USER CONTENT SHARING SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH AUTOMATED EXTERNAL CONTENT INTEGRATION
Described are various embodiments of a user content sharing system and method with automated external content integration. In one embodiment, a system and method are provided in which a graphical user interface (GUI) is rendered on each system users' personal communication device. The GUI produces a content selection function selecting, under user operation, user content for sharing, and a sharing platform selection function selecting, under user operation, one or more sharing platforms. The system further comprise a digital content integrator communicatively linked to the user interface to gain access to the selected user content in response to the content selection function, the integrator having access to stored external content distinct from user content. The integrator integrates the external content with the selected user content to output integrated content. The system further comprises a communication interface communicatively linked to the integrator and selectively operable to interface with each of the distinct content sharing platforms, wherein the integrated content is concurrently relayed to the selected sharing platforms via the communication interface on behalf of system users as originating therefrom.
This application is a continuation-in-part of pending International Application No. PCT/CA2014/051268, filed Dec. 30, 2014, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/923,315, filed Jan. 3, 2014, and Canadian Patent Application No. 2,863,124, filed Sep. 10, 2014, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSUREThe present disclosure relates to user content sharing systems and methods, and, in particular, to a user content sharing system and method with automated external content integration.
BACKGROUNDSharing of user content over a communication network has become commonplace, be it via social media sites, platforms and/or applications (e.g. Facebook™, Linkedln™, Twitter™, Pinterest™, etc.), via shared online or Web platforms (e.g. publicly accessible websites, blogs, chats, etc.), via online media distribution channels or platforms (e.g. YouTube), and more traditional network communication mediums such as email, text, etc.
To date, user content is generally juxtaposed to, or published side by side with external content that is controlled and managed by the service provider associated with the user content sharing platform in question. Accordingly, users generally gain free access to the sharing platform in exchange for having this external content associated with their content at the expense of the external content provider and to the profit of the service provider. Generally, the user has no control over the external content being presented in parallel with their content. This external content may nonetheless be targeted to the user and/or the user's audience, for example based on demographic, social, public and/or extracted data automatically gathered and associated with the user.
In one particular example described in U.S. Patent Application No. 2008/0162228, a user content production platform can be used to integrate selectable advertising content within the user content produced therewith. In exchange of integrating advertising content, the user may be provided free access to the production platform and ad-revenue-sponsored access to licensing rights for copyrighted materials used in the user content so produced (e.g. copyrighted audio/video/image content).
In another example described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,554,627, a patron at a given establishment may be invited to ‘check-in’ to this establishment via a ‘status update’ on their social profile, wherein a picture of the patron at the establishment may be inserted into a photo ad template and posted as the status update.
This background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art.
SUMMARYThe following presents a simplified summary of the general inventive concept(s) described herein to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to restrict key or critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention beyond that which is explicitly or implicitly described by the following description and claims.
A need exists for a user content sharing system and method with automated external content integration that overcomes some of the drawbacks of known techniques, or at least, provides a useful alternative thereto. Some aspects of this disclosure provide examples of such systems and methods.
In accordance with one aspect, there is provided a system for sharing digital user content via a content sharing platform, the system comprising: an input communication interface communicating with respective user client devices to access therefrom user-selected content to be shared via the content sharing platform, and further access therefrom a user-selected integrated external content preference selected from a plurality of such preferences; a server-accessible storage having stored thereon a plurality of external content items each having at least one of said preferences associated therewith; an external content integration engine operated by a digital data processor to integrate a selected external content item corresponding with said user-selected preference with said user-selected content to output a sharable integrated content item; and an output communication interface interfacing with the content sharing platform to relay said sharable integrated content item to be shared thereon on behalf of said user as originating therefrom.
In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a server-based method for automatically integrating external content within a user's shared content, the method comprising automatically: receiving as input user-selected content and user selection of a destination third-party server-based content sharing platform therefor; selecting an external content item for integration with said user-selected content; integrating said selected external content item with said user-selected content to output a sharable integrated content item; relaying said integrated content item to said destination third-party server-based content sharing platform to be shared thereon on behalf of said user as originating therefrom; and incrementing a tracking value associated with the user based at least in part on a number of user-selected content items selected thereby for sharing post external content integration.
In accordance with another embodiment, there is provided a non-transitory computer-readable medium having statements and instructions stored thereon for implementation by a processor of a personal communication device in sharing digital user content via a server-based content sharing platform by: receiving as input via a graphical user interface implemented on the personal communication device, selection of the user content to be shared via the server-based content sharing platform; receiving as input via said graphical user interface, selection of an integrated external content preference selected from a plurality of such preferences; and communicating said user content selection and said integrated external content preference selection to an external content integration engine operated by a remote digital data processor to integrate a selected external content item corresponding with said preference selection with said user content to output a sharable integrated content item, with instructions to have said sharable integrated content item relayed to the server-based content sharing platform to be shared thereon on behalf of said user as originating therefrom.
Other aspects, features and/or advantages will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of specific embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Several embodiments of the present disclosure will be provided, by way of examples only, with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:
The systems and methods described herein provide, in accordance with different embodiments, different examples in which external content can be automatically integrated within user content as this content is shared over a communication network on one or more content sharing platforms. For instance, it is currently commonplace for individuals to post or share personal content (e.g. text, images, pictures, videos, etc.) via one or more sharing platforms, be they social media platforms such as Facebook™, Twitter™, Pinterest™, Instagram™, etc., online or Web-based publication platforms (e.g. publicly accessible websites, blogs, etc.), online media distribution channels or platforms (e.g. YouTube), and more traditional network communication mediums such as email, texting (short message service-SMS, multimedia message service-MMS), etc.
In accordance with some aspects of the below-described embodiments, users of such sharing platforms are provided with a means to monetize their contributions through the direct integration of external content with their posted materials, namely external materials sponsored by third party contributors seeking to gain increased public exposure through these sharing platforms. In some examples, the external content contributor will include, but is not limited to, an entity or agent submitting external content for integration with the various user content items shared by users on distinct sharing platforms through embodiments of the herein described systems and services. Accordingly, in some examples, an incremental compensation value may be tracked and calculated for each user based on the number of postings funneled through the system so to have external content materials, or other such external content, integrated therein and thus rendered visible to the user's contacts, followers, friends, etc. The compensation value may also be calculated, at least in part, as a function of the number of distinct sharing platforms selected for sharing each integrated content item. In addition to the number of integrated posts, the user may also select, in some embodiments, a level of external content to be integrated with their post (e.g. low, medium high), and have a corresponding compensation rate applied to their account accordingly.
