The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 09, 2016
Filed:
Apr. 08, 2014
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Helen Blackburn, London, GB;
David Dinka, London, GB;
Gisela Gier, London, GB;
Mark McLaughlin, Surrey, GB;
Skype, Dublin, IE;
Abstract
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.