Systems and methods for facilitating interactions between television sets and personal computing devices

Abstract

A system and method may be provided for facilitating interactions between television sets and personal computing devices. The system may comprise one or more physical servers configured to be communicatively coupled with one or more television sets including a first television set and one or more personal computing devices including a first personal computing device. The servers may comprise one or more hardware processors configured to receive first care management instructions and data concerning the status of a care recipient associated with the first television set via a first user interface visually presented via a first hardware display of the first television set. The first user interface may be laid over television content such that the first user interface is presented regardless of selected channel or input source and such that presentation of television content is not paused when the first user interface is presented by the first television set.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for providing interactions between a care recipient watching a TV and a care provider, comprising:
 a memory for storing processor-executable instructions;   a communications apparatus for receiving television content and for receiving visual content from a care management server; and   a processor, coupled to the memory and the communications port, for executing the processor-executable instructions that causes the device to:
 receive the visual content from the remote care management server; 
   receive the media content from a media source;
 overlay the visual content from the remote care management server on top of the media content; and 
 cause the visual content, overlaid on the media content, to be displayed to the care recipient on the TV 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the visual content comprises a user interface for providing a menu of selections to the care recipient. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the user interface is configurable by a remote care provider via a remote care provider client. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the visual content comprises a user interface for allowing the care recipient to provide a reply via the TV in response to viewing the visual content from the remote care management server. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that cause the device to:
 determine that a predetermined event has occurred;   upon an occurrence of the event, cause a notification to be displayed on the TV.   
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the visual content comprises a reminder for the care recipient to take medication. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the visual content comprises a description of a reminder configured by a remote care provider via a remote care provider client in communication with the care management server, the reminder created using a software application that is inaccessible to the care recipient. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that cause the device to:
 receive a notification from the care management server, the notification sent by the care management server in response to an analysis, by the care management server, of a medical status of the care recipient and care management instructions received from a remote care provider via a remote care provider client; and   cause the notification to be displayed to the care recipient.   
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a hardware display for displaying the visual content, overlaid on the media content, to the care recipient.   
     
     
         10 . A method for providing interactions between a care recipient watching a TV and a care provider, comprising:
 receiving, by a communications port, visual content from a remote care management server;   receiving, by the communications port, the media content from a media source; overlaying, by a processor coupled to the communications port, the visual content from the remote care management server on top of the media content; and   causing, by the processor, the visual content, overlaid on the media content, to be displayed to the care recipient on the TV.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the visual content comprises a user interface for providing a menu of selections to the care recipient. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the user interface is configurable by a remote care provider via a remote care provider client. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein t wherein the visual content comprises a user interface for allowing the care recipient to provide a reply via the TV in response to viewing the visual content from the remote care management server. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 determining, by the processor, that a predetermined event has occurred;   upon an occurrence of the event, causing, by the processor, a notification to be displayed on the TV.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the visual content comprises a reminder for the care recipient to take medication. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the visual content comprises a description of an event configured by a remote care provider via a remote care provider client in communication with the care management server, the invitation created using a software application that is inaccessible to the care recipient. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the communications port, a notification from the care management server, the notification sent by the care management server in response to an analysis, by the care management server, of a medical status of the care recipient and care management instructions received from a remote care provider via a remote care provider client; and   causing, by the processor, the notification to be displayed to the care recipient.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the visual content, overlaid on the media content, is displayed to the care recipient via a hardware display coupled to the processor.