Moderated interactive media sessions

• US 9,148,630 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2012
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Morris, Scott, Malik, Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Goodarzi, Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ocak, Adil
• Application Number:
  US13/517,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20120304222A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method includes receiving input data from user devices having access to media content of a media stream that is responsive to at least a subset of the input data. The input data may correspond to one or more user inputs received from the user devices via an interactive session associated with the media content. The method further includes selecting a particular subset of the input data based at least in part on one or more inputs received from a device. The one or more inputs may be responsive to selection of one or more input controls of a moderator control graphical user interface. The method further includes sending an adapted media stream to the user devices. The adapted media stream may include the media content and content corresponding to the particular subset of the input data.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing, to a first device of a first plurality of devices, first media content of a first media stream, wherein the first plurality of devices includes a first group of devices and a second group of devices, wherein each device of the second group of devices is distinct from each device of the first group of devices, wherein the first media content is associated with a first interactive session, and wherein the first plurality of devices is associated with the first interactive session;

receiving, from a second device associated with the first interactive session, a first control input associated with the first media stream, wherein the first control input is received via a first moderator control graphical user interface of the second device, wherein the first control input identifies the first device to be included in the first group of devices and excluded from the second group of devices, and wherein first inputs received from the first group of devices are identified for inclusion in an updated first media stream, wherein second inputs received from the second group of devices are identified to be excluded from the updated first media stream; and

sending the updated first media stream to each device of the first plurality of devices, wherein the updated first media stream includes;

the first media content;

the first inputs, wherein the first inputs are included in the updated first media stream based the first control input and the first group of devices, wherein the first inputs include a particular input provided by the first device based on the first device being included in the first group of devices, and wherein the second inputs are excluded from the updated first media stream; and

a plurality of avatars associated with the first group of devices, wherein the plurality of avatars includes a first avatar associated with the first device, wherein the first avatar is associated with the particular input in the updated first media stream, wherein the first avatar is responsive to a specified condition associated with the first media content, wherein, when media content is a sporting event, the specified condition is a score change, and wherein, when the first media content is one of a movie and a television program, the specified condition is a tone change, a mood change, or both.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular input includes a user comment, supplementary media content, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first interactive session supports a graphical user interface that is displayed at each device of the plurality of devices, and wherein the first control input is received in response to a selection of a control button included in the first moderator control graphical user interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first control input includes rating information that indicates a rating associated with the particular input, wherein the rating is based on a quality of a particular comment included in the particular input, a quantity of comments provided by the first device, or a combination thereof, and wherein the particular input is included in the updated first media stream based on the rating information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first control input includes filter information that indicates a filter to be applied to the particular input, the filter based on a content category, wherein the particular input is selected based on application of the filter, and wherein the content category is associated with profanity content, adult content, age-restricted content, or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of devices includes the second device, and wherein the first device is included in the second group of devices prior to being included in the first group of devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first moderator control graphical user interface displays the second inputs received from the second group of devices, wherein, when the first device is included in the first group of devices, inputs received from the first device are included in the first media stream without moderator interaction.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, to a third device of a second plurality of devices, second media content of a second media stream, wherein the second media content is associated with a second interactive session, and wherein the second plurality of devices are associated with the second interactive session; and

receiving, from the second device associated with the second interactive session, a second control input associated with the second media stream, wherein the second control input is received via a second moderator control graphical user interface of the second device, and wherein the first interactive session occurs concurrently with the second interactive session.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising sending a second updated media stream to the second plurality of devices, the second updated media stream including the second media content and second content based on the second control input.

18. The method of claim 8, wherein the first moderator graphical user interface is displayed on a first display region of the second device, wherein the second moderator graphical user interface is displayed on a second display region of the second device, wherein the first media content is a program, wherein the first interactive session is concurrent with the program in response to selection of the first interactive session, and wherein a second interactive session is concurrent with the program in response to selection of the second interactive session.

10. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory accessible to the processor, the memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising;

sending, to a first device, display data associated an electronic program guide, wherein the electronic program guide is associated with a plurality of media content items, wherein a particular entry of the electronic programming guide is associated with a particular media content item of the plurality of media content items, and wherein multiple interactive sessions associated with the particular media content item are identified in the particular entry;

receiving, from the first device, a selection of a particular interactive session of the multiple interactive sessions;

receiving input data from a plurality of devices that includes the first device, wherein a media stream associated with the particular interactive session is sent to each device of the plurality of devices, wherein the media stream is associated with the particular entry, wherein the media stream is responsive to a subset of the input data, and wherein the input data is received via the particular interactive session associated with the particular media content item;

selecting a particular input based on a control input received from a second device associated with the particular interactive session, wherein the control input is received via a moderator control graphical user interface of the second device; and

sending, to the first media device, a modified media stream including the particular media content item, the particular input, and a plurality of avatars associated with the plurality of devices, wherein the plurality of avatars includes a first avatar associated with the first device, wherein the first avatar is associated with the particular input in the updated first media stream, wherein the first avatar is responsive to a specified condition associated with the particular media content item, wherein, when media content is a sporting event, the specified condition is a score change, and wherein, when the first media content is one of a movie and a television program, the specified condition is a tone change, a mood change, or both.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise sending a second updated media stream to the second plurality of devices, the second updated media stream including the second media content and second content based on the second control input.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing, to a third device of a second plurality of devices, second media content of a second media stream, wherein the second media content is associated with a second interactive session, and wherein the second plurality of devices are associated with the second interactive session; and

receiving, from the second device associated with the second interactive session, a second control input associated with the second media stream, wherein the second control input is received via a second moderator control graphical user interface of the second device, and wherein the first interactive session occurs concurrently with the second interactive session.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of devices is associated with the particular interactive session, wherein the control input identifies the first device to be included in a first group of devices of the plurality of devices, wherein inputs received from the group of devices are included in the particular interactive session, wherein second inputs received from a second group of devices are excluded from the modified media stream, wherein each device of the second group of devices is distinct from each device of the first group of devices, and wherein the operations further comprise sending the modified media stream to each device of the plurality of devices.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the display data includes first profile information of a first moderator of the particular interactive session, wherein the first profile information identifies a previous interactive session moderated by the first moderator, wherein the display data includes second profile information of a second moderator of a second interactive session of the multiple interactive sessions, and wherein the first interactive session and the second interactive session are associated with the particular media content item.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the display data includes first sponsor information associated with a first sponsor of the particular interactive session, wherein the display data includes second sponsor information of a second sponsor of a second interactive session of the multiple interactive sessions, and wherein the first interactive session and the second interactive session are associated with the particular media content item.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the display data includes first fee information associated with initiating the particular interactive session, wherein the display data includes second fee information associated with initiating a second interactive session of the multiple interactive sessions, and wherein the first interactive session and the second interactive session are associated with the particular media content item.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the display data includes first affiliation information that indicates a first organization corresponding to the particular interactive session, wherein the display data includes second affiliation information that indicates a second organization corresponding to a second interactive session of the multiple interactive sessions, and wherein the first interactive session and the second interactive session are associated with the particular media content item.

19. A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

sending, to a first device, display data associated an electronic program guide, wherein the electronic program guide is associated with a plurality of media content items, wherein a particular entry of the electronic programming guide is associated with a particular media content item of the plurality of media content items, and wherein multiple interactive sessions associated with the particular media content item are identified in the particular entry;

receiving, from the first device, a selection of a particular interactive session of the multiple interactive sessions;

receiving input data from a plurality of devices that includes the first device, wherein a media stream associated with the particular interactive session is sent to each device of the plurality of devices, wherein the media stream is associated with the particular entry, wherein the media stream is responsive to a subset of the input data, and wherein the input data is received via the particular interactive session associated with the particular media content item;

selecting a particular input based on a control input received from a second device associated with the particular interactive session, wherein the control input is received via a moderator control graphical user interface of the second device; and

sending, to the first media device, a modified media stream including the particular media content item, the particular input, and a plurality of avatars associated with the plurality of devices, wherein the plurality of avatars includes a first avatar associated with the first device, wherein the first avatar is associated with the particular input in the updated first media stream, wherein the first avatar is responsive to a specified condition associated with the particular media content item, wherein, when media content is a sporting event, the specified condition is a score change, and wherein, when the first media content is one of a movie and a television program, the specified condition is a tone change, a mood change, or both.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing, to each device of the plurality of devices, the media stream including the particular media content item associated with the particular interactive session;

receiving, from a second device associated with the particular interactive session, a second control input associated with the media stream, wherein the second control input includes a moderator comment; and

sending an updated media stream to each device of the plurality of devices, wherein the updated media stream includes the particular media content item and the moderator comment.