Interactive multicast media service

Abstract

A multicast media service is provided. The multicast media service may be implemented using a media server that multicasts media files to users at user computing equipment. The multicast media service maintains media files. Users that receive the same multicasted media file at the same time form a viewer group. The multicast media service displays media player screens for each user in the viewer group. The media player screens include a media player region in which a media file that is currently being multicasted is played. The users in the viewer group can communicate about a currently playing media by uploading associated content in real time as the media file is being multicasted.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for multicasting, comprising:
 maintaining a media file at a media server;   multicasting the media file to multiple users in a viewer group simultaneously, wherein each of the multiple users has a respective media player that plays the media file that is being multicasted in synchronization;   receiving, at the media server, user-uploaded content from one or more of the multiple users, wherein the user-uploaded content is associated with the media file that is being multicasted and is received at the media server in real time as the media file is being multicasted.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the user-uploaded content comprises non-persistent chat content that is deleted from the media server once a portion of a chat is over. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 maintaining a playlist at the media server;   automatically, without receiving approval from users, modifying the playlist based on the received user-uploaded content.   
     
     
         4 . A computer-implemented method for commenting on multicasted content, comprising:
 receiving, at a user computing equipment from a media server, a multicasted media file, wherein the multicasted media file was multicast to multiple users in a viewer group;   playing the multicasted media file in synchronization with one or more of the multiple users in the viewer group;   transmitting, from the user computing equipment to the media server, user-uploaded content, wherein the user-uploaded content is associated with the media file that is being multicasted and is received at the media server in real time as the media file is being multicasted.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4  further comprising:
 receiving, at the user computing equipment from the media server, a playlist, wherein the playlist comprises an entry for each media file in a set of media files to be multicasted and received; 
 displaying the playlist and an icon corresponding to each entry in the playlist, wherein the icon is representative of a type of media content for that entry; 
 selecting one of the types of media content by selecting one of the icons; and 
 in response to the selecting:
 restricting the entries in the playlist to entries having the selected type of media content; and 
 joining a new viewer group based on the restricted entries. 
 
 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4  further comprising:
 receiving, at the user computing equipment from the media server, a playlist, wherein the playlist comprises an entry for each media file in a set of media files to be multicasted and received; 
 displaying the playlist; 
 navigating through the playlist by selecting one of the entries in the playlist; and 
 in response to the selecting, joining a new viewer group that is currently multicasting the media file corresponding to the selected entry as part of the playlist. 
 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4  further comprising:
 receiving, at the user computing equipment from the media server, a list of playlists, wherein each playlist comprises an entry for each media file in a set of media files to be multicasted and received; 
 displaying the list of playlists; 
 selecting one of the playlists in the list of playlists; and 
 joining a new viewer group that is receiving the selected playlist via multicast. 
 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7  wherein the receiving the list of playlists further comprises:
 displaying one or more user-selectable options; 
 selecting one of the user-selectable options; and 
 filtering the playlists in the list of playlists based on the selected one of the user-selectable options. 
 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8  wherein the selected user-selectable option comprises a featured option for a playlist of media files that are being promoted by a multicast media management service. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8  wherein the selected user-selectable option comprises a popularity option for selecting playlists based on popularity. 
     
     
         11 . A system for multicasting, comprising:
 a media server computer that maintains a media file; and   a multicast media management engine executing on the media server computer, wherein the multicast media management engine is configured to:
 multicast the media file to multiple users in a viewer group simultaneously, wherein each of the multiple users has a respective media player that plays the media file that is being multicasted in synchronization; and 
 receive user-uploaded content from one or more of the multiple users, wherein the user-uploaded content is associated with the media file that is being multicasted and is received in real time as the media file is being multicasted. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the user-uploaded content comprises non-persistent chat content that is deleted from the media server once a portion of a chat is over. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the multicast media management engine is further configured to:
 maintain a playlist at the media server;   automatically, without receiving approval from users, modify the playlist based on the received user-uploaded content.   
     
     
         14 . A system for commenting on multicasted content, comprising:
 user computing equipment;   an application executing on the user computing equipment, wherein the application is configured to:
 receive, from a media server, a multicasted media file, wherein the multicasted media file was multicast to multiple users in a viewer group; 
 play the multicasted media file in synchronization with one or more of the multiple users in the viewer group; 
 transmit, to the media server, user-uploaded content, wherein the user-uploaded content is associated with the media file that is being multicasted and is received at the media server in real time as the media file is being multicasted. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  further wherein the application is further configured to:
 receive, from the media server, a playlist, wherein the playlist comprises an entry for each media file in a set of media files to be multicasted and received; 
 display the playlist and an icon corresponding to each entry in the playlist, wherein the icon is representative of a type of media content for that entry; 
 select one of the types of media content by selecting one of the icons; and 
 in response to the selection of the one of the types of media content:
 restrict the entries in the playlist to entries having the selected type of media content; and 
 join a new viewer group based on the restricted entries. 
 
 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the application is further configured to:
 receive, from the media server, a playlist, wherein the playlist comprises an entry for each media file in a set of media files to be multicasted and received; 
 display the playlist; 
 navigate through the playlist by selecting one of the entries in the playlist; and 
 in response to the selecting, join a new viewer group that is currently multicasting the media file corresponding to the selected entry as part of the playlist. 
 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the application is further configured to:
 receive, from the media server, a list of playlists, wherein each playlist comprises an entry for each media file in a set of media files to be multicasted and received; 
 display the list of playlists; 
 select one of the playlists in the list of playlists; and 
 join a new viewer group that is receiving the selected playlist via multicast. 
 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the application is configured to receive the list of playlists by:
 displaying one or more user-selectable options; 
 selecting one of the user-selectable options; and 
 filtering the playlists in the list of playlists based on the selected one of the user-selectable options. 
 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the selected user-selectable option comprises a featured option for a playlist of media files that are being promoted by a multicast media management service. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the selected user-selectable option comprises a popularity option for selecting playlists based on popularity.