Television integrated chat and presence systems and methods

• US 9,178,719 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2011
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Angiolillo, Joel S., Boni, Piotr
• Primary Examiner(s): Saltarelli, Dominic D
• Application Number:
  US13/069,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20110173672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,686 Days
• Field of Search: 725/118
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2408 Monitoring of the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. client requests monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• 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 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/442 Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed, the storage space available from the internal hard disk arrangements for monitoring broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/29; arrangements for identifying or recognising characteristics with a direct linkage to broadcast information H04H60/35; monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; monitoring in wireless networks H04W24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An enhanced television system which enables users to communicate using a television, both via messaging and telephone. Users or the system may create a buddy list. Users may send and receive program information to and from each other, and change programs based on received information. The system may maintain information regarding a user'"'"'s presence on the system, availability for messaging, and television viewing.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

transmitting, by a first device, a signal for providing a video transmission to a first user at a second device;

detecting, by the first device, a start of a commercial break within a channel of content included within the video transmission;

modifying, by the first device, based on detecting the start of the commercial break, and without input from the first user, presence status information of the first user to create first modified presence status information,

the first modified presence status information indicating an unavailability of the first user to receive a communication from a second user during the commercial break;

generating, by the first device, a signal for transmitting a first notification to the second user,

the first notification comprising the first modified presence status information and first information identifying the first user;

modifying, by the first device and based on detecting an end of the commercial break, and without input from the first user, the first modified presence status information to create second modified presence status information,

the second modified presence status information indicating an availability of the first user to receive the communication from the second user; and

generating, by the first device, a signal for transmitting a second notification to the second user,

the second notification comprising the second modified presence status information.

2. The method of claim 1, where the method further comprises:

detecting a completion of a voice communications session,

the first user being unavailable to receive the communication from the second user during the voice communications session; and

modifying, based on detecting the completion of the voice communication session, the presence status information to indicate an availability of the first user to receive the communication from the second user.

3. The method of claim 1, where the second device is a set top box.

4. The method of claim 1, where

the video transmission comprises a television program, and

the method further comprises:

detecting a change in the television program; and

modifying the presence status information based on the detected change.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a period of inactivity of the first user;

determining whether the period of inactivity exceeds a particular period of time; and

modifying, when the period of inactivity exceeds the particular period of time, the presence status information to indicate an unavailability of the first user to receive the communication from the second user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the communication from the second user,

the communication comprising a message directed to the first user and second information identifying the first user;

determining, based on the second modified presence status information, that the first user is available to receive the communication; and

generating, based on determining that the first user is available to receive the communication, a signal to transmit the communication to the first user.

7. The method of claim 1, where the first notification comprises an invitation to the second user to view the video transmission.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the first information identifying the first user and the first modified presence status information in a database.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an interaction of the first user with at least one of a mobile communication device, a personal computer, or an appliance; and

modifying, based on detecting the interaction, the second modified presence status information to create third modified presence status information,

the third modified presence status information indicating the unavailability of the first user to receive the communication from the second user.

10. A device comprising:

a memory to store instructions; and

a processor to execute the instructions to;

transmit a signal for providing a video transmission to a first user at another device;

detect a start of a commercial break within a channel of content included within the video transmission;

modify, based on detecting the start of the commercial break and without input from the first user, presence status information of the first user to create first modified presence status information,

the first modified presence status information indicating an unavailability of the first user to receive a communication from a second user during the commercial break;

generate a signal for transmitting a first notification to the second user,

the first notification comprising the first modified presence status information and first information identifying the first user;

modify based on detecting an end of the commercial break and without input from the first user, the first modified presence status information to create second modified presence status information,

the second modified presence status information indicating an availability of the first user to receive the communication from the second user; and

generate a signal for transmitting a second notification to the second user, the second notification comprising the second modified presence status information.

11. The device of claim 10, where the processor is further to:

detect a completion of a voice communications session,

the first user being unavailable to receive the communication from the second user during the voice communications session; and

modify, based on detecting the completion of the voice communication session, the presence status information to indicate an availability of the first user to receive the communication from the second user.

12. The device of claim 10, where the video transmission comprises a television program, and

the processor is further to:

detect a change in the television program; and

modify the presence status information based on the detected change.

13. The device of claim 10, where the processor is further to:

detect a period of inactivity of the first user;

determine whether the period of inactivity exceeds a particular period of time; and

modify, when the period of inactivity exceeds the particular period of time, the presence status information to indicate an unavailability of the first user to receive the communication from the second user.

14. The device of claim 10, where the processor is further to:

receive the communication from the second user,

the communication comprising a message directed to the first user and second information identifying the first user;

determine, based on the second modified presence status information, that the first user is available to receive the communication; and

generate, based on determining that the first user is available to receive the communication, a signal to transmit the communication to the first user.

15. The device of claim 10, where the processor is further to:

detect an interaction of the first user with at least one of a mobile communication device, a personal computer, or an appliance; and

modify, based on detecting the interaction, the second modified presence status information to create third modified presence status information,

the third modified presence status information indicating the unavailability of the first user to receive the communication from the second user.

16. The device of claim 10, where the first notification comprises an invitation to the second user to view the video transmission.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions which, when execute by a processor of a first device, cause the processor to;

transmit a signal for providing a video transmission to a first user at a second device;

detect a start of a commercial break within a channel of content included within the video transmission;

modify, based on detecting the start of the commercial break and without input from the first user, presence status of the first user to create first modified presence status information,

the first modified presence status information indicating an unavailability of the first user to receive a communication from a second user during the commercial break;

generate a signal for transmitting a first notification to the second user,

the first notification comprising the first modified presence status information and first information identifying the first user;

modify based on detecting an end of the commercial break and without input from the first user, the first modified presence status information to create second modified presence status information,

the second modified presence status information indicating an availability of the first user to receive the communication from the second user; and

generate a signal for transmitting a second notification to the second user, the second notification comprising the second modified presence status information.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, where the instructions further include:

one or more instructions to detect a completion of a voice communications session,

the first user being unavailable to receive the communication from the second user during the voice communications session; and

one or more instructions to modify, based on detecting the completion of the voice communications session, the presence status information to indicate an availability of the first user to receive the communication from the second user.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, where

the video transmission comprises a television program, and

the instructions further include:

one or more instructions to detect a change in the television program; and

one or more instructions to modify the presence status information based on the detected change.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, where the instructions further include:

one or more instructions to detect a period of inactivity of the first user;

one or more instructions to determine whether the period of inactivity exceeds a particular period of time; and

one or more instructions to modify, when the period of inactivity exceeds the particular period of time, the presence status information to indicate an unavailability of the first user to receive the communication from the second user.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, where the instructions further include:

one or more instructions to receive the communication from the second user,

the communication comprising a message directed to the first user and second information identifying the first user;

one or more instructions to determine, based on the second modified presence status information, that the first user is available to receive the communication; and

one or more instructions to generate, based on determining that the first user is available to receive the communication, a signal to transmit the communication to the first user.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, where the instructions further include:

one or more instructions to detect an interaction of the first user with at least one of a mobile communication device, a personal computer, or an appliance; and

one or more instructions to modify, based on detecting the interaction, the second modified presence status information to create third modified presence status information,

the third modified presence status information indicating the unavailability of the first user to receive the communication from the second user.