COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM WITH INTERACTIVE AND DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT FUNCTIONS AND DIGITAL OBJECT INSCRIPTION WORKFLOWS
A networked communications system that facilitates real-time direct interaction and engagement with social influencers and other persons-of-interest and, in some implementations, the generation of digitally-inscribed, digital memorabilia, collectible items, other merchandise or other forms of personalized deliverables during such interactions. The system provides for real-time inscription (e.g., autograph) generation workflows during an interactive session, such as a video chat between a user and a person-of-interest.
1 . A system, comprising
a first host client associated with a host, the first host client operative to maintain an interactive communications session with a user client;
a second host client associated with the host, the second host client including inscription functionality operative to digitally inscribe a digital content object;
a user client associated with a user, the user client operative to:
maintain an interactive communications session with the first host client;
display the digital object during the interactive session;
receive inscription data in real-time from the second host client; and
render the real-time inscription data in connection with the digital object during the interactive communications session with the first host client;
a digital engagement system operative to:
maintain network connections with the first and second host client and user client; and
facilitate the interactive communications session between the user client and the first and second host clients.
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the user client is further operative to generate inscription requests for selected content during the interactive session for transmission to the second host client.
3 . The system of claim 1 wherein the user client is further operative to automatically capture an image of the interactive session with the first host client displayed on the user client and cause the image to be downloaded by the second host client as the digital object for inscription.
4 . The system of claim 3 wherein the image is automatically captured a predetermined time after initiation of the interactive session.
5 . The system of claim 1 wherein the second host client is operative to automatically download the digital content object for inscription.
6 . The system of claim 5 wherein the digital content object is a selected one of a pre-stored content object and an image of the interactive session displayed on the user client.
7 . The system of claim 5 wherein the second host client is operative to automatically download the digital content object a predetermined time after initiation of the interactive session.
8 . The system of claim 5 wherein the digital content object is displayed at the first host client and the user client.
9 . The system of claim 1 wherein the digital engagement system is further operative to automatically store the inscribed digital object in association with a user account corresponding to the user.
10 . The system of claim 1 wherein the second host client is operative to maintain an interactive communications connection with the user client, wherein the inscription data transmitted to the user client is received over the interactive communications connection.
11 . The system of claim 10 wherein the interactive communications connection is a peer-to-peer connection.
12 . A method comprising
maintaining, at a first host client, an interactive communications session including exchange of video data with a user client, the user client associated with a user;
maintaining, at a second host client, a network connection with the user client, wherein the second host client is operative to inscribe digital objects;
displaying, at the user client and the second host client, a digital object;
receiving, at the user client, inscription data in real-time from the second host client; and
rendering, at the user client, the real-time inscription data in connection with the digital object during the interactive communications session with the first host client.
13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the second host client does not exchange video data with the user client.
14 . The method of claim 12 further comprising generating, at the user client, an inscription request for selected content during the interactive session for transmission to the second host client.
15 . The method of claim 12 further comprising automatically capturing, at the user client, an image of the interactive session with the first host client displayed on the user client and causing the image to be downloaded by the second host client as the digital object for inscription.
16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the image is automatically captured a predetermined time after initiation of the interactive session.
17 . The method of claim 12 further comprising automatically downloading, at the second user client, the digital content object for inscription.
18 . The method of claim 17 wherein the digital content object is a selected one of a pre-stored content object and an image of the interactive session displayed on the user client.
19 . The method of claim 17 further comprising, automatically downloading, at the second host client, the digital content object a predetermined time after initiation of the interactive session.
20 . The method of claim 17 wherein the digital content object is displayed at the first host client and the user client.
21 . The method of claim 12 further comprising automatically storing the inscribed digital object in association with a user account corresponding to the user.
22 . The method of claim 12 further comprising, maintaining, at the second host client, an interactive communications connection with the user client, wherein the inscription data transmitted to the user client is received over the interactive communications connection.
23 . The method of claim 22 wherein the interactive communications connection is a peer-to-peer connection.