Producing and viewing publically viewable video-based group conversations
View Patent ↗A system and method for producing a publically viewable video-based group conversation for viewing over a network. The system is configured to generate a display at a first user computer which includes a plurality of sections in a single screen display, including at least a preview section configured for displaying an indicator for each of one or more viewers who are viewing the video-based conversation, and a media player section configured for displaying a video signal including at least some of the video feeds. The creator of the publically viewable video-based group conversation controls which users can participate in the publically viewable video-based group conversation by enabling video streams provided by those users to be displayed on the screen and viewable to other users who access the group conversation.
1. A system for producing a publically viewable video-based group conversation for transmission over a network, comprising:
one or more processors; and
a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions, which when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
receive, at a server, a request from a first user at a first user computing device to create a publically viewable video-based group conversation to be displayed on a website;
transmit a first set of instructions from the server to the first user computing device in response to the request from the first user, wherein the first set of instructions, when executed by the first user computing device, will enable a first user interface to be displayed on the display of the first user computing device, the first user interface having a plurality of sections including:
i) a preview section configured for displaying an indicator for each of one or more viewers who are viewing the video-based conversation;
ii) a set of production controls configured to select one or more viewers to join in the video-based conversation as a second user; and
iii) a media player section configured for playing at least one of a plurality of video feeds and audio feeds;
transmit a second set of instructions from the server to an application embedded on a third party web site in response to the request from the first user, wherein the second set of instructions, when executed, will enable a second user interface to be displayed via the embedded application, the second user interface having a plurality of sections including:
i) a preview section configured for displaying an indicator for each of one or more viewers who are viewing the video-based conversation; and
ii) a media player section configured for automatically playing at least one of the plurality of audio feeds and video feeds selected by the first user when the first user starts the video-based conversation;
receive, by the server, at least one of a first audio feed and a first video feed from the first user computing device;
receive, by the server, via the embedded application, at least one of a second audio feed and a second video feed from a second user at a second user computing device that is connected to the web site;
enable the first video feed from the first user computing device to be displayed on the first user computing device;
enable the second audio feed and/or the second video feed from the second user computing device to be transmitted to the first user computing device when the first user uses the production controls to select the second user in order for the second user to join in the publically viewable video-based conversation; and
enable the second audio feed and/or the second video feed to be displayed simultaneously with the first video feed on the first user interface and on the second user interface in response to selection of the second user by the first user.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising instructions, which when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
transmit the first user interface as further configured to display a first plurality of controls enabled for the first user, including a first control configured to start the publically viewable video-based group conversation and a second control configured to end the publically viewable video-based group conversation; and
transmit the first user interface as further configured to display a second plurality of controls enabled for the first user, including a third control configured to select the at least second user to participate in the group conversation or to remove the at least second user from the group conversation.
3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising instructions, which when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
transmit instructions, which when executed by the first user computing device, will further enable the first user interface to display a chat section for receiving and publically displaying at least one chat from the second user or one of the other viewers of the publically viewable video-based group conversation.
4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising instructions, which when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
transmit instructions, which when executed by the first user computing device, will further enable the first user interface to display a producer control for the public chat section whereby the producer is enabled to select whether or not to delete a chat received from the second user or one of the other viewers of the publically viewable video-based group conversation.
5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising instructions, which when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
transmit instructions, which when executed by the first user computing device, will further enable the first user interface to display a screen queue section for displaying a question and/or external media received from the second user or one of the other viewers of the publically viewable video-based group conversation.
6. The system of claim 5 , further comprising instructions, which when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
transmit instructions, which when executed by the first user computing device, will further enable the first user interface to display a producer control for the screen queue section whereby the producer is enabled to select whether or not to publically display the question and/or external media link received from the second user or one of the other viewers of the publically viewable video-based group conversation.
7. The system of claim 3 , further comprising instructions, which when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
transmit instructions, which when executed by the first user computing device, will further enable the first user interface to display a producers chat area, wherein the producers chat area includes a private chat window for conducting private text-based chat with the second user or one of the other viewers of the publically viewable video-based group conversation.
8. A method for producing a publically viewable video-based group conversation comprising:
receiving, at a server, a request from a first user at a first user computing device to create a publically viewable video-based group conversation to be displayed on a website;
transmitting a first set of instructions from the server to the first user computing device in response to the request from the first user, wherein the first set of instructions, when executed by the first user computing device, will enable a first user interface to be displayed on the display of the first user computing device, the first user interface having a plurality of sections including:
i) a preview section configured for displaying an indicator for each of one or more viewers who are viewing the video-based conversation;
ii) a set of production controls configured to select one or more viewers to join in the video-based conversation as a second user; and
iii) a media player section configured for playing at least one of a plurality of video feeds and/or audio feeds;
transmitting a second set of instructions from the server to an application embedded on a third party web site in response to the request from the first user, wherein the second set of instructions, when executed, will enable a second user interface to be displayed via the embedded application, the second user interface having a plurality of sections including:
i) a preview section configured for displaying an indicator for each of one or more viewers who are viewing the video-based conversation; and
ii) a media player section configured for automatically playing at least one of the plurality of audio feeds and video feeds selected by the first user when the first user starts the video-based conversation;
receiving, by the server, at least one of a first audio feed and a first video feed from the first user computing device;
receiving, by the server, via the embedded application, at least one of a second audio feed and a second video feed from a second user at a second user computing device that is connected to the web site;
enabling the first video feed from the first user computing device to be displayed on the first user computing device;
enabling the second audio feed and/or the second video feed from the second user computing device to be transmitted to the first user computing device when the first user uses the production controls to select the second user in order for the second user to join in the publically viewable video-based conversation; and
enabling the second audio feed and/or the second video feed to be displayed simultaneously with the first video feed on the first user interface and on the second user interface in response to selection of the second user by the first user.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
transmitting instructions, which when executed by the first user computing device, will further enable the first user interface to display a first plurality of controls enabled for the first user, including a first control configured to start the publically viewable video-based group conversation and a second control configured to end the video-based group conversation; and
transmitting instructions, which when executed by the first user computing device, will further enable the first user interface to display a second plurality of controls enabled for the first user, including a third control configured to select the at least second user to participate in the group conversation or to remove the at least second user from the group conversation.
