INSTANTIATING BROWSER MEDIA INTO A VIRTUAL SOCIAL VENUE

• US 20110225516A1
• Filed: 01/07/2011
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Javelin XIP, LLC, Onset VI L.P.
• Original Assignee: Oddmobb, Inc. (Xmobb, Inc.)
• Inventors: Goldman, Daniel M., Lanning, Lorne
• Application Number:
  US12/986,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20110225516A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/757
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method and social media platform is provided for instantiating browser media into a social setting, thereby transforming the browser media into social media. A virtual social venue is provided for sharing a streaming media experience with multiple users invited to participate in the virtual social venue. A browser plug-in is provided on the toolbar of the web browser. The plug-in enables a user with host privileges to instantiate streaming media content from an existing web portal of a third party streaming media content provider into the virtual social venue. In response to selection of the browser plug-in, the streaming media content is streamed—either immediately, or after being added to a queue—to multiple users participating in the virtual social venue.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for sharing a streaming media experience in a social setting, the method comprising:

providing a virtual social venue for sharing a streaming media experience with multiple users invited to participate in the virtual social venue;

providing a browser plug-in operable to instantiate streaming media content from an existing web portal of a third party streaming media content provider into the virtual social venue; and

in response to selection of the browser plug-in, streaming the media content to the multiple users participating in the virtual social venue.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising causing the media content to be placed into a queue for later presentation within the social venue, before streaming the media content to the multiple users participating in the virtual social venue.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the virtual social venue comprises a virtual three-dimensional representation of a structure accommodating a large seating or standing area, the method further comprising populating the seating or standing area with representations of users invited to participate in the virtual social venue.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the virtual social venue includes a virtual representation, within the virtual social venue, of a screen, billboard, window, or other viewing surface from which the streaming media content is presented.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein each seat or standing location provides a unique spatial perspective of the streaming media content.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising enabling users invited to participate in the virtual social venue to select open seats or standing locations in the seating or standing area.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the virtual social venue includes a virtual representation, within the virtual social venue, of multiple screens, billboards, windows, or other viewing surfaces, a selectable one from which the streaming media content is presented.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising selecting one of the multiple screens, billboards, windows, or other viewing surfaces, from which to display the streaming media content.

9. A computer-implemented method for sharing a streaming media experience in a social setting, the method comprising:

providing a virtual social venue comprising a virtual three-dimensional representation of a structure and a virtual representation of a screen, billboard, window, or other viewing surface from which streaming media content is to be presented;

admitting multiple users to participate in a streaming media experience within the virtual social venue;

providing at least one of the multiple users with hosting privileges not granted to other users admitted to the virtual social venue;

enabling a user with host privileges to instantiate streaming media content from an existing web portal of a third party streaming media content provider into the virtual social venue; and

streaming the media content to the multiple users participating in the virtual social venue.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing the user with host privileges a browser plug-in operable to instantiate streaming media content from an existing web portal of a third party streaming media content provider into the virtual social venue; and

in response to selection of the browser plug-in, streaming the media content to the multiple users participating in the virtual social venue.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising causing the media content to be placed into a queue for later presentation within the social venue, before streaming the media content to the multiple users participating in the virtual social venue.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the virtual three-dimensional representation of a structure accommodates a large virtual seating or standing area, the method further comprising populating the virtual seating or standing area with representations of users invited to participate in the virtual social venue.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein each seat or standing location provides a unique spatial perspective of the streaming media content.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising enabling users invited to participate in the virtual social venue to select open seats or standing locations in the seating or standing area.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the virtual social venue includes virtual representations, within the virtual social venue, of multiple screens, billboards, windows, or other viewing surfaces, a selectable one from which the streaming media content is presented.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising selecting one of the multiple screens, billboards, windows, or other viewing surfaces, from which to display the streaming media content.

17. A social media platform for sharing a streaming media experience in a social setting, the social media platform comprising:

a virtual social venue for sharing a streaming media experience with multiple users invited to participate in the virtual social venue; and

an interface with a browser plug-in operable to instantiate streaming media content from an existing web portal of a third party streaming media content provider into the virtual social venue;

wherein in response to selection of the browser plug-in, media content is streamed to the multiple users participating in the virtual social venue.

18. The social media platform of claim 17, wherein the virtual social venue comprises a virtual three-dimensional representation of a structure accommodating a large seating or standing area operable to be populated with representations of users invited to participate in the virtual social venue.

19. The social media platform of claim 18, wherein the virtual social venue includes a virtual representation, within the virtual social venue, of a screen, billboard, window, or other viewing surface from which the streaming media content is presented.

20. The social media platform of claim 19, wherein each seat or standing location provides a unique spatial perspective of the streaming media content.