Methods and apparatus for providing chat data and video content between multiple viewers

• US 8,896,654 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2012
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Network LLC (Dish Network Corporation), Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dish Network LLC (Dish Network Corporation), Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Gratton, Max S., Ottmar, Desmond
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah, Olisa
• Application Number:
  US13/531,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20120262535A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01, 348/14.04, 348/14.08, 348/14.05
• US Class Current: 348/14.04
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• 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 21/4788 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Various embodiments of apparatus and/or methods are described for providing communication between multiple content viewers. First video data is captured of a first user located locally with respect to a presentation device and transmitted to a base station located remotely with respect to the presentation device. The base station transmits a composite signal that includes video content provided by a content source communicatively coupled the base station and further includes second video chat data captured of a second user located remotely with respect to the presentation device. The composite signal is responsively presented by the presentation device to the first user.

Claims

1. A method for providing video communication between users, the method comprising:

capturing first video chat data of a first user located locally with respect to a presentation device of the first user;

transmitting the first chat data to a base station of a second user located remotely with respect to the presentation device;

receiving a composite signal from the base station of the second user, the composite signal including video content provided by a content source communicatively coupled to the base station and further including second video chat data captured of the second user located remotely with respect to the presentation device;

outputting the composite signal for display on the presentation device of the first user; and

transmitting a command from the presentation device of the first user to the base station of the second user, wherein the command manipulates presentation of the video content included in the composite signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the command from the base station to the content source, wherein the command manipulates the video content outputted by the content source.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

outputting the manipulated video content from the content source to a second presentation device located locally with respect to the second user.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the command further comprises:

transmitting the command from the presentation device to the content source through the base station, the command requesting to change the content outputted by the content source.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the content source comprises a digital video recorder, and the command requests to change a video outputted by the digital video recorder.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the content source comprises a television tuner device, and the command requests to change a channel outputted by the television tuner device.

7. An apparatus comprising:

an input module that receives from a video capture device first video chat data of a first user located locally with respect to a presentation device of the first user;

a network interface module communicatively coupled to the input module that transmits the first chat data to a base station of a second user located remotely with respect to the presentation device of the first user, that receives a composite signal from the base station of the second user, the composite signal including video content provided by a content source located remotely with respect to the apparatus and further including second video chat data captured of the second user located remotely with respect to the presentation device of the first user; and

an output module communicatively coupled to the network interface module that outputs the composite signal for display on the presentation device of the first user,

wherein the input module receives a command from the first user, and the network interface module transmits the command to the base station of the second user, wherein the command manipulates the video content included in the composite signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the command manipulates the video content outputted by the content source.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the command requests a change to the content outputted by the content source.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the content source comprises a digital video recorder, and the command requests to change a video outputted by the digital video recorder.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the content source comprises a television tuner device, and the command requests to change a channel outputted by the television tuner device.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the apparatus comprises a mobile communication device.

13. A base station comprising:

a first input module that receives from a first video capture device first video chat data of a first user located locally with respect to a first presentation device and the base station;

a second input module that receives video content provided by a content source;

a processor communicatively coupled to the first input module and the second input module, the processor operable to combine the first video chat data and the video content into a composite signal;

a network interface module communicatively coupled to the processor that transmits the composite signal to a second presentation device located remotely with respect to the base station and that receives second video chat data of a second user captured by a second video capture device located locally with respect to the second presentation device; and

an output module communicatively coupled to the network interface module that outputs the second video chat data for presentation on the second presentation device of the second user,

wherein, the network interface module receives a command from the second presentation device of the second user, the second command requesting manipulation of the video content; and

the processor transmits the command to the content source, the content source manipulating output of the video content based on the command.

14. The base station of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operable to combine the second video chat data and the video content into a second composite signal, and wherein the output module outputs the second composite signal for presentation on the second presentation device.

15. The base station of claim 13, wherein the base station is integrated within a digital video recorder.

16. The base station of claim 13, wherein the base station is integrated within a television tuner device.

17. The base station of claim 13, wherein the base station is integrated within the first presentation device.