US 11,671,657 B2
Method and apparatus for shared viewing of media content
Akshay Chetan Shah, Mumbai (IN); Padmassri Chandrashekar, Karnataka (IN); and Daina Emmanuel, Bangalore (IN)
Assigned to Rovi Guides, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by Rovi Guides, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Jun. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/363,300.
Prior Publication US 2023/0007342 A1, Jan. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. H04N 21/442 (2011.01); H04N 21/4788 (2011.01); H04N 21/439 (2011.01); H04N 21/4223 (2011.01)
CPC H04N 21/44218 (2013.01) [H04N 21/4223 (2013.01); H04N 21/439 (2013.01); H04N 21/4788 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
generating for display, using control circuitry of a first user equipment device, media content in a shared viewing session;
monitoring, using the control circuitry, actions by a first user of the first user equipment device, wherein monitoring the actions of the first user comprises:
monitoring, based on an output from one or more cameras, physical gestures by the first user;
detecting, using the control circuitry, a reaction of the first user based on the monitored actions;
determining, using the control circuitry, a context of the reaction based on the media content and/or user profile information of the first user;
transmitting, to at least a second user equipment device participating in the shared viewing session, a message based on the reaction of the first user and the determined context;
generating for display one or more images of respective other users participating in the shared viewing session;
determining, based on the output from the one or more cameras, that the first user is pointing at a third portion of a display screen displaying one of the one or more images; and
determining that the image corresponds to a user of the second user equipment device;
wherein the message is transmitted to the second user equipment device in response to determining that the third portion of the display screen corresponds to the user of the second user equipment device.