Distribution and synchronization of a social media environment

• US 9,756,092 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2013
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon and Redbox Digital Entertainment Services, LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Gong, Mehta, Gaurav D., Awasthi, Ishan, Huang, Jian, Hao, Jianxiu
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Aftab N.
• Application Number:
  US14/057,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20150113058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• 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 65/612 for unicast

Abstract

A system is configured to receive, from a first client device, a request to join a social media environment in which a second client device is participating; provide, to the first client device, information regarding media content associated with the social media environment and a number of playback positions from which to begin playback of the media content; receive, from the first client device, information selecting a playback position for the media content; provide, to the first client device, the media content via the social media environment beginning at the selected playback position; monitor interactions with the social media environment by the first client device and the second client device; detect a change of state for the social media environment; and provide, to the second client device, information associated with the change of state for the social media environment.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

one or more processors to;

receive, from a first client device, a request to join a social media environment in which a second client device is participating;

provide, to the first client device and based on the request to join, information regarding media content associated with the social media environment and a plurality of playback positions from which to begin playback of the media content,

one of the plurality of playback positions corresponding to a playback position of the second client device;

receive, from the first client device, information selecting a playback position, as a selected playback position of the plurality of playback positions, for the media content;

provide, to the first client device, the media content via the social media environment beginning at the selected playback position,

the media content being provided for display by the first client device;

monitor interactions with the social media environment by the first client device and the second client device;

detect a change of state for the social media environment based on monitoring the interactions with the social media environment,

the change of state being caused by the first client device; and

provide, to the second client device, information associated with the change of state based on detecting the change of state for the social media environment,

the information associated with the change of state including a spoiler communication from the first client device,

providing of the spoiler communication being delayed until the second client device reaches a particular playback position.

2. The device of claim 1, where the one or more processors are further to:

detect a playback configuration adjustment, for the social media environment, made by the first client device; and

provide, to the second client device, information identifying the playback configuration adjustment.

3. The device of claim 1, where the one or more processors are further to:

detect a playback configuration adjustment for playback at the first client device via the social media environment; and

cause playback, at the second client device, to be adjusted via the social media environment and based on the playback configuration adjustment.

4. The device of claim 1, where the one or more processors, when detecting the change of state for the social media environment, are to:

detect the spoiler communication via the social media environment; and

where the one or more processors, when providing the information associated with the change of state, are to;

provide the spoiler communication to the second client device via the social media environment.

5. The device of claim 1, where the one or more processors, when detecting the change of state for the social media environment, are to:

detect the spoiler communication via the social media environment; and

where the one or more processors are further to;

determine a timestamp, associated with the spoiler communication, at the first client device; and

cause the spoiler communication to be provided for playback at the second client device when the particular playback position matches the timestamp.

6. The device of claim 1, where the one or more processors are further to:

receive information identifying a state associated with the social media environment; and

determine that the received information identifying the state associated with the social media environment is different from stored state information associated with the social media environment; and

where the one or more processors, when detecting the change of state for the social media environment, are to;

detect the change of state for the social media environment based on determining that the received information identifying the state associated with the social media environment is different from the stored state information associated with the social media environment.

7. The device of claim 1, where the particular playback position is a first particular playback position;

and

where the one or more processors are further to;

identify a second particular playback position associated with a third client device participating in the social media environment;

provide information identifying the second particular playback position to the second client device; and

cause the playback position of the second client device to be adjusted to the second particular playback position based on providing the information identifying the second particular playback position to the second client device.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

receive, from a first client device, a request to initiate a social media environment;

generate a link for the social media environment based on receiving the request to initiate the social media environment;

provide, to a second client device, the link for the social media environment;

receive, from the second client device, a request to join the social media environment based on providing the link for the social media environment;

determine a playback position, of the first client device, for content playback via the social media environment based on receiving the request to join the social media environment;

provide, to the second client device, information regarding a plurality of playback positions from which to begin playback of the content,

one of the plurality of playback positions corresponding to the playback position of the first client device;

receive, from the second client device, information selecting a playback position, as a selected playback position of the plurality of playback positions, for the content;

provide, to the second client device, content playback at the selected playback position via the social media environment,

the content playback being provided for display by the second client device at the selected playback position; and

provide, to the second client device, information associated with a change of state,

the information associated with the change of state including with a communication from the first client device,

the communication including a spoiler, and

providing of the communication to be delayed until the second client device reaches a particular playback position.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

receive information identifying the content associated with the social media environment; and

where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to generate the link for the social media environment, cause the one or more processors to;

generate the link for the social media environment to include at least a portion of the information identifying the content.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

determine a group identifier associated with the social media environment; and

where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to generate the link for the social media environment, cause the one or more processors to;

generate the link for the social media environment to include at least a portion of the group identifier associated with the social media environment.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

determine an identifier associated with the second client device; and

where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to generate the link for the social media environment, cause the one or more processors to;

generate the link for the social media environment to include at least a portion of the identifier associated with the second client device.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

detect the communication via the social media environment;

determine a timestamp, associated with the communication, for playback; and

cause the communication to be provided for playback at the second client device when the particular playback position matches the timestamp.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive information identifying a social networking service; and

where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to provide the link for the social media environment, cause the one or more processors to;

provide the link for the social media environment via the social networking service.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

detect the communication via the social media environment; and

provide the communication to the second client device via the social media environment.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a device and from a first client device, a request to initiate a social media environment for providing content;

generating, by the device and based on receiving the request to initiate the social media environment, a link for the social media environment;

providing, by the device and to a second client device, the link for the social media environment;

receiving, by the device and from the second client device, a request to join the social media environment based on providing the link for the social media environment;

determining, by the device, a playback position of the content at the first client device;

providing, by the device and to the second client device, information regarding a plurality of playback positions from which to begin playback of the content,

one of the plurality of playback positions corresponding to the playback position of the first client device;

causing, by the device, the second client device to begin playback of the content, at a selected one of the plurality of playback positions, via the social media environment,

the causing of the second client device to begin playback of the content, at the selected one of the plurality of playback positions, causing the content at the selected one of the plurality of playback positions to be displayed;

monitoring, by the device, the social media environment;

detecting, by the device, a change of state associated with the social media environment based on monitoring the social media environment,

the change of state being caused by the first client device; and

providing, by the device, information associated with the change of state to the second client device,

the information associated with the change of state including a communication from the first client device,

providing of the communication to be delayed until the second client device reaches a particular playback position.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving information indicating that the first client device intends to synchronize playback with the second client device; and

providing synchronized playback to the first client device; and

providing information, to the second client device and via the social media environment, indicating that synchronized playback is being provided to the first client device.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining descriptive information associated with the content; and

embedding the descriptive information associated with the content in the link for the social media environment.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing information identifying a set of audio or visual programs; and

where receiving the request to initiate the social media environment comprises;

receiving information selecting a program from the set of audio or visual programs.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining that the communication is composed at the first client device,

the first client device utilizing the social media environment at the particular playback position when the communication is composed at the first client; and

where providing information associated with the change of state comprises;

providing, to the second client device, the communication when the second client device reaches the particular playback position.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining that the first client device has paused playback; and

providing an indication, to the second client device, that playback of the content is to be paused.