US9258511B2 · Google Patents →
See what TV channel your Skype contacts are watching and tune in to the same thing. TL;DR social TV, before anyone called it that.
Embodiments include a television appliance configured to display a selected on-screen viewing activity, and a client application. The client application is configured to maintain a list of contacts and allow a user of the media appliance to establish communication events with contacts via a network interface and packet-based network.
The client application is further configured to receive a machine-readable data item via the network interface and packet-based network from a television appliance of one or more of said contacts, the machine-readable data item indicating a current television channel being viewed by the respective contact.
In at least some embodiments, the client application may control operation of said user’s television appliance in relation to the contact’s television appliance based on the data item.
Cited by
Cited by 54 subsequent patents — the most of any in this portfolio. Cisco alone cited it extensively for their video conferencing platform, alongside filings from Google, Microsoft, Comcast, Verizon, TCL, STMicroelectronics, Ricoh and a Norwegian telemedicine company, spanning video conferencing, smart TV interaction, chat systems and tele-assistance.
