GB2545707A

GB2545707A - Media content sharing between users having associated content platforms

Info

Publication number: GB2545707A
Application number: GB1522699.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roberts Ian; Ingham Gareth; Dean Andy; Shisler Danny
Original assignee: Music Media Ltd
Current assignee: 52 GROSVENOR STREET LIMITED
Priority date: 2015-12-22
Filing date: 2015-12-22
Publication date: 2017-06-28
Also published as: GB201522699D0; WO2017109478A1

Abstract

A system is disclosed for media content sharing between users having associated content platforms, and more particularly to a method and system for active user media content sharing and passive system generated media content sharing of music or audio files with user comments between users having different associated media content providers, social media communication sources, and streaming channels, whereby each user registers with a central server the content platforms they are associated with, this data being stored in user profiles, and groups associated with a topic are created and media content is distributed between members within the group in the formats of the content platforms associated with the respective members of the group. This has the advantage of ensuring that each member of the group receives the media content in a format they can use

Description

MEDIA CONTENT SHARING BETWEEN USERS HAVING ASSOCIATED CONTENT PLATFORMS FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a method and system for media content sharing between users having associated content platforms, and more particularly to a method and system for active user media content sharing and passive system generated media content sharing of music or audio files with user comments between users having different associated media content providers, social media communication sources, and streaming channels.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The recent emergence of multiple media content providers and streaming services accessible on networks such as the Internet has resulted in a significant fragmentation of the on-demand media content market such as the music access market. Such services include service silos such as downloading services, active streaming, passive streaming, social media sites and the like. Users can potentially use one or more of the available services to access the same piece of media content, such as music tracks, in various ways. That presents a significant problem for services which require identification of a unique piece of media content to perform certain tasks such as identifying and retrieving particular media content from a particular provider. For example, if a user posts a music track onto, for example a social media application service, from one content provider for other users, the other users may only be able to access the music track if they subscribe to the same content provider as the user sharing the track. Other users subscribed to other content providers are denied access to the posted music track.

Music and entertainment dominate social media activity. However, the technical problems discussed above, restrict accessing and commenting on shared content media such as music tracks in real time in an online environment.

There is a need for a method and system for media content sharing between users having associated content platforms across different media content providers and services that address or at least alleviate some of the problems and/or limitations discussed above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A first aspect of the invention is a method of media content sharing between users having associated content platforms, the method comprising registering registration requests from a plurality of users, each user having at least one associated content platform; generating a user profile of each user identifying each content platform associated with each user; processing a request from a group creator user for creating a group associated with a topic; processing requests from group users within the plurality of users to join the group, the group members formed of the group users and the group creator; and distributing media content to each group member in a format of the respective associated content platform associated with each group member.

In an embodiment the method further comprises receiving an active user media content in a format with an associated content platform from a group member; and distributing the active user media content to each group member in a format of the respective associated content platform associated with each group member. The method may further comprise distributing a passive system media content to each group member in a format of the respective associated content platform associated with each group member. The passive system media content may be derived from social dynamics within the plurality of users. The passive system media content may be selected from another group with the most common group members from a plurality of groups. The passive system media content may be derived from a play list chart of the group. The passive system media content may be derived from a play list chart of the group creator.

In an embodiment the method further comprise generating a feed for each user of each shared media content and comments. The method may further comprise generating a feed for each group of each shared media content and comments. Each feed for each user may comprise each shared media content and comments shared by the user and each shared media content shared in each group the user is group member. The feed may be time sorted.

In an embodiment the passive system media content is distributed to users in a discovery feed. The discovery feed may be context sorted. The method may further comprise receiving a user request for additional detailed information of an item on the discovery feed; and providing additional information card to the user. The method may further comprise allowing the user to access the content of the discovery feed. The method may further comprise allowing the user to share the content of the discovery feed. The method may further comprise generating a search result in response to an active search request requested by a user.

An aspect of the invention is a system of media content sharing between users having associated content platforms, the system comprising registering registration requests from a plurality of users, each user having at least one associated content platform; generating a user profile of each user identifying each content platform associated with each user; processing a request from a group creator user for creating a group associated with a topic; processing requests from group users within the plurality of users to join the group, the group members formed of the group users and the group creator; and distributing media content to each group member in a format of the respective associated content platform associated with each group member.

