Systems and methods for media streaming and presentation in an application environment

Abstract

A method for displaying data is disclosed. The method may include displaying an application on a mobile electronic communication device. The method may further include contacting at least one media server configured to store media data and receiving, at the mobile electronic communication device, first available media data from the at least one media server. The method may further include displaying the received available media data in a media stream within the application. The method may also include contacting, after a predetermined amount of time, the at least one media server and receiving, in response to the contacting, at the mobile electronic communication device, second available media data from the at least one media server. The method may further include displaying the second available media data in the media stream.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for displaying media data, the method comprising:
 displaying an application comprising application content on a display screen;   displaying a media stream in a compacted mode at an edge of the application on the display screen, the media stream comprising a plurality of media posts including a first media post and a second media post, the second media post being displayed in the media stream adjacent to the first media post; and   permitting interaction with the application content and the media stream.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying the media stream in an expanded mode at the edge of the application, the expanded mode displaying information related to the plurality of media posts that is not displayed in the compacted mode.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 continuing to permit interaction with the application content when the media stream is displayed in the expanded mode.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein displaying the media stream in the expanded mode comprises overlaying at least a portion of the application content with the expanded mode. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein displaying the media stream in the expanded mode comprises displaying the expanded mode adjacent to the application. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising resizing the application content display area to accommodate the media stream displayed in the expanded mode. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 displaying media information corresponding to one of the plurality of media posts when the respective media post is selected by a user.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the media information is displayed within the application. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the media information is displayed over the application content. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying an application-related post in the media stream.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the application-related post is based on a user's interaction with the application content. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the application-related post is related to the application content. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 after the user interacts with the application-related post, providing at least one of a reward, bonus, event notification, message, application modification, feature update, or additional functionality of the application to the user.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the media stream comprises a plurality of media streams including a first stream and a second stream, the first media post being displayed in the first stream; and
 the method further comprising displaying a third media post in the second stream.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 combining the first stream and the second stream into a combined media stream; and   displaying the first media post and the third media post in the combined media stream.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 separating the media stream into a first stream and a second stream;   displaying the first media post in the first stream; and   displaying the second media post in the second stream.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing user data in a user profile;   analyzing a first media post in relation to the stored user data; and   displaying the first media post in the media stream based on the user data.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 identifying a target feature of the user profile;   analyzing whether a first media post matches the target feature; and   if the first media post matches the target feature, displaying the first media post in the media stream.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing a user profile that includes information related to a user's behavior; and   displaying a post in the media stream based on the user profile information related to the user's behavior.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the information related to the user's behavior includes the user's behavior related to the application, and displaying the post in the media stream is based on the user's behavior related to the application. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first media post and the second media post comprises an advertisement. 
     
     
         22 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a program comprising software code that, when executed by a processor of an electronic device, is capable of performing the steps of:
 displaying application content on a display of an electronic device;   displaying a media stream comprising a first media post on the display of the electronic device, the media stream being displayed in a compacted mode at an edge of the application content; and   displaying the media stream comprising the first media post in an expanded mode in response to an input received by the electronic device,   wherein the first media post of the expanded mode includes information not displayed in the first media post in the compacted mode.   
     
     
         23 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 22 , wherein the software code, when executed on the processor, is further capable of performing the step of:
 continuing to permit interaction with the application content when the media stream is displayed in the expanded mode.   
     
     
         24 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 22 , wherein the software code, when executed on the processor, is further capable of performing the step of:
 resizing the application content display area when the media stream changes between the compacted mode and the expanded mode.   
     
     
         25 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 22 , wherein the software code, when executed on the processor, is further capable of performing the step of:
 receiving an input that the first media post has been selected; and   displaying media information related to the first media post.   
     
     
         26 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 22 , wherein the software code, when executed on the processor, is further capable of performing the steps of:
 receiving a second media post from a third party;   displaying the second media post in the media stream adjacent to the first media post in a linear order.   
     
     
         27 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 22 , wherein the software code, when executed on the processor, is further capable of performing the steps of:
 displaying an application-related post in the media stream adjacent to the first media post in a linear order.   
     
     
         28 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 27 , wherein the application-related post is based a user's interaction with the application content. 
     
     
         29 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 22 , wherein the software code, when executed on the processor, is further capable of performing the steps of:
 receiving an input that a category of media posts has been selected; and   displaying media posts corresponding to the selected category.