Using internet content as a means to establish live social networks by linking internet users to each other who are simultaneously engaged in the same and/or similar content

• US 8,117,281 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2007
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neonekt, LLC
• Original Assignee: ADDnCLICK, Inc.
• Inventors: Robinson, Jack, Muller, Peter, Noke, Timothy, Lim, Teng Lew, Glausi, Wallace, Cluff, James, Fullerton, Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing
• Assistant Examiner(s): WOO, ANDREW M
• Application Number:
  US11/982,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20080222295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,565 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/218, 709/227
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

A system and method that uses internet content and/or content metadata as a means to establish social networks. Examples include linking internet users, searchers, viewers and/or listeners of the same and/or similar internet content to each other via a platform that enables any of the following in n-dimensional environments: social networking, communications, sharing, e-commerce, advertising, search, hosting and registry services, push and pull applications, anonymous communications, and rich presence.

Claims

1. A method for concurrently linking together content users into live social networks based on similarity of content presented at an internet linked device, comprising:

storing device-readable instructions at a non-transitory data storage medium, wherein the instructions are configured when executed on a network-linked computing device to cause the device to;

associate metadata with device-perceivable content;

notify a user of the network-linked device when another user perceives content, wherein the user has directly or indirectly indicated an interest in that content or substantially similar content;

link the user with the other user, the linking being substantially based upon a similarity between content accessed by the user and content perceived by the other user, wherein similarity is determined by analyzing one or more selected from the group consisting of the content, of metadata associated with the content, of a user-specified action relating to the content, and of a context associated with the content;

concurrently present the content to the user and the other user at one or more selected from the group consisting of a window, a virtual environment, a display of an network-linked device, and a display of a device operatively coupled with a network-linked device; and

present to the user a user-selectable mechanism configured when selected to enable the user and the other user to interact relative the concurrently perceived content, wherein the user anonymously polls a third-party server for access to links to one or more other users who have consented to be included in such access, and wherein the polling includes a request to link the user to one or more other users based upon one or more content-related activities selected from the group consisting of bookmarkinq, searching, mousing-over and/or clicking on content, dragging-and-dropping content, visiting an internet presence, viewing one or both of static and full motion visual images, purchasing, and accessing, creating, or altering a personal homepage; and

providing the instructions to a user of a network-linked computing device in response to a request received from the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content is data corresponding to one or more of visually-perceivable content, aurally-perceivable content, and tactilely-perceivable content, and is rendered perceivable to a user by either or both of the internet-linkable device and a device operatively coupled with the internet-linkable device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one or both of the window and the virtual environment comprise one or more characteristics selected from the group consisting of,

a virtual room selected from the group consisting of a public room, a private room, and a sponsored room, wherein the virtual room comprises representations of one or more walls configured for viewing content,

a virtual setting comprising one or both of artificially rendered images and photographic images,

an avatar representing one or more users,

one or more representations of content displayed at a portion of the virtual environment,

an n-dimensionality wherein ‘

n’

is an integer selected from the group consisting of 2, 2.5, 3, and 4,

an ability to present to a user metadata-related content comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of text, audio, still images, full-motion video, branded content, and streaming content,

an ability for users to communicate with other users via one or more methods selected from the group consisting of telephonic communication, instant messaging, Voice-over-IP, SMS, e-mail, webcam, and text messaging,

an ability for a user to select content, to be linked with one or more other users concurrently perceiving content having similar metadata, and to interact in real time with the one or more other users,

an ability for a user to invite other users into the virtual environment for a shared social experience relative to the content,

an ability for a user in the virtual environment to invite another user in the virtual environment to accompany the user and change to another virtual environment,

an ability to present to a user two or more instances of content concurrently,

an ability for a user to select content to be viewed at a primary viewing portion of the virtual environment,

an ability for a user to select visual characteristics for a virtual environment comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of landscapes, buildings, rooms, desktops, furnishings, software applications, accessories, decorations, and transparencies,

an ability for a viewer to select content and be presented with one or more selected from the group consisting of metadata associated with the content, information related to one or more users currently interacting with the content, a source of the content, and one or more controls affecting execution of the content,

an ability to notify a user when another user selects content having metadata similar to the metadata of content being viewed by the user,

an ability for a user to either add content into the virtual environment, delete content from the virtual environment, or both,

an ability for a user to bookmark a source path of content in the virtual environment for later viewing of the content,

an ability for a viewer to export content from one portion of a virtual environment to another portion of the virtual environment or from one virtual environment to another virtual environment,

an ability for a user to post and share with other users in the virtual environment comments relevant to content,