An aspect of the invention is a computer implemented method of media content sharing between users having associated content platforms, the method comprising registering registration requests from a plurality of users, each user having at least one associated content platform; generating a user profile of each user identifying each content platform associated with each user; processing a request from a group creator user for creating a group associated with a topic; processing requests from group users within the plurality of users to join the group, the group members formed of the group users and the group creator; and distributing media content to each group member in a format of the respective associated content platform associated with each group member.

An aspect of the invention is a user electronic device of media content sharing between users having associated content platforms, the device comprising a memory storing machine readable instructions; and a processor configured to execute the machine readable instructions to implement the steps of the method according to the first aspect.

An aspect of the invention is a system of media content sharing between users having associated content platforms, the system comprising a server having a memory for storing machine readable instructions and a processor configured to execute the machine readable instructions; a first user electronic device having a memory for storing machine readable instructions and a processor configured to execute the machine readable instructions; the server and the first user electronic device being configured to communicate with each other over a network; wherein the server and the first user electronic device interoperate to implement the steps of the method according to the first aspect.

An aspect of the invention is a computer readable medium storing machine readable instructions executable by a processor of a user electronic device for implementing the steps of the method according to the first aspect.

An aspect of the invention is a computer readable medium storing machine readable instructions executable by a processor of a server for implementing the steps of the method according to the first aspect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. While the invention will be described in connection with certain embodiments, there is no intent to limit the invention to those embodiments described. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In the drawings: FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 shows a server as shown in FIG. 1 in more detail in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 3 shows a user device as shown in FIG. 1 in more detail in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 4 shows a the flow of system generated content based on system statistics to a user device, then shared and viewed by the user in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 5 shows a stack of the system in a minimized state in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 6 shows a stack of the stack of FIG. 5 shown in an expanded full screen state in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 7-10 show stacks of the system in different states, such as a minimum stack of FIG. 7 as shown in FIG. 5 and 6, a moment stack of FIG. 8, a playlist stack of FIG. 9, and a story stack of FIG. 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 11 shows a schematic diagram of a private crowd of the system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 12 shows a schematic diagram of a public crowd of the system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 13 shows a feed of a user profile of the system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 14 shows a feed of a crowd group showing a post from a crowd owner and a post from users in the crowd group of the system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 15 shows a user interface my profile on a user device of the system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 16 shows a user interface crowd page on a user device of the system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; showing the number of members; FIG. 17 shows a the distribution of a post within a private crowd of the system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 18 shows a distribution of a post within a public crowd of the system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and FIG. 19 shows a flow chart of a method of media content sharing between users having associated content platforms of a system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is of preferred embodiments by way of example only and without limitation to the combination of features necessary for carrying the invention into effect. A method and system is disclosed for media content sharing between users having associated content platforms, and more particularly to a method and system for active user media content sharing and passive system generated media content sharing of music or audio files with user comments between users having different associated media content providers, social media communication sources, and streaming channels.

As described herein a media content or file is any type of file such as audio, sound, music, tracks, visual, graphic, videographic, photographic, textual, or the like. In the illustrative description and embodiments described herein, the content media is music or audio content files. Flowever, it will be appreciated that the media content may take different forms in addition to or in place of music or audio content files in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

Associated content platforms may be any service provided on a network such as the internet, that allow users to access to media content on the network or "on-line". Such services may include service "silos" such as content providers, downloading services, active streaming, passive streaming, social media sites and the like.

Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic block diagram is shown of a system 10 for media content sharing, such as audio files or music tracks, between users having associated content platforms in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The system 10 shows a server 12, a database 14 connected via network 16 such as the internet. A plurality of users or user devices 20, 22, 24 are shown in communication with the server 12 via the network 16. In one embodiment, the user device is a mobile telephone. However, the user device 10 may be any device such as a MP3 player, a lap top computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), tablet, or the like which is provided with a communication interface and music playing capabilities. The user device 12 posts or shares a file or media content to other users within private groups or crowds 26 and/or public groups or crowds 28. The user media content may be accessed from content providers 30, external social media/communication service sources 32, or the like. The shared media content may originate directly from the user device of the user sharing the content. The user devices 20,22,24 may communicate with each other via a server 24 either directly, not shown, or indirectly via a network such as the internet 22 or the like. FIG. 2 shows a server 12 as shown in FIG. 1 in more detail as a schematic block diagram 50 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The server 12 comprises a processor 52 and a memory 54 for storing and executing the applications and processing the different modules of the applications of the system. The server may comprise an input means 56 and output means 58, and an interface module 60 for communicating with different modules and devices of the system. The modules of the server may comprise a user profile module 62 for maintaining user profile accounts of the users, a crowd module 64 for maintaining the private and public crowds of the system, a share module 66 for arranging access to each member to a shared media content, a play module 68 for playing media content such as a music track, a discovery/mix module 70 for pushing passive system media content to users and integrating into the users feed upon the user acceptance to share the media content, a tile/card/stack module 72 for presenting the shared media content within the system in a format for discussing and sharing in real time, a statistic module 74 for accumulating social dynamic data of user and crowd feeds and actions within in the system, and the like. The processor is also able to access media content that may be provided by a number of content providers 30, social media application networks 32, or the like. It will be appreciated that there may be any number of content providers 30, or social media application networks 32 or the like, and any number of music content files may be accessed from a single content provider 30, individually from respective different content providers, or multiple content providers with at least one music content file. The music content file may be resident on the share user device 20, however, it will be appreciated that the music content file may be resident remote from the share user device 20, elsewhere with the network, such as on the server 20, a content provider 30, social media application network 32, or the like. Once the music content files are retrieved from the different content providers, the users are provided with the content files in the format of the content provider that the user is able to access. The content files may already be resident on the access user's device that the access had downloaded or accessed previously. The access user may subscribe to any number of music content providers, and may therefore be able to access any number of music content files having different metadata formats from any number of subscribed content providers. FIG. 3 shows a user device 20 as shown in FIG. 1 in more detail in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The user device comprises a processor 82 and memory 84 for storing and executing the applications and processing the different modules of the user device and applications of the system, and a user interface module for communicating with different modules and devices of the system. The user device 20 may comprise input 86 and output 88 means for the user to enter and retrieve commands and information of the system and for communicating with different modules and devices of the system. The output means may comprise of display 89, and the user device modules may comprise an application 92 module for running the method and system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a play content module 94 for playing the media content on the user device, a compose content module 96 for the user to compose and share media content originating from the user device, manage content module 98 for storing and maintaining the media content resident on the user device, or the like. The interaction of the different modules 60,62,64,66,68,70,72,74 of the server 12 and of modules 90,92,94,96,98 of the user device 20 is described in more detail with reference to FIG. 4-19. FIG. 4 shows a the flow 100 of system generated content based on system statistics to a user device 20, then shared and viewed by the user in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The information describing the media content or tile generated and sent by the system is pushed 102 by the system to the user device. The user discovers the tile/stack 106 and accesses the media content 108 by listening or viewing the media content. The user may then share 104 the stack sent by the user with other users. The system generated tile pushed by the system to the user is mixed into the feed of the user as a stack if the user wants to share the tile with other users. Tiles and stacks are different templates for displaying and sharing media content between the system and user (tiles), and between users (stacks). The media content provided in tiles and stacks is in a format that a receiving user can access the media content in a format that is the designated format in the profile of the user. A tile is a template used by the system when media content is sent from the system to receiving users. A stack is a template used by the system when media content is sent or shared between users, i.e. when a sharing user shares media content to a receiving user. A tile is information describing media content that is generated by the system and pushed to selected users or distributed to selected groups. A stack is information describing media content that is generated within the system by the user and the user selects other users and/or groups to send the stack. A user may receive a tile from the system. Upon accessing the associated media content, the user may want to share the media content with selected users by sending a stack to the selected users and/or groups. The templates may include additional information describing media content that may include a graphic, text describing the media content or details associated with the content, links to the media content, and the like. The links to the media content are provided by the system in a format that is the user preferred format defined in the user profile of the selected user. The format may be in on format for the sharing user, and in another different format for the receiving user. This allows the sharing user and receiving user to view and access the associated media content from different providers in real time. The system then allows the sharing user and receiving user to comment in real time which provides a sharing experience of the media content between the users in real time. The links provided by the system may be links to a particular service provider and in a particular format of the associated service provider. FIG. 5 shows a stack 110 of the system in a minimized state 110 on a display of a user device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The stack 110 comprises first media content 112 such as an image file, and second media content 114 such as an audio are music track. FIG. 6 shows a stack 110 of the stack of FIG. 5 shown in an expanded full screen state 120 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

