Method for participating in a live broadcast via a viewer device, method for participating in an interactive broadcast performed by a first viewer device, first viewer device, system for live broadcasting

Abstract

A method for participating in a live broadcast via a viewer device includes: executing an application on the viewer device; accessing a live broadcast in an associated broadcast room streamed by a streaming platform using the running application; monitoring, via the running application, operation instructions by a user of the viewer device; and controlling, via the running application, operation of an interactive element associated with the broadcast room that is not managed by the streaming platform, where the operation of the interactive element is observable only to at least one participant of the broadcast room based on the monitored operation instructions, the at least one participant of the broadcast room including the user, a content creator of the live broadcast, or another viewer accessing the broadcast room using a device running the application.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] (Application by reference to earlier application) This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 048,817, filed October 21, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present invention relates to web browsing, and more particularly to a system and method for interactive web browsing via a user equipment. [Background technology]

[0003] Recently, users have been able to watch live stream broadcasts and events over the Internet using web browsers running on devices such as computers and smartphones. In some cases, users can only watch the broadcast or event, while in other cases, users can interact with the broadcast by joining a live broadcast room website, where multiple users can watch the live stream and chat with the content creator and other users in real time. Users can also send tips and virtual gifts to content creators in real time while the broadcast is ongoing in order to attract the content creator's attention.

[0004] Users may be able to participate in online multiplayer games through streaming room websites. Such games are known as "live-stream games." Live-stream games may have certain advantages over traditional multiplayer online games: the game itself is streamed and provided as a game-as-a-service, eliminating the need to download and install a separate game application on a user's device.

[0005] While regular web browsers are commonly used to watch live stream broadcasts, participate in associated chat rooms, and play live stream games, the live stream experience can be enhanced with dedicated browsers for desktop computers and mobile devices. Summary of the Invention

[0006] A method for participating in a live broadcast via a viewer device includes: executing an application on the viewer device; accessing a live broadcast in an associated broadcast room streamed by a streaming platform using the running application; monitoring, via the running application, operation instructions by a user of the viewer device; and controlling, via the running application, operation of an interactive element associated with the broadcast room that is not managed by the streaming platform, where the operation of the interactive element is observable only to at least one participant of the broadcast room based on the monitored operation instructions, the at least one participant of the broadcast room including the user, a content creator of the live broadcast, or another viewer accessing the broadcast room using a device running the application.

[0007] A method for interactive live streaming via a viewer device includes: browsing one or more streaming room pages in one or more streaming platforms through a user interface of an application executing on the viewer device, wherein streaming content of each of the one or more streaming room pages is created and distributed by at least one streamer device to a corresponding streaming platform of the one or more streaming platforms; receiving, by the viewer device, interactive operation instructions directly sent from other viewer devices simultaneously browsing the at least one streaming room page or forwarded by the at least one streamer device from the other viewer devices, wherein the interactive operation instructions are not inherent functions of the one or more streaming room pages but are additionally generated from the application, and the interactive operation instructions include at least one of viewer accessory control instructions, voice / text / video messaging instructions, game invites, or game interaction instructions; and, in response to receiving the interactive operation instructions, the application generates an interactive function corresponding to the interactive operation instructions.

[0008] A method for interactive live online entertainment via a user device includes visiting one or more online entertainment web pages via a user interface of an application executing on a first user device; monitoring, by the first user device, an interactive operation input by a first user on at least one of the one or more online entertainment web pages, the interactive operation acting on an interactive element additionally placed by the application and not an inherent feature of the at least one online entertainment web page; generating, by the application in response to detecting the interactive operation, an interactive operation instruction for interacting with the at least one online entertainment web page; and transmitting the interactive operation instruction to the at least one online entertainment web page. transmitting the interactive operation instruction to an application and / or viewer accessory executing on a second user device accessing the page, thereby enabling the first user to obtain feedback of the interactive operation while browsing the at least one web page, and online entertainment of the at least one web page is provided to the application executing on the first user device and the application executing on the second user device, respectively, through a first server; receiving the interactive operation instruction from the first user device by an application executing on the second user device, wherein the application executing on the first user device communicates with the application executing on the second user device through a second server; and in response to receiving the interactive operation instruction, the application executing on the second user device generates an interactive function corresponding to the interactive operation instruction.

