System and method for interactive remote movie watching, scheduling, and social connection

摘要

Disclosed is a media sharing system that provides shared experiencing of licensed media content such as movies. The system includes a web server that communicates with multiple client devices over the internet whereby a user's multiple social contacts can participate in a synchronized stream of licensed media content such as movies. The system is able to schedule the multi-user experiencing of the licensed media content and further synchronize the streaming of the licensed content so the participating users receiving the media streams in a substantially synchronized manner. The system still further provides for social content interaction amongst the multiple recipients so that the multiple users can interact in a time-contextual manner consistent with the substantially synchronized receipt of the licensed media content.

主权项

1. A media sharing system providing for a shared experiencing of licensed media content, the media sharing system comprising:
a) a web server connected to an internet gateway, the web server operable to communicate with client devices connected to the internet; b) a user profile database in communication with the web server, the user profile database operable to store user profile data, including user social network data and user media content selections; c) a scheduling server in communication with the web server and the user profile database, the scheduling server operable in response to a user request to schedule a multi-user shared experiencing of licensed media content, establishing a schedule and a participant list for the multi-user shared experiencing of licensed media content; d) a media server in communication with the web server and the scheduling server, the media server operable to provide a licensed media stream to multiple scheduled user participants according to the schedule and the participant list established by the scheduling server, the media server operable to synchronize playback for the multiple participants such that the multiple participants receive the licensed media stream in a substantially synchronized manner; e) a media database in communication with the media server, the media database comprising the licensed media content to be streamed by the media server; and f) a social content server in communication with the web server, the social content server operable to provide for social interaction among the multiple participants, whereby the social interactions occur in a context that is in time with the multiple participants' substantially synchronized receipt of the licensed media content.