Sharing television and video programming through social networking

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9699485-B2
Application number	US-201213602011-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2012
Priority date	Aug 31, 2012
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

In particular embodiments a social networking system may receive authorization from a first user of a social-networking system to control at least in part one or more functions of a set-top box (STB) of the first user, determine one or more social actions of one or more second users of the social-networking system, determine one or more instructions for the STB of the first user based at least in part on the social actions, and provide the instructions for the STB of the first user. The social-networking system includes a graph having a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
by a computer system of a social-networking system, receiving authorization from a first user of the social-networking system to control at least in part one or more functions of a set-top box (STB) of the first user, the social-networking system comprising a graph that comprises a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes, the nodes comprising:
user nodes that are each associated with a user of the social-networking system, the user nodes comprising:
a first user node associated with the first user; and
a second user node associated with a second user of the social-networking system, the second user node being connected to the first user node by one or more edges in the graph;

by the computer system of the social-networking system, analyzing the graph;
by the computer system of the social-networking system, providing a plurality of selectable preferences to the first user, the selectable preferences comprising:
a preference for the social-networking system to seek the first user's approval before directly programming the first user's STB; and
a preference for the social-networking system to directly program the first user's STB without seeking further permission from the first user;

by the computer system of the social-networking system, receiving an indication that the first user has selected the preference for the social-networking system to seek the first user's approval before directly programming the first user's STB; and
by the computer system of the social-networking system, without the second user actively pushing media content to the first user:
determining, based on the analysis of the graph, one or more posts of the second user to the social-networking system;
determining, from the one or more posts of the second user to the social-networking system, particular media content that the second user is planning to watch;
sending an authorization message to the first user, the authorization message comprising a hyperlink operable to permit the first user to provide their approval to record the particular media content that the second user is planning to watch, the authorization message comprising an email or a text message; and
if the first user selects the hyperlink within the authorization message to approve the recording of the particular media content that the second user is planning to watch, providing one or more instructions for the STB of the first user to record the particular media content that the second user is planning to watch.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
by the computer system of the social-networking system, determining, based on the analysis of the graph, one or more social actions of the second user, the social actions comprising:
watching particular video content; or
“liking” particular video content;

wherein determining the particular media content that the second user is planning to watch is also determined from the one or more social actions of the second user in addition to the one or more posts of the second user to the social-networking system.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
by the computer system of the social-networking system, determining, from the graph, one or more social coefficients for the first user;
by the computer system of the social-networking system, determining, based on the social coefficients, other media content that the first user is likely to want to watch; and
by the computer system of the social-networking system, providing one or more instructions for the STB of the first user to record the other media content that the first user is likely to want to watch.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the STB comprises a digital video recorder (DVR).

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
by the computer system of the social-networking system, determining, based on the analysis of the graph, one or more social actions of the first user;
by the computer system of the social-networking system, determining, based on the social actions of the first user, other media content that the first user is likely to want to watch; and
by the computer system of the social-networking system, providing one or more instructions for the STB of the first user to record the other media content that the first user is likely to want to watch.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein:
one or more of the social actions of the first user comprise the first user participating in chat messaging.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second user has been authorized by the first user as a user whose posts to the social-networking system may be used to record content on the STB of the first user.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
by the computer system of the social-networking system, determining a personalized queue for the first user; the personalized queue comprising one or more recommended programs for the first user to watch; and
by the computer system of the social-networking system, providing instructions to the STB to record one or more of the recommended programs from the personalized queue.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to determining that the second user is planning to watch the particular media content, providing a notification to the first user that the second user is planning to watch the particular media content.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining, from the one or more posts of the second user to the social-networking system, particular media content that the second user is planning to watch comprises identifying a name of a known show or movie included by the second user within the one or more posts.

11. A system, comprising:
one or more memory devices; and
a processor communicatively coupled to the one or more memory devices, the processor operable to:
receive authorization from a first user of a social-networking system to control at least in part one or more functions of a set-top box (STB) of the first user, the social-networking system comprising a graph that comprises a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes, the nodes comprising:
user nodes that are each associated with a user of the social-networking system, the user nodes comprising:
a first user node associated with the first user; and
a second user node associated with a second user of the social-networking system, the second user node being connected to the first user node by one or more edges in the graph;

analyze the graph;
provide a plurality of selectable preferences to the first user, the selectable preferences comprising:
a preference for the social-networking system to seek the first user's approval before directly programming the first user's STB; and
a preference for the social-networking system to directly program the first user's STB without seeking further permission from the first user;

receive an indication that the first user has selected the preference for the social-networking system to seek the first user's approval before directly programming the first user's STB; and
without the second user actively pushing media content to the first user:
determine, based on the analysis of the graph, one or more posts of the second user to the social-networking system;
determine, from the one or more posts of the second user to the social-networking system, particular media content that the second user is planning to watch;
send an authorization message to the first user, the authorization message comprising a hyperlink operable to permit the first user to provide their approval to record the particular media content that the second user is planning to watch, the authorization messag

Assignees

• Marlow Cameron Alexander
• Garcia David Harry
• Tseng Erick
• Krausz Brian
• Facebook Inc

Inventors

• Marlow Cameron Alexander
• Garcia David Harry
• Tseng Erick
• Krausz Brian

Classifications

• G06Q10/40

  Business processes related to social networking or social networking services · CPC title

• H04L65/1089

  by adding media; by removing media · CPC title

• H04N21/458

  Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules {; time-related management operations (arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10)} · CPC title

• H04N21/47214

  for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market (stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224) · CPC title

• H04N21/4532

  involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences (monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18) · CPC title