Peer-to-peer active content sharing

• US 8,001,187 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2003
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Stochosky, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): DENNISON, JERRY B
• Application Number:
  US10/612,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20050004995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,968 Days
• Field of Search: 709203-207, 709/224, 715/753, 715/758, 715/716
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1068 Discovery involving direct consultation or announcement among potential requesting and potential source peers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1093 Some peer nodes performing special functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system and method to allow chat modules in a peer network to share active content. A sender peer includes an application module to activate a media content file from a content repository. The sender peer also includes a chat module to detect active content on the common peer and send information about the active content for display at a recipient peer. The recipient peer includes a chat module to receive active content information and an application module to active the media in substantially synchronous to active media at the sender peer. A content enhancement server provides supplemental active content information for display at the recipient peer and previews of the active content. The content enhancement server also enables a transaction related to the active media content file such as a purchase of an MP3 copy of the active content.

Claims

1. A system for sharing an active content of a sender peer with a recipient peer, comprising:

a hardware sender peer component comprising;

a first hardware processor, that when programmed, is adapted to execute a first application module, for activating and outputting to activate and output active content from a data file and a first chat module, communicatively coupled to the first application module, the first chat module adapted to send the active content and at least one chat message using a chat module communications path;

a hardware recipient peer component comprising;

a second hardware processor, that when programmed, is adapted to execute a second chat module, communicatively coupled to the first chat module using the chat module communications path, for receiving and outputting the active content and the at least one chat message active on the sender peer; and

a chat communications device in the chat module communications path, the chat communications device adapted to direct the sent active content and at least one chat message from the sender peer to the recipient peer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second chat module further comprises a client module for requesting a stream of the active content and the first chat module further comprises a server module for sending the stream of active content in response to the request.

3. The system of claim 2, the recipient peer further comprises a second application module for automatically activating the active content stream.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the stream is substantially synchronized with a portion of the active content currently active to the first application module.

5. The systems of claim 4, wherein the second application module allows active content playback control independent from the synchronized stream.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the active content comprises a unique identifier.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the recipient peer further comprises a content database, and the second chat module is configured to use the unique identifier to retrieve local active content from the content database.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the recipient peer uses the unique identifier to retrieve active content from an active content enhancement server.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising an active content enhancement server, communicatively coupled to the second chat module, for providing supplements related to the active content.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the content enhancement server further comprises a content transaction module for processing a purchase related to one or more sources containing the active content.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the active content enhancement server further comprises a content supplement database containing supplemental information related the active content.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising a content repository containing previews related to the one or more sources containing the active content, and the active supplement database streams an active content preview to the recipient peer responsive to receiving a unique identifier.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the sender peer and the recipient peer are communicatively coupled through a first network, and the recipient peer and the content enhancement server are communicatively coupled through a second network.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the sender peer further comprises a content repository for storing content activated by the first application module.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the first application module comprises a first media player, the second application module comprises a second media player, and a file format of the active content is compatible with the second application module.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the active content comprises an active media.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the active media comprises one the group consisting of an audio file and a video file.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the active content comprises a title and a type of the active content.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the first chat module is an instant messaging application.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein a display of the first chat module is integrated within a display of the first application module.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the first chat module sends updated active content information to reflect a change of active content.

22. A method for sharing active content of a first peer with a second peer, comprising:

activating media content from a data file at a sender peer;

sending real time active media content from the sender peer to a recipient peer through a chat network connection responsive to detecting active media content on the sender peer, wherein the chat network connection is adapted to send at least one chat message, and wherein the chat network connection comprising a chat network device adapted to direct the active content between the first and second peers; and

receiving and outputting the active media content at the recipient peer.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

streaming the active media content from the sender peer to the recipient peer.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

activating the active media content stream substantially in real time with the activated media content at the recipient peer.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

retrieving supplemental information about the active media content by querying a content enhancement server.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the supplemental information includes graphic files related to the active media.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

sending transaction information related to the active media content to the recipient peer responsive to the recipient peer receiving the active media content; and

processing a transaction related to the transaction information.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the transaction is a purchase of the active media content.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein the activating comprises a first media player activating media content, and the receiving comprises a chat module receiving active media content.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein the active media content is an audio file.

31. The method of claim 22, wherein the active media content comprises a title and a type of the active media content.

32. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

updating active media content at the recipient peer responsive to a change of active media content at the sender peer.

33. A non-transitory, computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed, perform a method for sharing an active content of a sender peer with a recipient peer, comprising:

activating content from a data file at the sender peer;

sending the active media content responsive to detecting active content from the sender peer, the sender peer adapted to send the active media content and at least one chat message using an pre-established communications path, wherein the pre-established communications path comprises a chat network device adapted to direct the active content between the sender and recipient peers; and

receiving and outputting information about the active content at the recipient peer using the pre-established communications path.

34. The non-transitory, computer readable program storage device of claim 33, further comprising instructions and data for:

streaming the active content through the peer-to-peer network to the recipient peer.

35. The non-transitory, computer readable program storage device of claim 34, further comprising instructions and data for:

activating the active content stream at the sender peer.

36. The non-transitory, computer readable program storage device of claim 33, further comprising instructions and data for:

retrieving supplemental information about the active content by querying a content enhancement server with a unique identifier.

37. The non-transitory, computer readable program storage device of claim 33, further comprising instructions and data for:

sending transaction information related to the active content to the recipient peer responsive to the recipient peer receiving the active content; and

processing a transaction related to the transaction information.

38. The non-transitory, computer readable program storage device of claim 37, wherein the transaction is a purchase of the active content.

39. The non-transitory, computer readable program storage device of claim 33, wherein activating comprises a first media player activating media content, and receiving comprises a chat module receiving active media content.

40. The non-transitory, computer readable program storage device of claim 33, wherein the active content comprises an active media content.

41. The non-transitory, computer readable program storage device of claim 33, further comprising instructions and data for:

updating active content at the recipient peer responsive to a change of active content at the sender peer.

42. A recipient chat module in a system for sharing active content between a plurality of peers, comprising:

a hardware processing device including a hardware processor, that when programmed, is adapted to execute a communications module for receiving a one or more unique identifiers based on shared active content on one or more sender peers, wherein receiving comprises receiving using a communications module communication path, a graphical user interface module for outputting one or more shared active content and receiving a selection of shared active content associated with one of the one or more sender peers, and a client module for sending a content stream request and receiving an active content stream, wherein receiving comprises receiving using the communications module communication path, wherein the recipient chat module is communicatively coupled to a chat communications device in the chat module communications path, the chat communications device adapted to direct the sent active content and at least one chat message from the sender peer to the recipient peer.

43. The recipient chat module of claim 42, wherein the content stream request comprises the unique identifier, and the recipient chat module sends the content stream request to a content enhancement server containing previews of the associated active content.

44. The recipient chat module of claim 42, further comprising an application module for activating the received active content stream.