System and method for providing playlists for social television
First Claim
1. A method for use in a system comprising a primary client terminal associated with a primary media consumer and a secondary client terminal associated with a secondary media consumer, the primary client terminal and the secondary client terminal being connected via a communication network,wherein said primary client terminal and said secondary client terminal are further in communication with at least one media content provider and are operable to access media content directly from said at least one media content provider,said method for operating said secondary client terminal to follow media consumed by said primary media consumer, the method comprising:
- assigning said secondary media consumer to a social group which is allowed free access to follow at least one media playlist consumed by said primary media consumer;
publishing, by said primary media consumer, a playlist associated with said primary media consumer to members of said social group which is allowed free access;
accessing, via said communication network, said playlist published by said primary media consumer, said playlist containing a plurality of media content items; and
automatically switching, by said secondary client terminal, a media renderer associated with said secondary media consumer to render one media content item of said plurality of media content items such that at least a portion of said one media content item is consumed simultaneously by said primary media consumer and by said secondary media consumer, wherein said switching of the media renderer associated with the secondary media consumer is in response to the switching of a media renderer associated with the primary media consumer to render the one media content item.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for managing a common media session shared by a plurality of media consumers. A primary media consumer may be enabled to set up a media session which secondary media consumers may follow. The media session may involve the streaming of selected media content directly or indirectly from at least one media provider. A communication mechanism may be provided to allow participating media consumers to communicate with each other during the media session.
40 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for use in a system comprising a primary client terminal associated with a primary media consumer and a secondary client terminal associated with a secondary media consumer, the primary client terminal and the secondary client terminal being connected via a communication network,
wherein said primary client terminal and said secondary client terminal are further in communication with at least one media content provider and are operable to access media content directly from said at least one media content provider, said method for operating said secondary client terminal to follow media consumed by said primary media consumer, the method comprising: -
assigning said secondary media consumer to a social group which is allowed free access to follow at least one media playlist consumed by said primary media consumer; publishing, by said primary media consumer, a playlist associated with said primary media consumer to members of said social group which is allowed free access; accessing, via said communication network, said playlist published by said primary media consumer, said playlist containing a plurality of media content items; and automatically switching, by said secondary client terminal, a media renderer associated with said secondary media consumer to render one media content item of said plurality of media content items such that at least a portion of said one media content item is consumed simultaneously by said primary media consumer and by said secondary media consumer, wherein said switching of the media renderer associated with the secondary media consumer is in response to the switching of a media renderer associated with the primary media consumer to render the one media content item. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for use in a system comprising a primary client terminal associated with a primary media consumer and a secondary client terminal associated with a secondary media consumer, the primary client terminal and the secondary client terminal being connected via a communication network,
wherein said primary client terminal and said secondary client terminal are further in communication with at least one media content provider and are operable to access media content directly from said at least one media content provider, said method for operating said secondary client terminal to follow media consumed by said primary media consumer, the method comprising: -
assigning said secondary media consumer to a social group which is allowed free access to follow at least one media playlist consumed by said primary media consumer; publishing, by said primary media consumer, a playlist associated with said primary media consumer to members of said social group which is allowed free access;
receiving, via said communication network, a real-time notification of a media consumption change, said real-time notification indicating that said primary client terminal associated with said primary media consumer switches from consuming a first media content item to consuming a second media content item; andautomatically switching, by said secondary client terminal, a media renderer associated with said secondary media consumer from rendering said first media content item to rendering said second media content item such that at least a portion of said second media content item is consumed simultaneously by said primary media consumer and by said secondary media consumer, wherein said switching of the media renderer is executed in response to said real-time notification. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A method for use in a system comprising a central server in communication with a communication network, a primary client terminal associated with a primary media consumer and a secondary client terminal associated with a secondary media consumer;
- said primary client terminal and said secondary client terminal being connected via said communication network to said central server,
wherein said primary client terminal and said secondary client terminal are further in communication with at least one media content provider and are operable to access media content directly from said at least one media content provider, said method for controlling said central server to enable said secondary media consumer to follow media consumed by said primary media consumer, the method comprising; receiving, by said central server, via said communication network, a request from said secondary media consumer to join a social group which is allowed free access to follow at least one media playlist consumed by said primary media consumer; assigning said secondary media consumer to said social group which is allowed free access to follow said at least one media playlist consumed by said primary media consumer; publishing, by said primary media consumer, a playlist associated with said primary media consumer to members of said social group which is allowed free access; receiving, from said secondary client terminal, a request for a plurality of playlists; providing said plurality of playlists to said secondary client terminal; receiving, from said secondary client terminal, a selection of one of said plurality of playlists; receiving, via said communication network, a real-time notification of a media consumption change, said real-time notification indicating that said primary media consumer switches from consuming a first media content item to consuming a second media content item from said at least one media content provider; and publishing said real-time notification to members of said social group via said communication network such that said secondary client terminal is enabled to access media content directly from said at least one media content provider. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- said primary client terminal and said secondary client terminal being connected via said communication network to said central server,
Specification