# US 9,882,945 B2 · Media sharing communications system

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- Number: US 9,882,945 B2
- Document ID: US9882945B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/033,667
- Filed: 2013-09-23
- Published: 2014-09-18
- Granted: 2018-01-30
- Earliest claimed: 2013-03-14
- Assignees: Synacor, Inc.
- Applicants: Synacor, Inc.
- Inventors: Ronald Neil Frankel; Jacob Robert Woodward
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9882945B2

## CPC

- H04L 65/1093: by adding participants; by removing participants
- G06Q 10/40: Business processes related to social networking or social networking services
- H04L 63/102: {Entity profiles}
- H04L 65/612: for unicast
- H04L 65/764: {at the destination (reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355)}
- H04W 4/21: for social networking applications
- H04L 67/02: based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
- H04L 2463/103: applying security measure for protecting copyright
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

A system retrieves media content from a first media content provider for access by a sharing user, and receives an indication that the sharing user desires to share the media content with a receiving user. The system determines an identity of the receiving user and shares the media content by sending an intermediate link that identifies the media content to a computer system of the receiving user. The system receives an indication that the receiving user has selected the intermediate link, and communicates an identity of the media content and the identity of the receiving user to an intermediate server. The system obtains, from the intermediate server, a first universal resource locator (URL) that was determined based on the identity of the media content and the identity of the receiving user. The system retrieves the media content from a second media content provider using the first URL.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer-implemented method, the method comprising:
retrieving media content from a first media content provider for access by a sharing user;
receiving an indication that the sharing user desires to share the media content with a receiving user;
determining an identity of the receiving user with whom the sharing user desires to share the media content;
sharing the media content by sending an intermediate link comprising a universal resource locator (URL) of an intermediate server and a media content identifier that identifies the media content to be shared to a computer system of the receiving user;
receiving an indication that the receiving user has selected the intermediate link;
communicating an identity of the media content and the identity of the receiving user to the intermediate server using the URL of the intermediate server specified in the intermediate link;
accessing, by the intermediate server, stored digital rights information of the receiving user;
obtaining, by the computer system of the receiving user and from the intermediate server, a first URL having been determined by the intermediate server based on the identity of the media content, the identity of the receiving user, and the digital rights information of the receiving user indicating an availability of the media content to the receiving user from a second media content provider, the first URL being different than the URL of the intermediate server; and
in response to the indication that the receiving user has selected the intermediate link, retrieving the media content from the second media content provider using the first URL.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the media content comprises one or more of: photos, images, music, audio, movies, television shows, video clips, applications, games, electronic documents, e-books, or e-magazines.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein sharing the media content by sending the intermediate link comprises sharing the media content by sending, to the receiving user, an electronic message that includes the intermediate link as an embedded hyperlink in message contents of the electronic message.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the electronic message comprises one of an e-mail, an instant message, or a text message.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the electronic message comprises a message included in a news feed provided to the receiving user by a social networking service provider.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the media content from the first media content provider comprises a computer of the sharing user retrieving the media content by using a second URL to access the media content from the first media content provider.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6,
wherein the intermediate link is associated with a third URL, and
wherein the communicating of the identity of the media content and the identity of the receiving user to the intermediate server occurs through use of the third URL.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
accessing the digital rights information for the receiving user;
determining a set of access options for accessing the media content available to the receiving user based on the digital rights information, the set of access options including an access option selectable to retrieve the media content from the second media content provider and an access option selectable to retrieve the media content from a third media content provider;
selecting an access option from among the access options in the set; and
identifying the first URL based on the selected access option.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein selecting the access option from among the access options in the set comprises:
accessing default preferences for the receiving user, and
automatically selecting the access option based on the default preferences.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein selecting the access option from among the access options in the set comprises:
enabling the receiving user to perceive the set of access options, and
enabling the receiving user to manually select the access option from among the access options in the set.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the identity of the media content and the identity of the receiving user to the intermediate server comprises communicating the identity of the media content and the identity of the receiving user from the receiving user computer system to the intermediate server in response to the indication.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein sharing the media content by sending the intermediate link that identifies the media content to be shared to the computer system of the receiving user comprises:
determining a plurality of media content providers from which the media content is available;
determining, from among the plurality of media content providers and based on the digital rights information of the receiving user, a subset of media content providers from which the media content is accessible by the receiving user;
determining at least one intermediate link that corresponds to the subset of media content providers from which the media content is accessible by the receiving user; and
sharing the media content by sending the at least one intermediate link to the computer system of the receiving user.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
accessing, by the intermediate server, stored digital rights information of a plurality of users;
determining, from among the plurality of users and based on the digital rights information of the plurality of users, a subset of users who are authorized to access the media content from at least one media content provider; and
sending, to a computer system of the sharing user, an indication of the subset of users who are authorized to access the media content from at least one media content provider,
wherein determining the identity of the receiving user with whom the sharing user desires to share the media content comprises determining the identity of the receiving user among the subset of users who are authorized to access the media content from the at least one media content provider.

