# US 9,438,960 B2 · System and method for interacting with social networking in an internet protocol television system

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- Number: US 9,438,960 B2
- Document ID: US9438960B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/037,917
- Filed: 2013-09-26
- Published: 2014-01-30
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2009-11-04
- Assignees: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
- Applicants: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP
- Inventors: Nadia Morris; N. Peter Hill; Troy C. Meuninck; Virginia S. Ng
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9438960B2

## CPC

- 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 7/17318: {Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests}
- H04N 21/252: {Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data}
- H04N 21/25875: {involving end-user authentication (restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06)}
- H04N 21/4661: {Deriving a combined profile for a plurality of end-users of the same client, e.g. for family members within a home (user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306)}
- H04N 21/4668: {for recommending content, e.g. movies}
- H04N 21/472: End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content {(end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612)}
- H04N 21/47202: {for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand}
- H04N 21/4756: {for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie}
- H04N 21/4782: Web browsing {, e.g. WebTV}
- H04N 21/6125: {involving transmission via Internet (transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82)}
- H04N 21/6175: {involving transmission via Internet (broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82)}
- H04N 21/64322: {IP}
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

In an Internet protocol television network, a set-top box includes a social network interface module and a remote control interface module. The social network interface module receives a first selection of a content item from the remote control interface module, and receives a second selection of a comment from the remote control interface module. The social network interface module also posts the second selection on a social network system.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A set-top box, comprising:
a memory to store computer instructions;
a social network interface controller; and
a remote control interface controller coupled with the memory and the social network interface controller,
wherein the social network interface controller responsive to executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising:
receiving a first selection of a predetermined comment of a plurality of predetermined comments from the remote control interface controller, wherein the plurality of predetermined comments relate to a content item being presented by the set-top box and are displayed by equipment of a user;
receiving a second selection of a characteristic of the content item of a plurality of predetermined characteristics of the content item, wherein the plurality of predetermined characteristics of the content item are displayed by the equipment of the user; and
presenting limited posts on a display device that is presenting the content item, wherein the limited posts are a subset of a group of posts related to the content item, and wherein the limited posts are selected based on the second selection of the characteristic of the content item.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The set-top box of claim 1, wherein the set-top box displays a plurality of content items on the display device, a selected content of the plurality of content items resulting in the content item being presented by the set-top box, wherein the limited posts are selected by the social network interface controller from a group of posts based on posting criteria established from user input at the set-top box including the second selection of the characteristic of the content item.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The set-top box of claim 2, wherein the plurality of content items includes a first particular content item that is recorded on the set-top box.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The set-top box of claim 3, wherein the plurality of content items includes a second particular content item that is being displayed by the equipment of the user concurrently with receiving the first selection of the predetermined comment.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The set-top box of claim 1, wherein the social network interface controller further receives a third selection of a social network system upon which the first selection of the predetermined comment is posted, wherein interaction with the social network system is initiated based on a selection of a channel corresponding to the social network system, wherein the interaction continues via windows presented on the display device after selection of a different channel, and wherein the interaction is ceased based on a selection of ending the interaction established from user input at the set-top box.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The set-top box of claim 5, wherein the third selection includes enrollment information associated with the user of the set-top box.

### Claim 7

A method comprising:
receiving, by a social network interface module, a selection of a content item, wherein the content item is received by a set-top box of an Internet protocol television system;
receiving, by the social network interface module, a selection of a predetermined comment of a plurality of predetermined comments from the set-top box, wherein the plurality of predetermined comments are displayed by equipment of a user, and wherein the predetermined comment is about the content item, and is selected based on user input at the set-top box;
receiving, by the social network interface module, a selection of a characteristic of the content item from a plurality of characteristics of the content item, wherein the plurality of characteristics of the content item are displayed by the equipment of the user; and
presenting, by the social network interface module, limited posts regarding the content item on a display device, wherein the limited posts are originated by other computing devices in communication with a social network system, wherein the limited posts are a subset of a group of posts on the social network system, and wherein the limited posts are related to the selection of the characteristic of the content item.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising, before posting the predetermined comment, receiving by the social network interface module a selection of the social network system from among a plurality of social network systems, wherein the selection is received by the equipment of the user.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving of the selection of the social network system further comprises receiving enrollment information associated with the user.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein interaction with the social network system is initiated based on a selection of a channel corresponding to the social network system, wherein the content item is selected from among a plurality of content items, wherein the interaction continues after selection of a different channel via windows presented at a display device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of content items includes a first particular content item that is recorded on the set-top box.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of content items includes a second particular content item that is being displayed by the equipment of the user concurrently with the selection of the predetermined comment.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising:
receiving, by the social network interface module, a selection of a search criteria associated with the second particular content item;
receiving, by the social network interface module, a post from the social network system based upon the search criteria; and
sending, by the social network interface module, the post to the set-top box.

### Claim 14

Machine-executable code embedded within a non-transitory tangible medium and including executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving at a social network interface module a selection of a predetermined comment of a plurality of predetermined comments from a set-top box, wherein the plurality of predetermined comments are displayed by equipment of a user, and wherein the predetermined comment is about a content item received by a set-top box in an Internet protocol television system, and is selected by a user of the set-top box;
receiving a selection of a characteristic of the content item of a plurality of predetermined characteristics of the content item, wherein the plurality of predetermined characteristics of the content item are displayed by the equipment of the user; and
presenting a limited number of posts regarding the content item on a display device, wherein the limited number of posts are originated by other computing devices in communication with a social network system, and wherein the limited number of posts are a subset of a group of posts related to the content item that are provided to the social network system, wherein the subset is selected based on the selection of the characteristic of the content item.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The machine-executable code embedded within the non-transitory tangible medium of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise, before posting the predetermined comment, receiving at the social network interface module a selection of the social network system from among a plurality of social network systems, wherein the selection is received by the equipment of the user, wherein the characteristic comprises a cast of the content item.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The machine-executable code embedded within the non-transitory tangible medium of claim 15, wherein, the operations further comprise:
receiving at the social network interface module a selection of the social network system; and
receiving enrollment information associated with the user.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The machine-executable code embedded within the non-transitory tangible medium of claim 16, wherein the content item is selected from among a plurality of content items, wherein interaction with the social network system is initiated based on a selection of a channel corresponding to the social network system, wherein the interaction continues after selection of a different channel, and wherein the interaction is ceased based on a selection of ending the interaction established from user input at the set-top box.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The machine-executable code embedded within the non-transitory tangible medium of claim 17, wherein the plurality of content items includes a first particular contentment item that is recorded on the set-top box.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The machine-executable code embedded within the non-transitory tangible medium of claim 18, wherein the plurality of content items includes a second particular content item that is being displayed by the equipment of the user concurrently with the selection of the predetermined comment.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The machine-executable code embedded within the non-transitory tangible medium of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving at the social network interface module a selection of a search criteria associated with the second particular content item;
receiving at the social network interface module a post from the social network system based upon the search criteria; and
sending the post to the set-top box.