FRIENDS TOOLBAR FOR A VIRTUAL SOCIAL VENUE

• US 20110225518A1
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• 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:
  US13/017,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20110225518A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/757
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/024 Multi-user, collaborative environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

A social media platform for sharing streaming media with a user'"'"'s social network friends includes a user interface, a data interface to the user'"'"'s social network, and a friends toolbar. The user interface includes a window displaying a virtual social venue comprising a virtual three-dimensional structure accommodating an audience of people. The friends toolbar is populated with selectable profile images of friends extracted from the social network. Selection of a profile image enables the data interface of the social media platform to send an invitation, through a messaging service of the social network, to the corresponding friend to join the virtual social venue.

Claims

1. A social media platform for sharing streaming media with friends, the social media platform comprising:

a virtual social venue comprising a virtual three-dimensional structure accommodating an audience of people;

a user interface;

a window in the user interface that displays the virtual social venue to a user;

a data interface to a social network containing profiles, including profile images, of friends; and

a friends toolbar in the user interface populated with selectable profile images of friends, wherein selection of a profile image enables the social media platform to send an invitation to the corresponding friend to join the virtual social venue.

2. The social media platform of claim 1, further comprising a graphical representation of the user in the virtual social venue.

3. The social media platform of claim 2, whereupon acceptance by a friend of an invitation to join the virtual social venue, a graphical representation of the friend is displayed within the three-dimensional context of the virtual social venue.

4. The social media platform of claim 3, wherein the accepting friend'"'"'s profile image is superimposed upon the accepting friend'"'"'s graphical representation.

5. The social media platform of claim 1, wherein the data interface is operable to automatically extract the profile images of friends from the social network.

6. The social media platform of claim 1, further comprising an attendee toolbar, separate from the friends toolbar, that lists profile images of friends who accept invitations to join the virtual social venue.

7. The social media platform of claim 1, whereupon hovering of a selection tool over a profile image of a friend in the friends toolbar, the friends toolbar presents a popup that presents the friend'"'"'s name.

8. The social media platform of claim 1, wherein the invitation is sent through a messaging service of the social network.

9. The social media platform of claim 1, further comprising:

a virtual representation of a viewing surface within the virtual social venue for sharing streaming video, wherein the virtual social venue provides a three-dimensional context within which to view the streaming video and share the streaming video with friends.

10. The social media platform of claim 1, further comprising:

a client module that provides the user interface to the user, the client module communicating with a third party streaming video content provider to receive streaming video that is synchronously shared with friends admitted to the virtual social venue; and

a first server module that transmits the virtual three-dimensional structure of the virtual social venue to a plurality of client modules, enabling the virtual social venue to be displayed to a plurality of users;

wherein the client module is operable to rotationally transform the streaming video and assemble it with the virtual three-dimensional structure of the virtual social venue in order to present the streaming video to the user within the three-dimensional context of the virtual social venue.

11. A method of creating a social context for the sharing of media, the method comprising:

creating a virtual social venue comprising a virtual three-dimensional structure accommodating an audience of people;

providing a user interface;

providing a window in the user interface that displays the virtual social venue to a user;

interfacing with a social network containing profiles, including profile images, of friends;

extracting profile images of friends from the social network;

providing a friends toolbar in the user interface;

populating the friends toolbar with extracted profile images of friends;

enabling selection of the profile images in the friends toolbar; and

sending an invitation to selected friends to join the virtual social venue.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying a graphical representation of the user in the virtual social venue.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying graphical representations of friends who join the virtual social venue within the three-dimensional context of the virtual social venue.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising superimposing extracted profile images upon the graphical representations of friends who join the virtual social venue.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising listing profile images of friends who accept invitations to join the virtual social venue in an attendee toolbar that is separate from the friends toolbar.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising presenting a name of a friend when a selection tool is hovered over a profile image of the friend in the friends toolbar.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising sending the invitations through a messaging service of the social network.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a virtual representation of a viewing surface within the virtual social venue for sharing streaming video, wherein the virtual social venue provides a three-dimensional context within which to view the streaming video and share the streaming video with friends.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing a client module to provide the user interface to the user and communicate with a third party streaming video content provider to receive streaming video that is synchronously shared with friends admitted to the virtual social venue; and

providing a first server module that transmits the virtual three-dimensional structure of the virtual social venue to a plurality of client modules, enabling the virtual social venue to be displayed to a plurality of users;

wherein the client module is operable to rotationally transform the streaming video and assemble it with the virtual three-dimensional structure of the virtual social venue in order to present the streaming video to the user within the three-dimensional context of the virtual social venue.