Companion Experience

Abstract

Various embodiments provide a so-called companion experience in which content consumed on a primary screen can serve as a source for an automatic search that returns related content that can be presented on an auxiliary screen. The companion experience can be considered to reside in a layer that can be moved across different screens. The different screens can include different physical screens, such as those associated with different computing devices, or the same physical screen in which the companion experience would be rendered in a frame or sub-window.

1 . A computing device comprising:
 a display;   at least a memory and a processor to implement a companion experience module, the companion experience module configured to perform operations comprising:   initiating an automatic search based on information associated with content being consumed by an additional computing device; and   causing display of search results on the display, the search results related to the content being consumed by the additional computing device.   
     
     
         2 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the search results are different than the content being consumed by the additional computing device. 
     
     
         3 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the information is associated with content being rendered for display on an additional display of the additional computing device. 
     
     
         4 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the search results comprise third-party content. 
     
     
         5 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the search results comprise editorial content. 
     
     
         6 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the search results comprise data that was purchased for the purpose of being returned responsive to a search. 
     
     
         7 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the search results comprise content that is configured to be returned responsive to the automatic search. 
     
     
         8 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the search results comprise one or more advertisements. 
     
     
         9 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the search results comprise annotated community content. 
     
     
         10 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device comprise a mobile computing device. 
     
     
         11 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device comprise a wearable computing device. 
     
     
         12 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 prompting a user for a companion experience in which information associated with content being consumed on a primary screen of a first device serves as a source for an automatic search that returns search results related to the content for presentation on an auxiliary screen of a second device; and   responsive to the user opting for the companion experience, performing the automatic search effective to cause search results related to the content to be returned to the second device for rendering on the auxiliary screen of the second device while the content is being consumed on the primary screen of the first device.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , wherein the search results are different than the content being consumed on the primary screen of the first device. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , wherein the search results comprise third-party content. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , wherein the search results comprise editorial content. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , wherein the search results comprise data that was purchased for the purpose of being returned responsive to a search. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , wherein the search results comprise content that is configured to be returned responsive to the automatic search. 
     
     
         18 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 launching a companion experience module that enables content consumed on a device serving as a primary screen to serve as a source for an automatic search that returns related content that can be presented on an auxiliary screen; and   causing display of the related content on the auxiliary screen, the related content being different than the content.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 18 , wherein the auxiliary screen is supported by the device serving as the primary screen. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , wherein the auxiliary screen comprises a frame or sub-window of the primary screen.