a toolbar presented to users of the virtual environment, wherein the toolbar enables a user to specify a content type, to search for content of the specified type, and to move from the virtual environment into another virtual environment relevant to the specified content type,

an ability to limit accessibility of the virtual environment to one or more users,

an ability for a user to schedule an order of content display within the virtual environment,

an ability for a user to select and store content for later viewing,

an ability to include scalable views of content currently being viewed by one or more users,

an ability for a user having control of content in the virtual environment to cede control of the content to another user, and

an ability to solicit a review of content by a user, to post a review of content submitted by a user, or both.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the capability for linking the user with another user comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of,

identifying metadata of the results of a search by a user, and providing to the user as a portion of the search result a selection mechanism configured when selected to link the user with another user accessing content included in the search result,

identifying metadata of content accessed by a user, searching for content accessed by another user and having the same or substantially similar metadata, and providing a selection mechanism configured when selected to link the user with the other user,

identifying metadata of content bookmarked by a user, searching for content accessed by another user and having the same or substantially similar metadata, and providing a selection mechanism configured when selected to link the user with the other user, and

identifying metadata specified by a user, searching for content accessed by another user and having the same or substantially similar metadata, and providing a selection mechanism configured when selected to link the user with the other user.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring, by a moderator, one or both of the sequence and relatedness of content presented in either the one or both of a shared window or a virtual environment.

6. A server-based system for content tagging, analysis, and metadata-based association, comprising:

a centralized server portion including a network-linked server and also including each of a central processing unit (CPU) and a data storage means operatively coupled with the server, wherein the server portion is operatively coupled with a data-conveying network means;

a coded instruction set configured when executed on a user'"'"'s network-linked computing device to,

recognize content-relevant metadata in content,

identify at least one other user of other content having similar metadata,

notify the user when the other user perceives content, wherein the user has directly or indirectly indicated an interest in that content or substantially similar content, and wherein content similarity is based at least in part on the nature of metadata associated with the content,

anonymously poll a third-party server for access to a link to the other user who has consented to be included in such access, wherein the polling includes a request to link the user to the other user based upon one or more content-related activities selected from the group consisting of bookmarking, searching, mousing-over and/or clicking on content, dragging-and-dropping content, visiting an internet presence, viewing one or both of static and full motion visual images, purchasing, and accessing, creating, or altering a personal homepage, and

perceivably provide at an output device a user-selectable communication link with the other user of the other content; and

a coded instruction set configured when executed by a user of the computing device to perceivably present to the user one or both of a window and a virtual environment.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the content includes data corresponding to one or more of visually-perceivable content, aurally-perceivable content, and tactilely-perceivable content, and is rendered perceivable to a user by either or both of the network-linkable device and a device operatively coupled with the network-linkable device.

8. A system of claim 6,

wherein the user-selectable communication link is configured when selected to establish an interactive social link between the user and the other user.

9. The system of claim 6, further comprising a coded instruction set configured to present to a user one or more items selected from the group consisting of:

a virtual environment, the virtual environment comprising one or more characteristics selected from the group consisting of,

a virtual setting comprising one or both of artificially rendered images and photographic images,

a virtual room selected from the group consisting of a public room, a private room, and a sponsored room, wherein the virtual room comprises

representations of one or more walls configured for viewing content,

an avatar representing one or more users,

one or more representations of content displayed at a portion of the virtual environment,

an n-dimensionality wherein ‘

n’

is an integer selected from the group consisting of 2, 2.5, 3, and 4,

a mechanism configured to present to a user metadata-related content comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of text, audio, still images, video, branded content, and streaming content,

a mechanism configured for users to communicate with other users via one or more methods selected from the group consisting of telephonic communication, video conferencing, instant messaging, Voice-over-IP, SMS, e-mail, webcam, and text messaging,

a mechanism configured for a user to select content and be concurrently linked with one or more other users interacting with content having the same or similar metadata,

a mechanism configured for a user to invite other users into the virtual environment for a live, real time, shared experience relative to the content,

a mechanism configured for a user in the virtual environment to invite another user in the virtual environment to accompany the user and change to another virtual environment,

a mechanism configured to present to a user two or more instances of content simultaneously,

a mechanism configured for a user to select content to be viewed at a primary viewing portion of the virtual environment,

a mechanism configured for a user to select visual characteristics for a virtual environment including one or more selected from the group consisting of landscapes, buildings, rooms, desktops, furnishings, software applications, accessories, decorations, and transparencies,