[0009] A system for live streaming includes a first device that generates live stream content and transmits the generated live stream content to a first server maintained by a first streaming platform, where the first server publishes a first live stream based on the generated live stream content; a second server that publishes a second live stream; and a viewer device that runs an application to access the first live stream and the second live stream. The application is configured to simultaneously display content of the first live stream and the second live stream to a user of the viewer device. The application is further configured to receive a selection of the first live stream from the user and to overlay a control panel for controlling operation of a streaming accessory in communication with the first device while displaying the first live stream to the user, wherein communication between the application and the streaming accessory is managed by a third server unrelated to the first streaming platform. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] A more complete understanding of the present disclosure and many of its attendant aspects will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by considering the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating user interface (UI) elements of an integrated browser according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a live stream UI of an integrated browser according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a connected hardware UI of an integrated browser according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system for interactive web browsing according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for interactive web browsing according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a signaling diagram illustrating an approach to such interaction. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a representative diagram of the Connect APP and some of its executable functions according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a representative diagram of a connected device control panel within a Consolidated Browser App according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a computer system capable of implementing methods and apparatus according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] In describing exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the drawings, specific terminology is used for the sake of clarity, however, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific terminology so selected, and each specific element should be understood to include all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner.

[0013] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for interactive web browsing that utilizes a dedicated browser application running on a computer or mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet, that can connect to one or more live streaming sessions across multiple live streaming platforms, and provides a streamed and dedicated user interface for watching the live stream, participating in chat rooms related to the live stream, playing video games related to the live stream, and / or remotely controlling the operation of sex toy devices owned by the content creator of the live stream and / or allowing the operation of sex toy devices in the user's possession to be controlled by the content creator and / or other participants.

[0014] The dedicated browser may be downloaded from an application repository associated with the user's device, such as Apple's App Store or Alphabet's Google Play, or may be independently downloaded and installed on the user's device (e.g., sideloaded). The dedicated browser may combine typical features of a mobile browser, such as accepting URLs and rendering web pages, but may also add certain specialized functionality for managing live streaming sessions across multiple platforms, including providing a customized user interface and integrated alerts, and managing interaction and control over remotely controlled sex toy devices. Here, the dedicated browser may be referred to as an integrated browser.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating user interface (UI) elements of an integrated browser according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for interactive web browsing according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 5, using a viewer device such as a smartphone, a user initiates installation of an integrated browser from an application repository (e.g., an app store) (step S101). The user launches the installed integrated browser app (step S102).

[0016] An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure thus provides a user with an address bar in which the user can enter a URL or search criteria to search for a specific URL. The user can enter a URL into the address bar (step S103). The integrated browser determines whether the entered URL corresponds to a live streaming platform or other type of website (step S104), for example, by consulting a whitelist of supported live streaming platforms. If it determines that the URL corresponds to another website, the URL is rendered as a website using an available rendering engine, for example, WEBKIT provided by Apple, BLINK provided by Alphabet, GECKO provided by MOZILLA, or other suitable rendering engine (step S105).

[0017] If the integrated browser determines that the URL corresponds to a supported live streaming platform or other entertainment-enabled website for delivering content that has been pre-registered on a special supported website whitelist, instead of rendering the URL website, the integrated browser interfaces directly with the live streaming platform and provides the live stream to the integrated browser's integrated UI, thereby enabling multiple live streams across multiple different platforms to be accessed and participated in with a unified UI (step S106), or provides a dedicated UI for the integrated browser, such as a re-rendered broadcast room page as shown in FIG. Thus, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is determined whether the entered website URL corresponds to a specially supported website, and if so, instead of rendering the website in the traditional manner, the website is rendered within the integrated browser itself to provide enhanced interactive functionality, thereby allowing the viewer / user to interact via communication means that are independent of the specially supported website and are handled directly by the integrated browser and its auxiliary web services, facilitating a more direct and engaging line of communication between the viewer / user and the content provider / streamer, which may be text chat, voice chat, video chat, direct control of mutual sex toys, and / or cameras or other streaming accessories compatible with the content provider / streamer or other devices contributing to content creation when the viewer / user is simultaneously participating in a live stream via the associated streaming platform.

