Sharing a streaming video

• US 8,438,608 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2011
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term
• 

• Current Assignee: Videoshare, LLC
• Original Assignee: Videoshare, LLC
• Inventors: Liwerant, Gad, Dodge, Christopher, Boissiere, Guillaume
• Primary Examiner(s): Saltarelli, Dominic D
• Application Number:
  US13/175,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20110265136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 725 86-115
• US Class Current: 725/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0039 where the data service is provided by a stream of packets which are rendered in real time by the receiving terminal network streaming of media packets H04L65/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6379 directed to encoder , e.g. for requesting a lower encoding rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A video segment can be shared over a computer network by first receiving the video segment at a receiving computer on the network. The receiving computer assures that the video segment is in a streaming video format, and creates at least one identification tag for the video segment. The receiving computer also stores the video segment, and communicates the identification tag to another computer on the network. Upon subsequent receipt of that identification tag, the receiving computer streams the video segment to a destination computer on the network.

Claims

1. A method of streaming a video to users over a network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, by a receiving computer via a web page, a video file sent by a user on a second computer on a network;

executing, by the receiving computer server, in response to receiving the video file, an automated function automatically performing each of;

(b1) converting the video file into a streaming video file comprising a streaming video format, the video file being converted independent from receiving a command to perform such conversion from the user;

(b2) generating an identification tag comprising a video frame image representing a subject matter of the streaming video file and identifying the streaming video file; and

(b3) embedding the identification tag comprising the video frame image into a web page for serving the streaming video file to one or more users on one or more computers on the network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the streaming video file comprises an advertisement.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising uploading, by the user on the second computer, the video file onto the receiving computer via an upload form residing on a web page.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the receiving computer, the video file along with information supplied by the user, and

transmitting, by the receiving computer via the web page, the information to the one or more users on the one or more computers.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the information comprises one of an identification of the user or a username of the user.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the information comprises one of a title of the video file or a comment about the video file.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the network comprises one or more of:

a cellular communication connection, a wire connection or a wireless networking connection.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification tag comprises a uniform resource locator (URL).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b1) further comprises converting the video file into a second video format.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

step (b1) further comprises converting the streaming video file comprising the streaming video format into a second streaming video file comprising a second streaming video format; and

step (b2) further comprises generating a second identification tag identifying the second streaming video file and comprising a second video frame image selected from the second streaming video file, the second video frame image representing a subject matter of the second streaming video file.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving computer comprises a plurality of computing devices.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the video file is a streaming video file in a streaming video format.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the web page for serving the streaming video file is accessible to an affinity group of the video.

14. A system for sharing a video over a network, the system comprising:

a receiving computer;

a format conversion module of the receiving computer;

an identification module of the receiving computer;

the receiving computer receiving, via a first web page, a video file sent by a user on a second computer on a network and executing, in response to receiving the video file, an automated function automatically performing each one of;

converting, by the format conversion module, the video file into a streaming video file comprising a streaming video format, the video file converted independent from receiving a command to perform such conversion from the user;

generating, by the identification module, an identification tag comprising a video frame image representing a subject matter of the streaming video file and identifying the streaming video file; and

embedding, by the receiving computer, the identification tag comprising the video frame image into a web page for serving the streaming video file to one or more users on one or more computers on the network.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the streaming video file comprises an advertisement.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the user on the second computer uploads onto the receiving computer the video file using an upload form residing on the first web page.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the receiving computer receives the video file along with information supplied by the user, and

a sharing module of the receiving computer transmits, via the second web page, the information to the one or more users on the one or more computers.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the information comprises one or more of:

an identification of the user, a username of the user and a title of the video file.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the information comprises one or more of:

a subject relating to the video file, a date the video segment was produced, or a comment about the video file.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the identification tag further comprises a uniform resource locator (URL).

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the network comprises one or more of:

a cellular communication connection, a wire connection and a wireless networking connection.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the format conversion module converts the video file into multiple video formats.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the format conversion module converts the streaming video file comprising the streaming video format into a second streaming video file comprising a second streaming video format; and

the identification module generates a second identification tag identifying the second streaming video file and comprises a second video frame image selected from the second streaming video file, the second video frame image representing a subject matter of the second streaming video file.