Dynamic information management system and method for content delivery and sharing in content-, metadata- & viewer-based, live social networking among users concurrently engaged in the same and/or similar content

Abstract

Disclosed are tools, methods, and systems for establishing generally live, Content-based social networks, and for concurrently sharing Content and Content-relevant information within a social network. A Service registers Viewers and/or n-Users, and provides tools that enable a Viewer to identify n-Users concurrently viewing the same or similar Content, or having an interest in the same or similar Content. A Viewer can initiate or join a Content-based social network, and can share their Content with others, or view others' Content, and interact with n-Users via any of several methods. Service tools also enable a Viewer to define and selectively block or alter objectionable material so that it is no longer perceivable in its objectionable form. The described tools, methods, and systems also enable numerous innovative approaches to generate revenue for a Service, for providers of product and/or services, for Content providers, and others.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory data storage medium including coded instructions stored thereon, wherein the coded instructions are configured, when executed by a data processor of a computing device, to cause the computing device to:
 recognize an interaction by a user device with content, wherein the content is either or both of remotely-stored content accessed via a data network and content stored locally at a non-transitory data storage medium operably coupled with the user device;   analyzing metadata of the content;   comparing the metadata of the content with metadata of other content interacted with by a second user device;   identifying a level of similarity between the content and the other content; and   providing to each of the user device and the second user device, in response to identifying the level of similarity, information identifying a characteristic of the content interacted with by the other of the user device and the second user device, wherein:
 the providing includes displaying the information in each of a Shared Window graphical user interface (GUI) operating on a visual display device operably coupled with the user device and in a Shared Window GUI operating on a visual display device operably coupled with the second user device, and 
 the respective Shared Window GUIs of the user device and the second user device each include a content viewing pane configured to display content interacted with by a user at a content sharing pane of the other of the user device and the second user device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is a server located remotely relative to, and operably coupled via a data transmission network with, each of the user device and the second user device. 
     
     
         3 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 , wherein the displaying information identifying a characteristic of content includes displaying a representation of the content as a thumbnail image in a user interaction pane of a Shared Window GUI. 
     
     
         4 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 , wherein the coded instructions are further configured, when executed, to provide user-selectable controls enabling a user to prevent additional users from joining an ongoing content-based social networking interaction. 
     
     
         5 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 , wherein the coded instructions are further configured, when executed, to provide user-selectable controls enabling a user to share content with a third user who is not concurrently engaged in an ongoing content-based social networking interaction with the user and the second user. 
     
     
         6 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 , wherein the coded instructions are further configured, when executed, to provide user-selectable controls enabling a user to conceal the user's presence in a content-based social networking interaction from the Shared Window GUIs of one or more other users that are engaged in the social networking interaction. 
     
     
         7 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 , wherein the coded instructions are further configured, when executed, to delineate plural layers of users within a content-based social networking interaction, wherein each layer of the plural layers corresponds to either of a greater or a lesser degree of similar between the content engaged in by the user and the content engaged in by users within that layer relative to a corresponding degree of content similarity for users in another layer. 
     
     
         8 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 , wherein the coded instructions are further configured, when executed, to provide user-selectable controls enabling a user to share content with a specific one of plural other users in an ongoing content-based social networking interaction without sharing the content with others of the plural users in the ongoing content-based social networking interaction. 
     
     
         9 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 , wherein the coded instructions are further configured, when executed, to provide within the Shared Window GUI one or more means for communicating with the second user, wherein the means for communicating is configured to enable communication via one or methods selected from the group consisting of e-mail, text messaging, instant messaging, voice communication, Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP), and videoconferencing.