VIDEO SHARING PLATFORM PROVIDING FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SHARING AND DISTRIBUTED DOWNLOADS OF VIDEOS

• US 20080178230A1
• Filed: 12/04/2007
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Group Corp.
• Original Assignee: Crackle Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hodgson, David Charles Alexander, Haken, Piers, Hazel, Steven, EYAL, Aviv
• Application Number:
  US11/950,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20080178230A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/86
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/816 involving special video data, e.g 3D video
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method for use in providing content includes hosting a network site on a computer network, displaying on the network site links to one or more videos, and displaying on the network site at least an on-demand preview of a first video in response to a corresponding one of the links being selected. A storage medium stores a computer program for use on a client computer. Several other methods, systems and programs are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A storage medium storing a computer program for use in uploading content from a client computer, the computer program causing the client computer to execute steps comprising:

establishing a first video stored in the client computer;

displaying on a display screen of the client computer a tool for uploading information related to a first video to a database that stores information relating to the video, wherein the information includes some or all of the video;

displaying on the display screen of the client computer an option for sharing the first video either publicly or privately;

communicating through a computer network to upload information relating to the first video to the database that stores information relating to a plurality of videos, wherein the information relating to the first video includes a designation whether it is to be shared publicly or privately;

making available an on-demand video preview that is based on the information communicated to the database; and

providing an option to initiate a download of the first video in pieces from two or more computers on the network.

2. A storage medium in accordance with claim 1, wherein the information includes a digital video file that is generated from the first video and includes a representation of some or all of the first video'"'"'s video data and audio data.

3. A storage medium in accordance with claim 1, wherein the on-demand video preview is made available on a video sharing website.

4. A storage medium in accordance with claim 1, wherein the option to initiate a download of the first video is restricted to members of a video sharing website.

5. A storage medium in accordance with claim 1, wherein the computer program further causes the client computer to execute a step comprising:

displaying on the display screen of the client computer an option for sending an email having a link to the on-demand video preview.

6. A storage medium storing a computer program for use in receiving content at a client computer, the computer program causing the client computer to execute steps comprising:

communicating through a computer network with a database that stores information relating to a plurality of videos;

displaying on a display screen of the client computer links to one or more of the videos;

displaying on the display screen of the client computer at least an on-demand preview of a first video in response to a corresponding one of the links being selected;

displaying on the display screen of the client computer an option to download the first video; and

downloading different portions of the first video from respective other client computers in response to the download option being selected.

7. A storage medium in accordance with claim 6, wherein the computer program further causes the client computer to execute a step comprising:

requesting a list of file sources for the first video.

8. A storage medium in accordance with claim 6, wherein the computer program further causes the client computer to execute a step comprising:

assembling the different portions of the first video received from other client computers.

9. A storage medium in accordance with claim 6, wherein the respective other client computers comprise a private group.

10. A system for use in sharing content, comprising:

a data center that includes a database that stores information relating to a plurality of videos, wherein the data center is configured to display on a network site links to one or more of the videos, at least an on-demand preview of a first video in response to a corresponding one of the links being selected, and an option to download the first video;

at least two client computers that each store different portions of the first video, wherein the data center is further configured to keep track of which client computer has what portion of the first video; and

another client computer that is configured to request from the data center a list of file sources for the first video and then download the different portions of the first video from the at least two client computers in response to the download option being selected.

11. A system in accordance with claim 10, wherein the another client computer is further configured to assemble the different portions of the first video received from the at least two client computers.

12. A system in accordance with claim 10, wherein the data center is further configured to add the another client computer to the list of file sources for the first video for future downloads.

13. A system in accordance with claim 10, wherein the at least two client computers and the another client computer all comprise a private group.

14. A method for use in providing content, comprising:

hosting a network site on a computer network;

displaying on the network site links to one or more videos;

displaying on the network site at least an on-demand preview of a first video in response to a corresponding one of the links being selected;

displaying on the network site an option to download the first video; and

downloading the first video to a client computer by running a computer program on the client computer in response to the download option being selected, wherein the program downloads the first video in chunks, coming from two or more computers on the network.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising:

providing a list of file sources for the first video to the client computer.

16. A method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising:

assembling the different chunks of the first video received from the two or more servers.

17. A method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising:

adding the client computer to a list of file sources for the first video for future downloads.

18. A storage medium storing a computer program for use in manipulating content on a client computer, the computer program causing the client computer to execute steps comprising:

communicating with a digital camera connected to the client computer;

importing images and/or video from the camera into the client computer;

establishing a first video in response to the step of importing images and/or video from the camera;

communicating through a computer network to upload information relating to the first video to a database that stores information relating to a plurality of videos including video data of some or all of the first video;

displaying on a display screen of the client computer links to one or more of the plurality of videos including the first video;

displaying on the display screen of the client computer at least an on-demand preview of the first video using the uploaded video data in response to a corresponding one of the links being selected;

displaying a command to download the first video; and

downloading the first video to a client computer by running a computer program on the client computer in response to the download option being selected, wherein the program downloads the first video in chunks, coming from two or more computers on the network.

19. A storage medium in accordance with claim 18, wherein the on-demand video preview is made available on a video sharing website.

20. A storage medium in accordance with claim 18, wherein the command to download the first video is restricted to members of a video sharing website.