Systems and methods for interactively displaying user images

• US 9,335,895 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2011
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel Kaufmann
• Original Assignee: Daniel Kaufmann
• Inventors: Kaufman, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): BASHORE, WILLIAM L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Distefano, Gregory A
• Application Number:
  US13/300,403
• Publication Number:
  US 20120066603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• Field of Search: 715/716, 715/751, 715/758
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/637 Administration of user profiles, e.g. generation, initialization, adaptation or distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/64 Browsing; Visualisation therefor generation of a list or set of audio data G06F16/638
• 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 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, an interactive user display application is provided. The application displays and refreshes images that are intended to represent users or members of a social network or other web-based service. Using these images, the interactive user display application allows a user of the application to interact with other users or their profiles while viewing their images or while interacting with or consuming media.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating connectivity between users, the method comprising:

receiving preferences from a user, wherein the preferences include relationship status preferences in connection with a social network and music preferences;

displaying, in a first portion of a user interface, a media player that creates a music station associated with the user based on the received music preferences, wherein the media player provides the user with an opportunity to tune to one of a plurality of music stations and wherein media information for the media player is received from a media server that is external to the social network;

displaying, in a second portion of the user interface, a plurality of selectable user images to the user based on the received relationship status preferences and based on information associated with the music station displayed in the first portion of the user interface, wherein each of the plurality of selectable user images represents a member of the social network and has corresponding member information;

receiving media consumption information corresponding to a plurality of users from the media server that is external to the social network;

in response to receiving the media consumption information from the media server, determining whether at least a portion of the media consumption information corresponds to the plurality of selectable user images currently being displayed in the second portion of the user interface; and

in response to determining that at least the portion of the media consumption information corresponds to the plurality of selectable user images currently being displayed in the second portion of the user interface, automatically updating, without receiving input from the user, the plurality of selectable user images being displayed in the second portion of the user interface with the media consumption information, wherein the media consumption is provided by the media server that is in communication with the social network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the media comprises at least one of:

music, videos, and books.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising concurrently displaying the media being consumed along with the automatic updating of the plurality of selectable user images.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing the user with an opportunity to playback the displayed media.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising limiting the number of the plurality of selectable user images for display to the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the media application has an established relationship with the social network.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising monitoring the interactions with media and the media application based on the established relationship.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the user with additional information on one of the users in response to selecting one of the plurality of selectable user images.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising directing the user to the media application to playback media played by the member associated with one of the plurality of selectable user images, where the member has played the media from a playlist on the media application.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising compiling data relating to the media presented to the user and the members associated with the plurality of selectable user images.

11. A method for facilitating connectivity between users, the method comprising:

receiving relationship status preferences from a user relating to a social networking provider and music preferences;

displaying, in a first portion of a user interface, a media player that creates a music station associated with the user based on the received music preferences, wherein the media player provides the user with an opportunity to tune to one of a plurality of music stations and wherein media information for the media player is received from a media server that is external to the social network;

retrieving a plurality of selectable user images based on the received relationship status preferences and based on information associated with the music station displayed in the first portion of the user interface, wherein each of the plurality of selectable user images represents a member of a social network and has corresponding member information;

displaying, in a second portion of the user interface, the plurality of selectable user images to the user;

receiving media consumption information corresponding to a plurality of users from the media server that is external to the social networking provider;

in response to receiving the media consumption information from the media server, determining whether at least a portion of the media consumption information corresponds to the plurality of selectable user images currently being displayed in the second portion of the user interface;

in response to determining that at least the portion of the media consumption information corresponds to the plurality of selectable user images currently being displayed in the second portion of the user interface, selecting at least one of the plurality of selectable user images for display in the second portion of the user interface based at least in part on the media consumption information with the media player, wherein a user image of the plurality of selectable user images is concurrently displayed with the media that was consumed using the media player.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the media comprises at least one of:

music, videos, and books.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing the user with an opportunity to playback the displayed media on the media player.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing the user with additional information on one of the users in response to selecting one of the plurality of selectable user images.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising directing the user to the media player to playback media played by the member associated with one of the plurality of selectable user images, wherein the member has played the media from a playlist on the media player.