### Claim 14

A system comprising:
one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
retrieving media content from a first media content provider for access by a sharing user;
receiving an indication that the sharing user desires to share the media content with a receiving user;
determining an identity of the receiving user with whom the sharing user desires to share the media content;
sharing the media content by sending an intermediate link comprising a universal resource locator (URL) of an intermediate server and a media content identifier that identifies the media content to be shared to a computer system of the receiving user;
receiving an indication that the receiving user has selected the intermediate link;
communicating an identity of the media content and the identity of the receiving user to the intermediate server using the URL of the intermediate server specified in the intermediate link;
accessing, by the intermediate server, stored digital rights information of the receiving user;
obtaining, by the computer system of the receiving user and from the intermediate server, a first URL having been determined by the intermediate server based on the identity of the media content, the identity of the receiving user, and the digital rights information of the receiving user indicating an availability of the media content to the receiving user from a second media content provider, the first URL being different than the URL of the intermediate server; and
in response to the indication that the receiving user has selected the intermediate link, retrieving the media content from the second media content provider using the first URL.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the media content comprises one or more of: photos, images, music, audio, movies, television shows, video clips, applications, games, electronic documents, e-books, or e-magazines.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein sharing the media content by sending the intermediate link comprises sharing the media content by sending, to the receiving user, an electronic message that includes the intermediate link as an embedded hyperlink in message contents of the electronic message.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the electronic message comprises one of an e-mail, an instant message, or a text message.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the electronic message comprises a message included in a news feed provided to the receiving user by a social networking service provider.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein retrieving the media content from the first media content provider comprises a computer of the sharing user retrieving the media content by using a second URL to access the media content from the first media content provider.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19,
wherein the intermediate link is associated with a third URL, and
wherein the communicating of the identity of the media content and the identity of the receiving user to the intermediate server occurs through use of the third URL.

### Claim 21

A computer-readable storage device storing software comprising instructions executable by one or more computers which, upon such execution, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
retrieving media content from a first media content provider for access by a sharing user;
receiving an indication that the sharing user desires to share the media content with a receiving user;
determining an identity of the receiving user with whom the sharing user desires to share the media content;
sharing the media content by sending an intermediate link comprising a universal resource locator (URL) of an intermediate server and a media content identifier that identifies the media content to be shared to a computer system of the receiving user;
receiving an indication that the receiving user has selected the intermediate link;
communicating an identity of the media content and the identity of the receiving user to the intermediate server using the URL of the intermediate server specified in the intermediate link;
accessing, by the intermediate server, stored digital rights information of the receiving user;
obtaining, by the computer system of the receiving user and from the intermediate server, a first URL having been determined by the intermediate server based on the identity of the media content, the identity of the receiving user, and the digital rights information of the receiving user indicating an availability of the media content to the receiving user from a second media content provider, the first URL being different than the URL of the intermediate server; and
in response to the indication that the receiving user has selected the intermediate link, retrieving the media content from the second media content provider using the first URL.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The device of claim 21, wherein the media content comprises one or more of: photos, images, music, audio, movies, television shows, video clips, applications, games, electronic documents, e-books, or e-magazines.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The device of claim 21, wherein sharing the media content by sending the intermediate link comprises sharing the media content by sending, to the receiving user, an electronic message that includes the intermediate link as an embedded hyperlink in message contents of the electronic message.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The device of claim 23, wherein the electronic message comprises one of an e-mail, an instant message, or a text message.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The device of claim 23, wherein the electronic message comprises a message included in a news feed provided to the receiving user by a social networking service provider.

### Claim 26 (depends on 21)

The device of claim 21, wherein retrieving the media content from the first media content provider comprises a computer of the sharing user retrieving the media content by using a second URL to access the media content from the first media content provider.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The device of claim 26,
wherein the intermediate link is associated with a third URL, and
wherein the communicating of the identity of the media content and the identity of the receiving user to the intermediate server occurs through use of the third URL.