In some aspects, the compensation value may at least in part be calculated as a function of a visibility factor associated with each post, or each user in general, for example, based on the number of contacts, followers, friends and the like, or a general reputation value associated with this user and/or a profile thereof on the selected sharing platform. Another example may rather or also include tracking of actual integrated content views, likes, forwards, and/or content item clicks to quantify a market reach provided by the integrated content post.
These and other applications will be described in greater detail below, in a non-restrictive manner, with reference to the below description of exemplary embodiments.
With reference now to
The external content provider module 104 generally consists of a network accessible (e.g. server-based or Web-accessible) module having an interface 108 accessible from an external content provider terminal 110 (e.g. general purpose computer such as a desktop or laptop computer, wireless communication device such as a Web-enabled smartphone or the like, or other such devices as will be readily apparent to the skilled artisan) that allows external entities to upload and characterize external content, define target audiences (e.g. user demographics, targeted sharing platforms, etc.) and set different parameters generally associated with the establishment of a comprehensive online campaign (e.g. user compensation rates, rules and options). Generally, the external content provider may access the system 100 through the interface 108 and upload external content (e.g. still images, pictures, videos, icons, emblems, taglines, links, text, logos, etc.) and campaign parameters in an external contents database 112, and execute the transfer of funds in association therewith for tracking via a corresponding accounts database 114. Once the campaign is defined and ready to implement, an allocation engine 116 may be operated to actively select appropriate external content from the database 112, for example based on one or more user preferences, demographics or the like (discussed in greater detail below), for integration with selected user content, as discussed below. Compensation for the operator of the system 100 and its users may be drawn from the external content providers' accounts based on one or more pre-set compensation rules or the like as defined in the external content provider's campaign.
The user management module 102 also generally consists of a network accessible module having a user interface 118 allowing system users access, via a respective user terminal 120 (e.g. laptop or desktop computer, tablet, smartphone or cellular phone, smartTV, etc.), to the system's various functions and features. In some embodiments, the interface provides for dynamic interaction of the user with the system 100 via an online web application interface. The system may otherwise or also interface with users via a dedicated client application interface locally implemented by the user's terminal 120 (e.g. via a smartphone or tablet app locally stored thereon and operated therefrom). In yet other examples, the user module 102 may automatically interface with user terminals 120 via one or more common network interfaces, for instance acting as an intermediary or redirecting email server automatically interfacing with a user terminal email client, or again as a cellular network-based texting gateway automatically interfacing with a user's cellular phone texting function, to name a few.
In these and similar examples, the user interface 118 allows for user selection of contents (e.g. text, images, photos, videos, etc.) to be shared through the system, and further in some examples, for the selection of a destination sharing platform from multiple accessible platforms, and/or selection of different external content integration preferences or parameters to customize user interactions with and benefits from using the system. Illustratively, the user module 102 comprises a user content upload engine 122 for uploading user content and preferences/selections to a user database 124, an optional preview engine 126 for allowing the user to preview and confirm posting of the integrated content once generated, and a tracking engine 128 to track integrated postings and incremental benefits associated therewith, and manage compensation to be transferred from the respective external content provider accounts 114 to the user accounts accordingly. The user database 124 may also include, as discussed in greater details below with reference to an exemplary embodiment, a content originator management function 142, whereby the originator of each content element posted or shared via the system 100 is not only embedded with external content, but also embedded with an integral mark or identifier as to the content's originator and thus traceable to the originating user via the user database 124, for example.
The posting module 106 illustratively comprises an integration engine 130 for assembling the integrated content 132 to be posted from the user content and preferences 134 accessed from the user database 124, and the external content 136 accessed from the allocation engine 116. The integration engine 130 may also process integration of content originator mark or identifier, as noted above, in facilitating traceability of the original content to the original posting or sharing user. In yet other embodiments, the integration engine 130 may further or alternatively process integration of a unique scan code (e.g. QR code, bar code, serial number) that uniquely identifies the integrated content once posted and/or the content originator. In one example, the integration engine will receive as input the selected user content and user preferences associated therewith (e.g. individual content or post-specific preferences, general user-specific preferences, sharing platform-specific preferences, originating user identifier or marker, uniquely generated scan code, etc.) and communicate these preferences, or a relevant subset thereof, to the allocation engine 116 that will select appropriate external content items or elements for integration with the user's content based on those preferences. Once all relevant user and external contents are made available to the integration engine 130, it will proceed to integrate the external content with the user content (e.g. embed, adjoin, overlay, juxtapose, etc.), again optionally consistent with relevant user preferences, to be posted to one or more selected sharing platforms 140 via, in this Web-based example, a posting server 138. Clearly, where the sharing platform involves email or texting, appropriate posting/sharing engine(s) (e.g. email server or router, cellular gateway, etc.) may be included, alone or in combination, to provide the selected service. Once posted, the integrated content 132 may be viewed, and in some embodiments interacted with, via an appropriate viewer terminal 142 (e.g. smartphone or cellular phone, laptop, tablet, desktop, etc.).
In some embodiments, the system 100 may be used to concurrently provide access to different types of sharing platforms, even where different communication technologies and network architectures may be required to complete the posting of the integrated content on these communicatively distinct platforms. For instance, much like the user interface 118 may encompass distinct communication interfaces for interfacing with different communication devices and/or over different communication networks, the posting module 106 may, in some embodiments, encompass multiple posting servers, gateways or the like, in allowing for the integrated posting and effectively act as an intermediary in the communication link between the user terminal and ultimately the viewer terminal and its access to the selected network-based sharing platform.
In one exemplary embodiment where shared content includes video content, the integration engine may include an open source encoding engine/server, such as VLC (VideoLAN Organization), that merges a selected content stream with its allocated external content in generating an embedded stream for sharing. For instance, the resulting integrated content may ultimately result from the digital alteration of the original content file (e.g. digital integration of embedded content within the originating video file (MP4, MPEG4, etc.) or image file (JPEG, BMP, PNG, etc.), or again integration of the embedded content within originating file before conversion for upload to a selected sharing platform). Using this approach, the embedded stream cannot be readily separated or altered by the viewer or sharing platform, thus ensuring external contents are displayed as originally intended during the encoding process. In one such example, each encoder provides h. 264 encoding over an mpeg4 carrier, thought it will be appreciated that other standards, such as mpeg2 and the like, may also be considered without departing from the general scope and nature of the present disclosure.
In some embodiments, the integration engine may be used to enhance the production value of the posted content by integrating different external content features or options, be they for the enhancement of the promotional value of the posted content, such as via a leading or trailing external video, video overlay, content frame, watermark, split screen, or other such techniques, or for the enhancement of the professional production value of the posted content, such as by adding leading or trailing credits, and/or integrating user information in a frame, banner, split screen, mosaic, or inset within the content, to name a few examples.
