Fast switching between multiple programs

• US 9,986,281 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2013
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tseng, Erick, Campbell, Colin Cameron, Moeck, Gregory John
• Primary Examiner(s): Yi, Rinna
• Application Number:
  US14/075,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20140245187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,663 Days
• Field of Search: 715810, 715838, 725 40, 725 50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/435 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/438 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26291 for providing content or additional data updates, e.g. updating software modules, stored at the client deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• 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 21/462 Content or additional data management, e.g. creating a master electronic program guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end, controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 : using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 : using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes providing a plurality of thumbnails for display on a display device, receiving an indication that a user selected a particular thumbnail, and providing one or more instructions to change from media content that the user is currently watching to media content associated with the particular thumbnail. Each of the plurality of thumbnails includes a visual indication representing media content previously viewed by the user. The plurality of thumbnails are operable to change from media content that the user is currently watching to media content corresponding to the particular thumbnail selected by the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

by one or more computers of a social-networking system, providing a programming guide for display in a mobile application running on a mobile device, the programming guide comprising a plurality of programming guide entries, each programming guide entry associated with respective media content that may be selected for viewing on a display device;

by the one or more computers of the social-networking system, providing, in response to selection of a particular programming guide entry, a show page for display on the mobile device, the show page comprising;

information associated with particular media content associated with the selected particular programming guide entry; and

social content from the social-networking system about the particular media content;

by the one or more computers of the social-networking system, providing a plurality of thumbnails for display on the show page, each of the plurality of thumbnails comprising a visual indication representing media content previously viewed by a user, wherein the visual indication of at least one of the thumbnails comprises information from the media content previously viewed by the user;

by one or more computers of the social-networking system, receiving an indication from the mobile application that the user selected a particular thumbnail on the show page;

by the one or more computers of the social-networking system, providing one or more instructions to the display device to change from media content that the user is currently watching on the display device to media content associated with the particular thumbnail on the show page; and

by the one or more computers of the social-networking system, publishing, subject to one or more privacy settings of the user, a story to a timeline of the user a pre-determined amount of time after receiving the indication from the mobile application that the user selected the particular thumbnail on the show page, wherein;

the timeline of the user comprises a list of stories and is a separate user interface from the show page and the programming guide; and

the story indicates the user watched or is watching the media content associated with the particular thumbnail on the show page, the story comprising;

a user-selectable social option to like or share the story with one or more other users of the social-networking system; and

a user-selectable option to change the one or more privacy settings of the user for publishing the story to the timeline of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of thumbnails are provided for display in a tray.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the tray comprises a row of the plurality of thumbnails.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual indication comprises information associated with the media content previously viewed by the user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the information comprises one or more of:

a score of a game;

an amount of time remaining in the game;

a logo associated with the media content previously viewed;

or

a name of the media content previously viewed.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, by the one or more computers of the social-networking system, providing an entry area for display on the display device, wherein the entry area is operable to allow the user to generate a comment on the media content previously viewed while currently watching media content.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the plurality of thumbnails for display on the display device comprises:

receiving a second indication of a user input on the display device; and

in response to the second indication, providing one or more instructions to display the plurality of thumbnails on the display device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the show page is a separate interface from the programming guide; and

the mobile device is a separate device from the display device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the social content comprises:

indications of other users who are currently watching the particular media content associated with the show page; and

presence indications for the other users who are currently watching the particular media content associated with the show page.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the show page further comprises an interactive area operable to permit the user to interact with the other users while watching the particular media content associated with the show page.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

by the one or more computer systems of the social-networking system, querying a social graph of the social-networking system for the social content, the social content generated by a plurality of users of the social-networking system and posted by the plurality of users to 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 respective user of the social-networking system; and

content nodes that are each associated with particular media content, wherein the social content discovered in the query is associated with one or more of the content nodes.

12. 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:

provide a programming guide for display in a mobile application running on a mobile device, the programming guide comprising a plurality of programming guide entries, each programming guide entry associated with respective media content that may be selected for viewing on a display device;

provide, in response to selection of a particular programming guide entry, a show page for display on the mobile device, the show page comprising;

information associated with particular media content associated with the selected particular programming guide entry; and

social content from the social-networking system about the particular media content;

provide a plurality of thumbnails for display on the show page, each of the plurality of thumbnails comprising a visual indication representing media content previously viewed by a user, wherein the visual indication of at least one of the thumbnails comprises information from the media content previously viewed by the user;

receive an indication from the mobile application that the user selected a particular thumbnail on the show page;

provide one or more instructions to the display device to change from the media content that the user is currently watching on the display device to media content associated with the particular thumbnail on the show page; and

publish, subject to one or more privacy settings of the user, a story to a timeline of the user a pre-determined amount of time after receiving the indication from the mobile application that the user selected the particular thumbnail on the show page, wherein;

the timeline of the user comprises a list of stories and is a separate user interface from the show page and the programming guide; and

the story indicates the user watched or is watching the media content associated with the particular thumbnail on the show page, the story comprising;

a user-selectable social option to like or share the story with one or more other users of the social-networking system; and

a user-selectable option to change the one or more privacy settings of the user for publishing the story to the timeline of the user.

13. The one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 12, wherein the plurality of thumbnails are provided for display in a tray comprising a row of the plurality of thumbnails.

14. The one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 12, wherein the visual indication comprises information associated with the media content previously viewed by the user, the information comprising one or more of:

a score of a game;

an amount of time remaining in the game

a logo associated with the media content previously viewed;

or

a name of the media content previously viewed.

15. The one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 12, the logic further operable to provide an entry area for display on the display device, wherein the entry area is operable to allow the user to generate a comment on the media content previously viewed while currently watching media content.

16. A system comprising:

one or more memory devices; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the one or more memory devices, the processor operable to;

provide a programming guide for display in a mobile application running on a mobile device, the programming guide comprising a plurality of programming guide entries, each programming guide entry associated with respective media content that may be selected for viewing on a display device;

provide, in response to selection of a particular programming guide entry, a show page for display on the mobile device, the show page comprising;

information associated with particular media content associated with the selected particular programming guide entry; and

social content from the social-networking system about the particular media content;

provide a plurality of thumbnails for display on the show page, each of the plurality of thumbnails comprising a visual indication representing media content previously viewed by a user, wherein the visual indication of at least one of the thumbnails comprises information from the media content previously viewed by the user;

receive an indication from the mobile application that the user selected a particular thumbnail on the show page;

provide one or more instructions to the display device to change from the media content that the user is currently watching on the display device to media content associated with the particular thumbnail on the show page; and

publish, subject to one or more privacy settings of the user, a story to a timeline of the user a pre-determined amount of time after receiving the indication from the mobile application that the user selected the particular thumbnail on the show page, wherein;

the timeline of the user comprises a list of stories and is a separate user interface from the show page and the programming guide; and

the story indicates the user watched or is watching the media content associated with the particular thumbnail on the show page, the story comprising;

a user-selectable social option to like or share the story with one or more other users of the social-networking system; and

a user-selectable option to change the one or more privacy settings of the user for publishing the story to the timeline of the user.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of thumbnails are provided for display in a tray.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the visual indication comprises information associated with the media content previously viewed by the user.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the information comprises one or more of:

a score of a game;

an amount of time remaining in the game;

a logo associated with the media content previously viewed;

or

a name of the media content previously viewed.

20. The system of claim 16, the processor further operable to provide an entry area for display on the display device, wherein the entry area is operable to allow the user to generate a comment on the media content previously viewed while currently watching media content.