Systems and methods may provide for communication between a plurality of client devices of a broadcast system. The communication may be, for example, a recommendation of a program that is communicated from one subscriber to another subscriber or subscribers via their client devices. The communication also may be a comment regarding a program, for example, recently viewed at the client device of the one subscriber. In general, the communication may be a message from one subscriber to another subscriber or subscribers. Further, the communication may be configured to perform a function on one or more other client devices. Such a function may include, but is not limited to, setting a timer to record a program, ordering or purchasing a program or service, cancelling an ordered/purchased program or service, setting or altering user preferences, controlling access to channels, etc.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method for communications between television receiver devices of a television broadcast system, the method comprising: receiving a communication from a first television receiver device of the television broadcast system; evaluating a user profile associated with a second television receiver device to determine if the second television receiver device will accept the communication, the user profile including user defined settings to accept or not accept each of: a message from the first television receiver device, and a functional instruction from the first television receiver device, the functional instruction executable by the second television receiver device to cause the second television receiver device to record program content based on a preset limit of storage space allotted to recordings of programs by timers set by the first television receiver device; transmitting the communication to the second television receiver device of the television broadcast system if it is determined that the second television receiver device will accept the communication; and wherein the communication is configured to cause the second television receiver device to take at least one of the following actions: cause the message to display on a display device associated with the second television receiver device; or execute the functional instruction to cause the second television receiver device to record program content.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the second television receiver device to record program content comprises setting a timer to record a program on the second television receiver device.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein user profile further comprises user defined settings to accept or not accept: a direction to purchase a program for viewing via the second television receiver device.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user profile further comprises user defined settings to accept or not accept: a direction to alter a user preference for the second television receiver device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user profile further comprises user defined settings to accept or not accept: a direction controlling access to channels by the second television receiver device.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message displayed on the display device associated with the second television receiver device comprises a request for permission to execute the functional instruction, and wherein the functional instruction is executed when permission is granted by the second television receiver device.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the message to display on the display device associated with the second television receiver device comprises causing a notification to be displayed on the display device associated with the second television receiver device which requests permission to display the message on the display device associated with the second television receiver device, and wherein the message is displayed on the display device associated with the second television receiver device when permission is granted by the second television receiver device.
8. A system for communications between television receiver devices of a television broadcast system, the system comprising: a transmission system of the television broadcast system configured to: receive a communication initiated by a first television receiver device; evaluate a user profile associated with a second television receiver device to determine if the second television receiver device will accept the communication, the user profile including user defined settings to accept or not accept each of: a message from the first television receiver device that when output for display by a display device associated with the second television receiver device provides a tutorial for a particular function selected from setting a program recording timer, setting a user preference, and navigating menus, and a functional instruction from the first television receiver device, the functional instruction executable by the second television receiver device to cause the second television receiver device to record program content based on a preset limit of storage space allotted to recordings of programs by timers set by the first television receiver device; transmit the communication to a second television receiver device if it is determined that the second television receiver device will accept the communication; wherein the communication is configured to cause the second television receiver device to take at least one of the following actions: cause the message to display on the display device associated with the second television receiver device; or execute the functional instruction to cause the second television receiver device to record program content.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the user profile further including user defined settings to accept or not accept: a direction to purchase a program for viewing via the second television receiver device.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the user profile further includes user defined settings to accept or not accept: a direction to alter a user preference for the second television receiver device.
11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the user profile further includes user defined settings to accept or not accept: a direction controlling access to channels by the second television receiver device.
12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the message displayed on the display device associated with the second television receiver device comprises a request for permission to execute the functional instruction, and wherein the functional instruction is executed when permission is granted by the second television receiver device.
13. The system of claim 8 , wherein causing the message to display on the display device associated with the second television receiver device comprises causing a notification to be displayed on the display device associated with the second television receiver device which requests permission to display the message on the display device associated with the second television receiver device, and wherein the message is displayed on the display device associated with the second television receiver device when permission is granted by the second television receiver device.
14. A method for communicating between multiple client devices of a television broadcast system, the method comprising: receiving a communication from a first client device configured to receive video signals from a television broadcast system; evaluating a user profile associated with a second client device to determine if the second client device will accept the communication, the user profile including user defined settings to accept or not accept each of: a message from the first client device, and a functional instruction from the first client device, the functional instruction executable by the second client device to cause the second client device to record program content based on a preset limit of storage space allotted to recordings of programs by timers set by the first client device; transmitting the communication to the second client device if it is determined that the second client device will accept the communication; wherein the communication is configured to cause the second client device to take at least one of the following actions: cause the message to display on a display device associated with the second client device; or execute the functional instruction to cause the second client device to record program content.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein causing the message to display comprises displaying a notification that a message has been received prior to display of the message on display device associated with the second client device.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the notification displayed on the display device associated with the second client device comprises a request for permission to display the communication on the display device associated with the second client device, and wherein the communication is displayed on the display device associated with the second client device when permission is granted by the second client device.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the user profile further comprises user defined settings to accept or not accept: a direction to purchase a program for viewing via the second client device.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the user profile further comprises user defined settings to accept or not accept: a direction to alter a user preference for the second client device.
19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the user profile further comprises user defined settings to accept or not accept: a direction controlling access to channels by the second client device.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein causing the second client device to record program content comprises setting a timer to record a program on the second client device.
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September 26, 2008
February 23, 2016
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