System and method for enhanced messaging including a displayable status indicator

• US 7,496,623 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2004
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energetic Power Investment Limited
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beaupre, Todd, Szeto, Christopher T., Schiro, Pierre, Dhomse, Vinod P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell; Robert B
• Application Number:
  US10/832,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20050262186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,765 Days
• Field of Search: 715/751, 715/753, 715/758, 709/204, 709/206, 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

A system and method for enhancing the experience of a user using a communication program over the Internet or other network. The system and method according to one embodiment utilizes a user'"'"'s status indicator in a communication program to share content such as music or videos among users, and provides access to an electronic commerce application through which content may be obtained. One system and method according to the present invention allows a user to display an indicator and to set an actionable status message which indicates to other users the media content that the first user is experiencing. In another embodiment, a user is given the ability to access content that other users are listening to or viewing at that time. The system and method in an alternate embodiment broadcast metadata about the user'"'"'s content to other users and the other users are able to utilize that metadata to receive and experience the same or similar content that the first user is experiencing. Access to an electronic commerce application through which content may be obtained is also facilitated.

Claims

1. A method of broadcasting data associated with media being experienced by a plurality of users of a communication program, the method comprising:

streaming items of digital content to a plurality of users of a communication program, the plurality of users comprising a first user and other users;

making available a status indicator associated with the first user, the status indicator identifying a playlist comprising digital content being experienced by the first user at a time of said making available;

providing to one or more of the other users of the communication program the status indicator displayed along with an identifier of the first user in a selected user list displayed to the one or more other users, so as to enable the one or more other users to setectively experience other digital content associated with the playlist by selecting the status indicator; and

making available a visible icon through which a commerce application can be accessed, which commerce application facilitates at least one user of the plurality in obtaining the digital content.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising making available at least a portion of data associated with an item of digital content to one or more other users of the communication program.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising making available at least a portion of the associated data to the commerce program.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the data comprises a song identifier.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the data comprises a user identifier.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the data comprises a universal resource identifier.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content is audio content.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content is video content.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content is a data stream.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content comprises digital content from a playlist selected for inclusion in said playlist by the first user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content comprises media from a playlist selected for inclusion in said playlist by a user other than the user.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the one or more other users should be provided access to the data.

13. A method comprising:

making available a visible status indicator associated with a first user, the status indicator identifying a playlist comprising media content being experienced by the first user at a the time of said making available;

displaying to a second user, via a communication program, the status indicator, with an identifier of the first user, for display in a selected user list displayed to the second user, so as to enable the second user to selectively experience other media content associated with the playlist by selecting the status indicator; and

making available for either the first user or the second user or both of them a visible commerce icon via which a commerce program may be accessed though which the media content may be obtained.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising associating data with the status indicator, wherein the data comprises a song identifier.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising associating data with the status indicator, wherein the data comprises a user identifier.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising associating data with the status indicator, wherein the data comprises a universal resource identifier.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the media content comprises audio content.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the media content comprises video content.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the media content comprises a data stream.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the media content comprises media from a playlist selected for inclusion in said playlist by the first user.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the media content comprises media from a playlist selected for inclusion in said playlist by a user other than the first user.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining whether the second user should be given access to the status indicator before providing the status indicator to the second user.

23. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining whether the second user should be given access to data associated with the status indicator before providing the second user access to the associated data.

24. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

determining whether the second user should be given access to media content before streaming content to the second user.

25. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

determining whether the second user has an accessible media player before enabling the second user to selectively experience the media content.

26. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of passing a portion of data associated with the status indicator to the commerce application.

27. A system for providing an enhanced experience to a communication program user comprising:

a first user communication program embodied on a computer readable medium made available by a service provider;

a second user communication program embodied on a computer readable medium made available by the service provider;

a messaging server in communication with said first and second programs, which messaging server provides to a second user a displayable status indicator displayed with an identifier of a first user in a selected user list displayed to the second user, the status indicator being associated with the first user and identifying a playlist comprising media content being experienced by the first user at a time the status indicator is provided;

a media server that communicates with the messaging server and selectively sends other media content associated with the playlist to the second user after the second user interacts with the status indicator; and

an additional server by way of which either the first user or the second user or both of them may, by interacting with a visible commerce icon made available by each user'"'"'s respective communication program, gain access to a commerce program through which the media content may be obtained.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said messaging server receives data associated with the status indicator, wherein the data comprises a song identifier.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein said messaging server receives data associated with the status indicator, wherein the data comprises a user identifier.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein said messaging server receives data associated with the status indicator, wherein the data comprises a universal resource identifier.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the media content comprises audio content.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the media content comprises video content.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein the media content comprises a data stream.

34. The system of claim 27, wherein the media content comprises media from a playlist selected for inclusion in said playlist by the first user.