As will be appreciated by the skilled artisan, the integration of embedded external content within still photographs, images or text files may be achieved by the above noted method, or via other image processing techniques readily known in the art, with similar options as to external content integration levels, preferences and the like.
In these and similar examples, given that the external content is integrated or embedded with the user content, a downstream viewer may not readily alter his viewing experience to block or otherwise extract the external content, and is thus committed to viewing the external content.
In yet another embodiment, and as further exemplified below with reference to
In the embodiment of
Irrespective of the extent of total or residual ownership in the posted or shared content, the originator's identity for each posted content element may remain integrally embedded within the content itself, either in visible or invisible (e.g. watermark) form, and traceable to its originating user via the system's user database 124 and associated content originator function 142. Further examples will be provided below.
With reference now to
In this example, at step 910, a new user accesses the system's user interface via a user terminal 912 to access and set up a new user account at step 914, for example in setting preferred or available sharing platforms to which they may wish to post content through the system (e.g. providing user credentials such as username and password, answers to security questions, access codes, account details, etc.), posting preferences (e.g. external content integration levels, preferences, etc.), account/compensation settings (e.g. coordinates where monetary compensation may be directed; accounts such as phone, internet, television accounts to which compensations may be applied, etc.), and the like. In some embodiments, the registration process may include the download of a client application to be operated from the user's device, the establishment of a link or connection between the system and an existing application on the user's device (e.g. redirection parameters to have outgoing emails, texts and the like redirected to the system under certain conditions, e.g. upon user confirmation, upon defining preset destinations, etc.) to be relayed thereby to the intended destination. Other examples may include the establishment of a web-accessible account whereby a system username and password may be established to provide the user access to the web-enabled system. Other examples may also readily apply, as will be readily appreciated.
Once the user's account has been established, the user may select user content to be shared at step 916. This may include locally or remotely stored content, or again include the dynamic activation of a content acquisition application on the user's device (e.g. camera, video recorder) to acquire and preview new content. Where a user's posting preferences have not been preset, the user may also at this step select a destination sharing platform for the selected content.
At step 918, the selected content and destination platform is compiled, along with relevant user preferences, presets and the like, by the user management system 920. Relevant information may be accessed from the user's account (e.g. where posting and/or external content preferences have been preset at step 914), the user's current selection as provided through the user terminal either at step 916, or via a separate optional external content preference selection step 922 implemented through the user interface. This user information is then communicated to the integration engine of the post management system 924, which uses this information at step 926 to query the allocation engine of the external content management system 906 and the external data available thereto as compiled at step 908. The optional user preference selection step 922 may also be initiated by the integration engine through the user interface, as can other configurations and permutations, without departing from the general scope and nature of the present disclosure.
As noted above, additional user data may also be compiled at this step, for example extracted from the user's profile stored by the user management system 920, to provide for the embedding of a digital certificate or mark of originality with the original content to be posted/shared, such as a visible or invisible mark or identifier associated with the originating user. Accordingly, once the integrated content is posted or shared, the content's originator will be integrally identifiable from the integrated content itself, and optionally traceable via the system's user database 124, for example (e.g. via name recognition, a uniquely defined scan code such as a QR code or serial number, and the like).
In one embodiment, an integrated content preview may be generated at step 928 and communicated through the user interface at step 930 to the user terminal 932 for confirmation. Once confirmed, or where integration is preapproved by default, the integrated content is dispatched by the posting server/engine/gateway at step 934, and posted by the sharing platform 936 at step 938. The integrated content can then be viewed, accessed and/or interacted with at step 940 via an appropriate viewer terminal 942.
At step 944, the integrated content visibility is tracked, for example via the posting server or another agent operable to monitor the direct distribution of the integrated content, or again via monitoring of actual integrated content views and/or access (e.g. recorded content likes, forwards, comments, etc.) and communicated to the user management system 920 where it is compiled against the user's account at step 946, and reported to the external content provider at step 948 through external content provider system 906. The visibility is then processed against one or more compensation rules at step 950 and reported in the user's account at step 952 and in the corresponding external content provider's account at step 954, in response to which a corresponding compensation credit is concurrently transferred to the user's account. The user may then view and/or redeem the compensation using the user terminal 912 at step 956.
As will be appreciated by the skilled artisan, the above-described process is provided as an example only, and may be altered in different manners to achieve similar results. Further, while elements of this illustrative process have been linked with the exemplary system architecture of
With reference now to
In particular, this screen 208 provides the user with functional touch-sensitive buttons to first select one of ‘new content’ 210 and ‘stored content’ 212 to be posted. Selection of the former may, in one example, invoke a camera or video recorder function of the device, either in a separate screen (i.e. standard device application function) or through a preview window 214. Other options may also include, but are not limited to, new text entered through a functional text box, a web link or the like, and other such contributions. Selection of the ‘stored content’ button 212 on the other hand may allow the user to search through user content stored on the device to be posted, such as previously captured images or videos, text files, emails, blogs, posts, etc. In yet another example not explicitly illustrated herein, the posting application interface may also be rendered accessible through or on other application interfaces of the device, for example as a sharing or posting option. For example, a third-party smartphone camera application may provide the user the ability to share captured images and/or video directly through one or more user accounts (e.g. email, text, BBM™, etc.), and may, in some embodiments, also provide the option to directly share such contents through the content sharing system described herein. For instance, the camera function may provide a selectable option to share the recently captured or stored content through the herein-described sharing system via a corresponding selectable icon, symbol or named option, which, upon selection, automatically opens the posting interface screen 208 and imports the selected content into the preview window 214. Other content selection may also be considered, as will be appreciated by the skilled artisan, without departing from the general scope and nature of the present disclosure.
Upon the user content having been selected and posted in the preview window 214, the user may select one or more of multiple available sharing platforms, such as for example, via the selectable Facebook™ functional icon 216. The identified platforms may either correspond to platforms with which the user has already registered an account, or again a listing of supported platforms with which the user may wish to create a new account or against which the user may wish to identify existing credentials. In this particular example, the user has already registered a profile with Facebook™, Linkedln™, Pinterest™ and YouTube™, and these platforms are thus made available for selection by the user at this step via selectable functional icons 216, 218, 220 and 222, respectively. In this particular example, the selected content consists of a video to be posted via YouTube™, as indicated by the selected YouTube™ icon 222.
