Abstract:
A method, apparatus, and system to provide the ability for a user to make audio and/or audio-video phone calls simultaneously while watching (co-viewing) provider video content in remote locations. A control system is provided to set up call, direct provider video content, and provide for the phone calls and video content to be delivered and then synchronized. The phone calls may be routed by the control system to PSTN destinations or Internet based destinations and calls made or received may be bridged to other Internet based sources. The provider video content may be provided directly from its source or routed through NAT traversal or through the control system.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of and incorporates by reference co-pending U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/715,553 filed Oct. 18, 2012. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This invention relates generally to integrated telecommunications and multimedia systems and applications and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for integrating provider video content with phone call communications in real time. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0005]    Television (or “TV”) services which provide live video or recorded video content through channels such as over air broadcasts, cable TV systems, and satellite TV systems (“provider video content” or “TV style video content”) are well known. Over air broadcasts have been offered for decades, but typically only permit access to a few channels (five to ten). Cable TV and satellite systems have grown in popularity over the past few decades and typically offer a greater number of channels, in the range of tens or hundreds, as well as interactive services aimed at improving aspects of the user&#39;s viewing experience such as recording and playback and premium content for purchase. Recently, access to TV style video content has additionally been availed through the Internet, where such video can often be streamed for real time viewing and/or downloaded for subsequent viewing. On the Internet, many of the service enhancements which have been introduced by Cable TV and satellite systems are present in some form. In addition, due to the nature of the Internet and its delivery protocols, there remain opportunities to further enhance or supplement TV style video content provided over the Internet. 
         [0006]    Similarly, various telephone and voice communication services which facilitate remote audio or audio/video communications (“phone call” or “phone call communications”) over wired or wireless networks are well established. Traditional wired telephone networks date back more than a century and, more recently, wireless networks and Voice over Internet Protocol (“VoIP”) have introduced new communication protocols which provide increased functionality and often decrease costs. Notably, the rise in phone call communications through VoIP (and thus over the Internet) has largely coincided with the rise in the delivery of provider video content delivered over the Internet. A problem which still exists, however, is phone call communications and provider video content have remained largely separate services, unable to provide users with enhanced, integrated functionality. While users in remote locations can engage in a phone call and watch the same provider video content from the same source, the users cannot participate in an service wherein their phone call and provider video content viewing are integrated and synchronized together. Thus, there remains a need for a method and apparatus which could provide a coviewing system that would allow users in remote locations to engage in a phone call which was integrated with and occurring in conjunction with the viewing of the same provider video content. It would be helpful if such a coviewing system was structured to enable the synchronization of the video content being viewed by each user. It would be additionally desirable for such a coviewing system was structured to utilize smart echo cancellation which simultaneously accounted for audio from the provider video content and from the phone call. 
         [0007]    The Applicant&#39;s invention described herein provides for a system adapted to allow coviewing of provider video content such that phone call communications between a plurality of users has been integrated with a provider video content viewing session. The primary components of Applicant&#39;s method and apparatus for coviewing include a coviewing control system and a plurality of user interfaces which include audio and video inputs and audio and video outputs. When in operation, the method and apparatus for coviewing allows users in remote locations to engage in an phone call and provider video content viewing session simultaneously, whereby the phone call communications and provider video content have been integrated into a unified and synchronized interface to be broadcast by a output device simultaneously. As a result, many of the limitations imposed by the prior art are removed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    A method, apparatus and system to provide the ability for a user to make audio and/or audio-video calls simultaneously while watching (co-viewing) the same provider video (e.g.: program, movie or sporting event). The calls may be to PSTN destinations or internet based destinations. Calls made or received may be bridged to other services such as Google Voice, Skype, Facebook and others. 
         [0009]    The invention incorporates multiple user interfaces. The interfaces include video displays. Each display may have a camera, whereby the camera may provide images of the respective user. Each video display includes a call transmitter and call receiver. The transmitter and receiver may be the same element. 
         [0010]    Video can be displayed as an overlay on a display such as Picture in Picture. TV program can be ‘squeezed-back’ on a display from a video call or other transmitted text. Video can also be placed on an ‘edge’ (top, bottom, left, right) of a display. Video can also be overlaid in windows such, so called ‘picture in picture’ or PIP. The invention includes the optional provision of the ability to synchronize playback of TV programming so both parties watch the same video ‘scene/play’ at the same time. The invention may also include intelligent echo cancellation that suppresses both normal audio echo as well as the audio associated with the TV program. 
