US 11,936,697 B2
Methods and apparatus for providing social viewing of media content
Scott Pead, Englewood, CO (US)
Assigned to DISH Technologies L.L.C., Englewood, CO (US)
Filed by DISH Technologies L.L.C., Englewood, CO (US)
Filed on Aug. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/446,331.
Application 17/446,331 is a continuation of application No. 16/908,365, filed on Jun. 22, 2020, granted, now 11,128,681.
Application 16/908,365 is a continuation of application No. 14/145,025, filed on Dec. 31, 2013, granted, now 10,708,319, issued on Jul. 7, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/747,583, filed on Dec. 31, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2021/0392174 A1, Dec. 16, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06F 3/048 (2013.01); G06F 3/0484 (2022.01); G06Q 10/10 (2023.01); G06Q 50/00 (2012.01); H04L 65/403 (2022.01)
CPC H04L 65/403 (2013.01) [G06F 3/0484 (2013.01); G06Q 10/10 (2013.01); G06Q 50/01 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for social viewing of a media content via a network, performed by a computer server system providing a media player, the method comprising:
streaming the media content to a first user device via the network by the media player, wherein the media content is broadcast from a media source;
streaming the media content to a second user device via the network by the media player;
determining, by the computer server system and based on a common interest related to the media content and shared by a first user of the first user device and a second user of the second user device, to provide a mechanism to connect to a first social media site to the first user and the second user, wherein the mechanism comprises a user interface component; and
providing, by the computer server system and to the first and second user devices, the mechanism to connect to the first social media site, wherein the first social media site includes a social media stream from a second social media site external to the first social media site, the streamed media content, and an interaction region for the first user device and the second user device to share comments in real time.