With reference to
With reference to
In some embodiments, discussed in greater detail below, the user may also have the opportunity to increase their compensation rates by improving their user profile. For example, user's having a relatively light profile (e.g. name, address) may have access to a fraction of the available posting compensation rate (e.g. 25%) as compared to users with relatively complete profiles (50%) and complete profiles (100%-gold members). In some examples, the users may be invited to enhance their profiles during the posting process as an incentive to accessing higher payouts. This increasing compensation may, for example, be provided as an incentive for users to complete their profile, which in turn, may generate greater interest from external content providers who wish to know more about their target audience. In some embodiments, a completeness of the user's profiles on selectable sharing platforms may also be taken into account where sharing platform profile information may be funneled back to the external content providers in the form of campaign reports, and the like.
Continuing with the example of
An example of the posted shared content is shown at
With reference now to
With reference now to
With reference now to
usable in enabling the sharing and integration system to post content on the user's behalf, and optionally track a visibility thereof once posted), as well as different preset posting preferences such as a preferred brand type 272 (showing a preference for dining brands over other selectable types), a preferred branding level for this sharing platform 274 (showing a high level selection) and a condition for applying these preferences 276 (showing a preference that these settings be automatically applied to all new posts).
Accordingly, as shown by the above-described examples, the user may not only benefit from external revenue generated by virtue of his postings on selected sharing platforms of his choice, but also play a part in the customization of the brands applied to his posts, be it in selecting which brand or brand type is to be applied for each post on all or selected sharing platforms, or for a subset thereof under his control or influence. Further, different levels of branding can be selected for different platforms, either as a preset preference or on a case-by-case basis so to further customize the amount and type of branding a user is willing to have associated with their profiles on different platforms.
For example, a user may wish to heavily sponsor fun and energetic branding types on a personal profile like Facebook™, but chose a more conservative or luxurious branding for a professional profile, thus reducing a visual impact of the external content on his professional profile where it may be less appreciated, while promoting an air of elegance and success. Similarly, different social profiles may best be associated with different brands depending on the personal contacts associated with each profile. For example, branding selections for an online dating platform may be used to expand a user's personal profile in exhibiting preferences, hobbies or activities they are more likely to enjoy or have in common (e.g. promoting travel or sports equipment vs. local restaurants and theatres). Ultimately, user interactivity and influence on the branding to be associated with their posts not only allows these users to gain financial or other benefits from such integrated posts, but also seek to personalize their profiles and how contacts and friends perceive them.
In some embodiments, the system may further be configured to allow for selection of locally sourced external content as opposed to a more national or regional sourcing. For instance, as each user's location and demographics can be accessed from the system, micro-targeted campaigns may be facilitated and encouraged by local users and, to some extent, used thereby to show patronage or support for local enterprises. The geography of a user's contacts may also be taken into account, for example, where a user's contacts are predominantly based in another geographic area.
In some embodiments, the content integration and sharing platform may be provided, hosted or associated with the user's own communication service provider, for example a cellular voice and data service provider, home internet and phone provider, email service provider, and the like. In such embodiments, the service provider can with greater ease access and redirect posted contents for integration already forming integral part of the user's communication network. Furthermore, accrued benefits by the user may be automatically applied to the user's service in reducing applicable service fees and the like. In such context, the user's personal account information may become of greater value to potential external content providers than what may otherwise be available through standard online marketing campaigns, where online user profile data is often skewed, embellished and/or invented for the sake of presenting a different persona. By associating the content integration and sharing platform with a user's personal communication service provider, real data becomes available to campaigns and may thus allow for greater targeting capabilities and more accurate results.
With reference to
In this particular example, and with reference to
However, and with reference to
While the above considers a Facebook™ example, similar considerations may be brought to other platforms, such as for example, Twitter™, where a user's post may be appropriately retweeted to convey proper credit to the content originator, but could otherwise be tweeted as original content by another user without proper credit to the content originator if not for the embedded digital originator signature contemplated within the context of the herein described embodiments.
Other considerations may arise when original content is posted or shared from one platform to another. For example, while retweeting an originator's content will credit the originator by virtue of Twitter's own platform implementation, one may choose to share the posted content on another platform, such as Facebook™ or the like, and in some instances, purposely or inadvertently conceal the true content originator. For example, a user could locally save an image posted by someone else on Twitter™, and then repost that image on their Facebook™ or Linkedln™ accounts without due credit to the content originator. However, using the methods and systems described above, reference to the content originator would nonetheless appear embedded within the content, as would the embedded brand, thereby not only providing proper credit to the originator, but further expanding the branding effort. This may further act as a deterrent for those intent on taking credit for other people's content, as further effort would be required to digitally alter the content file to remove the otherwise embedded branding and originator identification.
While the above examples provide a sample embedded digital signature format, other formats may also be considered without departing from the general scope and nature of the present disclosure. For example, JOHN123 could be replaced by the originator's full name, JOHN SMITH, or again by another alias or nickname stored and maintained by the system's user database. Likewise, identifying the country of the originator may provide value in not only identifying the actual content originator but also in sharing some notion as to where the content originated from. Accordingly, different levels of disclosure may be included, in some embodiments, selectively by the user, to define their location.
Below is another exemplary implementation of the above-described systems and methods, in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, illustratively described with reference to
In this example, the user content integration and sharing system allows subscribed users the ability to publish pictures and videos adorned with external content onto different social networks and receive credits or compensation for doing so. These credits may then be applied to reduce bills from their current service providers such as cable, telephone, cell phone, or Internet service providers. This may be particularly convenient where the content integration and sharing system is implemented directly or indirectly by, or in association with, such service providers. In one example, the amount of credits applied to the users' accounts may depend on the amount external content providers are willing to pay.
In order to access the posting services provided by this system, and in accordance with one embodiment, the user will signup to the service using either a dedicated mobile app (e.g. iOS7 and up, or Android 4.0 and up) or Website. In one illustrative implementation, the signup process may request that the user input their name (e.g. first and last name), their email address, a chosen username (i.e. alias) and password (e.g. entered twice for verification).
Once this information is entered and verified, various other information may be required or requested (e.g. as mandatory or optional depending on the implementation). For example, in one embodiment where credits can be automatically applied against a user's telecommunication service provider account, the user may be invited to provide the name and account number associated with the service provider account of choice. The system may also allow the user to enter, add, remove or update any such account information over time.
The user may then be provided with the option of completing a user profile to customize use of the system. For example, they may be invited to provide any of the following information, such as, Age; Male/Female; Relationship Status; Location (City, Province/State); Personal Preferences/Interests (e.g. Restaurants, Cars, Foods, Websites, Sports Teams, Athletes, Sports, Clothing, etc.)
In one example, the more comprehensive the user profile becomes (e.g. by populating more data fields), the higher compensation level may be attributed to the user (e.g. by populating at least 4 fields, or populating those fields deemed of higher relative value). This may both provide encouragement for users to provide more information and thus increase the relevance of external content later proposed or automatically associated with their posts, but also allow for greater data mining in identifying potential content providers, promoting services thereto, etc.
