# US 12,225,255 B2 · Systems and methods for enhancing group media consumption sessions

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- Number: US 12,225,255 B2
- Document ID: US12225255B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/965,454
- Filed: 2022-10-13
- Published: 2024-04-18
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2022-10-13
- Assignees: Adeia Guides Inc.
- Applicants: Rovi Guides, Inc.
- Inventors: Reda Harb; Tao Chen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12225255B2

## CPC

- 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)}
- 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)}
- H04N 21/2625: {for delaying content or additional data distribution, e.g. because of an extended sport event}
- H04N 21/4316: {for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window}
- 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)}
- H04N 21/812: {involving advertisement data (advertising per se G06Q30/02)}
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for initiating a media content item group watch session with an identified contact. A user profile is identified, and a media content item is generated for output at a first computing device. A contact is identified based on the user profile and the media content item, and an invitation to join a media content item group session is generated based on the media content item and the identified contact. The invitation is transmitted to a second computing device associated with the contact, and an indication that the invitation has been accepted is received. The media content item group session is initiated between the first and second computing devices, and the media content item is received at the first and second computing devices.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
identifying a user profile;
generating for output, at a first computing device, a media content item;
identifying, based on the user profile and the media content item, a contact with whom a first portion of the media content item has previously been consumed;
determining that the user profile and a profile of the contact both indicate consumption of episodes of a same series at a similar schedule;
identifying, based on the similar schedule, a first typical time associated with the user profile for consuming episodes of the series, and a second typical time associated with the contact for consuming episodes of the series;
identifying that a difference between the first typical time and the second typical time is within a threshold amount;
identifying, based on the first typical time and the second typical time, a first time;
generating, based on the media content item and the identified contact, an invitation to join a media content item group session at the identified first time and to consume a second portion of the media content item that has not previously been consumed;
transmitting, to a second computing device associated with the contact, the invitation;
receiving a first request to delay the first time for the media content item group session;
generating, for output, a first user interface element associated with the first request to delay the first time;
generating, for output, a second user interface element associated with a second request to generate a preview of the second portion of the media content item;
receiving a first input, via the first user interface element, for accepting the first request to delay the first time to a second time;
identifying, based on the first time and the second time a delay period;
receiving a second input, via the second user interface element, for starting output of the second portion of the media content item during the delay period;
generating a second invitation, wherein the second invitation comprises the second time for the media content item group session;
transmitting, to the second computing device, the second invitation;
identifying a restriction associated with the preview of the second portion of the media content item;
generating, for output and with the restriction, the preview of the second portion of the media content item;
receiving an indication that the second invitation has been accepted;
stopping the output of the preview of the second portion of the media content item;
initiating, between the first computing device and the second computing device and at the second time, the media content item group session; and
generating for output, at the first computing device and the second computing device, the second portion of the media content item.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
generating the invitation further comprises generating the invitation to expire at an identified expiration time; and
receiving the indication that the invitation has been accepted further comprises receiving the indication before the expiration time.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the user profile is a first user profile, the contact is a first contact and identifying the contact further comprises:
identifying a second user profile associated with the first contact;
identifying, via the second user profile, a first preference for the media content item; and, in response to identifying a positive preference for the media content item:
generating the invitation further comprises generating the invitation based on the first contact; or
in response to identifying a negative preference for the media content item:
identifying, based on the first user profile, a second contact; and
identifying a third user profile associated with the second contact;
identifying, via the third user profile, a second preference for the media content item; and wherein:
generating the invitation further comprises generating the invitation based on the second contact.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein identifying the first or second preference for the media content item further comprises identifying whether the respective second user profile or the third user profile can receive the media content item.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
identifying a timestamp associated with the user profile and the media content item;
identifying a second user profile associated with the contact;
identifying, via the second user profile, a progress associated with the media content item;
identifying, based on the timestamp and the progress, whether the media content item comprises a spoiler; and, in response to determining that the media content item comprises the spoiler:
generating the invitation to join the media content item group session further comprises generating the invitation that indicates that the media content item comprises the spoiler.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the media content item is a first media content item, the method further comprising:
receiving, at the second computing device, a second media content item; and
generating, for output at the second computing device, the received first media content item in a picture-in-picture mode.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
the method further comprises:
identifying an invitation output time period, wherein the end of the time period coincides with the start of the second portion; and
generating, for output, a request to transmit the invitation to the contact at the beginning of the invitation output time period.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
identifying the contact further comprises identifying a second contact;
transmitting the invitation further comprises transmitting the invitation to a third computing device associated with the second contact; and
the method further comprises:
identifying that the indication that the invitation has been accepted has not been received from the second contact before the first time;
identifying a second user profile associated with the second contact; and
adding the media content item to a queue associated with the second user profile.