[0018] 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a live stream UI of the unified browser according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As can be seen from this diagram, the live stream UI can display live stream video, a chat window for participating in chat related to the live stream, and various other elements described below.

[0019] As can be seen in Figure 1, the integrated browser can maintain a list of subscriptions for recently / frequently visited live streaming platforms and / or content creators near the address bar (e.g., on the same start page as the address bar). Clicking or pressing an icon associated with a particular recently / frequently visited live streaming platform can take the user directly to a page showing available live streams related to that platform. The user can click on an available live stream to begin participating.

[0020] Users can choose to follow / subscribe to a particular content creator, and the integrated browser can notify users when that content creator starts a live stream, regardless of platform. The integrated browser accomplishes this task by working with a central server that checks for live streams across all supported platforms.

[0021] As previously mentioned, the integrated browser may provide a UI for users to connect local sex toys they own or have in their vicinity to the integrated browser in order to provide access / control of the local sex toys to other viewers and content creators through a live stream. FIG. 3 illustrates a connected hardware UI for the integrated browser according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The integrated browser can provide this access / control via interfacing with access provided by a particular live streaming platform, or via a direct connection managed by a central server without having to go through the live streaming platform. For example, a user may be using the integrated browser and a content creator may be using a compatible app or service (e.g., the Connect app shown in FIG. 7) that also communicates with a central server capable of supporting the integrated browser. In this regard, the content creator may utilize the central server to register their sex toys for remote control, and the user may use a control panel function provided by the same central server (e.g., as shown in FIG. 8) to establish access / control of the content creator's sex toys while live streaming on the live streaming platform. In this case, the management of control need not be performed by the live streaming platform.

[0022] 7 illustrates the Connect App and some of its functionality. The Connect App may provide content creators with, for example, a UI for connecting hardware, controlling connected sex toys, setting restrictions for controlling their sex toys and cameras, controlling their own cameras, starting live streams on streaming platforms, and linking existing live streams to the Connect App. Other UI elements may also be included, including UI elements corresponding to each of the Connect App's functions discussed or described herein.

[0023] FIG. 8 is a diagram representative of a connected device control panel within an integrated browser app according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. One or more of these functions may be restricted by condition satisfaction established by the content creator as described above, and this control panel may include control buttons for initiating one or more sex toy operation modes relevant to the content creator and / or other viewers. The controls shown are symbolic, but the level of detail of device control is unlimited. In addition to controlling the sex toy, this control panel, or a similar control panel, may be used to control the operation of the content creator's camera, including, but not limited to, panning and / or rotating direction, zooming in / out, etc.

[0024] The integrated browser may further provide a filtering function for the user, allowing the browsing page of the integrated browser to list or graphically display multiple streaming rooms across different streaming platforms. Each content creator / model for these displayed streaming rooms may run software on their device (locally or via one or more web services) to interface with the central server and connect sex toys locally to stream their content through different streaming servers corresponding to the streaming platforms.

[0025] As previously mentioned, the unified browser can provide a similar UI for each live stream, regardless of the platform on which the live stream is hosted. For example, referring to FIG. 2 , this live stream UI may include a window for playing the live stream video, a window for displaying chat, and a window for entering text to send to the chat. The live stream UI may prominently display a quick tip icon, which may float (but be movable) over the video window and allow users to quickly send monetary tips or other points transactions to content creators, with transaction details managed by the unified browser app or its central server. Thus, the unified browser is pre-programmed with information on how to complete tip transactions on each supported platform, enabling a seamless tipping experience for users. In other embodiments, this quick tip icon may be used to automatically manipulate native HTML elements present on the website (e.g., a tip button native to the streaming platform).

[0026] Another quick icon may be similarly displayed along with the quick tip icon. This icon may be a "sync to streamer" icon, which allows the user's sex toy operation to be synchronized with the content creator's sex toy operation. When enabled, the integrated browser may monitor the activity of the content creator's sex toy and then replicate this activity to the user's sex toy linked to the device on which the integrated browser is running, for example, via Bluetooth.

[0027] The live stream UI may provide UI elements to perform all of the functions that can be performed by connecting directly to the live stream platform using a conventional web browser, but these functions may be presented in a unified manner to provide a consistent and seamless experience for the user across diverse platforms.

