Method and apparatus for internet-based interactive programming

A method for creating and transmitting interactive programming content 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 a moderator Web browser to the moderator server via the wide area network;
• operably coupling a 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 by the moderator server via the wide area network from the plurality of viewer Web browsers a plurality of viewer interactive messages responsive to the first interactive electronic document;
• transmitting by the moderator server via the wide area network to the moderator Web browser the plurality of viewer interactive messages;
• receiving by the moderator server via the wide area network from the moderator Web browser edited viewer interactive messages and a second set of moderator comments;
• 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 edited viewer interactive messages and the second set of moderator comments;
• and
• transmitting by the moderator server via the wide area network to a plurality of viewer Web browsers the second interactive electronic document.

A method for participating in an interactive program over a communications network, comprising:

• operably coupling a viewer client to a moderator server via the communications network;
• transmitting participant comment signals by the viewer client via the communications network to the moderator server;
• and
• receiving by the viewer client via the communications network from the moderator server viewer interactive program signals, the viewer interactive program signals generated by the moderator server using edited participant comment signals and moderator signals, the edited participant comment signals and moderator signals received by the moderator server from a moderator client via the communications network.

A method for creating and transmitting an interactive program over a communications network, comprising:

• operably coupling a moderator client to a moderator server via the communications network;
• receiving by the moderator client via the communications network from the moderator server participant comment signals, the participant comment signals transmitted by a plurality of viewer clients to the moderator server via the communications network;
• generating by the moderator client moderator comment signals and edited participant comment signals using the participant comment signals;
• transmitting by the moderator client to the moderator server via the communications network the moderator signals and the edited participant comment signals;
• and
• receiving by the moderator client from the moderator server via the communications network moderator interactive program signals, the moderator interactive program signals generated by the moderator server using the edited participant comment signals and the moderator signals.

A data processing system adapted for creating and transmitting an interactive program to a plurality of viewer clients using a moderator client, the plurality of viewer clients and the moderator client operably coupled to the data processing system by a communications network, the data processing system 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:
• receiving participant comment signals from the plurality of viewer clients via the communications network;
• transmitting the participant comment signals to the moderator client via the communications network;
• receiving edited participant comment signals and moderator signals from the moderator client via the communications network;
• generating interactive program signals using the edited participant comment signals and the moderator signals;
• and
• transmitting the interactive program signals to the plurality of viewer clients via the communications network.

A moderator server for creating and transmitting an interactive program to a plurality of viewer Web browsers using a moderator Web browser, the plurality of viewer Web browsers and the moderator Web browser 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:
• 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 by the moderator server via the wide area network from the plurality of viewer Web browsers a plurality of viewer interactive messages responsive to the first interactive electronic document;
• transmitting by the moderator server via the wide area network to the moderator Web browser the plurality of viewer interactive messages;
• receiving by the moderator server via the wide area network from the moderator Web browser edited viewer interactive messages and a second set of moderator comments;
• 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 edited viewer interactive messages and the second set of moderator comments;
• and
• transmitting by the moderator server via the wide area network to a plurality of viewer Web browsers the second interactive electronic document.

A data processing system adapted for participating in an interactive program over a communications network, the data processing system 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:
• transmitting participant comment signals via the communications network to a moderator server;
• and
• receiving viewer interactive program signals via the communications network from the moderator server, the viewer interactive program signals generated by the moderator server using edited participant comment signals and moderator signals, the edited participant comment signals and moderator signals received by the moderator server from a moderator client via the communications network.

A data processing system adapted for creating and transmitting an interactive program to a plurality of viewer clients via a communications network, the data processing system 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:
• receiving participant comment signals via the communications network from a moderator server, the participant comment signals transmitted by a plurality of viewer clients to the moderator server via the communications network;
• generating moderator comment signals and edited participant comment signals using the participant comment signals;
• transmitting the moderator signals and the edited participant comment signals to the moderator server via the communications network;
• and
• receiving moderator interactive program signals from the moderator server via the communications network, the moderator interactive program signals generated by the moderator server using the edited participant comment signals and the moderator signals.

A computer-readable medium embodying program instructions for execution by a computer, the program instructions adapting a computer for creating and transmitting an interactive program to a plurality of viewer clients using a moderator client, the plurality of viewer clients and the moderator client operably coupled to the computer by a communications network, the program instructions comprising:

• receiving participant comment signals from the plurality of viewer clients via the communications network;
• transmitting the participant comment signals to the moderator client via the communications network;
• receiving edited participant comment signals and moderator signals from the moderator client via the communications network;
• generating interactive program signals using the edited participant comment signals and the moderator signals;
• and
• transmitting the interactive program signals to the plurality of viewer clients via the communications network.