IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,661,490

Granted Patent B2

US 8,661,490 · App. 13/597,185 · Granted Feb 25, 2014

Method and apparatus for internet-based interactive programming

Inventor: Chad W. Shusman (West Conshohocken, PA)

Assignee: Mediaip, Inc.

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 8,661,490
App. No.: 13/597,185
Granted: Feb 25, 2014
Kind: B2

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USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

A method and system for the creation of interactive programming incorporating viewer interactions. An interactive program includes moderator content generated by the moderator and edited participant commentary, such as interactive messages, and is served by a moderator server. Moderators create and manage interactive programs using a Web site. Viewers register to be participants in interactive programs using the Web site. The interactive programs can be distributed as electronic documents written in a markup language such as HTML or XML over a communications network such as the Internet. The interactive programs can also be converted to conventional interactive television content for distribution over an interactive television network. The interactive programs can also be distributed over a virtual private network for use as a collaboration tool by an enterprise such as a business concern. The interactive programs can be embedded within other Web processes such as electronic commerce and television commerce transactions.

Claims (94)

1. A method for creating and transmitting interactive programming content comprising an audience portion and a stage portion, hosted by a moderator Web browser on a stage, to an audience comprising a plurality of viewer Web browsers over a wide area network, comprising:

operably coupling a moderator server to the wide area network;

operably coupling a content server to the moderator server;

operably coupling the moderator Web browser to the moderator server via the wide area network;

operably coupling the plurality of viewer Web browsers to the moderator server via the wide area network;

receiving by the moderator server from the content server a first set of content signals;

receiving by the moderator server via the wide area network from the moderator Web browser a first set of moderator comments;

generating by the moderator server a first interactive electronic document using the first set of content signals and the first set of moderator comments;

transmitting by the moderator server via the wide area network to the plurality of viewer Web browsers the first interactive electronic document;

receiving viewer comment messages responsive to the first interactive electronic document and directed to the stage from any and all of the plurality of viewer Web browsers by the moderator server via the wide area network;

receiving viewer interactive messages responsive to the first interactive electronic document and directed to the audience from any of the plurality of viewer Web browsers by the moderator server via the wide area network;

transmitting by the moderator server via the wide area network to the moderator Web browser the viewer comment messages directed to the stage;

receiving edited said viewer comment messages and a second set of moderator comments by the moderator server via the wide area network from the moderator Web browser;

receiving by the moderator server from the content server a second set of content signals;

generating by the moderator server a second interactive electronic document using the second set of content signals, the edited viewer comment messages, the viewer interactive messages directed to the audience, and the second set of moderator comments; and

transmitting by the moderator server via the wide area network to the plurality of viewer Web browsers the second interactive electronic document,

wherein the viewer interactive messages directed to the audience are transmitted via the audience portion, and the edited viewer comment messages and the second set of moderator comments are transmitted via the stage portion.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the viewer comment messages directed to the stage further include an interactive program rating signal corresponding to a viewer web Browser subjective rating of the interactive programming content.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the moderator comments further include a viewer exclusion signal corresponding to a specific viewer Web browser from the plurality of viewer Web browsers, and

the generating by the moderator server of the second interactive electronic document further includes using the viewer exclusion signal to exclude the viewer comment messages received from the specific viewer Web browser.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the second set of moderator comments further include a viewer invitation signal corresponding to a specific viewer Web browser from the plurality of viewer Web browsers, and

the generating by the moderator server of the second interactive electronic document further includes using the viewer invitation signal, wherein

the specific viewer Web browser is invited to join the stage with the moderator Web browser by the viewer invitation signal, and

corresponding ones of the viewer interactive messages directed to the audience of the specific viewer Web browser are transmitted via the stage portion when the specific viewer Web browser is on the stage.

5. A method for creating and transmitting an interactive program comprising an audience portion and a stage portion, hosted by a moderator client on a stage, to an audience comprising a plurality of viewer clients over a communications network, comprising:

operably coupling the moderator client to a moderator server via the communications network;

operably coupling the plurality of viewer clients to the moderator server via the communications network;

receiving participant comment signals directed to the stage from any and all of the plurality of viewer clients by the moderator server via the communications network;

receiving audience interactive signals directed to the audience from any of the plurality of viewer clients by the moderator server via the communications network;

transmitting by the moderator server via the communications network to the moderator client the participant comment signals directed to the stage;

receiving edited participant comment signals and moderator signals by the moderator server via the communications network from the moderator client;

generating interactive program signals by the moderator server using the edited participant comment signals, the audience interactive signals directed to the audience, and the moderator signals; and

transmitting by the moderator server via the communications network to the plurality of viewer clients the interactive program signals,

wherein the audience interactive signals directed to the audience are transmitted via the audience portion, and the edited participant comment signals and the moderator signals are transmitted via the stage portion.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the generating of the interactive program signals further includes:

receiving content signals by the moderator server from a content server; and

generating by the moderator server the interactive program signals using the content signals, the edited participant comment signals, the audience interactive signals directed to the audience, and the moderator signals.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the participant comment signals directed to the stage further include an interactive program rating signal corresponding to a viewer client subjective rating of the interactive program.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein

the moderator signals further include a viewer exclusion signal corresponding to a specific viewer client from the plurality of viewer clients, and

the generating of the interactive program signals further includes using the viewer exclusion signal to exclude the participant comments received from the specific viewer client.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein

the moderator signals further include a viewer invitation signal corresponding to a specific viewer client from the plurality of viewer clients, and

the generating of the interactive program signals further includes using the viewer invitation signal, wherein

the specific viewer client is invited to join the stage with the moderator client by the viewer invitation signal, and

corresponding ones of the audience interactive signals directed to the audience of the specific viewer client are transmitted via the stage portion when the specific viewer client is on the stage.

10. A moderator server for creating and transmitting an interactive program comprising an audience portion and a stage portion, hosted by a moderator Web browser on a stage, to an audience comprising a plurality of viewer Web browsers, the plurality of viewer Web browsers, the moderator Web browser, and a content server being operably coupled to the moderator server via a wide area network, the moderator server comprising:

a processor; and

a memory operably coupled to the processor and having program instructions stored therein, the processor being operable to execute the program instructions, the program instructions including: