Granted Patent B1

US 11,432,047 · App. 17/518,795 · Granted Aug 30, 2022

Inventors: Vishwas Sharadanagar Panchaksharaiah (Karnataka, IN); Vikram Makam Gupta (Karnataka, IN); Reda Harb (Bellevue, WA)

Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.

H04N21/4788H04L51/12H04N21/44218H04N21/454H04N21/4532H04N21/47217

Abstract

Claims (62)

1. A method for automatically enabling or disabling at least one function of a chat application for at least one user during a group watch session, the method comprising:

identifying a plurality of users in the group watch session;

identifying a media asset being consumed by the plurality of users, the media asset comprising a plurality of segments; and

for each respective segment of the plurality of segments:

determining, for each respective user of the plurality of users, an availability level of the respective user for the respective segment;

in response to determining that the availability level of the respective user for the respective segment is below a threshold level, disabling, on a device associated with the respective user, at least one function of a chat application during consumption, by the respective user, of the respective segment; and

in response to determining that the availability level of the respective user for the respective segment meets or exceeds the threshold level, enabling, on the device associated with the respective user, the at least one function of the chat application during consumption, by the respective user, of the respective segment.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining, for each respective user of the plurality of users, an availability level of the respective user for the respective segment comprises:

identifying, from metadata associated with the media asset, at least one characteristic of the respective segment;

determining, based on the metadata, an importance level of the respective segment;

accessing a user profile of the respective user;

calculating, for the respective user, an engagement score for the respective segment based on the user profile; and

determining an availability level of the respective user for the respective segment based on the importance level and the engagement score.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein calculating, for the respective user, an engagement score comprises:

monitoring the presence of the respective user during consumption of the respective segment; and

determining, based on the presence of the respective user, the engagement score.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein calculating, for the respective user, an engagement score comprises:

monitoring the presence of the respective user during consumption of the media asset;

determining a number of segments of the media asset for which the respective user has been present; and

calculating the engagement score based on the number of segments of the media asset for which the respective user has been present.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein disabling, on a device associated with the respective user, at least one function of the chat application comprises transmitting, to the device, an instruction to hide a chat window.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein disabling, on a device associated with the respective user, at least one function of the chat application comprises queuing the messages for delivery to the respective user when the availability level of the respective user meets or exceeds the threshold.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein disabling, on a device associated with the respective user, at least one function of a chat application comprises limiting delivery, to the respective of user, of messages in the chat application to messages below a substantiveness threshold.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein disabling, on a device associated with the respective user, at least one function of a chat application comprises:

performing natural language processing of text of a message received by a first user from a second user;

determining, based on the natural language processing, that the message contains a spoiler;

identifying a segment of the media asset to which the spoiler relates; and

delaying delivery of the message until the first user has consumed the identified segment.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating for display a visual indicator showing that a respective user of the plurality of users is not available, the visual indicator being overlaid on a progress bar in a region of the progress bar corresponding to a segment during which at least one function of the chat application is disabled for the respective user.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating for display a representation of a respective user of the plurality of users and an icon overlaid on the representation of the respective user corresponding to whether at least one function of the chat application is currently disabled or enabled for the respective user.

11. A system for automatically enabling or disabling at least one function of a chat application for at least one user during a group watch session, the system comprising:

a session controller; and

control circuitry configured to:

identify, using the session controller, a plurality of users in the group watch session;

identify, using the session controller, a media asset being consumed by the plurality of users, the media asset comprising a plurality of segments; and

for each respective segment of the plurality of segments:

determine, for each respective user of the plurality of users, an availability level of the respective user for the respective segment;

in response to determining that the availability level of the respective user for the respective segment is below a threshold level, disable, on a device associated with the respective user, at least one function of a chat application during consumption, by the respective user, of the respective segment; and

in response to determining that the availability level of the respective user for the respective segment meets or exceeds the threshold, enable, on the device associated with the respective user, the at least one function of the chat application during consumption, by the respective user, of the respective segment.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry configured to determine, for each respective user of the plurality of users, an availability level of the respective user for the respective segment is further configured to:

identify, from metadata associated with the media asset, at least one characteristic of the respective segment;

determine, based on the metadata, an importance level of the respective segment;

access a user profile of the respective user;

calculate, for the respective user, an engagement score for the respective segment based on the user profile; and

determine an availability level based on the importance level, and the engagement score.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry configured to calculate, for the respective user, an engagement score is further configured to:

monitor the presence of the respective user during consumption of the respective segment; and

determine, based on the presence of the respective user, the engagement score.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry configured to calculate, for the respective user, an engagement score is further configured to:

monitor the presence of the respective user during consumption of the media asset;

determine a number of segments of the media asset for which the respective user has been present; and

calculate, based on the number of segments of the media asset for which the respective user has been present, the engagement score.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry configured to disable, on a device associated with the respective user, at least one function of the chat application is further configured to transmit, to the device, an instruction to hide a chat window.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry configured to disable, on a device associated with the respective user, at least one function of the chat application is further configured to queue the messages for delivery to the respective user when the availability level of the respective user meets or exceeds the threshold.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry configured to disable, on a device associated with the respective user, at least one function of a chat application is further configured to limit delivery, to the respective of user, of messages in the chat application to messages below a substantiveness threshold.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry configured to disable, on a device associated with the respective user, at least one function of a chat application is further configured to:

perform natural language processing of text of a message received by a first user from a second user;

determine, based on the natural language processing, that the message contains a spoiler;

identify a segment of the media asset to which the spoiler relates; and

delay delivery of the message until the first user has consumed the identified segment.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate for display a visual indicator showing that a respective user of the plurality of users is not available, the visual indicator being overlaid on a progress bar in a region of the progress bar corresponding to a segment during which at least one function of the chat application is disabled for the respective user.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate for display a representation of a respective user of the plurality of users and an icon overlaid on the representation of the respective user corresponding to whether at least one function of the chat application is currently disabled or enabled for the respective user.

Assignments (3)

Cited By (11)

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