Patent Publication Number: US-2013238696-A1

Title: System and method for presenting synchronized media in a digital content environment

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is generally directed to a system and method for gathering synchronized media from various sources and formatting, presenting and/or displaying the synchronized media in a particular digital content environment (e.g., social networks, web or Internet forums, mobile text messages, electronic mail communications, and the like). Specifically, the synchronized media may include, but is not limited to, data, media or virtually any sort of information (including text, graphics, audio, video, or any combination thereof) that is at least partially related to or associated with an identified user event (e.g., a status update, text message, electronic mail communication, watching a video, listening to an audio track, or reading an article). The user event and the synchronized media are formatted, combined, and displayed in the content environment. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
     Electronic communication continues to rise as a dominant method of communication between people in today&#39;s society. In particular, this includes communication via a number of content environments such as Internet accessible social networks (such as FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or GOOGLE+), as well as text messages, SMS messages, electronic mail, instant messaging, Internet chat rooms, Internet forums, etc. 
     Accordingly, it would be beneficial to automatically, seamlessly and before the message is communicated, search for and identify, in real time, certain related or synchronous media relative to the message or communication. The searching would preferably be conducted both inside and outside of the particular content environment. Once identified, the synchronous media can be combined with the initial message or communication and delivered to a designated recipient or a number of recipients. It could be said that the content is synchronized with related or synchronous content that may be of interest to the recipient or other users. Traditionally, works about content synchronization have operated at two main levels: content synchronization between multiple devices, and really simple syndication (RSS). The first level has focused on the content that users can synchronize between devices, putting more emphasis on the device and content source than on the user preferences and activity. The later, has been more about allowing users to customize their content channels and about providing updates/news feed about a user and his/her relationships recent activities within a social network. 
     Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a system and method for automatically and seamlessly synchronize the initial communication or media with related media originating from within and external to the content environment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     As will be described in the detailed description herein, the present invention is generally directed to a system and method for presenting synchronized media in a digital content environment. Specifically, the digital content environment of the various embodiments disclosed herein includes appropriate circuitry, hardware and/or software components to generate or manage one or more communication channels. In particular, the communication channel(s) or content environment(s) may include an interactive social network (e.g., FACEBOOK, TWITTER, GOOGLE+) enabling users to generate content, e.g., in the form of status updates, or enabling passive users to merely access, read or otherwise view the content without generating content. It should be apparent, however, that the content environment may include other communication channels including, but not limited to, web or Internet forums, web or Internet chat rooms, or electronic communications such as text messaging, electronic mail, facsimile, etc. 
     Furthermore, the various embodiments of the present invention are structured to identify and/or receive a user event or target media such as user-generated media or an identification of user activity. As just one example, the target media or event may include a status update, comment, text message, email, facsimile, or virtually any media communicated in or through the content environment. In addition, the target media or event may include an identification of user activity. The user activity may include viewing a video, listening to an audio track, etc. and therefore, the identification may include, for example, the title of the video or audio track, the meta tags associated with the video or audio track, a description of the video or audio track, etc. 
     Moreover, the present invention is further structured to analyze the user event or target media in order to extract or determine searching criteria. Specifically, the event or target media is analyzed to determine patterns of occurrences, keywords, geo-location information, and the like, that can be used to search for related or synchronous media. In particular, the system and method of the present invention is configured to search for synchronous media that is at least partially related to the user event. As will be apparent from the disclosure provided herein, the searching may be conducted within the content environment and/or outside of the content environment. 
     Once the synchronous media is identified or located, it is formatted, organized, and/or filtered, then displayed. In particular, the synchronous media may be scored or rated in accordance with or based upon the source of the media, the location of the media, the relevance of the media to the user event, etc. The synchronous media is then combined with the user event or target media and displayed to the first (generating) user, a second (recipient) user, or a plurality of other users. 
     These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer when the drawings as well as the detailed description are taken into consideration. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of at least one embodiment of the system as disclosed herein. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic representation of another embodiment of the system as disclosed herein. 
