Sharing multimedia content

• US 9,288,171 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Barman, Touradj, Fox, Kristofer
• Primary Examiner(s): Higa, Brendan
• Application Number:
  US14/320,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20140317212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 715/234
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• 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: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1044 Group management mechanisms management of multicast group membership H04L12/185; reconfiguring of node membership in a computing system to eliminate errors G06F11/1425

Abstract

Systems and methods providing users with a rich web experience are disclosed. In one embodiment, a client and at least one server are in communication using a dual communication link. In another embodiment, a markup language based instant messaging application is disclosed. The instant messaging application may include group instant messaging. The instant messaging application may also provide group member persistence and message persistence at the server. In another embodiment, a card based web application is disclosed, where the card information and character may be shared with other users or within a group. The cards may also be configurable by users.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing, by a multimedia sharing application, group data that identifies a plurality of groups of users, wherein each group of users in the plurality of groups of users includes a particular user and is associated with a window;

storing window data that indicates that a first group of users in the plurality of groups of users is associated with an active viewable window and each other group of users in the plurality of groups of users is associated with an inactive viewable window;

while the first group of users is associated with the active viewable window, receiving, by the multimedia sharing application, from the particular user, first input to create a card;

in response to receiving the first input, creating a particular card that contains multimedia content and associating, based on the window data, the particular card with the first group of users;

receiving, by the multimedia sharing application, from the particular user, second input to send the particular card to the first group of users without the second input specifying each user in the first group of users;

in response to receiving the second input, causing, by the multimedia sharing application, the particular card to be automatically sent to the first group of users without causing the particular card to be sent to a second group of users that includes the particular user;

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to receiving the second input:

receiving, by the multimedia sharing application, from the particular user, third input to name the particular card;

in response to receiving the third input, associating a particular name indicated in the third input with the particular card.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia content includes text content and HTML or XML for displaying the text content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia content includes a poll that comprises a question and a plurality of options for answers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia content includes a digital image or video.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular card contains an application that is executable by the multimedia sharing application.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, by the multimedia sharing application, a first field that allows a user to edit markup language code of the particular card;

receiving, through the first field, third input that modifies the markup language code;

in response to receiving the third input, modifying the markup language code to create modified markup language code.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

displaying, by the multimedia sharing application, a second field that allows a user to view a preview of the particular card that includes the modified markup language code.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first group of users is associated with items of a first category and the second group of users is associated with items of a second category that is different than the first category.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, by the multimedia sharing application, in association with the particular card, a first attribute that indicates a type of content of the multimedia content;

causing, by the multimedia sharing application, the particular card to be displayed based on the first attribute.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sharing the particular card with the first group of users only after each user in the first group of users has paid a particular fee (a) to belong to the first group of users or (b) to use the particular card.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the multimedia sharing application, from the particular user, third input that specifies billing information of the particular user;

receiving, by the multimedia sharing application, from the particular user, fourth input that indicates an intention to purchase a second card that contains content;

in response to receiving the fourth input, using the billing information to allow the particular user to purchase the second card;

causing the second card to be displayed.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, by the multimedia sharing application, options to allow the particular card to be made public or private.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first group of users includes a first user that is different than the particular user and that is an administrator or owner of the first group of users.

15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause:

storing, by a multimedia sharing application, group data that identifies a plurality of groups of users, wherein each group of users in the plurality of groups of users includes a particular user and is associated with a window;

storing window data that indicates that a first group of users in the plurality of groups of users is associated with an active viewable window and each other group of users in the plurality of groups of users is associated with an inactive viewable window;

while the first group of users is associated with the active viewable window, receiving, by the multimedia sharing application, from the particular user, first input to create a card;

in response to receiving the first input, creating a particular card that contains multimedia content and associating, based on the window data, the particular card with the first group of users;

receiving, by the multimedia sharing application, from the particular user, second input to send the particular card to a first group of users without the second input specifying each user in the first group of users;

in response to receiving the second input, causing, by the multimedia sharing application, the particular card to be automatically sent to the first group of users without causing the particular card to be sent to a second group of users that includes the particular user.

16. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause, prior to receiving the second input:

receiving, by the multimedia sharing application, from the particular user, third input to name the particular card;

in response to receiving the third input, associating a particular name indicated in the third input with the particular card.

17. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the multimedia content includes text content and HTML or XML for displaying the text content.

18. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the multimedia content includes a poll that comprises a question and a plurality of options for answers.

19. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the multimedia content includes a digital image or video.

20. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the particular card contains an application that is executable by the multimedia sharing application.

21. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause:

displaying, by the multimedia sharing application, a first field that allows a user to edit markup language code of the particular card;

receiving, through the first field, third input that modifies the markup language code;

in response to receiving the third input, modifying the markup language code to create modified markup language code.

22. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause:

displaying, by the multimedia sharing application, a second field that allows a user to view a preview of the particular card that includes the modified markup language code.

23. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the first group of users is associated with items of a first category and the second group of users is associated with items of a second category that is different than the first category.

24. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause:

storing, by the multimedia sharing application, in association with the particular card, a first attribute that indicates a type of content of the multimedia content;

causing, by the multimedia sharing application, the particular card to be displayed based on the first attribute.

25. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause:

sharing the particular card with the first group of users only after each user in the first group of users has paid a particular fee (a) to belong to the first group of users or (b) to use the particular card.

26. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause:

receiving, by the multimedia sharing application, from the particular user, third input that specifies billing information of the particular user;

receiving, by the multimedia sharing application, from the particular user, fourth input that indicates an intention to purchase a second card that contains content;

in response to receiving the fourth input, using the billing information to allow the particular user to purchase the second card;

causing the second card to be displayed.

27. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause:

displaying, by the multimedia sharing application, options to allow the particular card to be made public or private.

28. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the first group of users includes a first user that is different than the particular user and that is an administrator or owner of the first group of users.