Once the user's account has been setup, the user may proceed to use the posting (publication) service. Below is an exemplary implementation sequence, described in accordance with one embodiment, in which an app interface 1300 is used by the user to publish integrated content (e.g. images, video) via one or more social network platforms.
The user first clicks the ‘publish picture’ or ‘publish video’ button rendered by the graphical user interface of the app. In response, the user is asked if they want to take a new picture/video or use an existing one from their photo/video library, and a user content selection is made accordingly. Alternatively, the user's camera application may be configured to interface with the integrated content publishing application, whereby a ‘sharing’ function integral to the camera application lists the option of sharing selectable recent or past content via the integration application, as opposed to direct sharing via one or more other resident applications (e.g. email, texting, Facebook™, Twitter™, etc.) In the example of
Upon selecting the desired user content from a local digital library or from newly acquired user content, the user is then asked to select, as shown in
With reference to
With the preferred content provider selected, in this example brand “B” 1322, and upon the user activating the app's ‘publish’ button 1324, the user may be requested to enter their credentials for each social network selected if not already stored in association with the user's account. Such credentials may in any event be stored by the app for future use. The user may also have the option to enter a comment or description to be posted along with the user content, such as a tag line or the like, as commonly available would the content otherwise be directly posted to the selected sharing platform.
The user selections/confirmations completed, the app begins asynchronous upload of the content to the content integration and sharing system servers, while the app interface displays an upload/processing status to the user. Once the content has been uploaded and processed through a content-appropriate external data integration process (e.g. image vs. video), the servers upload the content to the selected social network(s) and calculate a corresponding credit to be applied to the user's account. The user's contacts, friends, etc., or again the public at large if the post was made publicly accessible, may then access the user's externally-integrated content.
With reference to
In this example, the posted picture 1602 further has embedded therein a scan code, such as Quick Response (QR) code 1610, which uniquely identifies the posted integrated content and, in one embodiment, the content originator. In accordance with one embodiment, the embedded QR code 1610 serves to track acknowledgement of the posted content by content viewers, which may also be users of the content integration system. For example, upon viewing the posted content, a viewer who is also a integrated content sharing system user may activate the content integration application, for example as shown illustratively rendered in
In one example, this scanning action serves to compensate the content originator, who may accumulate compensation as a function of the number of times his content is scanned, namely, as a function of the number of times viewing of the originator's branded content is acknowledged. The scanning action may also serve to compensate the scanning viewer for acknowledging viewing of the branded content, which also acts as encouragement for this viewer to subscribe to the content integration and sharing service if not already a subscriber, and possibly seek out viewing of such brand-integrated content. Namely, viewership may be further encouraged as registered users may be compensated both for posting branded content, but also for seeking out and viewing such branded content.
Using this approach, branded content viewership can be more accurately tracked both within the same sharing platform to which it was posted, but also across platforms both where the content was currently posted to multiple platforms, but also where shared content is subsequently reposted (e.g. shared, retweeted, etc.) to a same platform and/or to other distinct platforms. In fact, even when an integrated content item is locally saved to storage by a viewer and later reposted via another medium, the integrated QR code may nonetheless be scanned and thus acknowledge further brand exposure, resulting in further compensation for the content originator. This may also apply where the posted brand-integrated content is printed and displayed.
As the unique content item code can be tracked concurrently with those viewers who have acknowledged its viewing, viewing compensation can be limited to a single viewing credit per viewer per integrated content item, for example.
Since registered users of the content integration platform will generally provide accurate/legitimate contact and/or demographic information in registering to the service in order to receive compensation for their use of the system, external content providers will in response receive valuable information not only on the content originators selecting to push their brand, and their social network to which the branded content was pushed, but also confirmed viewership of this embedded branded content by virtue of the scan code concurrently embedded within this integrated content.
In a same or other embodiment, viewer acknowledgement may also or alternatively be provided by non-system users, for instance by scanning the code using a non-native scanner, which may redirect the scanning device to a viewer acknowledgement page or function, and optionally invite the viewer to register as a compensated user of the external content integration and sharing application.
In a further example, the use of such scan codes may further allow for sponsorship campaigns for raising funds for a particular cause or group. For instance, an integrated content image could be posted by a user with the pledge that any compensation provided to the user for the post will be donated to a charitable organization or in support of a particular cause (e.g. political party, lobbying effort, disaster relief fund, research, etc.), and thus requesting that the posted content be acknowledged by as many viewers as possible to increase the originator's compensation credits. Likewise, the sponsor may also donate viewer credits to the same cause.
While the above contemplates QR codes, other scan codes may be considered to provide similar results. For example, basic bar codes may alternatively be used, as could an encoded alphanumeric code or serial number recognizable, in one embodiment, via optical character recognition (OCR). In yet other examples, branded content exposure may be quantified using dedicated Web crawlers that are configured to crawl publicly or otherwise accessible sharing platform pages, posts, etc. (e.g. public social network profiles, etc.) to locate and automatically recognize embedded codes to track appropriate exposure-based compensation for content originators. Other approaches to branded content exposure tracking may include, but are not limited to, accessing the number of integrated branded content shares, likes, comments and/or retweets, for example, or other such metrics accessible via respective sharing platforms of interest.
The system as described may also provide a central Website for consultation by current and potential users, and provide various information pages and/or administrative portals for users to access and manage their accounts. For example, the home page may include a brief description about the service and its benefits and guide new users to a signup page and link to download the app. Other Webpages may also be included to provide different information as appropriate. The Website may also include a customer portal where user's may update their contact, account and/or profile information, for example, or again access account balances, payment history, average credit accumulation rates and some tips or suggestions for increasing their compensation rate through selection of different system parameters or preferences.
The system may further include an administrative portal to allow system administrators to perform one or more of the following tasks: view registered users, their details and perform management (edit, archive, etc.); view accumulated credits using the system by a specific user or group thereof (e.g. demographics); and view payment history applied to a specific user or group thereof.
An External Content Management portal may also be provided to allow administrators to add/archive/modify an external content provider in the system; modify the parameters of the external content provided by the external content provider (e.g. image, geography such as Province or State level, payout/credit rate, period such as start date and end date), for example within the context of a prescribed campaign.
External content providers may also themselves gain access to the system, for example via the External Content Provider Management portal or a segment thereof to distribute some of the external content provider input duties, allow them access to a status of their prescribed campaign (how many views, integrations, payouts, etc.) and possible access to system user statistics in validating or encouraging revisions or updates to their campaign strategy.
As will be appreciated by the skilled artisan, other portals, features and functions may also be provided in different configurations of the above-described system, and that, without departing from the general scope and nature of the present disclosure.