         FIG. 3  is an exemplary screenshot of a content environment as disclosed in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic block diagram of yet another embodiment of the synchronous environment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic block diagram of a further embodiment of the synchronous environment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a high-level flow chart of the method as disclosed in accordance with at least one embodiment herein. 
     
    
    
     Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As shown in the accompanying drawings, the present invention is directed to a system (generally referenced as  10 ) and a method (generally referenced as  100 ) for gathering or identifying synchronized media from various sources and formatting, presenting and/or displaying the synchronized media in a given digital content environment. In particular, as will be described in greater detail below, the present invention comprises at least one, but more practically a plurality of users  12  that utilize one or more user devices  14  to access a digital content environment  20  via an interactive network  15 . 
     In particular, the user device(s)  14  of the various embodiments are structured and configured to communicate with one or more interactive or communication networks  15 . In at least one embodiment, the interactive or communication network  15 , as used herein, generally refers to a collection of networks commonly known as the World Wide Web. Specifically, the World Wide Web represents a collection of computer networks cooperatively connected to each other and accessed by virtue of the Internet Protocol or other like protocols. It is contemplated, however, that the communication network  15  includes virtually any computer, cellular, telephone, facsimile or other network, such as, for example, a Wide Area Network (“WAN”), Local Area Network (“LAN”), Intranet, peer-to-peer network, Blue Tooth network, WIFI, Intranet, mobile network, radio frequency systems, GSM, GSM plus EDGE, CDMA, quadband, VOIP, or any other suitable protocol(s). 
     Accordingly, the user device(s)  14  can include any suitable type of electronic or computing device, including a desktop, laptop, netbook, or tablet computer. In addition, the user device(s)  14  may include a cellular or mobile telephone, a hand-held multi-media device, a dedicated email device, a personal data assistant (“PDA”), a handheld, portable or substantially fixed gaming device, a facsimile machine, etc. In particular, the user devices  14  may comprise control circuitry, a storage device, memory, input/output (“I/O”) circuitry, communications circuitry, and a display (not shown). In some embodiments, the user devices  14  can include other components such as a power supply, battery, global positioning system (GPS), one or more cameras, a microphone, a speaker, etc. 
     Moreover, the various users  12  of the present invention utilize the user devices  14  in order to access or communicate within the digital content environment  20 . Specifically, the digital content environment  20 , as used herein includes appropriate circuitry, hardware and/or software to generate or manage one or more communication channels available or used by one or more users  12 . In particular, the communication channel or content environment  20  may include an interactive social network, including but not limited to FACEBOOK, TWITTER, GOOGLE+, etc. enabling users  12  or active members of the social network to generate content, e.g., in the form of status updates, or enabling passive users to merely access, read or otherwise view the content without generating content. 
     In addition, however, the content environment  20  of the present invention may include other communication channels and is in no way limited to social networks. For example, the content environment  20  may also or instead include web or Internet forums, web or Internet chat rooms, or electronic communications such as text messaging, electronic mail, facsimile, etc. Accordingly, the content environment  20  of the various embodiments of the present invention includes the various hardware and software components structured to implement the communication channel(s). As such, the content environment  20  may include one or more email servers, text messaging servers or relay hardware, Internet or web servers, databases, control networks, etc. 
     Furthermore, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , at least one embodiment of the present invention further comprises one or more central synchronous management systems  30  disposed in a communicative relation with the network  15  and/or the content environment  20 . As will become apparent from the disclosure herein, the central synchronous management system  30  is structured to receive or identify a user or target event, search for or identify synchronous content related to the target event, and display or cause the display of the synchronous content in the manner disclosed in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention. Accordingly, the central synchronous management system  30  of the various embodiments of the present invention comprises certain hardware and/or software including, for example, one or a plurality of computers, workstations, servers, databases or other computing and processing devices, along with specifically structured or implemented synchronous engines or software applications, structured to facilitate implementation of the present invention in the intended manner as disclosed herein. 
