US 11,818,417 B1
Computing network for synchronized streaming of audiovisual content
Eugene M. Lee, Northridge, CA (US); Stephanie Anne Simard, Los Angeles, CA (US); Abraham Chee Shun Wong, Manhattan Beach, CA (US); and Alyson Elise Grove, Los Angeles, CA (US)
Assigned to Paramount Pictures Corporation, Hollywood, CA (US)
Filed by PARAMOUNT PICTURES CORPORATION, Hollywood, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/888,425.
Application 17/888,425 is a continuation of application No. 15/290,218, filed on Oct. 11, 2016, granted, now 11,418,845, issued on Aug. 16, 2022.
Application 15/290,218 is a continuation of application No. 14/665,693, filed on Mar. 23, 2015, granted, now 9,674,239, issued on Jun. 6, 2017.
Application 14/665,693 is a continuation of application No. 13/756,444, filed on Jan. 31, 2013, granted, now 8,990,303, issued on Mar. 24, 2015.
Int. Cl. H04N 21/43 (2011.01); H04N 21/472 (2011.01); H04N 21/81 (2011.01); H04N 21/414 (2011.01); H04N 21/262 (2011.01); H04N 21/4788 (2011.01); H04N 21/222 (2011.01)
CPC H04N 21/43076 (2020.08) [H04N 21/222 (2013.01); H04N 21/262 (2013.01); H04N 21/41407 (2013.01); H04N 21/4788 (2013.01); H04N 21/47217 (2013.01); H04N 21/8126 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for providing substantially synchronized streaming, the system comprising:
at least one server, in communication with a user profile database, and operable to:
communicate, over a network, with client devices connected to Internet;
provide a media stream to the client devices such that the media stream is displayed, in a substantially synchronized manner, on display screens of the client devices;
enable a first user to share a link associated with the substantially synchronized streaming of the media stream, wherein the sharing of the link enables other users associated with the client devices to join the substantially synchronized streaming of the media stream, wherein the sharing of the link occurs during when the first user is receiving the media stream;
enable users associated with the client devices to interact via the client devices such that user interactions are exchanged using the client devices simultaneously with display of the media stream on the display screens of the client devices, and such that the user interactions are displayed simultaneously with the media stream on the display screens of the client devices; and
enable a second user to visually mark, using a marking tool, the media stream such that a visual mark applied to the media stream is viewable by one or more of the other users,
wherein the media stream comprises video content,
wherein an ancillary content server, different from the at least one server, provides ancillary content for transmission to a first client device, and
wherein the ancillary content is presented on the first client device simultaneously with the media stream.