System and Method for Coordinating Display of Shared Video Data

1. A method for coordinating display of shared video data by multiple independently operated user computers, the method comprising: In a coordinating device: receiving commands to alter a flow of shared video data from the multiple independently operated user computers, determining that two or more of the commands from respective ones of the multiple independently operated user computers are mutually exclusive when the two or more of the commands alter the flow of the shared video data in a contradictory manner; incorporating one of the two or more mutually exclusive commands into a global command queue and annulling the other(s) of the two or more mutually exclusive commands; and transmitting the global command queue and not the shared video data to all of the multiple independently operated user computers so that the incorporated commands are to be executed locally on a version of the shared video data stored on each of the multiple independently operated user computers, wherein said global command queue is transmitted to each of said multiple independently operated user computers for said incorporated commands to be executed locally only after said incorporating step.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a command received from one of the multiple independently operated user computers triggers the coordinating device to restrict commands from the other multiple independently operated user computers.

3. The method of claim 2 , comprising, in the coordinating device, annulling commands from the other multiple independently operated user computers that pertain to altering the flow of the shared video data as the trigger command.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising, in the coordinating device, giving one of the multiple independently operated user computers temporary exclusive permission to alter the flow of the shared video data.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the user computer with exclusive permission to alter the flow of the shared video data is the first of the multiple independently operated user computers to transmit a command within a predetermined time period to alter the flow of the shared video data.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the two or more of the commands are determined to be mutually exclusive when the two or more of the commands are transmitted or received simultaneously or within a predetermined time interval.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the two or more of the commands determined to be mutually exclusive are a fast-forward command and a rewind command.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein each version of the shared video data stored locally on each of the multiple independently operated user computers may be modified independently before implementing the global commands into the shared video data.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein all of the multiple independently operated user computers have equal priority to control the shared video data.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multiple independently operated user computers may have different priority for controlling the shared video data.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein editing comprises modifying the play rate of the shared video data.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein editing comprises modifying the display of the shared video data.

13. A system for coordinating display of shared video data by multiple independently operated user computers, the system comprising a coordinating device comprising a memory and an operatively coupled processor to: receive commands to alter a flow of shared video data from the multiple independently operated user computers; determine that two or more of the commands from respective ones of the multiple independently operated user computers are mutually exclusive when the two or more of the commands alter the flow of the shared video data in a contradictory manner; incorporate one of the two or more mutually exclusive commands into a global command queue and annulling the other(s) of the two or more mutually exclusive commands; and transmit the global command queue and not the shared video data to all of the multiple independently operated user computers so that the incorporated commands are to be executed locally on a version of the shared video data stored on each of the multiple independently operated user computers, wherein said global command queue is transmitted to each of said multiple independently operated user computers for said incorporated commands to be executed locally only after said incorporating step.

14. The system of claim 13 comprising a shared memory location storing the shared video data accessible by the multiple independently operated user computers.

15. A user device for coordinating display of shared video data with other independently operated user devices by communicating with a coordinating device, the user device comprising: a video decoder to display the shared video data; a memory; a processor operatively coupled to the memory, the processor configured for: sending a command to alter a flow of shared video data displayed on the user device, wherein when the coordinating device determines that the sent command and another command sent by one or more of the other independently operated user devices are mutually exclusive such that the commands alter the flow of the shared video data in a contradictory manner, and the coordinating device annuls the command sent by the user device, and receiving from the coordinating device a global command queue having incorporated therein one of the mutually exclusive commands sent by one of the other independently operated user devices and not receiving from the coordinating device the shared video data so that the incorporated command is to be executed locally on a version of the shared video data stored on the user device, wherein said global command queue is received by said user device for said incorporated command to be executed locally only after said one of the mutually exclusive commands is incorporated.