         [0011]    Call setup may be performed through a Coviewing Control System (“CCS”). The CCS may be a dedicated system or leverage an existing telephony, conferencing or other system. Video from media may be routed directly or through some form of NAT traversal, or through the control system 
         [0012]    It is an object of this invention to provide a coviewing system which would allow users in remote locations to engage in an audio only or audio/video phone call which was integrated with and occurring in conjunction with the viewing of the same provider video content. 
         [0013]    It is another object of this invention to provide a coviewing system structured to enable the synchronization of the video content being viewed by each user. 
         [0014]    It is yet another object of this invention to provide a coviewing system structured to utilize smart echo cancellation which simultaneously accounted for audio from the provider video content and from the phone call. 
         [0015]    These and other objects will be apparent to one of skill in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a general process flow according to the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the components of a set top box adapted for coviewing and built in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  depicts the coviewing set up process according to the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  depicts an exemplary user interface of a coviewing session according to the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  depicts a user interface of a video content overlay coviewing session according to the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  depicts a user interface of a video content squeeze back coviewing session according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    Referring now to the drawings and in particular  FIG. 1 , a system overview of the operating components of a method and apparatus for coviewing is shown. A coviewing control system  10  is provided to perform server and administrator functions for a plurality of set top boxes  11  that perform client functions and provide user interfaces. The coviewing control system  10  is utilized to provide a call manager, which is implemented through a hardware and/or a software configuration. The call manager is used to provide phone call address information required for phone call setup and may work in conjunction with the processor of set top boxes  11  for setting up all calls, both incoming and outgoing, between set top boxes  11  or a set top box  11  and another device. It is contemplated that the call manager may be implemented through a dedicated system or by leveraging existing telephony or conferencing systems. 
         [0023]    The coviewing control system  10  and the set top boxes  11  are configured to maintain a network connection to the Internet  12 . In this manner, the coviewing control system  10  and the set top boxes  11  are adapted to communicate data in real time with each other as well as access data from or transmit data to any specific location on the Internet  12 . For example, the set top boxes  11  may utilize existing protocols to access provider video content through its connection to the Internet, whether at the direction of or independent of any action of the coviewing control system  10 . Similarly, set top boxes  11  may connect phone calls through a VoIP interface to publically switched telephone network destination or an Internet based destination. In this regard, it is contemplated that set top boxes  11  may be configured to handle incoming and outgoing phone calls or bridge such phone calls to services such as Google Voice, Skype, and Facebook. 
         [0024]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the primary components of a set top box  11  built in accordance with the present invention are defined as interface components and processing components. The interface components include a networking interface  100 , an output interface  101 , a content input interface  102 , an audio input interface  103  and a video input interface  104 . The network interface  100  provides the network connection between the set top box  11  and the Internet so as to enable the set top box  11  to communicate data to locations on the world wide web. The network interface  100  is defined as a single connection which provides Internet access to a plurality of components in the set top box  11  in one embodiment. In alternate embodiments, the network interface  100  defines a plurality of connections which include wired connections, wireless connections or possibly wired and wireless connections. In other embodiments, connection protocols such as USB, Ethernet, WiFi, LTE, WiMax, 3G/4G/Cellular data may be utilized in addition or in the alternative by the network interface  100 . It is contemplated that other categories of media players/receives can be utilized in the alternative to, or in addition to, a set top box  11 . Alternative media players/receivers, such as game consoles, Internet media players/receives, and TVs configured to include media playing/receiving components may be configured in accordance with the present invention as described above. 
         [0025]    The output interface  101  is configured to provide signals which would allow a television or other audio/video display device to display and otherwise output audio and video signals relating the provider video content, phone call communications, or other content received from the Internet. In one embodiment, the output interface  101  is defined as a HDMI outlet. In alternate embodiments, audio and video outputs may be provided through the output interface  101  via a single or multiple connectors which may be wired, wireless, or a combination of wired and wireless. In other embodiments, connection protocols such as coaxial, USB, Ethernet, WiFi, WiMax, TOSLINK, SP/DIF, HDMI, component, and composite may be used by the output interface  101  to deliver audio and video signals to the desired audio/video display device. 
