Dynamic information management system and method for content delivery and sharing in content-, metadata- & viewer-based, live social networking among users concurrently engaged in the same and/or similar content

• US 20090249244A1
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neonekt, LLC
• Original Assignee: ADDnCLICK, Inc.
• Inventors: Hamar, Dusan, Fullerton, Larry, Muller, Peter, Lim, Teng Lew, Robinson, Jack D., Glausi, Wallace, Noke, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 8,707,185 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence

Abstract

Disclosed are tools, methods, and systems for establishing generally live, Content-based social networks, and for concurrently sharing Content and Content-relevant information within a social network. A Service registers Viewers and/or n-Users, and provides tools that enable a Viewer to identify n-Users concurrently viewing the same or similar Content, or having an interest in the same or similar Content. A Viewer can initiate or join a Content-based social network, and can share their Content with others, or view others'"'"' Content, and interact with n-Users via any of several methods. Service tools also enable a Viewer to define and selectively block or alter objectionable material so that it is no longer perceivable in its objectionable form. The described tools, methods, and systems also enable numerous innovative approaches to generate revenue for a Service, for providers of product and/or services, for Content providers, and others.

Claims

1. A network-enabled content sharing and social networking system, comprising:

a data transfer network comprising a data transfer means operatively coupled with each of a viewer device, a service provider device, and a remote user device;

a shared window graphical user interface (GUI) comprising device-executable code and configured, when executed, with a first content display portion, a second content display portion, and a linked-user portion, each rendered viewer-perceivable at the viewer device, and wherein each of said portions is configured with content-based social networking capabilities; and

a content-analyzing means comprising device-executable code configured, when executed, to identify characteristics of perceivable content rendered perceivable at either of or both of the remote user device and the viewer device, and to establish a live social network construct wherein;

characteristics of remote user-perceivable content presented at the remote user device are similar to characteristics of viewer-perceivable content presented in the first content display portion,

the viewer device and the remote user device are linked via the live social network construct based at least in part upon the similarity of content, and

viewer-perceivable content in the first content display portion is shared with and rendered concurrently perceivable by a remote user at the remote user device.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a persistent client window comprising device-executable code and configured, when executed, as a viewer-perceivable graphical user interface (GUI) including a integral content display portion and one or more selection means configured as viewer-selectable icons, wherein the one or more selection means each activate a respective one or more content-based social networking controls selected from the group consisting of;

content search, selection, and/or playback controls,

message sending, receiving, and/or viewing controls,

community and/or room selection controls, and

task management controls.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a web widget comprising device-executable code and, when executed, configured as a viewer-perceivable GUI within, overlying, or proximate viewer-perceivable content presented to the viewer at the viewer device, and further configured with a remote-user identification portion, a remote-user interaction portion, and a shared window GUI accessing means.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising the web widget of claim 3.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein either or both of the Shared Window GUI linked-user portion and the web widget GUI remote-user identification portion are configured, when executed and linked with one or more remote users in a live social network construct, with one or more of:

any one of or combination of a textual remote user identifier, a graphical remote user representation, and a graphical representation of content concurrently perceived by the remote user;

any one of or combination of a graphical representation of a remote user from whom a message is received, and a viewer-perceivable representation of the received message presented in any one of or combination of a textual, visual, auditory, tactile, machine-readable, and/or another viewer-perceivable form; and

a message entry means configured to receive from the viewer and to send to the remove user a message composed by the viewer in any one of or combination of a textual, visual, audible, tactile, and/or another form.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an objectionable content-obstructing means operably coupled with the content-analyzing means, and configured as a selective content filter to prevent unobstructed presentation of objectionable viewer-perceivable content at either or both of the viewer device and the remote user device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein viewer-perceivable content presented at the second content display portion of the viewer device is not concurrently shared with remote user, but wherein the content is transferrable by the viewer from the second content display window to the first content display portion.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein either of or both of the first and second content display portions of the shared window GUI is configured as a network browser application.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein either all of or any portion of the device-executable code is executed by the service-provider device, and wherein the result of such execution is presented to either or both of the viewer and the remote user at their respective devices.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the viewer can, either prior to the establishment of or at any time during a live social network, selectively include or exclude one or more remote users from either or both of participating in the social network and from perceiving content shared by the viewer with remote users within the social network.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the content characteristics include one or more of metadata, form, structural elements, sequence of structural elements, context, and subject matter of the content, and either alternatively or additional including one or more of an object, marker, data packet, and visual representation of code, either inserted or overlaid relative to the presented content.