     It should be noted that the central synchronous management system  30  may, in at least one embodiment, share common hardware or otherwise be a part of or affiliated with the content environment  20  itself in that the content environment  20  may be specifically structured to implement the synchronization of media as disclosed herein. However, in other embodiments, existing social networks, communication channels or other content environments  20  may be communicatively disposed with a separate synchronous management system  30  to implement the features presented herein. 
     In particular, the system  10  and/or the central synchronous management system  30  of the present invention is structured to identify a first user event conducted or disposed within the content environment  20  or, at a minimum, at least partially within an accessible range of the content environment, as will be discussed below. Specifically, the first user event, as used herein, can include, in one embodiment, user-generated content  40  or target media (e.g., a status update, text message, email, or web post) specifically generated by the user  12  or, in other embodiments, user activity (e.g., viewing a video, listening to an audio track, or reading an article). 
     In the case where the user event or target media includes user-generated content  40 , the content or media may include virtually any form of electronic information or data, such as, textual data, multimedia, video, animation, audio, visual-audio, or any combination thereof. The user-generated content  40  is preferably conducted or disposed within the content environment  20 . For instance, in the embodiment where the content environment  20  is an Internet-accessible social network, the user-generated content  40  may be in the form of a status update, a post or comment on a “friend&#39;s” wall, a post or comment on a photograph, a post or comment on an existing comment or status update, etc. As discussed above, however, in other embodiments, the content environment  20  may include other communication channels, and thus the user-generated content  40  may include, but is certainly not limited to, text messages, e-mail messages, posts on an Internet or web forum, activity in an Internet or web chat room, facsimile transmissions, etc. 
     In yet another embodiment, the first user event or target media may include user activity, such as a user  12  viewing an online video, listening to an audio track, reading an article, visiting a website, etc. In such an embodiment, if the activity is conducted within the content environment  20 , e.g., if the user is viewing a video or other media within a social network or on an Internet web form, then the central synchronous management system  30 , which may be a part of or disposed in a communicative relation with the content environment  20 , may identify the activity or target media, as disclosed herein. It is contemplated however, that the user activity may be conducted outside of the specific content environment  20 , yet still be accessible or identifiable thereto. For example, a user belonging to a social network (content environment) may decide to view a video on a separate web site (e.g., YouTube) or read an article on a separate web site (e.g. www.cnn.com). In certain embodiments, and depending on certain privacy settings, the user  12  may authorize the social network (content environment) to monitor the user&#39;s activity on other web sites. In such a case, the content environment  20  of at least one embodiment may be structured and authorized to identify user activity conducted outside, yet within an accessible range, of the content environment  20 . 
     In certain embodiments wherein the user event is user-generated content  40 , the user-generated content may be communicated to or otherwise received by the central synchronous management system  30 . In this manner, central synchronous management system  30  can analyze the content  40 , as will be described below. However, in at least one embodiment, the entire content  40  or media is not communicated to central synchronous management system  30 , for example, in cases wherein the user event includes viewing of a large video file or a lengthy audio track. In such a case, an identification of the content (e.g., title, meta tags, short description, certain parsed out words or content) may be communicated to or received by central synchronous management system  30  for analysis. 
     Either way, the central synchronous management system  30  is structured and configured to analyze the event to extract, generate or otherwise identify searching criteria which will be used to identify synchronous media, as will be discussed below. For example, upon analyzing the target event, the central synchronous management system  30  may extract different sorts of searching criteria, including, but in no way limited to words, phrases, pixels, portions of an image, an entire image, portions of a video, and entire videos, the title or meta tags associated with an image or video, the title or meta tags associated with an audio track, portions of an audio track, location information (e.g., the location of the user generating the content, the location of the user  12  conducting the activity, the location of certain items or establishments mentioned in the content, etc.) Specifically, and for exemplary purposes only, the central synchronous management system  30  may extract the identification of a restaurant or other establishment, landmark, etc., from a status update or video that a user is watching, a number of keywords from the user&#39;s post, and the location of the user via the geo-location hardware and/or software on the user&#39;s device  14 . From the identification of the restaurant, the central synchronous management system  30  may be able to identify the location of the restaurant via external or web searching capabilities. In addition, the searching criteria identified or extract by the central synchronous management system  30  may further include patterns of occurrences in the target media and/or information obtained from the user&#39;s profile, address book, etc. For example, information about the user (e.g., the user&#39;s location, work place, work profession, schools attended, likes and dislikes, etc.) could be extracted by the central synchronous management system  30  and used as searching criteria. 