For example, while the above examples contemplate postings and content shares on what may be qualified as permanent and/or semi-permanent platforms (i.e. posted and shared pictures/videos on Facebook™, YouTube™ and the like can, unless removed, remain accessible to contacts and/or the public indefinitely, particularly if perpetually reshared, retweeted, referenced, liked, favorite, and/or commented on as it virally propagates throughout a given platform and/or migrates to other sharing platforms), the above considerations may also be of relevance for platforms centered on temporary or short term content postings and/or access. For example, platforms like Snapchat™ that allow a user to select a post duration (usually in the order of 1 to 10 seconds), may also wish to ensure their content is embedded to identify them as the originator and/or to carry the benefits of embedded external content. Ultimately, once a user's content is integrated with embedded external content such as external items and/or the originator's identity/identification, this integration is intended to persist for the digital life of this original content as it is propagated over different sharing and/or communication platforms. Accordingly, not only will the content originator potentially benefit from the integration of external content as the content migrates amongst the user's contacts, friends, followers and the like, and their respective contacts, friends, followers and the like, or again the public at large in the context of some sharing platforms, the user may also benefit where, for example, a virally distributed content item finds its way to mass media, such as is now commonplace with popular posts, pictures and videos that, at some point, can be broadcast as part of a television network's programing (e.g. news broadcast, regular content programming, etc.), online streaming video broadcasting/programming, printed media, and the like. These and other such considerations should now be apparent to the person of ordinary skill in the art, and are therefore intended to fall within the general scope and nature of the present disclosure.
With reference now to
The external content provider module 1704 again generally consists of a network-accessible module having an interface 1708 accessible from an external content provider terminal 1710 that allows external entities (e.g. third party external content providers) to upload and characterize external content, define target audiences (e.g. user demographics, targeted sharing platforms, etc.) and set different parameters generally associated with the establishment of a comprehensive online campaign (e.g. user compensation rates, rules and options). Generally, the external content provider may access the system 1700 through the interface 1708 and upload external content (e.g. still images, pictures, videos, icons, emblems, taglines, links, text, logos, etc.) and campaign parameters in an external contents database 1712, and execute the transfer of funds in association therewith for tracking via a corresponding accounts database 1714. Once the campaign is defined and ready to implement, an allocation engine 1716 may be operated to actively select appropriate external content from the database 1712, for example based on one or more user preferences, demographics or the like, for integration with selected user content, as discussed below. Compensation for the operator of the system 1700 and its users may be drawn from the external content providers' accounts based on one or more pre-set compensation rules or the like as defined in the external content provider's campaign.
The user management module 1702 also generally consists of a network accessible module having a user interface 1718 allowing platform users access, via a respective user terminal 1720, to the system's various functions and features. In some embodiments, the interface provides for dynamic interaction of the user with the system 1700 via an online web application interface. The system may otherwise or also interface with users via a dedicated client application interface locally implemented by the user's terminal 1720 (e.g. via a smartphone or tablet app locally stored thereon and operated therefrom).
In these and similar examples, the user interface 1718 allows for user selection of contents (e.g. text, images, photos, videos, etc.) to be shared on the sharing platform, and optionally selection of different external content integration preferences or parameters to customize user interactions with and benefits from using the system's external content integration function. Illustratively, the user module 1702 comprises a user content upload engine 1722 for uploading user content and preferences/selections to a user database, such as social network profile database 1724, an optional preview engine 1726 for allowing the user to preview and confirm posting of the integrated content once generated, and a tracking engine 1728 to track integrated postings and incremental benefits associated therewith, and manage compensation to be transferred from the respective external content provider accounts 1714 to the user accounts accordingly. The user database 1724 may also include, as discussed in greater details below with reference to an exemplary embodiment, a content originator management function 1742, whereby the originator of each content element posted or shared via the system 1700 is not only embedded with external content, but also embedded with an integral mark or identifier as to the content's originator and thus traceable to the originating user via the user database 1724, for example.
In some of the examples described in greater detail below, further user-specific information, such as demographic information (e.g. age, sex, status, residence, etc.) may be used to guide selection of the external content and/for be used in the generation of a user-specific identifier or content qualifier to be integrated with the external and user contents. Further data, such as the user's current geographical (e.g. GPS) position, or a location associated therewith, may be accessed from the user's terminal and used accordingly. Likewise, a time and/or date may be used to visibly and integrally tag the content in the form of an integrated tag (e.g. as opposed to metadata common to enhanced digital image formats but generally unavailable from posted contents). Even when not used to integrally tag content, such data may nonetheless be tracked in association with posted content for later consideration, by the user or the authorities in identifying the time, date and location a given content item was posted.
The posting module 1706 illustratively comprises an integration engine 1730 for assembling integrated content to be posted from user content and preferences accessed from the user database 1724, and the external content 1736 accessed from the allocation engine 1716. The integration engine 1730 may also process integration of a content originator mark or identifier, as noted above, or other related information or parameters.
In one example, the integration engine will receive as input the selected user content and user preferences associated therewith (e.g. individual content or post-specific preferences, general user-specific preferences, originating user identifier or marker, uniquely generated scan code, etc.) and communicate these preferences, or a relevant subset thereof, to the allocation engine 1716 that will select appropriate external content items or elements for integration with the user's content based on those preferences. Once all relevant user and external contents are made available to the integration engine 1730, it will proceed to integrate the external content with the user content (e.g. embed, adjoin, overlay, juxtapose, etc.), again optionally consistent with relevant user preferences, to be posted via the posting engine 1738 to the sharing platform's social network content server/storage 1742, for example. Once posted, the integrated content may be viewed, liked, shared and in some embodiments interacted with by contacts of the user (e.g. friends, followers, etc.), via an appropriate viewer terminal 1742 (e.g. smartphone or cellular phone, laptop, tablet, desktop, etc.)
With reference now to
In this example, at step 1810, a new user accesses the system's user interface via a user terminal 1812 to access and set up a new social network profile and account at step 1814, for example in setting posting preferences (e.g. external content integration levels, preferences, etc.), account/compensation settings (e.g. coordinates where monetary compensation may be directed; accounts such as phone, internet, television accounts to which compensations may be applied, etc.), and the like. In some embodiments, the registration process may include the download of a client application to be operated from the user's device, or the provision of a user-specific social profile link or access page. Other examples may include the establishment of a web-accessible account whereby a system username and password may be established to provide the user access to the web-enabled system. Other examples may also readily apply, as will be readily appreciated.
Once the user's account has been established, the user may select user content to be shared at step 1816. This may include locally or remotely stored content, or again include the dynamic activation of a content acquisition application on the user's device (e.g. camera, video recorder) to acquire and preview new content.