12. The system of claim 4, wherein access by a viewer or a remote user to all or any portion of the device-executable code is conditioned upon the presence of a valid registration record, for that viewer or remote user, stored at a data storage means of or otherwise accessible by the service provider device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the content includes video content, still image content, textual content, audio content, tactile content, or any combination thereof, whether accessed via a data transfer network or from a memory storage means operably coupled with the viewer device.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the data transfer means comprises one or more of a medium configured to convey an electrical impulse, a medium configured to convey an optical impulse, and a device configured for either or both of transmission of and receipt of an electromagnetic carrier wave.

15. A content similarity-based social network establishment method, comprising:

providing a content analysis means configured as device-executable code;

providing a social networking graphical user interface (GUI) configured as device-executable code;

detecting an engagement with viewer-perceivable content at a network-coupled device by a validly-registered entity;

analyzing the viewer-perceivable content by the content analysis means;

identifying one or more characteristics of the viewer-perceivable content;

analyzing remote user-perceivable content concurrently engaged in at a remote network-coupled device of a validly-registered remote entity;

identifying one or more characteristic of the remote user-perceivable content which is either the same as or similar to the one or more characteristics of the viewer-perceivable content;

linking the validly-registered entity into a live, interactive social networking construct with the validly-registered remote entity; and

rendering the viewer-perceivable content concurrently perceivable at a portion of the social networking GUI at each of the network-coupled device and the remote network-coupled device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the GUI comprises device-executable code configured, when executed, as a shared window including a first content display portion, a second content display portion, and a linked-user portion, each of said portions rendered viewer-perceivable at the viewer device, and wherein each portion is configured with content-based social networking capabilities.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein providing the GUI further comprises providing either or both of:

a persistent client window comprising device-executable code and configured, when executed, with an integral content display portion and one or more selection means configured as viewer-selectable icons, wherein the one or more selection means each activate a respective one or more content-based social networking controls selected from the group consisting of;

content search, selection, and/or playback controls,

message sending, receiving, and/or viewing controls,

community and/or room selection controls, and

task management controls; and

a web widget comprising device-executable code and configured, when executed, to be presented within, overlying, or proximate perceivable content presented to the validly-registered entity at the network-coupled device, and further configured with a registered remote-entity identification portion, a remote-entity interaction portion, and a shared window GUI accessing means.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the shared window of claim 16.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing an objectionable content-obstructing means operably coupled with the content-analyzing means, and configured as a selective content filter to prevent unobstructed presentation of objectionable viewer-perceivable content at either or both of the viewer device and the remote user device.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein either all of or any portion of the device-executable code is executed by a service-provider device, and wherein the result of such execution is presented to either or both of the validly-registered entity and the validly-registered remote entity at their respective network-coupled devices.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the content includes video content, still image content, textual content, audio content, tactile content, or any combination thereof, whether accessed via a data transfer network or from a memory storage means operably coupled with the viewer device.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the content characteristics include one or more of metadata, form, structural elements, sequence of structural elements, context, and subject matter of the content, and either alternatively or additional including one or more of an object, marker, data packet, and visual representation of code, either inserted or overlaid relative to the presented content.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the validly-registered entity can, either prior to the establishment of or at any time during a live social network, selectively include or exclude one or more validly-registered remote entities from either or both of participating in the social network and from perceiving content shared by the validly-registered entity with validly-registered remote entities within the social network.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the validly registered entity can, while engaged in the live, interactive social network construct, invite a non-validly registered remote entity to participate in the social network construct by either or both of sharing content with and exchanging communication with the non-validly registered remote entity.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein analyzing remote user-perceivable content comprises searching for content concurrently accessed by one or more validly-registered remote entities and having one or more characteristics which are either the same as or similar to the one or more characteristics of the viewer-perceivable content, and wherein the configuration of the content analysis means enables the validly-registered entity to initiate, terminate, direct, guide, resubmit, redefine, narrow, broaden, intervene, or any combination thereof to selectively affect a result of said search.