Sharing television and video programming through social networking

• US 9,386,354 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2012
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Archibong, Ime, Campbell, Colin Cameron Brennan, Daniel, Robert, Garcia, David Harry, Haugen, Austin, Heynen, Mark, Krausz, Brian, Toksvig, Michael John McKenzie, Tseng, Erick, Wong, Yoon Kean
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, William J
• Application Number:
  US13/692,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20140067961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/532 Query formulation, e.g. graphical querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1089 by adding media; by removing media
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 : Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23 : Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23418 : involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics television picture signal circuitry for scene change detection H04N5/147; filtering for image enhancement G06T5/00; methods or arrangements for recognising scenes G06V20/00; arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 : involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 : Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 : Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 : Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 : Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 : being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 : for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 : Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/278 : Content descriptor database or directory service for end-user access details of content or meta data based information retrieval of video data in video databases G06F16/739
• 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 21/41407 : embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 : PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 : Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• 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 21/4334 : Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4344 : Remultiplexing of multiplex streams, e.g. by modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43635 : HDMI
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 : involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4394 : involving operations for analysing the audio stream, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in audio streams arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 : involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4402 : involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• 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 21/44226 : on social networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 : involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 : Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 : for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• 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 21/4821 : using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4884 : for displaying subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 : using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 : for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 : for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 : specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 : Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8547 : involving timestamps for synchronizing content
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 : Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

In particular embodiments, one or more computer systems of a social-networking system determine available media content from one or more content sources and query a social graph of a social-networking system for social content associated with a user of the social-networking system. The social graph includes nodes and edges connecting the nodes. The nodes include user nodes that are each associated with a particular user of the social-networking system. The one or more computer systems of the social-networking system determine, using the social content and the available media content, a plurality of social coefficients for the user, determine, based on the determined social coefficients, recommended media content for the user, and provide the recommended media content for display in a programming guide on a display device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

by one or more computer systems of a social-networking system, determining available media content from one or more content sources;

by the one or more computer systems of the social-networking system, querying a social graph of the social-networking system for social content associated with a user of the social-networking system, the social graph comprising a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes, the nodes comprising user nodes that are each associated with a particular user of the social-networking system;

by the one or more computer systems of the social-networking system, calculating, using the social content and the available media content, a plurality of social coefficients for the user, each social coefficient indicating an amount of association in the social graph between the user and a particular one of the available media content;

by the one or more computer systems of the social-networking system, determining, based on the calculated social coefficients, first media content for the user; and

by the one or more computer systems of the social-networking system, using a taste algorithm to identify second media content for the user, the second media content being connected in the social graph, via one or more other users of the social-networking system, to particular media content that the user previously watched or liked;

by the one or more computer systems of the social-networking system, providing recommended media content for display in a programming guide on a display device, the recommended media content comprising at least a portion of each of the first and second media content;

by the one or more computer systems of the social-networking system, providing a personalized queue for display in the programming guide, the personalized queue comprising a plurality of the recommended media content that is automatically played in sequence once selected; and

by the one or more computer systems of the social-networking system, providing a user-selectable indication for display in the programming guide, the user-selectable indication being configured to add a particular show or movie to the personalized queue; and

by the one or more computer systems of the social-networking system in response to selection of the user-selectable indication;

adding the particular show or movie to the personalized queue; and

automatically posting to the social-networking system a message indicating that the user is planning to watch the particular show or movie.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the social content associated with the user comprises one or more of:

stories;

posts;

messages;

actions corresponding to watching a particular piece of media content;

“

liking”

a particular content object;

or

queuing a particular piece of media content for future viewing.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, by the one or more computer systems of the social-networking system:

querying the social graph of the social-networking system for social content associated with the recommended media content; and

providing the social content associated with the recommended media content for display in the programming guide on the display device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the social content associated with the recommended media content comprises one or more of:

an indication of a number of other users of the social-networking system who are viewing the recommended media content;

an indication of a number of other users of the social-networking system who like the recommended media content;

an advertisement;

a notification;

a post;

a photo;

a name of another user of the social-networking system;

a facepile;

or

a chat message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the available media content comprises one or more of:

media content from a set-top box (STB);

media content from a digital video recorder (DVR);

media content from an over-the-top (OTT) content provider;

media content from a multiple system operator (MSO);

pay-per-view media content;

or

on-demand media content.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each social coefficient indicates a ranking of a particular one of the available media content; and

determining, based on the determined social coefficients, the recommended media content for the user comprises;

ranking the available media content according to the determined social coefficients; and

selecting a predetermined number of the ranked media content as the recommended media content for the user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the social coefficients are based at least in part on one or more of:

a number of friends within the social-networking system who have “

liked”

the particular media content;

a total number of users within the social-networking system who have “

liked”

the particular media content;

a number of friends within the social-networking system who are currently watching the particular media content;

or

a total number of users within the social-networking system who are currently watching the particular media content.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the display device comprises one of:

a smartphone;

a computer;

a digital music device;

a tablet computer;

or

a television.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the programming guide overlays at least a portion of an electronic programming guide (EPG).

