Patent ID: 8453190

Claim:
A system for sending a video and an associated advertisement over a computer network, comprising: (a) a first computer system for connection to other computer systems over a computer network, the first computer system including: (1) a first module operating on the first computer system for acquiring a video segment; (2) a second module operating on the first computer system for generating an identifier associated with the video segment; (3) a third module operating on the first computer system for accepting an indication of intent to send the video segment to another computer; (4) a fourth module operating on the first computer system for automatically sending the video segment and the identifier over the computer network to a receiving computer; and (5) a fifth module operating on the first computer system for accepting from a sender an indication of an advertisement to be associated with the video segment and for transmitting the indication to another computer; and (b) a second computer system comprising storage and for connection to other computer systems over the computer network, the second computer system including: (6) a sixth module operating on the second computer system for automatically receiving the video segment and its associated identifier sent by the first computer system over the computer network; (7) a seventh module operating on the second computer system for storing an advertisement; (8) an eighth module operating on the second computer system for associating the advertisement with the video segment; (9) a ninth module operating on the second computer system for storing the video segment and associated identifier in the storage; (10) a tenth module operating on the second computer system for receiving an indication to associate the stored video segment and the advertisement; (11) an eleventh module operating on the second computer system for converting the video segment into a streaming video format independent from a command to perform such conversion; and (12) a twelfth module operating on the second computer system for sending the video segment, the identifier, and the associated advertisement from the storage to a receiver computer system.