Second screen methods and arrangements

Abstract

The present technology concerns television services and systems, cell phones and other portable devices, and more particularly concerns use of such devices in connection with media content. One claim recites a method employing a portable device comprising a processor, microphone, user interface, and display. The method includes: using the microphone, capturing audio data from a user's environment; using the processor, processing the captured audio data to yield processed audio data; receiving a first user input via the user interface to access a web site; providing the processed audio data to a remotely located server that hosts the web site, the remotely located server using the processed audio data adapt its presentation of material back to the portable device when accessing the web site. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided too.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method employing a portable device comprising a processor, microphone, user interface, and display, said method comprising:
 using the microphone, capturing audio data from a user's environment;   using the processor, processing the captured audio data to yield processed audio data;   receiving a first user input via the user interface to access a web site;   providing the processed audio data to a remotely located server that hosts the web site, the remotely located server using the processed audio data adapt its presentation of material back to the portable device when accessing the web site.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  in which said processing involves watermarking decoding. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  in which said processing involves fingerprint extraction. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  in which said processing involves filtering. 
     
     
         5 . A portable device comprising memory, said memory including instructions stored thereon to cause a device processor to perform the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         6 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions to cause one or more processors to perform the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  in which the material comprises audio or video. 
     
     
         8 . A portable device comprising:
 a microphone for capturing audio data from a user's environment;   a user interface to receive a first user request to access a web site;   a processor programmed for:
 processing captured audio data to yield processed audio data; 
 controlling communication of the processed audio data to a remotely located server that hosts the web site, the remotely located server using the processed audio data adapt its presentation of material back to the portable device when accessing the web site. 
   
     
     
         9 . The portable device of  claim 8  in which said processing involves watermarking decoding. 
     
     
         10 . The portable device of  claim 8  in which the processing involves fingerprint extraction. 
     
     
         11 . The portable device of  claim 8  in which the processing involves filtering. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 accessing information from a user profile regarding video programming;   receiving a current location of a mobile device, the mobile device being associated with the user profile;   issuing an alert to the mobile device indicating upcoming video programs based on the information and on the current location.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  in which the alert includes an invitation to indicate whether the user will view the upcoming video programs. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  in which the alert includes program line-up data from a media market where the mobile device is currently located. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  in which the user profile comprising information associated with a user's DVR. 
     
     
         16 . A computing device comprising memory, said memory including instructions stored thereon to cause a device processor to perform the method of  claim 12 . 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions to cause one or more processors to perform the method of  claim 12 . 
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 under the control of one or more processors, accessing information from a user profile regarding video programming;   receiving a current location of a mobile device, the mobile device being associated with the user profile;   issuing an alert to the mobile device indicating upcoming video programs based on the information and on the current location, in which the alert includes an invitation to indicate whether the user will view the upcoming video programs, and in which the alert further includes program line-up data from a media market where the mobile device is currently located.   
     
     
         19 . A computer server comprising memory and one or more processors, said memory including instructions stored thereon to cause the one or more processors to perform the method of  claim 18 . 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions to cause one or more processors to perform the method of  claim 18