         [0026]    The content input interface  102  provides a supplementary input for provider video content which is not being received directly from the Internet  12  through the network interface  100 . The content input interface  102  utilizes one or more connection ports such as coaxial, component, composite, HDMI, SCART, TOSLINK, SP/DIF to receive input signals from providers of provider video content, such as Cable TV signals, satellite signals, analog or digital antenna inputs. It is contemplated that a plurality of one or more these connection ports may be provided. This signal can be used supplement a provider video content signal which is being received from the Internet  12 . In the alternative, the set top box  11  can directly use the broad video content signal from the content input interface  102  while supplementing that signal with data from the Internet  12 . 
         [0027]    The audio input interface  103  allows for audio from the area surrounding the set top box  11  to be captured and utilized in the operations of the set top box  11 . The audio input interface  103  defines an audio pick up device, which may be a single microphone or a microphone array to enable additional echo cancelling capability. In one embodiment, the audio pick up device is an internal component of the set top box  11  while in other embodiments, the audio pick up device is an external component connected to the set top box or a combination of internal and external components. 
         [0028]    The video input interface  104  captures video from the area surrounding the set top box  11  to be utilized in the operations of the set top box  11 . The video input interface  104  is defined in one embodiment by a internally mounted video camera. In other embodiments, the video camera may be externally disposed and connected to the set top box  11  via a connection, which may be either wired, or wireless, or a combination of both. 
         [0029]    The processing components include a central processing unit  105 , a local video encoder  106 , a local audio preamp  107 , a echo canceller  108 , a content decoder  109 , a transmission encoder  110 , an audio video decoder component  111 , an audio video combiner  112 , a combiner/mixer  113 , a call in filter  114 , coviewing audio video filter  115 , a graphics processor  116 , and a third party app processor  117 . In operation, the central processing unit  105  acts as a gatekeeper/taskmaster and regulates the system to ensure all interactions are taking place at the correct time and in the correct order. 
         [0030]    To handle the initial processing of locally generated inputs, the local video encoder  106  receives and encodes video signals from the video input interface  104  and then transmits the encoded local video signal to the audio video combiner  112 . In addition, the local audio preamp  107  is connected to the audio input interface  103  so as to receive audio signals from the audio input interface  103 , amplify them, and transmit the amplified signals to the echo canceller  108 . Furthermore, the content decoder  109  receives encoded provider video content from the content input interface  102 , decodes it, and transmits the decoded signals to the echo canceller  108 . 
         [0031]    To handle the initial processing of remotely generated inputs, the call in filter  114  filters out data relating to active, requested or pending phone calls in the signals received from the Internet through the networking interface  100 . This phone call data is then transmitted to the audio video decoder component  111  to be decoded and sent to the echo canceller  108  and the combiner/mixer  113 . The coviewing audio video filter  115  filters out data relating active requested, or pending coviewing sessions to enable it to be directed to the audio video decoder component  111  to be decoded and sent to the echo canceller  108  and the combiner/mixer  113 . The graphics processor  116  provides menu overlay information to the combiner/mixer  113  to enable the display of the same on the local video output. The third party app processor  117  enables the operation of third party apps which provide additional provider video content on the set top box  11 . The third part app processor  117  transmits received provider video content to the audio video decoder component  111  to be decoded and sent to the echo canceller  108  and the combiner/mixer  113 . It is contemplated that the audio video decoder component may be embodied as a single decoder or a plurality of audio/video decoders. 
         [0032]    Once the locally and remotely generate inputs are received and initially processed, the outputs of the set top box  11  are configured through the echo canceller  108 , the transmission encoder  110 , audio/video combiner  112 , and the combiner/mixer  113 . The echo canceller  108  receives audio data from a plurality of sources relating to noise which is being generated around the set top box  11  generates a signal which enables echo cancellation and unwanted noise suppression. When a point to point audio call, audio/visual call, or co-viewing call is made the echo canceller  108  takes the audio signal that would emit from the television or display device, or audio system that is outputting an audio signal coming through the set top box  11 , and generate a cancelling signal that would mix with the signal coming into the set top box  11  via the audio pick up device, thus cancelling the unwanted audio signal and preventing unwanted feedback. 
         [0033]    The transmission encoder  110  encodes data from the echo canceller  108  so as to prepare it to be transmitted to a desired networked target. The audio/video combiner  112  merges the audio and video outbound feeds together. This is accomplished by taking the audio signals from the echo canceller  108  and combining them with the video signal generated by the local video encoder  106 . In other embodiments, the transmission encoder  110  is not included and the audio and video feeds are transmitted as separate signals. 
