Methods and systems for creating and managing multi participant sessions

Abstract

A method of creating a multi participant session among a plurality of viewers of media content. The method comprises automatically identifying which media content is currently presented on a plurality of client terminals of a plurality of subscribers, receiving, from a first subscriber, a first selection indicative of a template of a multi participant session object and a second selection indicative of a group from the plurality of subscribers, creating a multi participant session object adapted for simultaneous presentation with the media content according to first and second selections and establishing a multi participant session among at least one member of the group and the first subscriber using the multi participant session object.

1 - 81 . (canceled) 
     
     
         82 . A method of establishing a multi-participant session among a plurality of participants, comprising:
 identifying a group of subscribers that are available for invitation to a multi-participant session by a first subscriber;   receiving, from said first subscriber, a selection of a first sub-group of subscribers from said group of subscribers;   receiving, from said first subscriber, a selection of a second sub-group of subscribers from said group of subscribers, wherein said second sub-group is different from said first sub-group;   establishing a first multi-participant session among said first subscriber and members of said first sub-group; and   establishing a second multi-participant session among said first subscriber and members of said second sub-group, wherein for at least one point in time said first multi-participant session and said second multi-participant session are simultaneously active.   
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 82  wherein said subscribers of said first sub-group are socially connected. 
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 82  wherein said subscribers of said second sub-group are socially connected. 
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 82 , further comprising presenting on a client terminal of said first subscriber a user interface for receiving said selection from said first subscriber at said client terminal. 
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 82 , further comprising identifying said group of subscribers according to social connections. 
     
     
         87 . A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions adapted to perform the method of  claim 82 . 
     
     
         88 . A system for establishing a multi-participant session among a plurality of participants, comprising:
 a plurality of client terminals of a plurality of subscribers that are configured to identify a group of said subscribers that are available for invitation to a multi-participant session by a first subscriber of said subscribers;   wherein one of said plurality of client terminals is used by said first subscriber and is configured to:
 receive, from said first subscriber, a selection of a first sub-group of subscribers from said group of subscribers; and 
 receive, from said first subscriber, a selection of a second sub-group of subscribers from said group of subscribers, wherein said second sub-group is different from said first sub-group; and 
   a central unit that is configured to:
 establish a first multi-participant session among said first subscriber and members of said first sub-group; and 
 establish a second multi-participant session among said first subscriber and members of said second sub-group, wherein for at least one point in time said first multi-participant session and said second multi-participant session are simultaneously active. 
   
     
     
         89 . A computer program product for establishing a multi-participant session among a plurality of participants, said computer program product comprising:
 a computer readable storage medium having stored thereon:   first program instructions executable by a first client terminal of a plurality of client terminals of a plurality of subscribers to cause said first client terminal to identify a group of said subscribers that are available for invitation to a multi-participant session by a first subscriber of said subscribers;   second program instructions executable by said first client terminal to cause said first client terminal to receive, from said first subscriber, a selection of a first sub-group of subscribers from said group of subscribers;   third program instructions executable by said first client terminal to cause said first client terminal to receive, from said first subscriber, a selection of a second sub-group of subscribers from said group of subscribers, wherein said second sub-group is different from said first sub-group;   fourth program instructions executable by a central unit to cause said central unit to establish a first multi-participant session among said first subscriber and members of said first sub-group; and   fifth program instructions executable by said central unit to cause said central unit to establish a second multi-participant session among said first subscriber and members of said second sub-group, wherein for at least one point in time said first multi-participant session and said second multi-participant session are simultaneously active.