Sharing television and video programming through social networking

• US 9,660,950 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• 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: Badros, Gregory Joseph, Marlow, Cameron Alexander, Shaffer, Justin Alexander, Campbell, Colin Cameron Brennan, Heynen, Mark, Archibong, Ime, Wong, Yong Kean, Garcia, David Harry, Toksvig, Michael John McKenzie, Tseng, Erick, Krausz, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, WILLIAM JW
• Application Number:
  US13/691,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20140067828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• 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 identities of one or more users in proximity to a display device and query a social graph of the social-networking system for social content associated with the determined identities. 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 identify, using the social content, recommended media content for the one or more users in proximity to the display device and provide a playlist for display on the display device. The playlist includes the recommended media content for the one or more users in proximity to the display device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

by one or more computer systems of a social-networking system, receiving a request submitted by a first user of the social-networking system to view recommendations for media content that are relevant to both the first user and a second user of the social-networking system;

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

the nodes comprise;

user nodes that are each associated with a respective user of the social-networking system; and

concept nodes that each correspond to a respective display device; and

the edges comprise a plurality of ownership edges connecting the user nodes and the concept nodes, each particular ownership edge indicating that a particular user corresponding to a particular user nodes owns a particular display device corresponding to a particular concept node;

by the one or more computer systems of the social-networking system, querying the social graph of the social-networking system for second social content associated with the second user of the social-networking system;

by the one or more computer systems of the social-networking system, querying the social graph of the social-networking system for third social content associated with one or more mutual connections of the first and second users, wherein each of the first, second, and third social content are associated with respective video content;

by the one or more computer systems of the social-networking system, identifying, using the first, second, and third social content, recommended media content that is relevant to both the first and second users;

by the one or more computer systems of the social-networking system, determining, from the social graph, at least one display device associated with the first or second user; and

by the one or more computer systems of the social-networking system, providing a playlist for display on the determined display device, the playlist comprising the recommended media content that is relevant to both the first and second users.

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

stories;

posts;

messages;

actions corresponding to watching a particular piece of media content;

“

liking”

a particular content object; and

queuing a particular piece of media content for future viewing.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining identities of the first and second users when the first and second users are at the same location and are both in proximity to a display device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying recommended media content for the first and second users comprises:

determining a plurality of available video programs;

determining a plurality of first social coefficients for the first user and determining a plurality of second social coefficients for the second user, each social coefficient indicating a ranking of a particular one of the available video programs;

ranking the available video programs according to the determined first and second social coefficients; and

selecting a predetermined number of the ranked video programs as the recommended media content that is relevant to both the first and second users.

5. The method of claim 4, 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 video program;

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

liked”

the particular video program;

a number of friends within the social-networking system who are currently watching the particular video program; and

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

6. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying recommended media content that is relevant to both the first and second users comprises:

determining a plurality of available video programs;

determining a plurality of first social coefficients for the first user and determining a plurality of second social coefficients for the second user, each social coefficient indicating a ranking of a particular one of the available video programs;

determining, according to the first social coefficients, a predetermined number of the available video programs as recommended media content for the first user;

determining, according to the second social coefficients, a predetermined number of the available video programs as recommended media content for the second user; and

selecting one or more video programs that are common to the recommended media content for the first user and the recommended media content for the second user as the recommended media content that is relevant to both the first and second users.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying recommended media content that is relevant to both the first and second users comprises utilizing a taste algorithm, the taste algorithm comprising:

determining first video programs associated with the first and second users;

determining other users of the social-networking system associated with the determined first video programs;

determining second video programs associated with the determined other users; and

selecting one or more of the determined second video programs as the recommended media content that is relevant to both the first and second users.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying, using the first and second social content, recommended media content that is relevant to both the first and second users comprises utilizing an external database to cross-reference actors of video programs referenced by the first and second social content.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining trending media content on the social-networking system, wherein the playlist further comprises the trending media content.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a plurality of social coefficients for the first and second users, the social coefficients indicating the first and second users'"'"' affinity for other objects on the social-networking system, the social coefficients based at least in part on:

weights assigned to past actions of the first and second users on the social-networking system as determined from the social graph; and

weights assigned to relationships between the first and second users and other objects of the social graph;

wherein identifying recommended media content that is relevant to both the first and second users comprises using the determined plurality of social coefficients.

