Providing user communication

• US 9,071,729 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2007
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pickelsimer, Lisa A., Gathen, Mark, Musick, Joshua, Fabricant, Robert, Werner, David, Zeldis, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Ricky
• Application Number:
  US11/651,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20080168506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,094 Days
• Field of Search: 725/61, 725/112, 725/141
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• 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 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing user communication. First an invitation input may be received from a first user. The invitation input may comprise a recommendation to a second user to take an action regarding content to be delivered over a content delivery system. Then, the invitation input may be transmitted to the second user. Next, an acceptance input may be received from the second user. The acceptance input may comprise an acceptance to the invitation input. The acceptance input may then be transmitted to the first user in response to receiving the acceptance input.

Claims

1. A method for providing user communication, the method comprising:

receiving, at a communication processor, in response to a selection of a key on a remote control device associated with the first user, one of a set of commands for transmitting an invitation input from the first user to a second user, wherein the set of commands is defined by the first user using a portion of a plurality of selectable elements, wherein each of the set of commands is assigned an unique key on the remote control device, wherein the invitation input comprising a recommendation to a second user to take an action regarding content being provided to the first user, the recommendation comprising an attachment having a portion of the content and a pointer to a specific location within the content, wherein the invitation input further comprising instructions for the communication processor for processing the invitation input, the instructions comprising an address and a date and a time to deliver the invitation input to the second user;

processing, by the communication processor, the invitation input, wherein processing the invitation input comprises;

storing the invitation input for later retrieval, at the communication processor, based on the date and time to deliver the invitation input, and

determining a status of the second user, wherein determining the status comprises determining whether the second user is available to receive the invitation input;

wherein determining whether the second user is available to receive the invitation input comprises determining whether the second user has blocked the first user, and storing the invitation input, in response to the second user blocking the first user, for later retrieval; and

transmitting the invitation input to the second user based on the determined status.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the invitation input comprises receiving the invitation input over a content delivery system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the invitation input comprises receiving the invitation input from a first user device comprising one of the following:

a network interface unit, a residential gateway, a set-top box, a terminal unit, a scrambler/descrambler, a digital storage media unit, a control device, a television, an LCD screen, a cable modem, a computer, and a projection unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the invitation input from the first user, the invitation input comprising the recommendation, comprises receiving the invitation input from the first user, the invitation input comprising the recommendation comprising at least one of the following:

a recommendation to view a program, a recommendation to jump to the program, a recommendation to record the program, and a reminder regarding the program.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the invitation input from the first user, the invitation input comprising the recommendation to the second user to take the action regarding the content to be delivered, comprises receiving the invitation input from the first user, the invitation input comprising the recommendation to the second user to take the action regarding the content to be delivered over a content delivery system comprising one of the following:

a full-duplex, two-way broadband network, a hybrid fiber-coax (HFC) network, a data network, the internet, cable television network, and a telecommunications network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the invitation input from the first user, the invitation input comprising the recommendation to the second user to take the action regarding the content to be delivered, comprises receiving the invitation input from the first user, the invitation input comprising the recommendation to the second user to take the action regarding the content comprising one of the following:

a broadcast multimedia service, a high-definition multimedia service, a digital television multimedia service, an analog multimedia service, a Video-on-Demand service, a streaming video, a multimedia messaging service, a voice over IP service, an interactive multimedia service, and an e-mail service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the invitation input comprises transmitting the invitation input over a content delivery system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the invitation input comprises transmitting the invitation input from a second user device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the invitation input comprises transmitting the invitation input to a second user device comprising one of the following:

a network interface unit, a residential gateway, a set-top box, a terminal unit, a scrambler/descrambler, a digital storage media unit, a control device, a television, an LCD screen, a cable modem, a computer, and a projection unit.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the invitation input comprises transmitting the invitation input to a second user device configured to store the invitation input in a database associated with the second user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an acceptance input from the second user, the acceptance input comprising an acceptance to the invitation input; and

transmitting the acceptance input to the first user in response to receiving the acceptance input.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the second user is available to receive the invitation input comprises determining whether the second user is not available to accept the invitation input, and wherein transmitting the invitation input comprises transmitting the invitation input, in response to the second user not being available, to an alternate address associated with the second user.