a mechanism configured for a viewer to select content and be presented with one or more selected from the group consisting of metadata associated with the content, information related to one or more users currently interacting with the content, a source of the content, and one or more controls affecting execution of the content,

a mechanism configured to notify a user when another user selects content having metadata similar to the metadata of content being viewed by the user,

a mechanism configured for a user to either add content into the virtual environment, delete content from the virtual environment, or both,

a mechanism configured for a user to bookmark a source path of content in the virtual environment for later viewing of the content,

a mechanism configured for a viewer to export content from one portion of a virtual environment to another portion of the virtual environment or from one virtual environment to another virtual environment,

a mechanism configured for a user to post and share with other users in the virtual environment comments relevant to content,

a toolbar mechanism presented to users of the virtual environment, wherein the toolbar mechanism enables a user to specify a content type, to search for content of the specified type, and to move from the virtual environment into another virtual environment relevant to the specified content type,

a mechanism configured to limit accessibility of the virtual environment to one or more users,

a mechanism configured for a user to schedule an order of content display within the virtual environment,

a mechanism configured for a user to select and store content for later viewing,

a mechanism configured to include scalable views of content currently being viewed by one or more users,

a mechanism configured for a user having control of content in the virtual environment to cede control of the content to another user, and

a mechanism configured to solicit a review of content by a user, to post a review of content submitted by a user, or both.

10. A method of defining and using content attributes to form network-enabled social networks, comprising:

recognizing one or both of a unique content identifier and a representative attribute indicating a characteristic of content accessed by a user;

identifying one or more other users of other content based upon the other content having one or both of the unique content identifier and one or more representative attributes indicating a characteristic identical to or similar to that of the content accessed by the user, and upon identifying such other users,

notifying the user of an opportunity to establish a network link with the one or more other users;

detecting a request by the user to establish a network link with one or more other users; and

enabling the user to establish a live network link with the one or more other users, wherein accessing content by a user comprises any content-related activity or combination of activities utilizing an network-linked device including at least one selected from the group consisting of searching, storing, retrieving from storage, bookmarking, sending, receiving, playing, viewing, editing, commercially transacting, navigating, mousing-over, dragging-and-dropping and selecting.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

assigning a unique identifier to content and storing the identifier at a data storage means of a server portion; and

defining one or more representative attributes indicating a characteristic of content and storing the one or more attributes at a data storage means of a server portion.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more representative attributes indicating a characteristic of content comprise metadata associated with the content by any one of or combination of a content creator, a user, a provider of a network linking mechanism, and a third party.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein defining one or more representative attributes indicating a characteristic of content comprises identifying the characteristic by one or more selected from the group consisting of using image recognition means, using text recognition means, using character recognition means, and using voice recognition means.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing a means to depict to the user an artificial visual construct comprising one or both of a window and a virtual environment, wherein one or both of the content and network link mechanism are presentable to the user as a portion of the artificial visual construct.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein while perceiving the artificial visual construct, the user can interact with one or more other users whether the one or more other users are linked with the user within the artificial visual construct, the one or more users are not linked with the user within the artificial visual construct, or both.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the virtual environment comprises one or more virtual rooms, each of the one or more virtual rooms comprising one or more virtual walls, and wherein the user can view at a virtual wall one or more selected from the group consisting of text, a static image, a full-motion image, an advertisement, an access point to another virtual room, an image or other representation of a linked other user, a web page, and an active software program.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the user and the one or more other users can concurrently perceive content selected for viewing by one or both of the user and the one or more other users.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein providing a mechanism enabling the user to establish a network link with the one or more other users comprises providing one or more software-based tools storable at one of or any combination of a user'"'"'s internet-linkable device, a centralized server, and a third-party server.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein one or both of a unique identifier and a representative attribute include an indication that the content is specifically configured for enabling live, content-based social networks.

20. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

tracking one or more indicators of a monetary payment obligation, wherein the obligation arises from one or more selected from the group consisting of;

placing content within one or both of a user-viewable window or a virtual environment,

placing advertising within one or both of a user-viewable window or a virtual environment,

registration of content to enable content-based network linking of users,

receiving access to additional capabilities, additional user-perceivable features, or both, for use in either or both of a window or a virtual environment, and

obtaining either or both of tools or authorization enabling content-based linking with other users via a network.

21. The method of claim 10, wherein a network link with the one or more users is one selected from the group consisting of an anonymous link, a public link, a private link, a voice-enabled link, a video-enabled link, an automatically-enabled link, a user-initiated link, a security-enabled link, an inter-network link, a wireless link, and a scheduled link.