35. The system of claim 27, wherein the media content comprises media from a playlist selected for inclusion in said playlist by a user other than the first user.

36. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions for facilitating experience of media content tangibly stored thereon, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by a computer operated by a user, performing:

instantiating a user interface comprising a selected user list portion and a media player portion;

displaying a user identifier in the selected user list portion identifying a second user of said messaging program using second computer hardware;

displaying a selectable status indicator adjacent to the user identifier, the status indicator identifying a playlist comprising second user media being experienced by the second user at a time the status indicator is displayed, wherein selection of the status indicator enables experience of other media associated with the playlist; and

displaying a commerce icon via which a commerce program may be accessed through which the media may be obtained.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 36, wherein the instructions further perform receiving media through said media player portion in response to the user selecting the selectable status indicator.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 36, wherein the instructions further perform receiving media through said media player portion in response to the user selecting the selectable status indicator, the media being similar media to the media being experienced by the second user.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 36 wherein the instructions further perform changing the selectable status indicator to reflect that the second user is experiencing different media.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 36 wherein the instructions further perform passing information about the media to said commerce program.

41. A computer-readable medium having computer- readable instructions for facilitating experience of media content tangibly stored thereon, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by a computer operated by a user, performing:

instantiating a status indicator associated with a first user, the status indicator indicating a webpage being experienced by the first user at a time of said instantiating;

providing to a second user, via the communication program, the status indicator associated with an identifier of the first user in a selected user list displayed to the second user, so as to enable the second user to selectively experience the webpage experienced by the first user by selecting the status indicator;

instantiating for either the first user or the second user or both of them a commerce icon via which a commerce program may be accessed through which the media content associated with the webpage may be obtained.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein a provider of the computer program and a provider of the commerce program are different entities.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein a provider of the computer program and a provider of the commerce program are a same entity.

44. A method comprising:

providing access to a downloadable program comprising a user interface that displays a list of selected users that a user of the program wishes to be associated with;

displaying, to one or more other users associated with a first user, a status indicator identifying a URI of a webpage being experienced by the first user and an identifier of the first user, in a selected user list displayed to one or more users that the first user wishes to be associated with;

dynamically changing the status indicator displayed to the one or more other users based on a change in webpage being experienced by the first user so as to visibly indicate said change in webpage; and

displaying a commerce icon via which a commerce program may be accessed through which media content may be obtained.

45. A method comprising:

making available a status indicator associated with a first user, the status indicator indicating webpage being experienced by the first user at a time of said making available;

providing to a second user, via the communication program, the status indicator associated with an identifier of the first user in a selected user list displayed to the second user, so as to enable the second user to selectively experience the webpage experienced by the first user by selecting the status indicator;

dynamically changing the status indicator displayed to the second user based on a change in media content being experienced by the first user; and

making available for either the first user or the second user or both of them a commerce icon via which a commerce program may be accessed through which media content associated with the webpage may be obtained.

46. A method of broadcasting data associated with media being experienced by a plurality of users of a communication program, the method comprising:

streaming items of digital content to a plurality of users of a communication program, the plurality of users comprising a first user and other users;

displaying to one or more of the other users of the communication program a status indicator identifying a playlist comprising digital content being experienced by the first user and associated with an identifier of the first user, in a selected user list displayed to the one or more other users, so as to enable the one or more other users to selectively experience the digital content experienced by the first user by selecting the status indicator;

dynamically changing the status indicator displayed to the one or more other users based on a change in playlist being experienced by the first user; and

displaying an icon through which a commerce application can be accessed, which commerce application facilitates at least one user of the plurality in obtaining the digital content.

47. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions for facilitating experience of media content tangibly stored thereon, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by a computer operated by a user, performing:

instantiating a user interface comprising a selected user list portion and a media player portion;

displaying on a display a user identifier in the selected user list portion identifying a second user of said messaging program using second computer hardware;

displaying a selectable status indicator adjacent to the user identifier, the status indicator identifying a playlist comprising second user media being experienced by the second user at a time the status indicator is displayed, wherein selection of the status indicator enables experience of other media associated with the playlist;

dynamically changing the displayed status indicator based on a change in playlist being experienced by the second user; and

displaying a commerce icon via which a commerce program may be accessed through which the media may be obtained.

48. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions for facilitating experience of media content tangibly stored thereon, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by a computer operated by a user, performing:

instantiating a status indicator associated with a first user, the status indicator indicating a webpage being experienced by the first user at a time of said instantiating;

displaying to a second user, via the communication program, the status indicator associated with an identifier of the first user in a selected user list displayed to the second user, so as to enable the second user to selectively experience the webpage experienced by the first user by selecting the status indicator; and

dynamically changing the status indicator displayed to the second user based on a change in webpage being experienced by the second user; and

instantiating for either the first user or the second user or both of them a commerce icon via which a commerce program may be accessed through which media content associated with the webpage may be obtained.