Television integrated chat and presence systems and methods

• US 7,917,583 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2006
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Boni, Piotr, Angiolillo, Joel S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donaghue; Larry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gillis; Brian J
• Application Number:
  US11/356,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20070198738A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,866 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/206, 709/231, 725/32, 725/105, 348/552
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2408 Monitoring of the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. client requests monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• 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 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/442 Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed, the storage space available from the internal hard disk arrangements for monitoring broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/29; arrangements for identifying or recognising characteristics with a direct linkage to broadcast information H04H60/35; monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; monitoring in wireless networks H04W24/00
• 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 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An enhanced television system which enables users to communicate using a television, both via messaging and telephone. Users or the system may create a buddy list. Users may send and receive program information to and from each other, and change programs based on received information. The system may maintain information regarding a user'"'"'s presence on the system, availability for messaging, and television viewing.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a first video transmission at a network terminal of a first user;

displaying the first video transmission to the first user;

receiving a request at the network terminal to send a communication;

displaying, to the first user in response to the received request, information identifying a second user and a status of the second user, wherein the information is displayed to the first user simultaneously with the first video transmission;

receiving the communication and a destination of the communication from the first user, the destination including an identification of the second user;

sending a first message, the first message including the identification of the second user, the communication, and data identifying the first video transmission; and

detecting a change in a status of the first user, the detecting comprising;

detecting whether the first user has used the network terminal within a specified period of time;

detecting whether a commercial break is in progress in the first video transmission displayed to the first user;

prompting the first user to act when the first user has not used the network terminal within the specified period of time;

changing the status of the first user when the first user fails to act in response to the prompting; and

modifying an availability of the first user to receive messages when the commercial break is in progress.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the information includes displaying information identifying a second video transmission being provided to the second user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the status of the second user is a presence status.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a notification including the change in the status.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the change in status is at least one of a change in video transmission and a change in presence status.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein detecting the change in the status of the first user includes:

detecting when the first user receives a third video transmission different from the first video transmission.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a notification including a change of status of the second user; and

storing the change of status of the second user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the status of the second user includes at least one of a change in video transmission and a change in presence status.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first video transmission is a broadcast television program.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface includes information identifying a third user and a status of the third user, the third user being different than the first user and the second user, wherein the destination includes an identification of the third user, and wherein the first message further includes an identifier of the third user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second message, the second message including information identifying a third video transmission;

displaying, with the first video transmission, the information identifying the third video transmission;

receiving a selection of the information identifying the third video transmission;

receiving the third video transmission; and

displaying the third video transmission.

12. A method, comprising:

transmitting a first video transmission to a first user of a plurality of users and a second video transmission to a second user of the plurality of users;

detecting whether a commercial break is in progress in the first video transmission;

receiving a first notification including an indication of a change in status of the first user;

storing the change of status of the first user in a record associated with the first user; and

transmitting a second notification to the second user, the second notification reflecting the change of status of the first user,

wherein;

the change of status of the first user includes information identifying the first video transmission and a presence status of the first user indicating an availability of the first user to receive messages,

the presence status of the first user indicates whether the first user has been idle for a specific period of time and whether the first user has responded to a prompt for action when the first user has been idle for the specified period of time, and

the storing comprises modifying the availability of the first user to receive messages when the commercial break is in progress.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a message, the message including an identifier of the second user, a communication to the second user and information identifying the first video transmission; and

transmitting the message to the second user.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the presence status further includes one of “

online,”

“

away,” and

“

offline.”

15. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the first video transmission and second video transmission is a broadcast television program.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining a subset of the plurality of users based on at least one attribute common to each user of the subset; and

sending a list of the subset of users to each of the users in the subset.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

detecting a change in status of the second user;

storing the change of status of the second user in a record associated with the second user; and

transmitting a third notification to the first user including the change of status of the second user,

wherein detecting the change in status of the second user includes at least one of;

detecting whether the second user is using a telephone;

detecting whether the second user receives a third video transmission different from the second video transmission; and

detecting whether a commercial break is in progress in the second video transmission.

18. A communication system, comprising:

a server configured to enable a first user to communicate with a second user via a television and to transmit a television broadcast;

a television control processor configured to present, with the television broadcast, and upon command from the first user, a list including information identifying the second user; and

a module configured to transmit, using the information from the list, a message to the second user including data regarding the television broadcast;

wherein the television control processor is further configured to output a presence status of the second user, the presence status indicating an availability of the second user to receive messages, and the presence status further indicating whether the second user has been idle for a specific period of time and whether the second user has responded to a prompt for action when the second user has been idle for the specified period of time,

and further wherein the television control processor is configured to detect whether a commercial break is in progress in a television broadcast presented to the second user and to modify the availability of the second user to receive messages when the commercial break is in progress.

19. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the television control processor is further configured to present information regarding the television broadcast being watched by the second user.

20. The communication system of claim 19, wherein the television control processor is further configured to modify the list after the second user changes to a different television program.

21. The communication system of claim 19, wherein the television control processor is further configured to modify the presence status based on:

detecting whether the second user is using a telephone.

22. The communication system of claim 18, further comprising a second television control processor configured to set a television channel on a television of the second user based on the data regarding the television broadcast in the sent message.

23. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the server is further configured to enable the first user to invite the second user to watch the television broadcast using the message.

24. A communications device, comprising:

a device interface module configured to present a video transmission to an output device;

a processor configured to present, with the video transmission and upon command from a first user, information identifying a second user and a status of the second user; and

a network interface module configured to transmit, using the presented information, a message to the second user, the message comprising the identification of the first user, the status of the first user, and data identifying the video transmission;

wherein the processor is further configured to detect a change in a status of the first user, the detection comprising;

detecting whether the first user has been idle for a specified period of time;

detecting whether a commercial break is in progress in the video transmission displayed to the first user;

prompting the first user to act when the first user been idle for the specified period of time;

changing the status of the first user when the first user fails to act in response to the prompting; and

modifying an availability of the first user to receive messages when the commercial break is in progress.

25. The communications device of claim 24, further comprising an input device communicatively coupled to the device interface module and configured to enable the first user to enter data.

26. The communications device of claim 24, wherein the command comprises a request for communication.

27. The communications device of claim 24, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a communication from the first user, and wherein the message further comprises the received communication.

28. The communications device of claim 24, further comprising:

a storage device coupled to the processor and configured to store one or more of a status of the first user and the status of the second user.

29. The communications device of claim 24, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a notification comprising a change of status of the second user, the change in status comprising one or more of a change in video transmission and a change in presence status.

30. The communications device of claim 24, wherein the change in the status of the first user comprises a change in video transmission.