Patent ID: 8661353
Filing Date: 2014-02-25
Classification: G06F,G06Q,H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for providing a shared media experience in a group comprising two or more users associated with respective computing devices communicatively coupled via a network, the method comprising: establishing membership in the group substantially in real time; executing a nomination process for selecting a media entity of a plurality of media entities to be concurrently rendered by the group, the nomination process comprising: receiving indication of the media entity selected via the nomination process to be shared by the group and rendering a representation of the selected media entity on one of the computing devices; receiving data for rendering the selected media entity and rendering the received data on a user interface device coupled to said one of the computing devices substantially simultaneously with other computing devices associated with members of the group; displaying on said user interface device, along with the data for rendering the selected media entity, avatars representing the users of the group, the avatars rendered so as to depict a shared media experience; and receiving an indication of an emotion from one of the users and, in response, causing the avatar corresponding to said one of the users to perform an animation on said user interface device that conveys the indicated emotion.