[0028] For example, a microphone feature ("Mic") may be provided to allow a user to enable the microphone on their device and provide audio to the live stream or directly to the content creator. This microphone feature may be used to send a recorded message that the content creator can hear when ready, or to send audio in real time that can be heard by the content creator and / or other audience participants.

[0029] When the integrated browser is rendering a live stream from information obtained from the live stream platform, rather than participating in the functionality of the live stream platform, the integrated browser may continue to monitor special control instructions of the viewer (step S107) that are used to perform special operations on the integrated browser. These control instructions may, for example, relate to games played within the live stream chat room or to controlling connected devices such as cameras or sex toys.

[0030] The microphone feature, like other features described herein, may be restricted until a tip of a predetermined value is sent to the content creator or other conditions set by the content creator are met. In this manner, special features of the integrated browser may be restricted by various conditions, such as tipping conditions. For example, icons representing these features may be hidden or disabled (e.g., grayed out) before the predetermined conditions are met. The predetermined conditions may not be limited to tipping conditions and may include, for example, achieving a VIP title within the integrated browser app, purchasing NET privileges, connecting to a specific toy through the integrated browser, and so on. Thus, when an instruction is detected, the integrated browser can check whether the conditions are met (step S108). The integrated browser can receive these tipping conditions from the content creator and then restrict access to these features in a manner consistent with the content creator's requests submitted via the integrated browser or through a control panel accessible in a conventional browser, for example, managed by a central server or through individual platform functionality. Thus, once the instruction is detected (step S107) and the necessary conditions are confirmed to be met (step S108), the integrated browser may extend control of the interactive elements to the viewer (step S109), such as, for example, playing a game, controlling the content creator's sex toy, and / or controlling the content creator's camera.

[0031] The integrated browser, e.g., through its associated central server, can handle text chat, interactive video games, and multimedia transmissions directly between users, content creators, and other users accessing the same live stream with the integrated browser, without going through the platform. In this manner, communication related to the live stream can bypass the live stream platform, enabling a higher level of engagement available only to users of the integrated browser and not to other users accessing the live stream directly through the platform's own web portal.

[0032] The integrated browser may provide the user with a control panel for controlling the performance mode of the content creator's connected sex toy. This functionality may also be limited by the satisfaction of a given tip. By utilizing the integrated browser by both the user and the content creator, this control panel may provide a much higher level of control of the sex toy than would be possible through the live streaming platform alone, and as noted above, this control may be managed by a central server rather than the live streaming platform. Furthermore, neither the user nor the content creator is required to use browser plugins or the like. However, even if the content creator does not utilize the integrated browser, the integrated browser may manage the connection between the user's control panel and the content creator's browser plugin designed to provide remote control of the content creator's sex toy.

[0033] The user may switch between the control panel and the livestream UI using fast-switching icons displayed in each UI or the control panel implemented as a floating element overlaid on the livestream UI. The integrated browser may allow content creators to access the user's connected sex toys in a similar manner, and the user may select which of their registered connected sex toys to allow remote access to.

[0034] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, as described above, the integrated browser may provide control of a content creator's camera to a user, for example, if certain criteria are met. For example, pan, tilt, zoom, and camera switching functions may be delegated to the user. This may be accomplished by the content creator registering one or more cameras with the integrated browser, and control of these cameras may be placed under the user's direction in a control panel, similar to the way a user controls the content creator's sex toys. The integrated browser's central server may be used to broker camera / sex toy control in a secure environment without exposing the controls on a website, such as a livestream platform's web portal.

[0035] As described above, the integrated browser may manage the playing of interactive games between one or more users and content creators. The integrated browser may be used to render advanced graphics and / or sound associated with interactive games taking place on the live stream platform, or the integrated browser may itself host its own games played between live stream participants (e.g., users, other viewers, and content creators), bypassing interaction with the platform.

[0036] A user may select a gameplay icon from the livestream UI to invoke the gameplay UI and create a new game or join an ongoing game. Games may be joined by all livestream participants using the integrated browser, which may also provide renderings of other games hosted on the platform. In this way, each participant can view and interact with the game as it is being played. Rewards for winning games may be used to gain access to various restricted control features as described above.