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising, by the one or more computer systems of the social-networking system, providing one or more sponsored items for display in the programming guide.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising, by the one or more computer systems of the social-networking system, providing a recommendation queue for display in the programming guide, the recommendation queue comprising a plurality of media content that has been recommended by one or more other users of the social-networking system.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the taste algorithm comprises:

determining, from the social content associated with the user, the particular media content that the user previously watched or liked;

determining, from the social graph, one or more other users of the social-networking system that each have a connection in the social graph to the particular media content that the user previously watched or liked; and

identifying the second media content by determining, from the social graph, particular media content that the one or more other users previously watched or liked.

13. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media in one or more computing systems, the media embodying logic that is operable when executed to:

determine available media content from one or more content sources;

query a social graph of a social-networking system for social content associated with a user of the social-networking system, the social graph comprising a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes, the nodes comprising user nodes that are each associated with a particular user of the social-networking system;

calculate, using the social content and the available media content, a plurality of social coefficients for the user, each social coefficient indicating an amount of association in the social graph between the user and a particular one of the available media content;

determine, based on the calculated social coefficients, first media content for the user;

use a taste algorithm to identify second media content for the user, the second media content being connected in the social graph, via one or more other users of the social-networking system, to particular media content that the user previously watched or liked;

provide the recommended media content for display in a programming guide on a display device, the recommended media content comprising at least a portion of each of the first and second media content;

provide a personalized queue for display in the programming guide, the personalized queue comprising a plurality of the recommended media content that is automatically played in sequence once selected; and

provide a user-selectable indication for display in the programming guide, the user-selectable indication being configured to add a particular show or movie to the personalized queue; and

in response to selection of the user-selectable indication;

add the particular show or movie to the personalized queue; and

automatically post to the social-networking system a message indicating that the user is planning to watch the particular show or movie.

14. The media of claim 13, the logic further operable to:

query the social graph of the social-networking system for social content associated with the recommended media content; and

provide the social content associated with the recommended media content for display in the programming guide on the display device.

15. The media of claim 14, wherein:

the social content associated with the recommended media content comprises one or more of;

an indication of a number of other users of the social-networking system who are viewing the recommended media content;

an indication of a number of other users of the social-networking system who like the recommended media content;

an advertisement;

a notification;

a post;

a photo;

a name of another user of the social-networking system;

a facepile;

or

a chat message; and

the available media content comprises one or more of;

media content from a set-top box (STB);

media content from a digital video recorder (DVR);

media content from an over-the-top (OTT) content provider;

media content from a multiple system operator (MSO);

pay-per-view media content;

or

on-demand media content.

16. A system, comprising:

a first system communicatively coupled to a display device, the first system operable to determine an identification of a user in proximity to the display device; and

one or more computer systems of a social-networking system, the one or more computer systems communicatively coupled to the first system and operable to;

determine available media content from one or more content sources;

query a social graph of a social-networking system for social content associated with a user of the social-networking system, the social graph comprising a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes, the nodes comprising user nodes that are each associated with a particular user of the social-networking system;

calculate, using the social content and the available media content, a plurality of social coefficients for the user, each social coefficient indicating an amount of association in the social graph between the user and a particular one of the available media content;

determine, based on the calculated social coefficients, first media content for the user;

use a taste algorithm to identify second media content for the user, the second media content being connected in the social graph, via one or more other users of the social-networking system, to particular media content that the user previously watched or liked;

provide recommended media content for display in a programming guide on a display device, the recommended media content comprising at least a portion of each of the first and second media content;

provide a personalized queue for display in the programming guide, the personalized queue comprising a plurality of the recommended media content that is automatically played in sequence once selected; and

provide a user-selectable indication for display in the programming guide, the user-selectable indication being configured to add a particular show or movie to the personalized queue; and

in response to selection of the user-selectable indication;

add the particular show or movie to the personalized queue; and

automatically post to the social-networking system a message indicating that the user is planning to watch the particular show or movie.

17. The system of claim 16, the processor further operable to:

query the social graph of the social-networking system for social content associated with the recommended media content; and

provide the social content associated with the recommended media content for display in the programming guide on the display device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the social content associated with the recommended media content comprises one or more of:

an indication of a number of other users of the social-networking system who are viewing the recommended media content;

an indication of a number of other users of the social-networking system who like the recommended media content;

an advertisement;

a notification;

a post;

a photo;

a name of another user of the social-networking system;

a facepile;

or

a chat message.