Virtual socializing

• US 8,832,284 B1
• Filed: 01/20/2012
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Groves, Loren Michael, Owens, David Halliday, Spiro, Robert Jonathan, Chu, Daniel Ming-Wei, Dunn, Richard James Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swearingen, Jeffrey R
• Application Number:
  US13/355,291
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

In general, techniques of the present disclosure are directed to a system for virtual socializing between electronic devices. In one example, the method includes joining, by a first computing device, a communication session enabling communication between the first computing device and a second computing device. The method includes outputting, multimedia content that is output at the second computing device. The method also includes receiving and outputting, by the first computing device, data from the second computing device using the communication session, while the multimedia content is outputting at the first output device, where the data comprises data captured by an input device of the second computing device. The method further includes sending a configuration request that sets a control model mode of the communication session, where the control model mode controls which computing devices communicatively coupled via the communication session has permission to modify at least the multimedia content.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

joining, by a first computing device, a communication session managed by a server device, wherein the communication session enables communication between the first computing device and a second computing device, wherein the second computing device is communicatively coupled to the first computing device using the communication session, and wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are each one or two or more computing devices communicatively coupled via the communication session;

outputting, by the first computing device, multimedia content, wherein the multimedia content is also output at the second computing device;

while the first computing device outputs the multimedia content, receiving, by the first computing device, data from the second computing device using the communication session, wherein the data comprises data captured by an input device of the second computing device;

outputting, by the first computing device, the data received from the second computing device;

sending, by the first computing device, a configuration request to the server device to set a control model mode of the communication session, wherein the control model mode controls which one or more computing devices of the two or more computing devices communicatively coupled via the communication session has permission to modify at least the multimedia content output at the two or more computing devices;

receiving, by the first computing device, a first user input to independently modify the multimedia content, wherein the first user input includes a change in the multimedia content;

responsive to receiving the first user input, generating, by the first computing device, a first control message indicating the change in the multimedia content; and

sending, by the first computing device, the first control message to the second computing device indicating that the second computing device is to modify the multimedia content outputting at the second computing device according to the change in the multimedia content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the control model mode is set to one of an asymmetric control model or a symmetric control model based on at least the configuration request, wherein the asymmetric control model provides a subset of users in the communication session with the permission to modify at least the multimedia content output at the second computing device, and wherein the symmetric control model provides all the users in the communication session with the permission to modify at least the multimedia content output at the second computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the change in the multimedia content includes at least one of fast forwarding, rewinding, pausing, and playing the multimedia content.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the first computing device, a second user input to display a group of identifiers each associated with different multimedia content; and

responsive to receiving the second user input, displaying, by the first computing device, the group of identifiers.

5. The method of claim 4, further including:

receiving, by the first computing device, a third user input to select an identifier of the group of identifiers; and

adding, by the first computing device, selected multimedia content associated with the selected identifier to a multimedia content queue.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving, by the first computing device, a fourth user input to modify a priority of the selected multimedia content in the multimedia content queue; and

responsive to receiving the fourth user input, modifying, by the first computing device, the priority of the selected multimedia content in the multimedia content queue.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving, by the first computing device, a fifth user input to delete the selected multimedia content from the multimedia content queue; and

responsive to receiving the fifth user input, deleting, by the first computing device, the selected multimedia content from the multimedia content queue.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the asymmetric control model further provides the subset of the users in the communication session with permission to modify a priority of multimedia content in the multimedia content queue, and wherein the symmetric control model further provides all the users in the communication session with permission to modify a priority of multimedia content in the multimedia content queue.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data captured by the input device of the second computing device includes as at least one of audio data and video data.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, by an input device of the first computing device, second data, wherein the second data comprises at least one of second audio data and second video data;

sending, by the first computing device, the second data to the second computing device using the communication session; and

generating, by the first computing device, a second control message indicating the second data comprises at least the second audio data.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

sending, by the first computing device, the second control message to the second computing device to indicate that the second computing device is to change an audio level of the multimedia content outputting at the second computing device.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

sending, by the first computing device, the second control message to the second computing device to indicate that the second computing device is to change an audio level of the second data comprising the second audio data outputting at the second computing device.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, by the first computing device, a group of identifiers each associated with one or more users;

receiving, by the first computing device, a sixth user input to select an identifier of the group of identifiers; and

sending, by the first computing device, an invitation to the one or more users associated with the selected identifier to join the communication session.

14. A non-transient computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

joining, by a first computing device having at least one processor, a communication session managed by a server device, wherein the communication session enables communication between the first computing device and a second computing device, wherein the second computing device is communicatively coupled to the first computing device using the communication session, and wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are each one or two or more computing devices communicatively coupled via the communication session;

outputting, by the first computing device, multimedia content, wherein the multimedia content is also output at the second computing device;

while the multimedia content is outputting at the first output device, receiving, by the first computing device, data from the second computing device using the communication session, wherein the data comprises data captured by an input device of the second computing device;

outputting, by the first computing device, the data received from the second computing device;

sending, by the first computing device, a configuration request to the server device that sets a control model mode of the communication session, wherein the control model mode controls which one or more computing devices of the two or more computing devices communicatively coupled via the communication session has permission to modify at least the multimedia content output at the two or more computing devices;

receiving, by the first computing device, a first user input to independently modify the multimedia content, wherein the first user input includes a change in the multimedia content;

responsive to receiving the first user input, generating, by the first computing device, a first control message indicating the change in the multimedia content; and

sending, by the first computing device, the first control message to the second computing device indicating that the second computing device is to modify the multimedia content outputting at the second computing device according to the change in the multimedia content.

15. The non-transient computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, where the operations further comprise:

receiving a second user input to display a group of identifiers each associated with different multimedia content;

responsive to receiving the second user input, displaying the group of identifiers;

receiving a third user input to select an identifier of the group of identifiers; and

responsive to receiving the third user input, adding selected multimedia content associated with the selected identifier to a multimedia content queue.

16. A computing device, comprising one or more processors, the one or more processors being configured to perform a method of:

joining a communication session managed by a server device, wherein the communication session enables communication between the computing device and a second computing device, wherein the second computing device is communicatively coupled to the computing device using the communication session, and wherein the computing device and the second computing device are each one or two or more computing devices communicatively coupled via the communication session;

outputting multimedia content, wherein the multimedia content is also output at the second computing device;

while the computing device outputs the multimedia content, receiving data from the second computing device using the communication session, wherein the data comprises data captured by an input device of the second computing device;

outputting the data received from the second computing device;

sending a configuration request to the server device to set a control model mode of the communication session, wherein the control model mode controls which one or more computing devices of the two or more computing devices communicatively coupled via the communication session has permission to modify at least the multimedia content output at the two or more computing devices;

receiving, by the first computing device, a first user input to independently modify the multimedia content, wherein the first user input includes a change in the multimedia content;

responsive to receiving the first user input, generating, by the first computing device, a first control message indicating the change in the multimedia content; and

sending, by the first computing device, the first control message to the second computing device indicating that the second computing device is to modify the multimedia content outputting at the second computing device according to the change in the multimedia content.

17. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a second user input to display a group of identifiers each associated with different multimedia content;

responsive to receiving the second user input, displaying the group of identifiers;

receiving a third user input to select an identifier of the group of identifiers; and

responsive to receiving the third user input, adding selected multimedia content associated with the selected identifier to a multimedia content queue.