16. A method for facilitating connectivity between users, the method comprising:

receiving relationship status preferences from a user relating to a social networking provider and music preferences;

causing, in a first portion of a user interface, a media player to be presented that creates a music station associated with the user based on the received music preferences, wherein the media player provides the user with an opportunity to tune to one of a plurality of music stations and wherein media information for the media player is received from a media server that is external to the social network;

retrieving a plurality of selectable user images based on the received relationship status preferences, wherein each of the plurality of selectable user images represents a member of a social network and has corresponding member information;

causing, in a second portion of the user interface, the plurality of selectable user images to be presented;

receiving media consumption information corresponding to a plurality of users from the media server that is external to the social networking provider, wherein the media consumption information includes a playlist of music compiled by the member, and wherein the playlist of music includes one or more songs selected by the member;

in response to receiving the media consumption information from the media server, determining whether at least a portion of the media consumption information corresponds to the plurality of selectable user images current being presented in the second portion of the user interface;

in response to determining that at least the portion of the media consumption information corresponds to the plurality of selectable user images currently being displayed in the second portion of the user interface, selecting a user image that corresponds to the member from the plurality of selectable user images for display based at least in part on the media consumption information; and

in response to selecting the user image of the plurality of selectable user images, transmitting an indication of the playlist of music compiled by the member associated with the selected user image.

17. A method for facilitating connectivity between users, the method comprising:

receiving preferences from a user, wherein the preferences include registration information to a social network;

causing, in a first portion of a user interface, a media player that creates a music station associated with the user based on the received music preferences to be presented, wherein the media player provides the user with an opportunity to tune to one of a plurality of music stations and wherein media information for the media player is received from a media server that is external to the social network;

transmitting one or more selectable user images to the media player based on the registration information, wherein each of the plurality of selectable user images represents a member of the social network and has corresponding member information;

causing, in a second portion of the user interface, the one or more selectable user images based on information associated with the music station displayed in the first portion of the user interface to be presented to the user;

receiving user interaction information with the media player and user consumption information of media associated with the one or more selectable user images from the media server that is external to the social network;

in response to receiving user interaction information and user consumption information of media from the media server, determining whether at least a portion of the media consumption information corresponds to selectable user images being displayed in the second portion of the user interface; and

in response to determining that at least the portion of the user consumption information corresponds to the selectable user images being displayed in the second portion of the user interface, automatically updating, without receiving input from the user, the selectable user images being displayed in the second portion of the user interface with the user consumption information.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising automatically updating, without receiving input from a user, the one or more selectable user images in response to receiving the information corresponding to user interaction with the media player and information corresponding to user consumption of media.

19. A method for facilitating connectivity between users, the method comprising:

receiving music preferences from a user, wherein the music preferences comprise at least one of;

a preferred artist, a preferred genre of music, a preferred song, and a preferred music station;

selecting at least one music item from a plurality of music items based on the received music preferences;

displaying a media player interface that creates a music station associated with the user based at least in part on the received music preferences which plays back the at least one music item, wherein the media player provides the user with an opportunity to tune to one of a plurality of music stations;

receiving a plurality of user images from an information source, wherein each of the plurality of user images represents a member and has corresponding member information;

determining, from the plurality of members associated with the plurality of user images, at least one member represented by at least one of the plurality of user images based on media compatibility, wherein the media compatibility is based at least in part on one or more music items recommended for the at least one member;

determining media consumption information associated with the at least one member in response to determining the at least one member from the plurality of members associated with the plurality of user images based on media compatibility;

displaying one or more of the plurality of user images in the media player interface that includes the at least one member;

receiving a user selection of a user image associated with the at least one member; and

in response to receiving the user selection of the user image, causing the media player interface to present the user with the media consumption information that includes a playlist of songs associated with the selected user image.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising displaying member information corresponding to the member.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the information source is one of:

a social networking service, an Internet dating service, and an Internet e-commerce service, an Internet search engine, an email service provider, an instant messaging service provider, and an Internet portal.