13. A method for providing user communication, the method comprising:

providing content to a first user and a second user;

receiving a first input from the first user, the first input being selected by the first user from a button on a remote control, the button on the remote control being configured to trigger one of a set of commands for transmitting an invitation input to a second user, the set of commands being predefined by the first user using a portion of a plurality of selectable elements, the set of commands associated with communicating information regarding the content being provided to the first user at a time the first input is received from the first user, wherein each one of the set of commands is assigned an unique key on the remote control device, wherein receiving the invitation input from the first user comprises receiving an attachment with the invitation input, and wherein the attachment comprises a portion of the content and a pointer to a specific location within the content, wherein the invitation input further comprising instructions for a communication processor for handling the invitation input, the instructions comprising an address for the second user, and a date and a time to deliver the invitation input to the second user;

processing, by the communication processor, the invitation input, wherein processing the invitation input comprises;

storing the invitation input for later retrieval, at the communication processor, based on the date and time to deliver the invitation input, and determining a status of the second user, wherein determining the status comprises determining whether the second user is available to receive the invitation input;

wherein determining whether the second user is available to receive the invitation input comprises determining whether the second user has blocked the first user, and storing the invitation input, in response to the second user blocking the first user, for later retrieval; and

requesting permission from the second user to add the second user to the first user'"'"'s input set.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving the invitation input from the first user, the invitation input comprising an invitation from the first user to the second user for the second user to interact contemporaneously with the first user in response to at least the portion of the content;

transmitting the invitation input to the second user;

receiving an acceptance input from the second user, the acceptance input comprising an acceptance to the invitation; and

transmitting the acceptance input to the first user in response to receiving the acceptance input.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving the invitation input from the first user, the invitation input comprising the invitation, further comprises receiving the invitation input from the first user wherein the invitation comprises at least one of the following:

a username of the second user, a service location of the second user, a system identification of the second user, an e-mail address of the second user, and an account number of the second user.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving the invitation input from the first user further comprises receiving the invitation input comprising at least one of the following:

a request to the second user for the second user to be added to the first user'"'"'s input set, a content recommendation, a content tuning instruction, a message, and a content recording instruction.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving the first input comprises receiving the first input wherein at least one of the plurality of selectable elements corresponds to a personal expression.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving the first input comprises receiving the first input wherein the at least one of the plurality of selectable elements comprises at least one of the following:

an emotional icon, an alphanumeric shorthand text, and an avatar.

19. A system for providing user communication, the system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

provide content to a first user;

receive an input from the first user, the input being associated with a button on a remote control, the button being configured to activate one of a plurality of input commands for transmitting an invitation input to a second user, the plurality of input commands defined by the first user using a portion of a plurality of selectable elements, the plurality of input commands being associated with transmitting information associated with the content provided to the first user at a time the input from the first user is received, wherein each of the plurality of input commands is assigned an unique key on the remote control device;

activate, in response to receiving the first input, an input set associated with transmitting the invitation input from the first user to a second user defined by the input set, the input set comprising an input of a username, a password, a message, and at least one recipient, the invitation input comprising a recommendation to a second user to take an action regarding the content to be delivered over a content delivery system, the recommendation comprising an attachment having a portion of the content and a pointer to a specific location within the content;

process the invitation input, wherein processing the invitation input comprises;

storing the invitation input for later retrieval, at the communication unit, based on the date and time to deliver the invitation input, and

determining a status of the second user, wherein determining the status comprises determining whether the second user is available to receive the invitation input;

wherein determining whether the second user is available to receive the invitation input comprises determining whether the second user has blocked the first user, and storing the invitation input, in response to the second user blocking the first user, for later retrieval;

attach the content to be delivered to the invitation input; and

transmit a request for permission from the second user to add the second user as contact of the first user'"'"'s input set.