The media content may be presented in different formats. For example, FIG. 7-10 show stacks in different states in accordance with embodiments of the invention. FIG. 7 shows a minimum stack 130 of the system in a minimum state as shown in FIG. 5 and 6 with an image file and a music track. FIG. 8 shows a moment stack 140 of the system in a moment state, with multiple media content 142 including a single music track together with several image files. FIG. 9 shows a playlist stack 150 of the system with multiple second media content 152 such as several music tracks and at least one image file. FIG. 10 shows a story stack 160 of the system with multiple first type of media content 162 such as an image file, and multiple second type of media content such as music tracks. FIG. 11 shows a schematic diagram of a private crowd 170 of the system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The private crowd is created by a creator user 172. The user members 174 of the private group crowd may be able to share media content 176 to the private crowd feed. FIG. 12 shows a schematic diagram of a public crowd 180 of the system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The public crowd is created by the creator user 182. The user members 184 of public group crowd do not share content on the feed. Only the creator may share 186 media content on the feed of the public crowd.

In an embodiment, the system may record statistics of each user, private crowd, and public crowd. The statistics include for example favourite music tracks played, shared, commented on by each user, and users within each private crowd and public crowd, and the like. It will be appreciated that other user and group statistics may be tracked and recorded by the system. The statistics may be used in the system in the selection of recipients of users and groups of system generated tiles. FIG. 13 shows a feed 190 of a user profile of the system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The feed of the user profile is time based, with examples of the type of content forming a feed shown as first-fifth media content stacks shown in FIG. 13. For example, the first media content 192 shown of the user profile feed shown comprises an image file and music track from the user shared. The second media content 194 shown of the user profile feed shown in FIG. 13 comprises a stack such as an image file and music track posted from a member user that the user follows as active user media content. The third media content 196 shown of the user profile feed is an image file and music track from the system as passive system media content. The fourth media content 197 shown of the user profile feed comprises a stack with an image file and music track from a group crowd that the user follows. The fifth media content 198 of the user profile feed comprises a stack with an image file and music track from a user followed by the user. Similarly, like FIG. 13, FIG. 14 shows a feed 200 of a crowd group showing a post from a crowd owner and a post from users in the crowd group of the system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 15 shows an interface profile 210 on a user device of the system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The meta 212 is information that the system generates about the user, such as charts, counts of followers/following, awards, and the like. The content 214 displayed that the user has decided to share on the user's profile is shown as well. FIG. 16 shows a user interface crowd page 220 on a user device of the system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The meta data 222 is information that the system generates about the crowd, such as charts, member count, awards, and the like. Content 224 may take different forms such as that shown of an image and music track that belong in the crowd. FIG. 17 and 18 show distribution of posts. FIG. 17 shows a the distribution of a post 230 within a private crowd of the system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 18 shows a distribution of a post 240 within a public crowd of the system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 19 shows a flow chart of a method 250 of media content sharing between users having associated content platforms of a system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The user registers 252 with the system. The system generates 254 a user profile, and each user identifies the specific content providers the user has a subscription. This will ensure the system will provide the correct format of the media content to the user. The user may create a group 256, and other users may be invited or request to join the group 258. Media content may be distributed 260 to each group member in the respective format.

The user profile generated 254 in the system is based on the user information provided by the user. A card is a system generated template, like tiles and stacks, for displaying and sharing the user profile between users and between system and users. The system then pulls or extrapolates user details that are specific to the user, such as the associated service provider of the user, the associated social media accounts of the user, browsing history of the user, playlist of the user, play history of the user, other users associated with the user, contact details, streaming profiles, access history, listening history, user statistics within the system, and the like. The user information may be pulled from the associated user profile pre-existing with other user registered social media or service provider accounts. The user information may be pulled or extrapolated from the user device storage residing on the user device that the user is accessing the system, user cloud storage accounts, the system server, other remote servers such as those associated with the service providers and/or social media, or the like. The system generated user statistics may also be displayed or accessed in the card template for the user profile. Each group also has a group profile that is created by the group creator. The card templates may also be generated based on private and/or public group profiles, and system generated group statistics may also be displayed or accessed in the card template for the group profile.

