REPRESENTATION OF ONLINE DISCUSSION IN CONJUNCTION WITH PRIMARY VISUAL CONTENT

• US 20110292283A1
• Filed: 05/27/2011
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Eldon Technology Limited (Dish Network Corporation)
• Inventors: Stephens, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,661,466 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/563
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• 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 21/4788 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

Abstract

A method of representing online discussions in conjunction with primary visual content is presented. In the method, the primary visual content is transmitted to a visual display for presentation to a user. A statement of an online discussion is received. In response to receiving the statement, a representation of the statement and an icon representing a source of the statement are transmitted in conjunction with the primary visual content for presentation on the visual display. The icon and the statement are coupled graphically on the visual display, and are placed near a periphery of the visual display. After a period of time while the icon and statement are presented on the display, presuming a second statement is not received from the source, the icon and the statement are removed from the display while the primary visual content is maintained on the display.

Claims

1. A method of representing online discussions in conjunction with primary visual content, the method comprising:

transmitting the primary visual content for presentation on a visual display;

receiving a statement as part of an online discussion;

in response to receiving the statement, transmitting a representation of the statement and an icon representing a source of the statement in conjunction with the primary visual content for presentation on the visual display, wherein the icon and the statement are coupled graphically on the visual display, and wherein the icon and the statement are placed near a periphery of the visual display; and

after a period of time while the icon and the statement are presented on the visual display, during which a second statement by the source of the first statement is not received, removing the icon and the statement from the visual display while maintaining the primary visual content on the visual display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the representation of the statement and the icon further comprises:

sliding the icon onto the visual display via the periphery of the visual display.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein sliding the icon onto the visual display further comprises:

sliding the icon onto the visual display via a bottom periphery of the visual display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein removing the icon and the statement further comprises:

sliding the icon off of the visual display.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein sliding the icon off of the visual display further comprises:

sliding the icon off of the visual display via a bottom periphery of the visual display.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein removing the icon and the statement further comprises:

progressively fading the statement from the visual display during the period of time.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second statement of the online discussion from the source of the first statement before expiration of the period of time; and

in response to receiving the second statement, replacing the first statement with the second statement on the visual display, and after a second period of time while the second statement is presented on the visual display, during which a third statement by the source of the first statement is not received, removing the icon and the second statement from the visual display while maintaining the primary visual content on the visual display.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second statement of the online discussion from a source of the second statement that is not the source of the first statement;

in response to receiving the second statement, transmitting a representation of the second statement and a second icon representing the source of the second statement in conjunction with the primary visual content for presentation on the visual display, wherein the second icon and the second statement are coupled graphically on the visual display, wherein the second icon and the second statement are placed near a periphery of the visual display, and wherein the first icon and the second icon do not overlap on the visual display; and

after a second period of time while the second icon and the second statement are presented on the visual display, during which a third statement by the source of the second statement is not received, removing the second icon and the second statement from the visual display while maintaining the primary visual content on the visual display.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a graphical region in conjunction with the primary visual content to indicate the online discussion, wherein the graphical region is located along at least part of the periphery of the visual display.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the source of the statement is a user of a media content receiver, wherein the media content receiver is configured to connect to the visual display.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the source of the statement is a user of a media content receiver, wherein the media content receiver is configured to communicatively couple via a communication server with a second media content receiver connected to the visual display.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the source of the statement is software executing within a communication server communicatively coupled with a media content receiver connected to the visual display.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the representation of the statement and the icon further comprises:

presenting the icon in an area of the visual display unused by the primary visual content.

14. A media content receiver, comprising:

a media content input interface configured to receive primary visual content;

a media content output interface configured to transmit the primary visual content to a visual display for presentation to a user;

a communication interface configured to receive a statement as part of an online discussion, and an identification of a source of the statement; and

control circuitry configured to;

transmit a representation of the statement and an icon representing the source of the statement in conjunction with the primary visual content via the media content output interface for presentation on the visual display, wherein the icon and the statement are associated graphically on the visual display, and wherein the icon and the statement are located outside a central region of the visual display; and

after a period of time while the icon and the statement are presented on the visual display, during which a second statement by the source of the first statement is not received, remove the icon and the statement from the visual display while maintaining the primary visual content on the visual display.

15. The media content receiver of claim 14, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive a second statement of the online discussion from the source of the first statement via the communication interface before expiration of the period of time; and

in response to receiving the second statement, replace the first statement with the second statement on the visual display, and after a second period of time while the second statement is presented on the visual display, during which a third statement by the source of the first statement is not received, remove the icon and the second statement from the visual display while maintaining the primary visual content on the visual display.

16. The media content receiver of claim 14, wherein:

the media content input interface comprises the communication interface.

17. The media content receiver of claim 14, further comprising:

a user interface configured to receive a second statement of the online discussion from a user of the media content receiver.

18. The media content receiver of claim 17, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

in response to receiving the second statement, transmit a representation of the second statement and a second icon representing the user in conjunction with the primary visual content for presentation on the visual display, wherein the second icon and the second statement are associated graphically on the visual display, wherein the second icon and the second statement are located on the visual display outside a central region of the visual display, and wherein the first icon and the second icon do not overlap on the visual display; and

after a second period of time while the second icon and the second statement are presented on the visual display, during which a third statement by the user is not received via the user interface, remove the second icon and the second statement from the visual display while maintaining the primary visual content on the visual display.

19. A television content receiver, comprising:

a television content input interface configured to receive primary video content;

a television content output interface configured to provide the primary video content to a television display for presentation to a user;

a communication interface configured to receive a statement in an online discussion, and an identification of the source of the statement; and

control circuitry configured to;

transmit a representation of the statement and an icon representing the source of the statement in combination with the primary video content via the television content output interface to the television display;

wherein the icon and the statement are associated graphically on the television display, and wherein the icon and the statement are located near a periphery of the television display; and

after a period of time while the icon and the statement are presented on the television display, during which a second statement by the source of the first statement is not received, remove the icon and the statement from the television display while maintaining the primary video content on the television display.

20. The television content receiver of claim 19, wherein:

the television content input interface is configured to receive the primary video content from at least one of a satellite, a cable head-end, and a terrestrial antenna;

the communication interface comprises at least one of a telephone connection and a wide-area network connection.