[0037] The central server may monitor the live stream even when the user is not watching, so the integrated browser may present the user with replays of past live streams that the user missed, or provide instant replay-type functionality while the user is participating in the live stream. In addition to audio / video playback of the live stream, the integrated browser may even provide synchronized sex toy control playback by recording toy control commands embedded within the recording of the live stream. Recordings may be retained for a period of time on the central server in a manner consistent with platform and content creator requirements, and again, this functionality may be limited by chip requirements.

[0038] The integrated browser may provide other functionality, such as matching sex toy controls to website content that the integrated browser accesses as a standard website, for example, by matching sex toy controls to music, movies, audiobooks, etc. The user may start, stop, and adjust this sex toy control rendering by accessing the browsing control panel.

[0039] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system for interactive web browsing according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As can be seen from this diagram, the creator device 201 may run an application or web service for connecting to a central server 206 of an integrated browser. This application or web service may be, for example, a version of the integrated browser, or alternatively, a custom application developed to allow content creators direct access to the functionality of the central server 206. The creator device 201 may be connected to the sex toy 202 via a local connection, such as Bluetooth or wired USB. This connection may be managed by the application or web service. The video camera 203 may also be connected to the creator device 201 via a wired and / or wireless connection, or the video camera 203 may be part of the creator device 201. Control of the sex toy 202 and / or camera 203 may be managed by the creator device 201, and this control may be granted remotely pursuant to the integrated browser. The creator device 201 may be connected to a wide area computer network 204, such as the Internet.

[0040] A central server 206 associated with the integrated browser app may also be connected to the computer network 204, so that content creator apps / web services (referred to herein as "Connect APPs") may connect to the central server 206 via the computer network 204, which may allow the central server 206 to negotiate the functionality of the integrated browser that is granted to viewers using the integrated browser that is not handled by the streaming platform.

[0041] There may be any number of streaming platforms whitelisted within the unified browser, with each streaming platform running its own server for hosting the live streams on that platform. For simplicity, a first streaming platform server 207 and a second streaming platform server 208 are shown, each of which is connected to a computer network 204 so that the unified browser app's central server 206 can observe data from the various streaming platforms.

[0042] There may be any number of viewers running the integrated browser, and each viewer has a viewer device 204, which may also be a smartphone or the like. The viewer device 204 may also have a sex toy 205 connected to it, which may be used, for example, to perform the synchronization described above.

[0043] As discussed above, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may utilize an integrated browser to manage various interactions between viewers and content creators (“streamers”) outside of streaming platform integration. One example of such an interaction is the “Sync with Streamer” feature discussed above, in which the Connect app manages synchronization of the content creator's sex toy and the viewer's sex toy execution. Figure 6 is a signaling diagram illustrating an approach for implementing such an interaction. The integrated browser and associated elements are provided in this disclosure as an example of how many such interactions can be implemented.

[0044] First, the streamer logs into the streaming platform using a computer and runs the Connect app on the streamer's smartphone, which displays a QR code (registered trademark) for connecting to the streaming session (1). Next, the streamer's smartphone running the Connect app scans the displayed QR code (registered trademark) to connect (2). Account information is then sent from the streamer's PC to the Connect app running on the smartphone (3). Next, the Connect app running on the streamer's smartphone connects to the streamer's sex toy (4), and the streamer's sex toy returns toy data related to that connection (5). The Connect app running on the smartphone then sends that toy data to the streamer's PC (6).

[0045] The streamer then initiates a live streaming session with the streaming ("broadcast") platform's server (9) ("the first server"). The first server interacts with the streamer's PC to manage the broadcast platform's native interactions (10). Native interactions include those known to be managed by broadcast platforms, such as receiving streaming signals and relaying those signals to viewers of the live stream, managing basic chat room functionality for sending and receiving text messages between viewers and the streamer, and facilitating tipping transactions that send points, tokens, and other representations of monetary value from viewers to the broadcaster. The streamer's PC then intranets the integrated browser's server ("second server") via the Connect app and calls the second server to handle various interactions related to the live stream that are not managed by the broadcast platform (11).