10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
transmitting instructions, which when executed by the first user computing device, will further enable the first user interface to display a chat section on the production page for receiving and publically displaying at least one chat from the second user or one of the other viewers of the publically viewable video-based group conversation.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
transmitting instructions, which when executed by the first user computing device, will further enable the first user interface to display a producer control for the public chat section whereby the producer is enabled to select whether or not to delete a chat received from the second user or one of the other viewers of the video-based group conversation.
12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
transmitting instructions, which when executed by the first user computing device, will further enable the first user interface to display a screen queue section for displaying a question and/or external media received from the second user or one of the other viewers of the publically viewable video-based group conversation.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
transmitting instructions, which when executed by the first user computing device, will further enable the first user interface to display a producer control for the screen queue section whereby the producer is enabled to select whether or not to publically display the question and/or external media link received from the second viewer or one of the other viewers of the publically viewable video-based group conversation.
14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
transmitting instructions, which when executed by the first user computing device, will further enable the first user interface to display a producers chat area, wherein the producers chat area includes a private chat window for conducting private text-based chat with the second user or one of the other viewers of the publically viewable video-based group conversation.
15. A computer program product comprising computer-readable program code to be executed by one or more processors when retrieved from a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the program code including instructions to:
receive, at a server, a request from a first user at a first user computing device to create a publically viewable video-based group conversation to be displayed on a website;
transmit a first set of instructions from the server to the first user computing device in response to the request from the first user, wherein the first set of instructions, when executed by the first user computing device, will enable a first user interface to be displayed on the display of the first user computing device, the first user interface having a plurality of sections including:
i) a preview section configured for displaying an indicator for each of one or more viewers who are viewing the video-based conversation;
ii) a set of production controls configured to select one or more viewers to join in the video-based conversation as a second user; and
iii) a media player section configured for playing at least one of the plurality of video feeds and audio feeds;
transmit a second set of instructions from the server to an application embedded on a third party web site in response to the request from the first user, wherein the second set of instructions, when executed, will enable a second user interface to be displayed via the embedded application, the second user interface having a plurality of sections including:
i) a preview section configured for displaying an indicator for each of one or more viewers who are viewing the video-based conversation; and
ii) a media player section configured for automatically playing at least one of a plurality of audio feeds and/or video feeds selected by the first user when the first user starts the video-based conversation;
receive, by the server, at least one of a first audio and a first video feed from the first user computing device;
receive, by the server, via the embedded application, at least one of a second audio and a second video feed from a second user at a second user computing device that is connected to the web site;
enable the first video feed from the first user computing device to be displayed on the first user computing device;
enable the second audio feed and/or the second video feed from the second user computing device to be transmitted to the first user computing device when the first user uses the production controls to select the second user in order for the second user to join in the publically viewable video-based conversation; and
enable the second audio feed and/or the second video feed to be displayed simultaneously with the first video feed on the first user interface and on the second user interface in response to selection of the second user by the first user.
16. The computer program product of claim 15 , the program code including further instructions to:
transmit instructions, which when executed by the first user computing device, will further enable the first user interface to display a first plurality of controls enabled for the first user, including a first control configured to start the publically viewable video-based group conversation and a second control configured to end the video-based group conversation; and
transmit instructions, which when executed by the first user computing device, will further enable the first user interface to display a second plurality of controls enabled for the first user, including a third control configured to select the at least second user to participate in the group conversation or to remove the at least second user from the group conversation.
17. The computer program product of claim 15 , the program code including further instructions to:
transmit instructions, which when executed by the first user computing device, will further enable the first user interface to display a chat section for receiving and publically displaying at least one chat from the second user or one of the other viewers of the publically viewable video-based group conversation.
18. The computer program product of claim 17 , the program code including further instructions to:
transmit instructions, which when executed by the first user computing device, will further enable the first user interface to display a producer control on the user interface for the public chat section whereby the producer is enabled to select whether or not to delete a chat received from the second user or one of the other viewers of the publically viewable video-based group conversation.
19. The computer program product of claim 15 , the program code including further instructions to:
transmit instructions, which when executed by the first user computing device, will further enable the first user interface to display a screen queue section on the user interface for displaying a question and/or external media received from the second viewer or one of the other viewers of the publically viewable video-based group conversation.
20. The computer program product of claim 19 , the program code including further instructions to:
transmit instructions, which when executed by the first user computing device, will further enable the first user interface to display a producer control on the user interface for the screen queue section whereby the producer is enabled to select whether or not to publically display the question and/or external media link received from the second user or one of the other viewers of the publically viewable video-based group conversation.
21. The computer program product of claim 17 , the program code including further instructions to:
transmit instructions, which when executed by the first user computing device, will further enable the first user interface to display a producers page, wherein the producers page includes a private chat window for conducting private text-based chat with the second user or one of the other viewers of the publically viewable video-based group conversation.