Information processing

1. A method of processing at least a first part of a communication originating from a user of an end-user device, the method comprising:

receiving, by a comment service module from the end-user device, at least the first part of the communication, the communication comprising a first user-provided commentary provided by the user, and the at least the first part of the communication relating to a point or range within a multimedia presentation;

receiving, by a media analysis module, content information, the content information being information relating to content of the multimedia presentation;

identifying search terms based on the first user-provided commentary;

using the search terms to search communications from consumers of the multimedia presentation for content items relevant to the point or range within the multimedia presentation,

selecting, by a content recommendation module operatively coupled to the comment service module and the media analysis module, one or more of the content items, each content item being selected depending on the received at least the first part of the communication and the received content information; and

generating a summary of information relevant to the point or range within the multimedia presentation, the information being dependent on the one or more selected content items;

sending, for display to the user, by the comment service module, the generated summary of information including the selected content items, wherein the selected content items sent for display to the user are selectable by the user for inclusion in one or more of:

a second part of the communication originating from the user and relating to the point or range within the multimedia presentation, the second part of the communication comprising a further user-provided commentary provided by the user and distinct from the first user-provided commentary provided by the user, and

a second communication originating from the user and relating to the point or range within the multimedia presentation, the second communication comprising the further user-provided commentary provided by the user and distinct from the first user-provided commentary provided by the user.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of selecting the one or more content items comprises:

identifying one or more subjects, each subject being relevant to the received at least the first part of the communication and the received content information; and

selecting one or more content items relating to one or more of the identified subjects.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the step of selecting one or more content items relating to one or more of the identified subjects comprises:

using a web search engine, searching over the Internet for content items stored on a web server; and

selecting one or more of the search results.

4. A method according to claim 2 wherein the step of selecting one or more content items relating to one or more of the identified subjects comprises:

searching for content items stored on a database, the database containing one or more content items stored by the user; and

selecting one or more of the search results.

5. A method according to claim 1 :

wherein the method further comprises receiving, by the content recommendation module from the end-user device, a timestamp, the timestamp specifying a point or range within the multimedia presentation that relates to the communication; and

wherein the step of selecting is dependent on the received timestamp such that one or more of the selected content items are relevant to the specified point or range within the multimedia presentation.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the step of selecting is dependent on one or more further communications, each further communication having been made in relation to the point or range within the multimedia presentation that is specified by the timestamp.

7. A method according to claim 1 further comprising, after the step of sending:

receiving one or more of the selected content items, by the comment service module from the end-user device, included in one or more of:

a second part of the communication originating from the user, and

a second communication originating from the user and relating to the point or range within the multimedia presentation.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of selecting one or more content items is dependent upon one or more factors selected from a group of factors consisting of: a profile of the user, a profile of an intended recipient of the communication, and a further communication made in relation to the multimedia presentation.

9. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

processing, by the media analysis module the media presentation to extract the content information; and

sending, from the media analysis module to the content recommendation module, the extracted content information.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein the method is performed while the user composes the communication using the end-user device such that the selected content items are displayed to the user while the user composes the communication.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:

for each selected content item, determining, by the content recommendation module, a point or range in the multimedia presentation to which that content item relates; and

for each content item element, sending, by the comment service module, for display to the user, the determined point or range in the multimedia presentation to which that content item relates.

12. A method performed by an end-user device, the method comprising:

sending, for use by apparatus remote from the end-user device, at least a first part of a communication, the communication originating from a user of the end-user device, the communication comprising a first user-provided commentary provided by the user, and the communication relating to a point or range within a multimedia presentation;

in response to sending the at least the first part of the communication, receiving, from the apparatus, a summary of information relevant to the point or range within the multimedia presentation, the information being dependent on one or more content items selected based on search terms related to the first user-provided commentary and used to select the one or more content items from communications from consumers of the multimedia presentation at the point or in the range within the multimedia presentation;

displaying the summary of information including the one or more content items, each content item having been selected by the apparatus depending on the at least the first part of the communication and content information relating to content of the multimedia presentation; and

receiving a user-selection from the summary of information to attach a selected one or more content items to a second part of the communication originating from the user;

sending the one or more of the user-selected content items, for use by an apparatus remote from the end-user device, included in one or more of:

a second part of the communication originating from the user and relating to the point or range within the multimedia presentation, the second part of the communication comprising a further user-provided commentary provided by the user and distinct from the first user-provided commentary provided by the user, and

a second communication originating from the user and relating to the point or range within the multimedia presentation, the second communication comprising the further user-provided commentary provided by the user and distinct from the first user-provided commentary provided by the user.

13. A method according to claim 12 further comprising:

displaying, on a display, the received one or more content items.

14. A method according to claim 13 further comprising:

in response to the performance of an action by the user, including into the communication one or more of the displayed content items.

15. A method according to claim 12 wherein each content item has been selected by the apparatus depending on one or more factors selected from a group of factors consisting of: a profile of the user, a profile of an intended recipient of the communication, and a further communication made in relation to the multimedia presentation.

16. A method according to claim 12 wherein:

the sending one or more of the received content items is performed in response to the performance of an action by the user.

17. A method according to claim 12 further comprising:

sending, for display on a further device remote from the end-user device, the received one or more content items.

18. A method according to claim 12 :

wherein the method further comprises sending, by the end-user device for use by the apparatus, a timestamp, the timestamp specifying a point or range within the multimedia presentation that relates to the communication; and

wherein one or more of the content items received by the end-user device have further been selected depending on the timestamp such that those content items are relevant to the point or range within the multimedia presentation specified by the timestamp.

19. A method according to claim 12 wherein the method is performed while the user composes the communication on the end-user device such that the received content items are displayed on the end-user device to the user while the user composes the communication.

20. A method according to claim 12 further comprising:

in response to sending the at least the first part of the communication, receiving, by the end-user device from the apparatus, for each received content item, a particular point or range in the multimedia presentation to which that content item relates, the particular point or range having been determined by the apparatus.

21. An apparatus for processing at least a first part of a communication originating from a user of an end-user device, the apparatus comprising:

a comment service module configured to receive, from the end-user device, at least the first part of the communication, the communication comprising a first user-provided commentary provided by the user, and the at least the first part of the communication relating to a point or range within a multimedia presentation;

a media analysis module configured to receive content information, the content information being information relating to content of the multimedia presentation;

a content recommendation module operatively coupled to the comment service module and the media analysis module, the content recommendation module being configured to:

identifying search terms based on the first user-provided commentary;

using the search terms to search communications from consumers of the multimedia presentation for content items relevant to the point or range within the multimedia presentation,

select one or more content items, each content item being selected depending on the received at least the first part of the communication and the received content information;

generating a summary of information relevant to the point or range within the multimedia presentation, the information being dependent on the one or more selected content items; and

the comment service module, operatively coupled to the content recommendation module, being configured to send, for display to the user, the generated summary of information including the selected content items, wherein the selected content items sent for display to the user are selectable by the user to be included in one or more of:

a second part of the communication originating from the user and relating to the point or range within the multimedia presentation, the second part of the communication comprising a further user-provided commentary provided by the user and distinct from the first user-provided commentary provided by the user, and

a second communication originating from the user and relating to the point or range within the multimedia presentation, the second communication comprising the further user-provided commentary provided by the user and distinct from the first user-provided commentary provided by the user.