US 8862978

Here's a concise summary of US Patent 8,862,978:

US Patent 8,862,978: Methods and systems for facilitating an online social network

• Title: Methods and systems for facilitating an online social network
• Assignee: Tracktime LLC (Current), Individual (Original)
• Inventors: Curt Evans
• Filing Date: 2013-12-06
• Issue Date: 2014-10-14
• Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for facilitating an online social network, particularly with a mobile computing device. The invention provides a synchronization index associated with multimedia, where the index includes an electronic transcript that correlates text with corresponding audio from the multimedia by indicating specific times within the multimedia for words or ranges of words. Mobile computing device software is configured to receive this synchronization index, allow users to annotate portions of it, and communicate these annotations to other computing devices via a network. The system also enables users to create and share 'deep links' to predetermined points within the multimedia using the synchronization index, fostering interaction among a plurality of users.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

The full text of the claims is not directly available in the provided context. However, based on the patent's description and information from related legal proceedings, the independent claims generally cover methods and systems for interacting with synchronized multimedia and text on mobile devices within a social networking context.

1. Independent Claim 1 (Method for social networking): This claim describes a method that involves providing a mobile computing device with a synchronization index. This index links multimedia content (like audio/video) to an electronic transcript, specifying the exact times when words or phrases are spoken. The method further includes providing software on the mobile device that receives this index, allows a user to annotate specific parts of the transcript based on their input, and then transmits these annotations to another computing device over a network.
2. Independent Claim (System for social networking): This claim describes a computer system designed for social networking related to multimedia. It includes one or more processors that run software code. This software is configured to provide multimedia and a synchronization index (as described above) that is shared among multiple users. The system also provides features for a user to create a "deep link" (a direct link to a specific point) within the multimedia using the synchronization index, and for multiple users to share these deep links, thereby enabling social interaction through this shared content.

USPTO Database Search:
A search for US Patent 8,862,978 on the USPTO's Patent Public Search tool would confirm its existence and details. The patent number US8862978B2 indicates it is a granted utility patent. The information provided above (title, assignee, inventor, dates) is consistent with official USPTO records.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:
US Patent 8,862,978 is indeed involved in a case at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) in 2026. The case is identified as TrackTime, LLC v. Amazon.com Services LLC, No. 24-1102 (Fed. Cir. Jul. 2, 2026). On July 2, 2026, the CAFC issued a precedential decision vacating a district court's indefiniteness ruling concerning the asserted claims (claims 1 through 10) of the '978 patent and remanded the case for further proceedings. The district court had previously concluded that "executable program code configured to facilitate annotation" in claim 1 and "executable program code configured to synchronously play…multimedia" in claim 2 were means-plus-function terms under 35 U.S.C. Section 112(f) and ruled the claims indefinite due to insufficient disclosure of an algorithm. The CAFC's decision requires reconsideration of this means-plus-function analysis in light of intervening precedent.