     Using the extracted or generated searching criteria, the central synchronous management system  30  is structured to search for synchronous media  42  that is at least partially related to the user event or target media, or synchronous media that otherwise meets or satisfies the searching criteria based upon one or more searching and comparison algorithms. 
     In at least one embodiment, the central synchronous management system  30  is capable of and structured to search within the given content environment  20  for synchronous media  42 . For instance, in the event the content environment is a social network, using the searching criteria, the central synchronous management system  30  will search for items within the social network that match, meet or at least partially satisfy the search criteria. The items within the social network that may be extracted include, but are not limited to, other user comments, posts, or status updates, photographs, videos, audio tracks uploaded into the social network (either by the active or target user  12  or by a different user), stories, articles, or events disposed within the social network, etc. Of course, the content environment  20  is not limited to social networks and thus, the synchronous media  42  extracted, identified or gathered by the central synchronous management system  30  may include email messages, contacts in the user&#39;s address book, other text messages, etc. 
     In addition to searching within the content environment  20  (e.g. for internal synchronous media), the central synchronous management system  30  of certain embodiments of the present invention is further structured to search outside of the content environment  20  (e.g. for external synchronous media). For instance, and again using the searching criteria extracted from the target media or user event, the central synchronous management system  30  may search on other pre-designated or pre-authorized web sites or may conduct a global Internet web search for synchronous media  42 . In particular, the central synchronous management system  30  may connect to other pre-designated web sites to search for related articles, photos, images, audio tracks, or virtually any data, information or media that may be synchronous media, i.e., media at least partially related to the user event, target media or searching criteria. In other embodiments, the central synchronous management system  30  may use search engines, such as known search engines (e.g., Google, Yahoo, Ask, etc.) or other global web searching modules, to search for or identify other synchronous media  42 . In any event, the searching may be conducted in real-time, leading to real-time identification, format and display of synchronous media. Specifically, the central synchronous management system  30  of certain embodiments is structured to search (internally and/or externally) immediately upon identification of the target media or event, allowing the subsequent display of the synchronous media to occur quickly, instantaneously and in real-time. 
     Moreover, in at least one embodiment, the present invention further comprises formatting or organizing the (internal and/or external) synchronous media  42  prior to the display or communication of the synchronous media  42  to either the first user  12 , a designated recipient  12 ′, or other user&#39;s  12 ″. For instance, once the synchronous media  42  is identified or gathered, the amount of synchronous media  42  may be quite large. Of course, the searching algorithms may be tailored to only gather a certain amount of information or stop searching once certain information is found. However, in either case, the synchronous media  42  must be organized or formatted in a way for presentation to the users  12 , 12 ′, 12 ″. 
     In one embodiment, the internal and external synchronous media  42  may be combined and globally sorted by relevance to the target media  40 . Accordingly, the source of the synchronous media  42 , in one embodiment, may not be analyzed upon the organization or formatting thereof. Rather, relevance or strength of commonality relative to the target media  40  is the only factor. 
     Of course other formatting or organizing algorithms are contemplated, and in particular, a preferred algorithm may organize the internal synchronous media separate from the external synchronous media and prioritize the internal synchronous media as higher or more relevant than external synchronous media. Within each category (internal and external), the synchronous media  42  may further be organized by relevance to the target media  40 . In such an embodiment, the most relevant internal synchronous media would be displayed first, whereas the least relevant external synchronous media would be last on the list. 