         [0034]    The combiner/mixer  113  combines different sources of the audio/video signals which are to be provided to the television  118  or desired display device and routes the combined signal to the output interface  101 . It is contemplated that SMS, gaming audio/video, audio call, video call, video/audio call, interactive menu displays, co-viewing displays, and others may be provided to the output interface  101  by the combiner/mixer  113 . In some embodiments, the combiner/mixer  113  includes an encoder, while in other embodiments, an encoder is provided in the output interface  101 . 
         [0035]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the process of initiating a coviewing session between two devices built in accordance with the present invention begins with a first user requesting a coviewing phone call connection with a second user at a specified or otherwise specific location (such as phone number, email address, or other unique identifier) on the first user&#39;s device interface. The request is transmitted to the coviewing control system, which locates the second user&#39;s through the provided unique identifier. The request is sent to the second user&#39;s device interface, and an option to accept or decline the request to provided to the second user&#39;s device interface. If the request is not accepted on the second user&#39;s device interface, the coviewing control system terminates the request and notifies the first user&#39;s device interface that the request has been unfulfilled. If the second user&#39;s device interface accepts the request, the coviewing control system begins provisioning the call request. Such provisioning enables a phone call signal which will be exchanged in real time by the respective user&#39;s device interfaces to be generated. 
         [0036]    During the provisioning of the phone call request, the coviewing control system notifies each user&#39;s device interface that a call is provision and causes the display a message advising that the call is connecting. Upon receiving this notification, each user&#39;s device interface transmits information relating to any provider video content currently being displayed by the respective user&#39;s device interface. This information typically includes the current program, the current channel and a time stamp indicating where in program duration wise the user&#39;s device interface is. The coviewing control system processes this information by generating a signal which synchronizes the provider video content being watched on the user&#39;s respective device interface. The synchronized provider video content signal is then integrated with the phone call signal to form an integrated coviewing signal. The coviewing signal is then transmitted to each user&#39;s device interface, which causes the user&#39;s device interface to each actuate a coviewing session. In actuating a coviewing session, the user&#39;s device interfaces begin to display or otherwise play the provider video content and phone call communications as directed by the coviewing control system and transmit capture phone call related audio and video information to the coviewing control system. 
         [0037]    In one embodiment, the coviewing control system merely integrates a pointer to a source of provider video content in the step of integrating provider video content and phone call. In such an embodiment, the provider video content is provided to each of the user&#39;s device interfaces directly from a provider or through a form of network address translation traversal. 
         [0038]    In one embodiment, the step of processing provider video content includes allowing the user&#39;s device interfaces to select a particular program or channel to watch during the coviewing session. 
         [0039]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , when a coviewing session is active, a user in a first location  400  and a user in a second location  401  can watch the same program and/or channel on a television screen  402  while having a video phone call, wherein the program and the video feed  403   a ,  403   b  from the other user are both visible on the user&#39;s respective television screen  402 . In embodiments where video call is not provided for, users can still utilize coviewing to participate in a phone call while watching synchronized provider video content in remote locations. 
         [0040]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , in one embodiment, the video  500  from the phone call communication of a coviewing session is displayed as an overlay on top of the provider video content  501  being displayed on the display device  502 . In some embodiments, the coviewing session provides in addition to the remotely generated phone call communication video  500  the locally generated video  503 . 
         [0041]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , in another embodiment, during a coviewing session, the provider video content video  600  is squeezed back on the display device  601  to provide a space in which the video  602  from the phone call communication of a coviewing session is displayed. It is contemplated that the video can be squeezed back on the edge of a display device so as to provide space on an opposing edge or squeezed back to a more centrally located position on the display device to provide space along the perimeter of the provider video content  600 . In this embodiment, the coviewing session may again provides in addition to the remotely generated phone call communication video  602  the locally generated video  603 . 
         [0042]    In one embodiment, the provider video content and/or user interfaces and/or video from phone call communications may be selectively displayed on a selected device or a plurality of selected devices. For example, a coviewing system may enable the video from provider video content to be displayed on a first display device, such as a mobile electronic device (tablet, smartphone, etc.), while the video from the phone call communication of a coviewing session is displayed on a second display device, such as a TV. Similarly, a coviewing system may enable menus and other user interface elements on a mobile device and video on a TV. Further, a coviewing system may enable all video and user interfaces to be displayed on a mobile device. 
         [0043]    The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.