At step 1818, the selected content is compiled along with relevant user preferences, presets and the like, by the user management system 1820 of the social network platform 1860. Relevant information may be accessed from the user's account or profile (e.g. where posting and/or external content preferences have been preset at step 1814), the user's current selection as provided through the user terminal either at step 1816, or via a separate optional external content preference selection step 1822 implemented through the user interface. This user information is then communicated to the integration engine of the platform's post management system 1824, which uses this information at step 1826 to query the allocation engine of the external content provider management system 1806 and the external data available thereto as compiled at step 1808. The optional user preference selection step 1822 may also be initiated by the integration engine through the user interface, as can other configurations and permutations, without departing from the general scope and nature of the present disclosure.
As noted above, additional user data may also be compiled at this step, for example extracted from the user's profile stored by the user management system 1820, to provide for the embedding of a digital certificate or mark of originality with the original content to be posted/shared, such as a visible or invisible mark or identifier associated with the originating user. Accordingly, once the integrated content is posted or shared, the content's originator will be integrally identifiable from the integrated content itself, and optionally traceable via the system's user database 1824, for example (e.g. via name recognition, a uniquely defined scan code such as a QR code or serial number, and the like). Other user-related data, such as birthday, location, residence location, age, sex, status, etc. may also be used to enhance user-specificity.
In one embodiment, an integrated content preview may be generated at step 1828 and communicated through the user interface at step 1830 to the user terminal 1832 for confirmation. Once confirmed, or where integration is preapproved by default, the integrated content is dispatched by the posting server/engine/gateway at step 1834, and posted by the sharing platform 1836 at step 1838. The integrated content can then be viewed, accessed and/or interacted with at step 1840 via an appropriate viewer terminal 1842, generally within the context of another user of the sharing platform 1860 such as friends, contacts or followers of the user, or friends, contacts or followers directly or indirectly linked thereto.
At step 1844, the integrated content visibility is tracked, for example via the sharing platform's internal tracking functions (e.g. tracking viewership, likes, comments, shares, reposts, etc.) and communicated to the user management system 1820 where it is compiled against the user's account at step 1846, and reported to the external content provider at step 1848. The visibility is then processed against one or more compensation rules at step 1850 and reported in the user's account at step 1852 and in the corresponding external content provider's account at step 1854, in response to which a corresponding compensation credit is concurrently transferred to the user's account. The user may then view and/or redeem the compensation using the user terminal 1812 at step 1856.
With reference now to
Following from the above example, and with reference now to
Again following from the example of
Within the context of
In some embodiments, and as illustrated in the example of
In other examples, the sponsor item may be set to be automatically posted immediately before the user posts its own content, for instance to act as a sponsored introduction to the user's own content. For example, a user may authorize its selected sponsor to post an integrated video or image serving as a sponsored introduction to their own content, for instance slightly delaying their own content posting by a few seconds or minutes to have the sponsor content post appear immediately before their own when viewed by their contacts.
This time-shifting option may, alternatively or additionally, be used as a separate feature of the content-sharing application and interface to allow users to post items in a time-shifted manner, either to provide for greater visibility or impact on their users, or to other advantage as will be appreciated by the skilled artisan. For example, a user may opt to have their content post delayed by a few hours, for instance, when setting their post in the middle of the night but wishing to have such posts consumed first thing in the morning, or later the next day when their target audience/contacts are more likely to consume the posting.
In other examples, for instance as shown in
With reference now to
Again, this sponsor directed add content may be further distributed through the sharing platform via likes, shares and comments, with proportional compensation associated with and/or directed to the authorizing user.
With reference to
For example, as introduced above, a user's postings may benefit from time shifts implemented through dynamic user-accessible posting management functions, as well as benefit from various user-specific data integration functions to enhance, promote, sign, customize or otherwise mark shared user content. In the former example, time-shifted postings may include delayed postings where content is first selected to be posted by the user, but selectively set to be posted on the user's behalf as originating therefrom a few minutes, hours, days or even weeks later, for example allowing such user to selectively delay or spread postings over time. In one example, this may be particularly advantageous where a user wishes to make sequential postings at a regular interval. Using current solutions, this user would have to execute each post, one by one, consistent with the desired interval. Using an intermediary posting application and service as described herein, the user could rather set up a sequence of postings and associated with each one an incrementally delayed posting time according to the desired interval (e.g. one posting per hour or per day). Along these lines the system may rather be set up to provide posting campaigns in which a user may not only select the content to be posted at each post and the time delay to be associated therewith, but also particular user information (e.g. username, date, location, user signature, status, etc.) and/or branding information (e.g. selected branding item, type or level) to be automatically integrated therein. To cap it off, the user may also optionally select to authorize a preferred advertiser or brand to post externally-directed materials on their behalf as originating therefrom to be viewed by their contacts on selected platform(s), and consequently, earn them additional rewards such as brand recognition, sponsorship, financial compensation, promotional items, etc.
With reference to
While the example of
To bring the above examples into the context of external content integration, a given brand or external content provider could elect to provide different mood-invoking content items for integration such that, rather than to use stock mood-specific background images or videos, a user may rather elect to have a particular brand speak their mood for them by having mood-specific external content posted as background to their mood-identifying posts as integrated mood-specific branded integrated content items. Accordingly, the user content branding would not only server to enhance the user's post by reflecting mood, but also serve to compensate the user and possibly invoke a greater response from users given the relevance of the branding to the message's intended effect, and conversely avoid possibly mismatched branding effort (e.g. integration of a particularly happy branding item to a particularly sad and serious user content item) which may result in brand criticism as opposed to positive recognition and association.
As introduced above, while the above examples have focused predominantly on the integration of external content for social media sharing platform postings, the system may also or alternatively serve to integrate external content into other user-shared contents such as text-based messages (e.g. SMS) and the like. For example, in the context of SMS messaging systems, and those similar thereto, an appropriately configured integration engine may be provided to directly or indirectly receive user text-based messages (e.g. over a wireless or landline data network) and convert these messages for communication over a telephony network (e.g. directed to a recipients cellular phone number or the like). Such data-to-telephony conversion systems are known in the art and need not be further discussed herein. In the present context, however, the user's text-based message may be integrated, as discussed above, with a branded background image or video, for example, and rather over an MMS link to the recipient's phone. Accordingly, external content integration may serve on a one-to-one (direct text message) or one-to-group (group text message) basis using the integration platform discussed herein, whereby a user subscribing to the integration service again may profit from such integration without necessarily needing to participate in any form of social media sharing platforms as considered in the above examples. Mood-specific or enhanced text-to-image or text-to-video integrations may also be considered for SMS-to-MMS integrations, as can other features described above such as external user-content integrations, location-specific integrations, delayed postings (e.g. delayed, time-shifted or interval SMS postings) as well as other brand-specific options such as authorised externally-directed SMS/MMS content postings on the user behalf to selected or grouped recipients, introductory externally-directed postings, etc. As will be appreciated by the skilled artisan, while this particular example focuses on SMS-type messaging, other messaging platforms such as Blackberry™ Messenger (BBM™), Instant Messaging (IM), etc. may also be considered for content integration enhancements and features as discussed herein.