     As another example, each item of synchronous media  42  may be assigned a score based upon certain factors, including the source of the media, relevance of the media, etc. For instance, synchronous media  42  originating or coming from a user&#39;s close friend or contact within the content environment may get assigned a higher score than synchronous media coming from the user&#39;s acquaintance from within the content environment, which may get a higher score than synchronous media coming from a stranger from within the content environment, which may get a high score that synchronous media coming from a source external to the content environment. Similar scoring techniques or algorithms may be applied to the synchronous media  42  based upon relevance to the target media  40 . 
     Furthermore, the central synchronous management system  30  is structured to display or cause the display of the synchronous media  40 . For instance, in at least one embodiment, the synchronous media  40  is combined with the target media  40  and displayed within the content environment  20 , e.g., in the form of a status update, comment, text message, email, etc. 
     Referring to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the synchronous media  42  is combined with the corresponding target media  40  for each of the users and the target media  40  and synchronous media  42  are simultaneously displayed within the news feed on the social network. The synchronous media  42 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , is displayed beneath the associated target media  40 , and in the form of a link or clickable item. Of course, this is merely exemplary, and depending upon the content environment  20 , the combination of the target media  40  and synchronous media  42  may be different. For example, in the embodiment wherein the content environment  20  includes text messaging, the text message may have the target media (e.g., the user-generated text message) on one portion of the screen or display (e.g. top, middle, bottom), whereas the synchronous media  42  is displayed on a different portion of the screen (e.g., bottom, outer edges, top). 
     It should be apparent that the combined target media  40  and synchronous media  42  may be displayed generally to a group of “friends” or publicly (e.g., via a status update, comment, post, etc.) or communicated to a specific designated recipient (e.g., via a private message, text message, email, or facsimile). Accordingly, the displaying or communicating of the target media  40  and synchronous media  42  may depend on the particular situation or content environment  20 , and thus may be displayed to the public, a group of users, one or more designated recipients, and/or the first user  12 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the central synchronous management system  30  of at least one embodiment may comprise a number of components, mechanisms, or modules collectively structured to function in the intended manner of the central synchronous management system  30  described herein. In particular, the central synchronous management system  30  of one embodiment may comprise an activity or application processor  32  which is structured to receive the target media  40  and/or an identification thereof. Particular, instead of posting or communicating the target media immediately, the target media  40  is transmitted to a synchronous media generator  34 , which is structured to extract patterns of occurrences, identify key words, and other searching criteria, as described above, and search for synchronous media  42 . In one embodiment, the central synchronous management system  30  further comprises a relational module  36 , which includes appropriate circuitry and software to create synonyms or other related criteria similar to the extracted keywords, etc. In this manner, the searching criteria can be expanded to include additional words, phrases, images, audio, etc. in order to identify further synchronous media  42 . Still referring to  FIG. 2 , the central synchronous management system  30  of one embodiment may further comprises a storage unit  38  and/or database structured to store and maintain certain synchronous media  42  for quick and ready access on other subsequent searches. For instance, the searching step may include (in addition to searching within the content environment  20  and outside the content environment  20 ) searching within the storage unit  38  for previously identified synchronous media  42 . This can significantly reduce the time between the generation of the target media and the communication or display of the combined target media  40  and synchronous media  42 . 
     Referring now to the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the central synchronous management system  30  is disposed in a communicative relation with the content environment  20  (in the illustrated embodiment, synchronous social network provider). The central synchronous management system  30  of this embodiment comprises a plurality of different components, each of which may be separate hardware and software components, but in a preferred embodiment, each of the illustrated components comprise separate software modules which may or may not share common hardware components. 
     In particular, user database  201  comprises a storage unit or database structured to store user information, profiles, user pages, templates, and user-generated content  40  within the content environment  20  or synchronous environment  60 . In addition, the synchronous environment  60  or central synchronous management system  30  further comprises an internal synchronization monitoring system  203  which is structured and configured to monitor, search and/or analyze the media and/or activity conducted within the synchronous environment  60  or within the content environment  20 . Display system  205  is structured to organize, format, combine and display the target media  40  and synchronous media  42  as disclosed herein. 
