Performing social networking functions using matrix codes

• US 9,092,830 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2014
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Gomez, Mark H., Anguiano, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): St Cyr, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US14/179,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20140158762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/383, 235/454, 235/462.1, 235/462.45
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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, 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, by a matrix code reader, a matrix code included in an instance of content output by a content receiver, wherein the matrix code includes identifying information and a network address of a social network service;

obtaining, by the matrix code reader, user information associated with the social network service;

prompting, by the matrix code reader, for additional information in order to transmit at least one instruction to perform at least one social network service function; and

transmitting the at least one instruction to perform at least one social network service function, by the matrix code reader, to the social network service based at least on the identifying information and the network address and when the additional information is received by the matrix code reader.

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

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

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

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user information associated with the social network service is stored by the 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 matrix code.

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

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing at least one of decoding the matrix code by the matrix code reader or transmitting the matrix code from the matrix code reader to a 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 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 instance of content, scheduling at least one event associated with the instance of content, posting at least one review of the instance of content, or submitting a request to join a group associated with the instance of content.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving by the matrix code reader the additional information.

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 identifying information and a network address of a social network service; 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 the social network service;

at least one input/output component that prompts for and receives additional information via user-input to confirm intent to transmit to the social network service at least one instruction to perform at least one social network service function; and

at least one communication component;

wherein the at least one processing unit transmits the at least one instruction to perform at least one social network service function to the social network service via the at least one communication component, based at least on the identifying information, the additional information, and the network address of the social network service.

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 social network 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 information identifying the at least one instance of content.

15. The system of claim 11, the at least one instruction to perform at least one social network service function 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, scheduling at least one event associated with 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 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.