SOCIAL NETWORK MEDIA SHARING WITH CLIENT LIBRARY

• US 20110202430A1
• Filed: 02/12/2010
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Velagapudi, Suresh Babu, Suthar, Paresh, Narayanan, Raman, Vishnumurty, Rajendra, Liu, Ming, Songco, Russell
• Granted Patent: US 8,666,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2471 Distributed queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/184 Intellectual property management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15

Abstract

Concepts and technologies are described herein for providing media content sharing. The concepts and technologies disclosed herein can be employed to share media content with a social network, even for content subject to access control mechanisms and/or copyright laws. According to various embodiments disclosed herein, media content can be shared with a social network, or the like. An application running at or in conjunction with a computer can obtain information relating to media content displayed at or accessible to the computer, format the data, and transmit the data to a social networking site or other location in a format appropriate for the site. Contents and technologies for viewing the shared content also are disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for sharing media content with a social network, the computer-implemented method comprising performing computer-implemented operations for:

receiving a command to share the media content with the social network;

in response to receiving the command to share the media content, retrieving media information associated with the media content, the media information comprising data identifying the media content; and

sharing the media information with the social network.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising formatting the media information in a desired order.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising formatting the media information in a desired language.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the computer implemented operations for retrieving the media information comprise computer implemented operations for querying a media application running at the computer for the media information.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein the computer implemented operations for sharing the media information with the social network comprise computer implemented operations for transmitting the media information to a server hosting a social networking site.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein the computer implemented operations for sharing the media information with the social network comprise computer implemented operations for:

accessing a public application programming interface (“

API”

) exposed by a server hosting a social networking site; and

transmitting the media information to the server via the public API.

7. A computer-implemented method for accessing media content shared with a social network, the computer-implemented method comprising performing computer-implemented operations for:

receiving, at a computer, a command to utilize shared media content;

in response to receiving the command, obtaining information identifying the shared media content and initiating a search of a data storage device associated with the computer, the search being for determining if a copy of the shared media content is stored at the data storage device and being based upon the information identifying the shared media content;

taking an action based upon the determining, wherein

if the copy of the shared media content is stored at the data storage device, the action comprises displaying a control to utilize the shared media content, and

if the copy of the shared media content is not stored at the data storage device, the action comprises presenting a control to obtain a copy of the shared media content.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 7, wherein obtaining the information comprises retrieving metadata associated with the shared media content.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 7, wherein taking the action further comprises generating the option to obtain the authorized copy of the shared media content.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 7, wherein the initiating the search comprises:

generating a query for searching a data storage device local to the computer; and

submitting the query to an application to determine if the data storage device comprises the authorized copy of the shared media content.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 7, further comprising launching a media playback application to utilize the shared media content.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 7, further comprising launching an electronic book reading application to display the shared media content.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 9, wherein the generating the option comprises generating a control to purchase the authorized copy of the shared media content.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 9, wherein the generating the option comprises generating a control to preview the authorized copy of the shared media content.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 10, wherein generating the query comprises generating a query for searching a media library associated with a playback application, the media library being stored at a data storage device local to the computer.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 13, further comprising:

selecting the option to purchase the authorized copy of the shared media content; and

in response to the selection of the option to purchase the authorized copy, launching an application to complete a transaction to purchase the authorized copy of the shared media content.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 13, wherein the generating the option further comprises generating a control to preview the authorized copy of the shared media content.

18. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereupon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive, at the computer, a command to share media content with a social network;

in response to receiving the command to share the media content, retrieve media information associated with the media content, the media information comprising data identifying the media content;

share the media information with the social network;

receive, at the computer, a command to display media content shared by a member of the social network;

in response to receiving the command to display the shared media content, obtain information identifying the shared media content and initiating a search of a data storage device associated with the computer, the search being for determining if a copy of the shared media content is stored at the data storage device and being based upon the information identifying the shared media content;

take an action based upon the determining, wherein

if the copy of the shared media content is stored at the data storage device, the action comprises displaying a control to utilize the shared media content, and

if the copy of the shared media content is not stored at the data storage device, the action comprises presenting a control to obtain a copy of the shared media content.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to launch a media playback application to display the shared media content.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

generate the option to obtain the authorized copy by generating a control to purchase the authorized copy of the shared media content;

select the option to purchase the authorized copy of the shared media content; and

in response to the selection of the option to purchase the authorized copy, launch an application to complete a transaction to purchase the authorized copy of the shared media content.