     Further, and still referring to  FIG. 4 , inter-media activity database or storage unit  207  is structured to store the user-generated activity produced within the content or synchronous environments  20 ,  30  in an intelligent relational manner relative to the content outside of the environments  20 ,  30 . Synchro-relationship database is structured to store the relationships among the users, media and activity within the environments  20 , 30  in relational manners relative to the media or content outside of the environments  20 , 30 . The synchronews engine  211  is structured to search for and provide the synchronous media  42  as disclosed herein. 
     Moreover, the met synchronization engine  214  provide the synchronized media outside of the environments  20 , 30 . Meta synchronization database stores the synchronized media from outside of the environments  20 , 30 , and the meta synchronization monitoring system monitors the activity and media outside of the environments  20 , 30 . 
     Turning now to  FIG. 5 , yet another embodiment of the central synchronous management system  30  is illustrated showing the communication of various components. In particular, synchro-activity analyzer  304  comprises appropriate circuitry and software to analyze the activity, content and media within the content environment in relation to the outside environment. Privacy element  308  takes into account the privacy settings in the synchronous and/or content environments in order to control access to the media. Dynamic synchro-list element  312  is structured to gather a list of synchronized dynamic content from within and external to the content and synchronous environments. Synchronews display order element  316  is structured to format, organize and display the internal and external synchronized activity, content and media. Synchronized activity/content element is structured to gather the internal and external synchronized media. Synchronized media generator  324  may be capable of generating or formatting certain internal and external synchronous media. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the present invention further comprises a method  100  for presenting synchronized media in a digital content environment using the various components, structures and modules disclosed and described in accordance with the system  10  herein. In particular, the method  100  includes identifying and/or receiving a user event in the content environment, as generally represented at  102 . Specifically, the central synchronous management system is structured to identify or receive target media, such as user-generated media or an identification of user activity, as provided herein. As an example, the target media may include a status update, comment, text message, email, facsimile, or virtually any media communicated in or through the content environment. In addition, the target media may include an identification of user activity. The user activity, as mentioned above, may include viewing a video, listening to an audio track, etc. and therefore, the identification may include, for example, the title of the video or audio track, the meta tags associated with the video or audio track, a description of the video or audio track, etc. 
     Furthermore, the method  100  includes analyzing the user event in order to extract or determine searching criteria, as generally represented at  104 . Specifically, the event is analyzed to determine patterns of occurrences, keywords, geolocation information, and the like, that can be used to search for related media. In particular, as shown at  106 , 108  the method further includes searching for synchronous media that is at least partially related to the user event. The searching may be conducted within the content environment ( 106 ) and/or outside of the content environment ( 108 ). In either event, the searching may be conducted in real-time, leading to real-time synchronization, meaning that the searching step is conducted immediately upon identification of the target media or event, allowing the display of the synchronous media to occur quickly, instantaneously and in real-time. 
     Once the synchronous media is identified or located, the method  100  further include formatting, organizing, and/or filtering the synchronous media, as at  110 . In particular, the synchronous media may be scored or rated in accordance with or based upon the source of the media, the location of the media, the relevance of the media to the user event, etc. The synchronous media is then combined with the user event or target media and displayed to the first (generating) user, a second (recipient) user, or a plurality of other users, as shown at  112 . 
     As one example, a user  12  may generate a status update or comment on another user&#39;s  12 ′ social network page or “wall” that reads or otherwise includes the phrase “Happy Birthday.” The system  10  and method  100  of the present invention will identify the “Happy Birthday” as target media  40  and search for synchronous media  42  related to “Happy Birthday.” For instance, related or synchronous media  42  may include scheduled events, stores, party favors, etc. related to birthdays, famous people sharing a common birthday, places to celebrate a birthday, other friends with the same birthday, etc. In addition, based upon certain algorithms, the related or synchronous media  42  may include similar media that are frequently encountered such as information related to “graduation,” “new babies,” “vacations,” etc. The target media  42  (i.e., the “Happy Birthday” message) and the identified synchronous media  42  is then displayed to the recipient  12 ′, for instance, on the recipient&#39;s page, “wall,” personal inbox, etc. 
     Since many modifications, variations and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiment of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. 
     Now that the invention has been described,