Methods of maintaining a journal of media encounters between co-existing portable devices

• US 8,290,820 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Plastina, Daniel, Jones, David
• Primary Examiner(s): FADOK, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US11/549,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20080065505A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,195 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/26.1, 455/440, 455/448
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

Creating a journal of media encounters listing media content that was previously provided to a user. Metadata describing the media encounters is used to create journal entries. The journal is presented to the user for interaction. A purchase opportunity for the media content is provided to the user based on the metadata.

Claims

1. A method for promoting the purchase of media content through documentation of community media encounters, said method comprising:

receiving metadata from a first computing device associated with a first user, said metadata describing at least one media encounter experienced by the first user, said media encounter comprising a communication between the first computing device and a second computing device during which one or more media content items were provided to the first computing device by the second computing device upon co-location of the first computing device and the second computing device, said co-location occurring when the first computing device and the second computing device exist within a local communication region based on predetermined relatable characteristics common to the first user of the first computing device and a second user associated with the second computing device, said metadata describing the media content items, wherein the first computing device is a portable communication device and the second computing device is a portable computing device associated with the second user;

creating a plurality of actionable elements based on the received metadata for association with each of the media content items provided to the first computing device by the second computing device during the communication, each of the actionable elements providing the user with a purchase opportunity for the associated media content item;

presenting the created, actionable elements to the user;

receiving a selection of one or more of the presented, actionable elements; and

enabling the user to purchase the media content items corresponding to the received selection of actionable elements from the second computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata describes a plurality of media encounters, and further comprising:

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of media encounters;

identifying media content items associated with the received selection of one of the plurality of media encounters; and

providing to the user the identified media content items to enable the user to re-live the selected one of the plurality of media encounters.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the metadata comprises receiving a tag associated with one or more of the media content items, said tag indicating that the associated media content items are of interest to the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the media content items were streamed by the second computing device to the first computing device during the communication.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the user to search network locations for at least one of the media content items corresponding to the received selection of actionable elements is unavailable.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a tag from the user for association with at least one of the presented, actionable elements.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the media content items were provided to the first computing device by the second computing device based on evaluation of digital content distribution criteria associated with one or more of the first computing device and the second computing device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the created plurality of actionable elements corresponds to a journal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more computer-readable media have computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in claim 1.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined relatable characteristics comprise at least one of a zip code, gender, age, and preferences.

10. A method for documenting community media encounters, said method comprising:

receiving metadata from a first computing device associated with a first user, said metadata describing at least one media encounter experienced by the first user, said media encounter comprising a communication between the first computing device and a second computing device during which one or more media content items were streamed to the first computing device by the second computing device upon co-location of the first computing device and the second computing device, said co-location occurring when the first computing device and the second computing device exist within a sub-region of a local communication region, said co-location further based on predetermined relatable characteristics common to the first user of the first computing device and a second user associated with the second computing device, said metadata describing the media content items, wherein the first computing device is portable and the second computing device is a portable computing device associated with the second user;

creating records corresponding to the media content items based on the received metadata, wherein the records include the received metadata, and wherein the created records collectively form a journal of media encounters experienced by the user;

presenting to the user the journal of media encounters; and

interacting with the user via the journal of media encounters to manipulate one or more of the media content items.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the created records from the user; and

rendering the media content items corresponding to the received selection of created records to the user.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving the metadata comprises receiving a tag associated with one or more of the media content items, and further comprising visually distinguishing the created records corresponding thereto in the presented journal.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the records has one or more actionable elements associated therewith.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein interacting with the user comprises:

receiving a request from the user to sort the created records collectively forming the journal of media encounters;

sorting the created records responsive to the received request; and

presenting to the user the journal of media encounters having the sorted records therein.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein one or more computer-readable media have computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in claim 10.