IP Library Granted Patent US 12683920
Granted Patent B2
US 12683920 · App. 18/583,636 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Social media platform for sharing reactions to videos

Inventor: Harold R. Hildebrand (Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA)
Assignee: Smile Media Inc.
H04L51/10H04L51/48H04L51/52H04N23/64
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12683920
App. No.
18/583,636
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for granting video access. A method may include generating a plurality of contact categories for a user on a communication platform; for each respective contact in a plurality of contacts associated with the user: determining a degree of interaction between the user and the respective contact; and automatically assigning the respective contact to a corresponding contact category of the plurality of contact categories based on the degree of interaction; receiving, from a device of a first contact associated with the user, a request to access a video posted by the user on the communication platform; and in response to determining, based on the assigning, that the first contact is in a first contact category in the plurality of contact categories that is eligible to view to the video, granting access to the video.

Claims (25)

1 . A method for granting video access, comprising:

generating a plurality of contact categories for a user on a communication platform, each contact category being representative of a relationship type of the user with contacts in that category;

for each respective contact in a plurality of contacts associated with the user:

determining a degree of interaction based on an amount of messages transmitted between the user and the respective contact over the communication platform; and

automatically assigning the respective contact to a corresponding contact category of the plurality of contact categories based on the degree of interaction, wherein the respective contact is automatically reassigned from the corresponding contact category to a different contact category of the plurality of contact categories based on changes in the degree of interaction, wherein the degree of interaction is redetermined when detecting an exchange of additional messages between the respective contact and the user;

receiving, from a device of a first contact associated with the user, a request to access a video posted by the user on the communication platform; and

in response to determining, based on the assigning, that the first contact is in a first contact category in the plurality of contact categories that is eligible to view to the video, granting access to the video.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to determining, based on the assigning, that the first contact is in a second contact category in the plurality of contact categories that is ineligible to view to the video, denying access to the video.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the video is a video with different versions for each of the plurality of contact categories, and wherein the access is granted for a first version of the video to the first contact.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising: in response to determining, based on the assigning, that the first contact is in a second contact category in the plurality of contact categories that is ineligible to view to the first version of the video, identifying a different version of the video that contacts in the second contact category can access and granting access to the different version of the video in response to the request.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein a maximum duration for each version of the video differs based on a relationship of the user with contacts in each of the plurality of contact categories, wherein the maximum duration is greatest for a contact category of the plurality of contact categories associated with contacts with a greatest degree of interaction with the user.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically reassigning comprises further comprising: subsequent to assigning a first contact to a contact category of the plurality of contact categories, detecting an exchange of additional messages between the first contact and the user; determining a new degree of interaction between the first contact and the user; and assigning the first contact to a new contact category of the plurality of contact categories based on the new degree of interaction, wherein the new degree of interaction is greater than a previous degree of interaction between the first contact and user, and wherein the new contact category comprises contacts that are socially closer to the user than contacts in the contact category previously assigned to the first contact.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of contact categories comprises a first contact category, a second contact category, and a third contact category, and wherein assigning the respective contact to a corresponding contact category of the plurality of contact categories comprises: assigning the respective contact to the first contact category when the degree of interaction indicates that no messages were exchanged between the user and the respective contact; assigning the respective contact to the second contact category when the degree of interaction indicates that the user has sent at least one message to the respective contact; and assigning the respective contact to the third contact category when the degree of interaction indicates that the user and the respective contact have exchanged a threshold amount of messages.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving a user request to assign a first contact to a specific contact category of the plurality of contact categories; and assigning the first contact to the specific contact category.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of contacts are in an address book of the user or not in an address book of the user.

10 . A system for granting video access, comprising: a memory; and a processor communicatively coupled with the memory and configured to: generate a plurality of contact categories for a user on a communication platform, each contact category being representative of a relationship type of the user with contacts in that category; for each respective contact in a plurality of contacts associated with the user: determine a degree of interaction based on an amount of messages transmitted between the user and the respective contact over the communication platform; and automatically assign the respective contact to a corresponding contact category of the plurality of contact categories based on the degree of interaction, wherein the respective contact is automatically reassigned from the corresponding contact category to a different contact category of the plurality of contact categories based on changes in the degree of interaction, wherein the degree of interaction is redetermined when detecting an exchange of additional messages between the respective contact and the user; receive, from a device of a first contact associated with the user, a request to access a video posted by the user on the communication platform; and in response to determining, based on the assigning, that the first contact is in a first contact category in the plurality of contact categories that is eligible to view to the video, grant access to the video.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to: in response to determining, based on the assigning, that the first contact is in a second contact category in the plurality of contact categories that is ineligible to view to the video, deny access to the video.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the video is a video with different versions for each of the plurality of contact categories, and wherein the access is granted for a first version of the video to the first contact.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to: in response to determining, based on the assigning, that the first contact is in a second contact category in the plurality of contact categories that is ineligible to view to the first version of the video, identify a different version of the video that contacts in the second contact category can access and grant access to the different version of the video in response to the request.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein a maximum duration for each version of the video differs based on a relationship of the user with contacts in each of the plurality of contact categories, wherein the maximum duration is greatest for a contact category of the plurality of contact categories associated with contacts with a greatest degree of interaction with the user.

15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein when automatically reassigning the processor is further configured to: subsequent to assigning a first contact to a contact category of the plurality of contact categories, detect an exchange of additional messages between the first contact and the user; determine a new degree of interaction between the first contact and the user; and assign the first contact to a new contact category of the plurality of contact categories based on the new degree of interaction, wherein the new degree of interaction is greater than a previous degree of interaction between the first contact and user, and wherein the new contact category comprises contacts that are socially closer to the user than contacts in the contact category previously assigned to the first contact.

16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of contact categories comprises a first contact category, a second contact category, and a third contact category, and wherein the processor is further configured to assign the respective contact to a corresponding contact category of the plurality of contact categories by: assigning the respective contact to the first contact category when the degree of interaction indicates that no messages were exchanged between the user and the respective contact; assigning the respective contact to the second contact category when the degree of interaction indicates that the user has sent at least one message to the respective contact; and assigning the respective contact to the third contact category when the degree of interaction indicates that the user and the respective contact have exchanged a threshold amount of messages.

17 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to: receive a user request to assign a first contact to a specific contact category of the plurality of contact categories; and assign the first contact to the specific contact category.

18 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of contacts are in an address book of the user or not in an address book of the user.