Linking users into live social networking interactions based on the users' actions relative to similar content

• US 8,725,826 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2012
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Neonekt, LLC
• Original Assignee: ADDnCLICK, Inc.
• Inventors: Robinson, Jack D., Muller, Peter, Noke, Timothy, Lim, Teng Lew, Glausi, Wallace A., Cluff, James, Fullerton, Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): WOO, ANDREW M
• Application Number:
  US13/682,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20130159412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/207
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

A system and method that uses internet content and/or content metadata as a means to establish social networks. Examples include linking internet users, searchers, viewers and/or listeners of the same and/or similar internet content to each other via a platform that enables any of the following in n-dimensional environments: social networking, communications, sharing, e-commerce, advertising, search, hosting and registry services, push and pull applications, anonymous communications, and rich presence.

Claims

1. A method for linking users into social interactions across a data communications network of plural network-connectable devices based on a search for user-specified content accessible via the network, wherein executing coded instructions stored at a tangible, non-transitory data storage medium via data processing circuitry of one or more of the plural network-connectable devices, causes the network-connectable device to execute operations, comprising:

identifying content metadata included in a user-specified network search query executed by the user at one of the plural network-connectable devices;

providing to the user a user-selectable option to include among content found in response to the user-specified search query all content having metadata that is similar to the identified content metadata and that has been engaged in by at least one other user who is registered to receive content-based live social network linking;

identifying an item of found content having metadata that is similar to the metadata included in the search query;

identifying whether the item of found content is registered for enabling social interactions between users;

identifying another user that has indicated an interest to be linked into a network-enabled social interaction relative to either or both of the item of found content and the identified content metadata;

establishing a live social network link between the user and the other user in response to a selection by the user; and

displaying to the user, at a display device operably coupled with one of the plural network-connectable devices, an n-dimensional virtual environment and an indication therein of the established live social network link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein tire network search query is submitted within the n-dimensional virtual environment by the user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting results of the user-specified search query to the user in a second n-dimensional virtual environment.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing to the user a user-selectable option to confine the user-specified search query to only content that has been engaged in by another user who is active on the network concurrently with the user'"'"'s submission of the search query.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing to the user, after selecting an item of found content to access, a user-selectable option to review the selected item either in the same n-dimensional virtual environment or in a different n-dimensional virtual environment.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling other users to review, in the same n-dimensional virtual environment as and concurrently with the user, an item of content selected for review by the user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a notification to another user, the notification including an indication that the user is reviewing, in an n-dimensional virtual environment, an item of content relative to which the other user has indicated a desire to be linked into a live social network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the notification is sent via one or more of internet messaging, e-mail messaging, video messaging, landline telephone, mobile telephone, voice-over-internet protocol messaging, an audio indicator, and text messaging.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a means for the user and the other user to communicate with one another within the n-dimensional virtual environment.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying either or both of a location and metadata of the unregistered content located in response to the user-specified search query, and

registering the unregistered content to enable social interactions relative thereto.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein registering the unregistered content further comprises:

inserting into the unregistered content a portion of the coded instructions configured, when executed by the data processing circuitry in response to a subsequent selection of the content by a user, to cause a network-connectable device to present to the selecting user an option to be linked into a live social network via an n-dimensional virtual environment.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying concurrently, within the n-dimensional environment, additional items of content engaged in by any of the plural users linked together with the user in the live social network.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting within the n-dimensional environment, to one or more of plural users linked together in the live social network, an item of advertising.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

viewably depicting, as an avatar located within the n-dimensional environment, a user linked into the live social network.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting to the user an option to cede control of content-related operations within the n-dimensional environment to the linked other user.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the user to navigate among and view multiple items of network-accessible content within a portion of the n-dimensional environment, wherein such network-accessible content is concurrently viewable in the n-dimensional environment by the linked other user.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting to the user either or both options for the user and the linked other user to move from one room to another room within the n-dimensional environment, and for the user and the linked other user to move from one n-dimensional environment to another n-dimensional environment, while remaining linked in a live social network with one another.