While the present disclosure describes various exemplary embodiments, the disclosure is not so limited. To the contrary, the disclosure is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the general scope of the present disclosure.
Claims
1. A system for sharing digital user content via a content sharing platform, the system comprising:
- an input communication interface communicating with respective user client devices to access therefrom user-selected content to be shared via the content sharing platform, and further access therefrom a user-selected integrated external content preference selected from a plurality of such preferences;
- a server-accessible storage having stored thereon a plurality of external content items each having at least one of said preferences associated therewith;
- an external content integration engine operated by a digital data processor to integrate a selected external content item corresponding with said user-selected preference with said user-selected content to output a sharable integrated content item; and
- an output communication interface interfacing with the content sharing platform to relay said sharable integrated content item to be shared thereon on behalf of said user as originating therefrom.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein said input communication interface communicates with said respective user client devices to access from a respective user specific user-authorization for posting externally-directed postings on behalf of said respective user;
- wherein said external content integration engine, in response to said user-authorization, digitally integrates a respective user identifier with an externally-directed content item to produce a user-specific integrated externally-directed content item; and
- wherein said output communication interface relays said user-specific integrated externally-directed content item over the sharing platform on behalf of said respective user as originating therefrom to be viewed by contacts of said respective user as being approved thereby.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein said respective user identifier identifies said respective user as being sponsored by an external entity identifiable from said externally-directed content.
4. The system of claim 2, further comprising a server-based tracking function associating a respective incrementing tracking value with each said respective user based at least in part on at least one of a number of externally-directed content items posted on its behalf and a visibility of said externally-directed content item once posted.
5. The system of claim 2, wherein said user-specific integrated externally-directed content item is posted via said output interface as a function of a posting or user activity of said respective user.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein said user-specific integrated externally-directed content item is automatically posted during a low posting activity period automatically designated as a function of a tracked posting history for said respective user.
7. The system of claim 5, wherein said user-specific integrated externally-directed content item is automatically posted immediately before said respective user posts its own content to act as an introduction to said respective user's own content.
8. The system of claim 5, wherein said user-specific integrated externally-directed content item is automatically posted as a function of a geographical location of said respective user to integrally reference said geographical location in said user-specific integrated externally-directed content item.
9. The system of claim 5, wherein said user-specific integrated externally-directed content item is automatically posted as a function of a demographic or personal attribute of said respective user.
10. The system of claim 2, wherein said user-specific integrated externally-directed content item automatically comprises redeemable content redeemable specifically by said contacts of said respective users and accessible only via said sharing platform.
11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a server-based tracking function associating a respective incrementing tracking value with each user based at least in part on a number of content items respectively selected thereby for external content integration and sharing via the system.
12. The system of claim 1, wherein said user-selected integrated external content preference is selected from at least one of different specifically selectable external content brands and different specifically selectable external content items.
13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a graphical user interface to be rendered on said respective user devices and having a content selection function selecting, under user operation, said user-selected content; and an external content preference selection function selectably displaying said plurality of preferences and selecting, under user operation, said user-selected integrated external content preference therefrom.
14. The system of claim 11, further comprising a graphical user interface to be rendered on said respective user devices and having a content selection function selecting, under user operation, said user-selected content; and an external content preference selection function selectably displaying said plurality of preferences along with a respective tracking rate to be respectively associated with selection of each of said preferences and to be applied in tracking for said respective incrementing tracking value, and selecting, under user operation, said user-selected integrated external content preference from said plurality of preferences.
15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a client application locally operable on each of said user client devices to render a graphical user interface having a content selection function and an external preference selection function; wherein at least some of said client devices consist of camera-enabled devices and wherein said content selection function is communicatively linked with a camera function thereof to select digital content acquired therewith as said user-selected content.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein said content selection function automatically activates said camera function to acquire new content therewith, and enable said users to automatically upload said new content as said user-selected content to said integration engine for sharing.
17. The system of claim 1, wherein the content sharing platform comprises at least one of a Short Message Service (SMS) platform and a Multimedia Message Service (MMS) platform.
18. A server-based method for automatically integrating external content within a user's shared content, the method comprising automatically:
- receiving as input user-selected content and user selection of a destination third-party server-based content sharing platform therefor;
- selecting an external content item for integration with said user-selected content;
- integrating said selected external content item with said user-selected content to output a sharable integrated content item;
- relaying said integrated content item to said destination third-party server-based content sharing platform to be shared thereon on behalf of said user as originating therefrom;
- incrementing a tracking value associated with the user based at least in part on a number of user-selected content items selected thereby for sharing post external content integration.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising tracking a visibility factor for the user defined as a function of at least one of a number of user contacts having access to said shared integrated content, a number of recorded active views for said shared integrated content, a historical record of previously recorded views, and a user reputation value attributed by said selected sharing platform, and wherein said incremental tracking value is set at least in part as a function of said visibility factor.
20. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving as input one or more user-selected external content preferences; wherein said external content item is selected as a function of said one or more user-selected external content preferences.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein said one or more external content preferences comprise at least one of: a selectable external content type, brand and item.
22. The method of claim 20, wherein said one or more external content preferences comprise a selectable level from a range of escalating external content integration levels, and wherein said tracking value is incremented at a rate defined at least in part by said selected level.
23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having statements and instructions stored thereon for implementation by a processor of a personal communication device in sharing digital user content via a server-based content sharing platform by:
- receiving as input via a graphical user interface implemented on the personal communication device, selection of the user content to be shared via the server-based content sharing platform;
- receiving as input via said graphical user interface, selection of an integrated external content preference selected from a plurality of such preferences; and
- communicating said user content selection and said integrated advertisement preference selection to an external content integration engine operated by a remote digital data processor to integrate a selected external content item corresponding with said preference selection with said user content to output a sharable integrated content item, with instructions to have said sharable integrated content item relayed to the server-based content sharing platform to be shared thereon on behalf of said user as originating therefrom.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 1, 2016
Publication Date: Dec 8, 2016
Inventor: Benoit Laliberte (Mont St-Hilaire)
Application Number: 15/200,631
