is also synchronicity in real time.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein the sub-community of other users comprises a user-defined sub-community of other users.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein a message sent by the particular user is transmitted only to those users within the user-defined sub-community.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the sub-community of other users comprises users who are members of a list associated with the user.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the user-defined sub-community of other users comprises users contained in a user-defined buddy list that includes a list of users individually selected by the user.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein a message sent by the particular user is transmitted only to those users within the user-defined sub-community of other users.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the user-defined sub-community of other users comprises users who are members of a list associated with the user.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein the user-defined sub-community of other users is further limited in accordance with at least one selection criteria specified by the particular user.

40. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication with the sub-community of other users is further limited to user communications selected based on a user-controlled scope of synchronicity matching, wherein the synchronicity matching is based on a scope specified in terms of a range of virtual viewing times, to include only messages entered during segments of the program that fall within the specified range.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the specified range of virtual viewing times is a range of times within the particular media program or across multiple episodes of the particular media program.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the specified range of virtual viewing times is within a range of episodes of the particular media program.

43. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing the particular user to select more than one of the plurality of social community services.

44. The method of claim 1, wherein at the at least one social communications service application facilitates at least one of polls, contests, or surveys.

45. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the social community service operators is also a provider of the computer software.

46. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recognizing a member identity of one of the social community services as an identity of the particular user.

47. A programmed computer system comprising:

at least one processor to;

use a resolver service that enables provisioning of social community services to be based on an identity of a particular media program;

facilitate a particular user to select a particular one of a plurality of different social community services that maintain independent ongoing service relationships with respective non-identical populations of users who are members of the respective independent social community services, wherein at least one of the different social community services is operated independently of a provider of the resolver service, and wherein each independent social community service enables members of its respective user-member population to use at least one social communications service application that serves all or any portion of the respective user-member population; and

facilitate, via the resolver service, the particular user to use the particular social community service to enable the particular user to communicate during the presentation of the particular media program with a sub-community of other users that are user-members of the particular social community service and for whom the resolver service is aware that they are being presented the particular media program.

48. An article comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium having instructions stored thereon executable by a programmed computer system to;

use a resolver service that enables provisioning of social community services to be based on an identity of a particular media program;

facilitate a particular user to select a particular one of a plurality of different social community services that maintain independent ongoing service relationships with respective non-identical populations of users who are members of the respective independent social community services, wherein at least one of the different social community services is operated independently of a provider of the resolver service, and wherein each independent social community service enables members of its respective user-member population to use at least one social communications service application that serves all or any portion of the respective user-member population; and

facilitate, via the resolver service, the particular user to use the particular social community service to enable the particular user to communicate during the presentation of the particular media program with a sub-community of other users that are user-members of the particular social community service and for whom the resolver service is aware that they are being presented the particular media program.