[0046] The viewer running the integrated browser then interacts with the second server to participate in the live stream (12). The second server interacts with the viewer's smartphone running the integrated browser to negotiate the interaction and participate in the functionality provided by the streaming platform's non-native integrated browser (13 & 14). The integrated browser can also mediate the viewer's interaction with the live stream's native functionality, providing the unified user experience described above. This includes rendering the live stream within the integrated browser and sending tips from the viewer to the streamer, which are performed through the first server managed by the broadcasting platform (15). The broadcasting platform then generates and / or passes instructions for controlling the sex toy to the second server (17). The second server is responsible for executing the sex toy commands and sends these commands to the streamer's smartphone (18). The commands are then returned to the streamer's sex toy (19), allowing the viewer to control the streamer's sex toy's operation.

[0047] The second server associated with the integrated browser can retransmit instructions based on the streamer's operation of the sex toy to the viewer's smartphone running the integrated browser. These instructions are called "feedback"—instructions to the viewer's sex toy based on the streamer's operation of the sex toy. Here, this interaction is shown to involve passing instructions between two implementations of the second server (20) and then transmitting those instructions from the second implementation of the second server to the viewer's device (21). However, it should be understood that the second server, like the first server associated with the broadcasting platform, can be implemented as a distributed server, regardless of the number of actual server computers. For example, here, the first implementation of the second server is associated with the Connect app on the streamer's PC, and the second implementation of the second server is associated with the integrated browser (shown in this diagram as the "VibeMate app"). Alternatively, a single server may handle all of the functions of the second server. Ultimately, however, the viewer's operation of the sex toy is controlled according to instructions sent from the viewer's device. The viewer's instructions for controlling the sex toy are substantially synchronized with the streamer's instructions for the sex toy, thereby performing the "sync with streamer" function.

[0048] Additional viewers running integrated browsers may be viewing the same streaming content. For these additional viewers, instructions and communications from the second server associated with the Connect App are passed to a second server associated with the viewer's implementation of the integrated browser (20), which then passes these instructions and communications from the second server associated with the viewer's implementation of the integrated browser to the viewer's implementation of the integrated browser (21), thereby controlling the viewer's sex toy in accordance with the passed instructions (22), for example, to implement the feedback described above.

[0049] 9 illustrates an example of a computer system for implementing the method and system of the present disclosure. The method and system may be implemented in the form of a software application running on a computer system, such as a smartphone, a server, or a personal computer (PC). The software application may be stored on a recording medium locally accessible by the computer system and accessible via a wired or wireless connection to a network, such as a local area network (LAN) or the Internet.

[0050] The computer system, commonly referred to as system 1000, may include, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) 1001, a random access memory (RAM) 1004, a printer interface 1010, a display unit 1011, a local area network (LAN) data transmission controller 1005, a LAN interface 1006, a network controller 1003, an internal bus 1002, and one or more input devices 1009 (e.g., keyboard, mouse, etc.). As shown, system 1000 is connected to a data storage device (e.g., hard disk) 1008 via link 1007.

[0051] The exemplary embodiments described in this disclosure are illustrative, and many variations may be introduced without departing from the spirit of the disclosure or the scope of the appended claims. For example, elements and / or features of different exemplary embodiments may be combined with and / or substituted for each other within the scope of this disclosure and the appended claims.

Claims

1. 1. A method of participating in a live broadcast via a viewer device, comprising: running an application on the viewer device; accessing a live broadcast being streamed by a streaming platform in an associated broadcast room using the running application; monitoring, by the running application, for control commands from a user of the viewer device; The running application controls operation of interactive elements associated with the distribution room not managed by the streaming platform, where the operation of the interactive elements is observable only to at least one participant of the distribution room based on monitored operation instructions, and the at least one participant of the distribution room includes the user, a content creator of the live distribution, or other viewers accessing the distribution room using a device running the application; A method comprising:

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interactive element is a sex toy that communicates with a device of each of the at least one participant in the distribution room.

3. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive element is a camera onto which the live stream is being captured, the camera communicating with the respective devices of the at least one participant in the broadcast room, and the at least one participant being a content creator of the live stream.

4. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive element is a microphone positioned in proximity to the user to capture audio from the user and transmit the captured audio to the content creator for addition to the live stream.

5. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive element is a video game, and the video game is rendered by the running application of a user of the viewer device and by applications running on respective devices of the at least one participant in the distribution room.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein while viewing the live stream, a user of the viewer device receives feedback from the manipulation of the interactive element.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interactive elements are mounted on the viewer device as widgets or incorporated as controls into a rendering of the delivery room generated by the application on the viewer device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein control of the operation of the interactive element by the running application is limited by tipping operations from the user or a privileged identity of the user.

9. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the live stream is hosted on a first server controlled by the streaming platform and the interactive element is hosted on a second server not controlled by the streaming platform.

10. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive elements are devices associated with the respective devices of the at least one participant in the broadcast room, the at least one participant in the broadcast room is a content creator of the live broadcast, and the operation of the interactive elements affects the live broadcast.

11. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the running application provides access to the live streams as a curated list of live streams from multiple streaming platforms, the curated list filtered to display only live streams being broadcast by a device running the application or a device running software configured to communicate with a server associated with the application.

12. The application a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) module for establishing a TCP connection between the viewer device and a server associated with the application and for communicating with the server using the established TCP connection; The method of claim 1 , further comprising: establishing a wired or wireless connection between the viewer device and a viewer accessory based on control of an interactive element; and a short-range communications module for communicating with the viewer accessory using the established wired or wireless connection.

13. 1. A method for interactive live streaming via a viewer device, comprising: Browsing one or more distribution room pages in one or more distribution platforms through a user interface of an application running on the viewer device, wherein distribution content of each of the one or more distribution room pages is created by at least one streamer device and distributed to a corresponding distribution platform of the one or more distribution platforms; receiving, by the viewer device, interactive operation instructions sent directly from other viewer devices simultaneously browsing the at least one streaming room page or forwarded by the at least one streamer device from the other viewer devices, the interactive operation instructions being additionally generated from the application rather than being inherent functions of the one or more streaming room pages, the interactive operation instructions including at least one of viewer accessory control instructions, voice / text / video messaging instructions, game invites, or game interaction instructions; In response to receiving the interactive operation instruction, the application generates an interactive function corresponding to the interactive operation instruction; A method comprising:

14. 1. A method for interactive live online entertainment via user equipment, comprising: Visiting one or more online entertainment web pages via a user interface of an application executing on the first user device; Monitoring, by the first user device, an interactive operation input by the first user to at least one web page of the one or more online entertainment web pages, wherein the interactive operation affects an interactive element that is additionally arranged by the application and is not an inherent function of the at least one online entertainment web page; In response to the detected interaction, the application generates interaction instructions for interacting with the at least one online entertainment web page; transmitting the interactive operation instructions to an application and / or a viewer accessory executing on a second user device accessing the at least one web page for online entertainment, thereby allowing the first user to obtain feedback of the interactive operation while browsing the at least one web page, and the online entertainment of the at least one web page is provided to the application executing on the first user device and the application executing on the second user device, respectively, through a first server; an application executing on the second user device receiving the interactive operation from the first user device, wherein the application executing on the first user device communicates with the application executing on the second user device through a second server; and In response to receiving the interactive operation instruction, the application executing on the second user device generates an interactive function corresponding to the interactive operation instruction; and A method comprising:

15. A system for live streaming, comprising: a first device that generates live streaming content and transmits the generated live streaming content to a first server maintained by a first streaming platform, the first server publishing a first live stream based on the generated live streaming content; a second server that publishes the second live broadcast; a viewer device running an application to access the first live stream and the second live stream; Including, the application is configured to simultaneously display content of the first live stream and the second live stream to a user of the viewer device; The application is further configured to receive a selection of the first live stream from the user and display the first live stream to the user while overlaying a control panel for controlling operation of a streaming accessory in communication with the first device, wherein communication between the application and the streaming accessory is managed by a third server unrelated to the first streaming platform. system.

16. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first device also executes the application, and control of the operation of the streaming accessory is managed by the application executing on the first device and software executing on the third server in conjunction with the application executing on the viewer device.

17. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the streaming accessory is a sex toy that connects locally with the first device.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the streaming accessory is a camera that locally connects to the first device and captures the live-streamed content.

19. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the application executing on the viewer device is configured to render a video game, the video game being related to the first live stream, displayed on the viewer device alongside the first live stream, and hosted by the third server.

20. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein a copy of the application runs on the first device and the application running on the viewer device is configured to hide the second live stream when only the live stream associated with the application is desired to be displayed.

21. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein control of the streaming accessory by the viewer device is limited by the application's use of tipping functionality provided on the viewer device.

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