Method and apparatus for providing online social networking for television viewing
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- determining a community of a plurality of friends of one user, each of the friends being logged in a corresponding device configured to present live audio-video content, wherein the community of the plurality of friends is defined by one or more social networks of the user;
determining presence information and feedback on a program within the audio-video content of each one of the friends in the community associated with the audio-video content, wherein the feedback includes a positive feedback symbol, a count of positive feedback on the program among the friends, a negative feedback symbol, a count of negative feedback on the program among the friends, and each of the counts is more than one and excludes feedback of the user;
embedding the feedback in program guide information;
transmitting the program guide information embedded with the feedback to a device of the user corresponding device of another one of the friends;
causing, at least in part, a presentation of a program guide on the corresponding device based on the program guide information while the device and the corresponding device are playing the program, the presentation displaying the feedback within programming information of the program guide; and
causing, at least in part, updating the presentation of the program guide on the corresponding device based on one or more changes to the feedback while the device and the corresponding device are playing the program, wherein the one or more changes to the feedback are made while the device and the corresponding device are playing the program.
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Abstract
An approach is provided for extending social networking to television viewing. A community of a plurality of users is created, wherein each user is logged in a device configured to present audio-video content. Presence information of one of the users in the community is determined and transmitted to a corresponding device of another one of the users.
30 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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determining a community of a plurality of friends of one user, each of the friends being logged in a corresponding device configured to present live audio-video content, wherein the community of the plurality of friends is defined by one or more social networks of the user; determining presence information and feedback on a program within the audio-video content of each one of the friends in the community associated with the audio-video content, wherein the feedback includes a positive feedback symbol, a count of positive feedback on the program among the friends, a negative feedback symbol, a count of negative feedback on the program among the friends, and each of the counts is more than one and excludes feedback of the user; embedding the feedback in program guide information; transmitting the program guide information embedded with the feedback to a device of the user corresponding device of another one of the friends; causing, at least in part, a presentation of a program guide on the corresponding device based on the program guide information while the device and the corresponding device are playing the program, the presentation displaying the feedback within programming information of the program guide; and causing, at least in part, updating the presentation of the program guide on the corresponding device based on one or more changes to the feedback while the device and the corresponding device are playing the program, wherein the one or more changes to the feedback are made while the device and the corresponding device are playing the program. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus comprising:
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a processor configured to execute, a social networking module configured to determine a community of a plurality of friends of one user, each of the friends being logged in a corresponding device configured to present live audio-video content, wherein the community of the plurality of friends is defined by one or more social networks of the user; a presence module configured to determine presence information and feedback on a program within the audio-video content of each one of the friends in the community associated with the audio-video content, and configured to embed the feedback in program guide information, wherein the feedback includes a positive feedback symbol, a count of positive feedback on the program among the friends, a negative feedback symbol, a count of negative feedback on the program among the friends, and each of the counts is more than one and excludes feedback of the user; a communication module configured to transmit the program guide information embedded with the feedback to a device of the user; a presentation module configured to cause, at least in part, a presentation of a program guide on the device based on the program guide information while the device and the corresponding device are playing the program, the presentation displaying the feedback within programming information of the program guide; and a updating module configured to cause, at least in part, updating the presentation of the program guide on the corresponding device based on one or more changes to the feedback while the device and the corresponding device are playing the program, wherein the one or more changes to the feedback are made while the device and the corresponding device are playing the program. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method comprising:
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joining, by a set-top box, a community of set-top boxes that are configured to present live audio-video content; receiving, at the set-top box, presence information and feedback on a program within the audio-video content of friends of a user of the set-top box, wherein the feedback is embedded in program guide information, wherein the friends are defined by one or more social networks of the user, wherein the feedback includes a positive feedback symbol, a count of positive feedback on the program among the friends, a negative feedback symbol, a count of negative feedback on the program among the friends, and each of the counts is more than one and excludes feedback of the user; presenting, at the set-top box, the program guide information embedded with the feedback for the user; transmitting, from the set-top box, an invitation of the user to some of the friends in the community to watch the audio-video content; causing, at least in part by the set-top box, a presentation of a program guide on corresponding devices of the some friends based on the program guide information while the device and the corresponding device are playing the program, the presentation displaying the feedback within programming information of the program guide; and causing, at least in part by the set-top box, updating the presentation of the program guide on the corresponding devices based on one or more changes to the feedback while the device and the corresponding devices are playing the program, wherein the one or more changes to the feedback are made while the device and the corresponding devices are playing the program, wherein each of the devices of the invited friends is configured to automatically respond to the invitation according to a predetermined criterion associated with the respective friend, wherein the association of the predetermined criterion with the respective friend is preconfigured in the device by the respective friend. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A set-top box apparatus comprising:
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a processor configured to join a community of set-top boxes that are configured to present live audio-video content; a communication interface configured to receive presence information and feedback on a program within the audio-video content of friends of a user of the set-top box, wherein the feedback is embedded in program guide information, wherein the friends are defined by one or more social networks of the user, wherein the feedback includes a positive feedback symbol, a count of positive feedback on the program among the friends, a negative feedback symbol, a count of negative feedback on the program among the friends, and each of the counts is more than one and excludes feedback of the user; a presentation module configured to the present the program guide information embedded with the feedback for the user, and to transmit an invitation of the user to one or more of the friends in the community to watch the audio- video content, wherein the presentation module is further configured to cause, at least in part, a presentation of the program guide on the corresponding device based on the program guide information while the device and the corresponding device are playing the program, the presentation displaying the feedback within programming information of the program guide; and a updating module configured to cause, at least in part, updating the presentation of the program guide on the corresponding device based on one or more changes to the feedback while the device and the corresponding device are playing the program, wherein the one or more changes to the feedback are made while the device and the corresponding device are playing the program, wherein each of the devices of the invited friends is configured to automatically respond to the invitation according to a predetermined criterion associated with the respective friend, wherein the association of the predetermined criterion with the respective friend is preconfigured in the device by the respective friend. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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Specification