In an embodiment, the associated user information and extrapolated data may be used by the system as a source for sending tiles featuring a particular media content, such as for example a new release of a music track of an artist that the user has in their playlist. Other sources for system tile generation may be from aggregate data, context data, or the like. Aggregate data may comprise of the data profile of the user based on the user profile details. Context data may comprise of the data surrounding the media content, such as the frequency the user accesses the media content, the frequency other users access the media content, geographic location of the user, such as city, country and the like, genre, age of user, and the like. Additional data may comprise of third party intermediary data such as for example music track or album chart data, and the like.

The system uses the extrapolated data, aggregate data, context data, and the like, to deliver specific media content information with a tile to selected users and groups. This provides users with a personalized experience and a type of filter to minimize system generated tiles that are unrelated to the user or groups.

The methods and apparatus described may be implemented at least in part in software. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the apparatus described may be implemented using general purpose computers or using bespoke equipment. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the foregoing has described what is considered to be the best mode and, where appropriate, other modes of performing the invention, the invention should not be limited to the specific configurations and methods disclosed in this description of an embodiment of the invention. Those skilled in the art will recognise that the invention has a broad range of applications, and that the embodiments may take a wide range of modifications without departing from the inventive concept as defined by the appended claims.

The hardware elements, operating systems and programming languages of such computers are conventional in nature, and it is presumed that those skilled in the art are adequately familiar therewith. Of course, the server functions may be implemented in a distributed fashion on a number of similar platforms, to distribute the processing load.

Hence, aspects of the methods and apparatus described herein can be executed on a mobile station and on a computing device such as a server. Program aspects of the technology may be thought of as "products" or "articles of manufacture" typically in the form of executable code and/or associated data that is carried on or embodied in a type of machine readable medium. "Storage" type media include any or all of the memory of the mobile stations, computers, processors or the like, or associated modules hereof, such as various semiconductor memories, tape drives, disk drives and the like, which may provide storage at any time for the software programming. All or portions of the software may at times be communicated through the Internet or various other telecommunication networks. Such communications, for example, may enable loading of the software from one computer or processor into another computer or processor. Thus, another type of media that may bear the software elements includes optical, electrical and electromagnetic waves, such as used across physical interfaces between local devices, through wired and optical landline networks and over various air-links. The physical elements that carry such waves, such as wired or wireless links, optical links or the like, also may be considered as media bearing the software. As used herein, unless restricted to tangible non-transitory "storage" media, terms such as computer or machine "readable medium" refer to any medium that participates in providing instructions to a processor for execution.

Hence, a machine readable medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, a tangible storage medium, a carrier wave medium or physical transmission medium. Non-volatile storage media include, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as any of the storage devices in any computer(s) or the like, such as may be used to implement the data aggregator, the customer communication systems, etc. shown in the drawings. Volatile storage media include dynamic memory, such as main memory of such a computer platform. Tangible transmission media include coaxial cables; copper wire and fibre optics, including the wires that comprise a bus within a computer system. Carrier-wave transmission media can take the form of electric or electromagnetic signals, or acoustic or light waves such as those generated during radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) data communications. Common forms of computer-readable media therefore include for example: a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD OR DVD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards paper tape, another physical storage medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave transporting data or instructions, cables or links transporting such a carrier wave, or any other medium from which a computer can read programming code and/or data. Many of these forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to a processor for execution.

While the foregoing has described what are considered to be the best mode and/or other examples, it is understood that various modifications may be made therein and that the subject matter disclosed herein may be implemented in various forms and examples, and that the teachings may be applied in numerous applications, only some of which have been described herein. It is intended by the following claims to claim any and all applications, modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the present teachings. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by the applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

Reference in this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment" in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. Moreover, various features are described which may be exhibited by some embodiments and not by others. Similarly, various requirements are described which may be requirements for some embodiments but not other embodiments.

It should be understood that the elements shown in the figures, may be implemented in various forms of hardware, software or combinations thereof. Preferably, these elements are implemented in a combination of hardware and software on one or more appropriately programmed general-purpose devices, which may include a processor, memory and input/output interfaces.

The present description illustrates the principles of the present invention. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are included within its spirit and scope.

Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents as well as equivalents developed in the future, i.e., any elements developed that perform the same function, regardless of structure.