11. 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 identities of a plurality of users in proximity to a display device;

receive a request submitted by one of the plurality of users in proximity to the display device to view recommendations for media content that are relevant to all of the plurality of users in proximity to the display device;

query a social graph of the social-networking system for social content associated with the determined identities, the social graph comprising a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes, wherein;

the nodes comprise;

user nodes that are each associated with a respective user of the social-networking system; and

concept nodes that each correspond to a respective display device; and

the edges comprise a plurality of ownership edges connecting the user nodes and the concept nodes, each particular ownership edge indicating that a particular user corresponding to a particular user nodes owns a particular display device corresponding to a particular concept node;

query the social graph of the social-networking system for additional social content associated with one or more mutual connections of the plurality of users, wherein each of the social content associated with the determined identities and the additional social content associated with one or more mutual connections of the plurality of users are associated with respective video content;

identify, using the social content and the additional social content, recommended media content that is relevant to all of the plurality of users in proximity to the display device;

determine, from the social graph, at least one other display device associated with one of the plurality of users in proximity to the display device; and

provide a playlist for display on the determined other display device, the playlist comprising the recommended media content that is relevant to all of the plurality of users in proximity to the display device.

12. The media of claim 11, wherein identifying recommended media content that is relevant to all of the plurality of users in proximity to the display device comprises:

determining a plurality of available video programs;

determining a plurality of social coefficients for the plurality of users, each social coefficient indicating a ranking of a particular one of the available video programs;

ranking the available video programs according to the determined social coefficients; and

selecting a predetermined number of the ranked video programs as the recommended media content that is relevant to all of the plurality of users in proximity to the display device.

13. The media of claim 11, 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 video program;

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

liked”

the particular video program;

a number of friends within the social-networking system who are currently watching the particular video program; and

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

14. The media of claim 11, wherein identifying recommended media content that is relevant to all of the plurality of users in proximity to the display device comprises utilizing a taste algorithm, the taste algorithm comprising:

determining first video programs associated with the plurality of users;

determining other users of the social-networking system associated with the determined first video programs;

determining second video programs associated with the determined other users; and

selecting one or more of the determined second video programs as the recommended media content that is relevant to all of the plurality of users in proximity to the display device.

15. A system, comprising:

a dongle communicatively coupled to a display device, the dongle operable to determine identities of a plurality of users 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 dongle and operable to;

receive the determined identities of the plurality of users in proximity to the display device;

receive a request submitted by one of the plurality of users in proximity to the display device to view recommendations for media content that are relevant to all of the plurality of users in proximity to the display device;

query a social graph of the social-networking system for social content associated with the determined identities, the social graph comprising a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes, wherein;

the nodes comprise;

user nodes that are each associated with a respective user of the social-networking system; and

concept nodes that each correspond to a respective display device; and

the edges comprise a plurality of ownership edges connecting the user nodes and the concept nodes, each particular ownership edge indicating that a particular user corresponding to a particular user nodes owns a particular display device corresponding to a particular concept node;

query the social graph of the social-networking system for additional social content associated with one or more mutual connections of the plurality of users, wherein each of the social content associated with the determined identities and the additional social content associated with one or more mutual connections of the plurality of users are associated with respective video content;

determine, using the social content and the additional social content, recommended media content that is relevant to all of the plurality of users in proximity to the display device;

determine, from the social graph, at least one other display device associated with one of the plurality of users in proximity to the display device; and

provide a playlist for display on the determined other display device, the playlist comprising the determined recommended media content that is relevant to all of the plurality of users.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the determined identities of the plurality of users comprise Media Access Control (MAC) addresses.

17. The system of claim 15, the one or more computer systems further operable to identify a particular program that the plurality of users will most likely want to watch, wherein the playlist comprises an indication of the particular program that the plurality of users will most likely want to watch.

18. The system of claim 15, the one or more computer systems further operable to:

determine that a particular percentage of friends of the plurality of users are viewing particular media content; and

send a notification to the plurality of users of the particular media content being viewed by the particular percentage of friends.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein determining the identities of the plurality of users in proximity to the display device comprises utilizing wireless signals transmitted from mobile devices of the plurality of users to capture unique identifiers associated with the mobile devices.