# US 8,787,366 B2 · Community driven program access system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,787,366 B2 - Document ID: US8787366B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/771,790 - Filed: 2007-06-29 - Published: 2009-01-01 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2007-06-29 - Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Applicants: Vikram Yashpal; John Elliott - Inventors: Vikram Yashpal; John Elliott - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8787366B2 ## CPC - H04H 60/73: using meta-information - H04H 60/80: characterised by transmission among terminal devices - H04H: BROADCAST COMMUNICATION (multiplex communication H04J; pictorial communication aspects of broadcast systems H04N) ## Abstract A method to create community channels is provided. The method includes defining a subset of channels from a broadcast network, associating one or more tags with the channels, and employing the tags to enable a community network from the broadcast network. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method to create a community channel, comprising: defining a subset of channels from a broadcast network; receiving, at a server, one or more tags, each tag identifying broadcast data content associated with the defined subset of channels and being received separately from the identified broadcast data content; associating, using a processor, the one or more tags with the defined subset of channels; and creating a community channel of a community network from the broadcast network using the one or more tags. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating the one or more tags as metadata that is employed to communicate information from end users relating to the channels. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising caching the metadata on a local storage device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising synchronizing the metadata to a broadcast when the broadcast is viewed at a later time than an initial transmission of the metadata. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising employing the one or more tags as enablers for other members of a defined community to receive a desired broadcast. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising inviting members of a community to a network via a user interface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the network is configured as a public or a private network. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more tags are employed as client filters. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a program guide to identify members of a community network or programs associated with the members. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the program guide enables members to view common programming based on shared filters. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an interface to form a discussion thread among members of a community channel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising generating messages when community channel members are viewing related programs. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising an interface to upload media to be considered by a community. ### Claim 14 A communications apparatus, comprising: a memory for retaining instructions to: generate one or more tags, each tag identifying broadcast data content associated with a subset of channels of a broadcast network; associate the one or more tags with the subset of channel; separately transmit the one or more tags from the corresponding identified broadcast data content; a processor that executes the instructions. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The communications apparatus of claim 14, wherein one of the one or more tags is communicated as metadata and cached on a local device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The communications apparatus of claim 14, wherein one of the one or more tags is employed to synchronize a communication with a broadcast channel. ### Claim 17 A method to create a community channel, comprising: receiving a subset of channels for a broadcast network; receiving one or more tags with the channels, each tag identifying broadcast data content associated with the subset of channels and being received separately from the identified broadcast data content; and employing the one or more tags to receive communications as a community channel of a community network derived from the broadcast network. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving the one or more tags as metadata in order to receive information from end users relating to the channels. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising synchronizing the metadata to a broadcast when the broadcast is viewed at a later time than an initial transmission of the metadata. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving the one or more tags as enablers from other members of a defined community in order to receive a desired broadcast. ### Claim 21 An apparatus for creating a community channel, the apparatus comprising: means for defining a subset of channels from a broadcast network; means for receiving one or more tags, each tag identifying broadcast data content associated with the defined subset of channels and being received separately from the identified broadcast data content; means for associating the one or more tags with the defined subset of channels; and means for creating a community channel of a community network from the broadcast network using the one or more tags. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for communicating the one or more tags as metadata that is employed to communicate information from end users relating to the channels. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising means for caching the metadata on a local storage device. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising means for synchronizing the metadata to a broadcast when the broadcast is viewed at a later time than an initial transmission of the metadata. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for employing the one or more tags as enablers for other members of a defined community to receive a desired broadcast. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for inviting members of a community to a network via a user interface. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the network is configured as a public or a private network. ### Claim 28 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the one or more tags are employed as client filters. ### Claim 29 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for generating a program guide to identify members of a community network or programs associated with the members. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the program guide enables members to view common programming based on shared filters. ### Claim 31 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for generating an interface to form a discussion thread among members of a community channel. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising means for generating messages when community channel members are viewing related programs. ### Claim 33 (depends on 31) The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising means for generating an interface to upload media to be considered by a community. ### Claim 34 A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to: define a subset of channels from a broadcast network; receive one or more tags, each tag identifying broadcast data content associated with the defined subset of channels and being received separately from the identified broadcast data content; associate the one or more tags with the defined subset of channels; and create a community channel of a community network from the broadcast network using the one or more tags. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The computer program product of claim 34, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, further cause the one or more computers to communicate the one or more tags as metadata that is employed to communicate information from end users relating to the channels. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, further cause the one or more computers to cache the metadata on a local storage device. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, further cause the one or more computers to synchronize the metadata to a broadcast when the broadcast is viewed at a later time than an initial transmission of the metadata. ### Claim 38 (depends on 34) The computer program product of claim 34, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, further cause the one or more computers to employ the one or more tags as enablers for other members of a defined community to receive a desired broadcast. ### Claim 39 (depends on 34) The computer program product of claim 34, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, further cause the one or more computers to invite members of a community to a network via a user interface. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The computer program product of claim 39, wherein the network is configured as a public or a private network. ### Claim 41 (depends on 34) The computer program product of claim 34, wherein the one or more tags are employed as client filters. ### Claim 42 (depends on 34) The computer program product of claim 34, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, further cause the one or more computers to generate a program guide to identify members of a community network or programs associated with the members. ### Claim 43 (depends on 42) The computer program product of claim of claim 42, wherein the program guide enables members to view common programming based on shared filters. ### Claim 44 (depends on 34) The computer program product of claim 34, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, further cause the one or more computers to generate an interface to form a discussion thread among members of a community channel. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, further cause the one or more computers to generate messages when community channel members are viewing related programs. ### Claim 46 (depends on 44) The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, further cause the one or more computers to generate an interface to upload media to be considered by a community. ### Claim 47 An apparatus, comprising: a memory retaining instructions for: defining a subset of channels from a broadcast network; receiving one or more tags, each tag identifying broadcast data content associated with the defined subset of channels and being received separately from the identified broadcast data content; associating the one or more tags with the defined subset of channels; and creating a community channel of a community network from the broadcast network using the one or more tags; and a processor that executes the instructions. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said memory further retains instructions for communicating the one or more tags as metadata that is employed to communicate information from end users relating to the channels. ### Claim 49 (depends on 48) The apparatus processor of claim 48, wherein said memory further retains instructions for caching the metadata on a local storage device. ### Claim 50 (depends on 49) The apparatus of claim 49, further comprising code for synchronizing the metadata to a broadcast when the broadcast is viewed at a later time than an initial transmission of the metadata. ### Claim 51 (depends on 47) The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising code for employing the one or more tags as enablers for other members of a defined community to receive a desired broadcast. ### Claim 52 (depends on 47) The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising code for inviting members of a community to a network via a user interface. ### Claim 53 (depends on 52) The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the network is configured as a public or a private network. ### Claim 54 (depends on 47) The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the one or more tags are employed as client filters. ### Claim 55 (depends on 47) The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said memory further retains instructions for generating a program guide to identify members of a community network or programs associated with the members. ### Claim 56 (depends on 55) The apparatus of claim of claim 55, wherein the program guide enables members to view common programming based on shared filters. ### Claim 57 (depends on 47) The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said memory further retains instructions for generating an interface to form a discussion thread among members of a community channel. ### Claim 58 (depends on 57) The apparatus processor of claim 57, wherein said memory further retains instructions for generating messages when community channel members are viewing related programs. ### Claim 59 (depends on 57) The apparatus of claim 57, wherein said memory further retains instructions for generating an interface to upload media to be considered by a community.