In the claims hereof, any element expressed as a means for performing a specified function is intended to encompass any way of performing that function including, for example, a) a combination of circuit elements that performs that function or b) software in any form, including, therefore, firmware, microcode or the like, combined with appropriate circuitry for executing that software to perform the function. The invention as defined by such claims resides in the fact that the functionalities provided by the various recited means are combined and brought together in the manner which the claims call for. It is thus regarded that any means that can provide those functionalities are equivalent to those shown herein.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only exemplary embodiments have been shown and described and do not limit the scope of the invention in any manner. It can be appreciated that any of the features described herein may be used with any embodiment. The illustrative embodiments are not exclusive of each other or of other embodiments not recited herein. Accordingly, the invention also provides embodiments that comprise combinations of one or more of the illustrative embodiments described above. Modifications and variations of the invention as herein set forth can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and, therefore, only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated by the appended claims.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method of media content sharing between users having associated content platforms, the method comprising: registering registration requests from a plurality of users, each user having at least one associated content platform; generating a user profile of each user identifying each content platform associated with each user; processing a request from a group creator user for creating a group associated with a topic; processing requests from group users within the plurality of users to join the group, the group members formed of the group users and the group creator; and distributing media content to each group member in a format of the respective associated content platform associated with each group member.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprises receiving an active user media content in a format with an associated content platform from a group member; and distributing the active user media content to each group member in a format of the respective associated content platform associated with each group member.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2 further comprises distributing a passive system media content to each group member in a format of the respective associated content platform associated with each group member.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the passive system media content is derived from social dynamics within the plurality of users.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the passive system media content is selected from another group with the most common group members from a plurality of groups.

6. The method of any one of claims 3-5 wherein the passive system media content is derived from a play list chart of the group.

7. The method of any one of claims 3-5 wherein the passive system media content is derived from a play list chart of the group creator.

8. The method of any one of the preceding claims further comprising generating a feed for each user of each shared media content and comments.

9. The method of any one of the preceding claims further comprising generating a feed for each group of each shared media content and comments.

10. The method of claim 8 or 9 wherein each feed for each user comprises each shared media content and comments shared by the user and each shared media content shared in each group the user is group member.

11. The method of any one of claims 8-10 wherein the feed is time sorted.

12. The method of any one of claims 2-7 wherein the passive system media content is distributed to users in a discovery feed.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the discovery feed is context sorted.

14. The method of claim 12 or 13 further comprising receiving a user request for additional detailed information of an item on the discovery feed; and providing additional information card to the user.

15. The method of claim 12-14 further comprising allowing the user to access the content of the discovery feed.

16. The method of claim 12-15 further comprising allowing the user to share the content of the discovery feed.

17. The method of any one of the preceding claims further comprising generating a search result in response to an active search request requested by a user.

18. A system of media content sharing between users having associated content platforms, the system comprising: registering registration requests from a plurality of users, each user having at least one associated content platform; generating a user profile of each user identifying each content platform associated with each user; processing a request from a group creator user for creating a group associated with a topic; processing requests from group users within the plurality of users to join the group, the group members formed of the group users and the group creator; and distributing media content to each group member in a format of the respective associated content platform associated with each group member.

19. A computer implemented method of media content sharing between users having associated content platforms, the method comprising: registering registration requests from a plurality of users, each user having at least one associated content platform; generating a user profile of each user identifying each content platform associated with each user; processing a request from a group creator user for creating a group associated with a topic; processing requests from group users within the plurality of users to join the group, the group members formed of the group users and the group creator; and distributing media content to each group member in a format of the respective associated content platform associated with each group member.

20. A user electronic device of media content sharing between users having associated content platforms, the device comprising: a memory storing machine readable instructions; and a processor configured to execute the machine readable instructions to implement the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

21. A system of media content sharing between users having associated content platforms, the system comprising: a server having a memory for storing machine readable instructions and a processor configured to execute the machine readable instructions; a first user electronic device having a memory for storing machine readable instructions and a processor configured to execute the machine readable instructions; the server and the first user electronic device being configured to communicate with each other over a network; wherein the server and the first user electronic device interoperate to implement the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

22. A computer readable medium storing machine readable instructions executable by a processor of a user electronic device for implementing the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

23. A computer readable medium storing machine readable instructions executable by a processor of a server for implementing the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 17.