### Claim 9

A system comprising:
a communication port;
a memory storing instructions; and
control circuitry communicably coupled to the memory and the communication port and configured to execute instructions to:
identify a user profile;
generate for output, at a first computing device and via the communication port, a media content item;
identify, based on the user profile and the media content item, a contact with whom a first portion of the media content item has previously been consumed;
determine that the user profile and a profile of the contact both indicate consumption of episodes of a same series at a similar schedule;
identify, based on the similar schedule, a first typical time associated with the user profile for consuming episodes of the series, and a second typical time associated with the contact for consuming episodes of the series;
identify that a difference between the first typical time and the second typical time is within a threshold amount;
identify, based on the first typical time and the second typical time, a first time;
generate, based on the media content item and the identified contact, an invitation to join a media content item group session at the identified first time and to consume a second portion of the media content item that has not previously been consumed;
transmit, to a second computing device associated with the contact, the invitation;
receive a first request to delay the first time for the media content item group session;
generate, for output, a first user interface element associated with the first request to delay the first time to a second time;
identify, based on the first time and the second time, a delay period;
generate, for output, a second user interface element associated with a second request to generate a preview of the second portion of the media content item during the delay period;
receive a first input, via the first user interface element, for accepting the first request to delay the first time;
receive a second input, via the second user interface element, for starting output of the second portion of the media content item;
generate a second invitation, wherein the second invitation comprises the second time for the media content item group session;
transmit, to the second computing device, the second invitation;
identify a restriction associated with the preview of the second portion of the media content item;
generate, for output and with the restriction, the preview of the second portion of the media content item;
receive an indication that the second invitation has been accepted;
stop the output of the preview of the second portion of the media content item;
initiate, between the first computing device and the second computing device and at the second start time, the media content item group session; and
generate for output, at the first computing device and the second computing device, the second portion of the media content item.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein:
the control circuitry configured to generate the invitation is further configured to generate the invitation to expire at an identified expiration time; and
the control circuitry configured to receive the indication that the invitation has been accepted is further configured to receive the indication before the expiration time.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the user profile is a first user profile, the contact is a first contact and the control circuitry configured to identify the contact is further configured to:
identify a second user profile associated with the first contact;
identify, via the second user profile, a first preference for the media content item; and, in response to identify a positive preference for the media content item:
the control circuitry configured to generate the invitation is further configured to generate the invitation based on the first contact; or
in response to identifying a negative preference for the media content item:
identify, based on the first user profile, a second contact; and
identify a third user profile associated with the second contact;
identify, via the third user profile, a second preference for the media content item; and wherein:
the control circuitry configured to generate the invitation is further configured to generate the invitation based on the second contact.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry configured to identify the first or second preference for the media content item is further configured to identify whether the respective second user profile or the third user profile can receive the media content item.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
identify a timestamp associated with the user profile and the media content item;
identify a second user profile associated with the contact;
identify, via the second user profile, a progress associated with the media content item;
identify, based on the timestamp and the progress, whether the media content item comprises a spoiler; and, in response to determining that the media content item comprises the spoiler:
the control circuitry configured to generate the invitation to join the media content item group session is further configured to generate the invitation to indicate that the media content item comprises the spoiler.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the media content item is a first media content item, the control circuitry further configured to:
receive, at the second computing device, a second media content item; and
generate, for output at the second computing device, the received first media content item in a picture-in-picture mode.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein
the control circuitry is further configured to:
identify an invitation output time period, wherein the end of the time period coincides with the start of the second portion; and
generate, for output, a request to transmit the invitation to the contact at the beginning of the invitation output time period.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein:
the control circuitry configured to identify the contact is further configured to identify a second contact;
the control circuitry configured to transmit the invitation is further configured to transmit the invitation to a third computing device associated with the second contact; and
the control circuitry is further configured to:
identify that the indication that the invitation has been accepted has not been received from the second contact before the first time;
identify a second user profile associated with the second contact; and
add the media content item to a queue associated with the second user profile.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the invitation further comprises adding the invitation to a calendar associated with the contact.

### Claim 18 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry configured to transmit the invitation is further configured to add the invitation to a calendar associated with the contact.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the restriction enables the preview of the second portion of the media content item to be consumed for a limited time.

### Claim 20 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the restriction enables the preview of the second portion of the media content item to be consumed for a limited time.