Proximity synchronization of audio content among multiple playback and storage devices

• US 10,033,475 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2011
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Spurgat, Jeffrey Jonathan, Gladwin, Stephen Christopher, Andrews, III, Hoyet Harrison
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US13/101,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20110207396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,637 Days
• Field of Search: 455 301- 306, 455 411- 412, 455 661, 455418-420, 455500, 455502, 455517-519, 4554141-4142, 4554561, 4554563, 4554565, 4554566, 709208, 709211, 709213, 709216, 709231, 709248
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/68 Systems specially adapted for using specific information, e.g. geographical or meteorological information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/88 which are wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams

Abstract

A wireless communication system and in particular to a wireless communication system for digital audio players that provides for increased functionality, such as communication, interaction and synchronization between a computing platform and various mobile, portable or fixed digital audio players, as well as providing a communication link between the various digital audio players themselves. The computing platform may act, for example, through a wireless network or wireless communication platform, to control the digital audio players; to act as a cache of digital audio data for the digital audio players; as well as provide a gateway to the Internet to enable the digital audio players to access additional digital audio content and other information. The computing platform may also be used to automatically update digital audio content on the digital audio players; synchronize digital audio content and playlists between digital audio players; and automatically continue a particular playlist as the user moves from one digital audio player to another.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, using at least one processor, that a first digital content player is within a proximity of a second digital content player by;

detecting a broadcast from the first digital content player;

queuing the broadcast; and

determining that the first digital content player is within the proximity of the second digital content player based on stored information obtained from a received query player message from the first digital content player; and

sending a message to the first digital content player acknowledging the broadcast when the first digital content player is determined not within the proximity of the second digital content player.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a local wireless communication link directly between the first digital content player and the second digital content player.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast from the first digital content player indicates an option to synchronize digital content information, including audio, video, or image data.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a local wireless communication link between the first digital content player and the second digital content player via a gateway device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing information indicating that the first digital content player is within the proximity of the second digital content player.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing, when the first digital content player is within the proximity of the second digital content player, a local wireless communication link that enables communication between the first digital content player and the second digital content player to synchronize digital content information.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

synchronizing digital content information stored in the first digital content player with digital content information stored in the second digital content player via the established local wireless communication link, wherein the synchronized digital content information includes playlist information, and wherein the first digital content player and the second digital content player are mobile user devices.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein synchronizing digital content information stored in the first digital content player with digital content information stored in the second digital content player is initiated by a user with a user input on a user input interface of the first digital content player.

9. A digital content player, comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory device that stores digital content information;

a set of instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

detect when another digital content player is located sufficiently proximate to the digital content player by;

detecting a broadcast from the digital content player;

queuing the broadcast; and

determining that the digital content player is within the proximity of the another digital content player based on stored information obtained from a received query player message from the digital content player; and

sending a message to the digital content player acknowledging the broadcast when the digital content player is determined not within the proximity of the another digital content player.

10. The digital content player of claim 9, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

establish a local wireless communication link directly between the digital content player and the another digital content player.

11. The digital content player of claim 9, wherein the broadcast from the digital content player indicates an option to synchronize digital content, including audio, video or image data.

12. The digital content player of claim 9, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

establish a local wireless communication link between the digital content player and the another digital content player via a gateway device.

13. The digital content player of claim 9, wherein the digital content player further comprises a user input interface for receiving user inputs.

14. The digital content player of claim 13, wherein the set of instructions cause the at least one processor to synchronize the digital content information and the digital content with the another digital content player upon an input from a user on the user input interface of the digital content player.

15. The digital content player of claim 9, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

store information indicating that the digital content player is within the proximity of the another digital content player.

16. The digital content player of claim 9, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

establish a local wireless communication link to enable communication between the digital content player and the another digital content player when the another digital content player is sufficiently proximate to the digital content player to synchronize digital content information and digital content.

17. The digital content player of claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:

synchronize digital content information and digital content stored in the digital content player with digital content information and digital content stored in the another digital content player via the established local wireless link, wherein the synchronized digital content includes audio content, and wherein the digital content player and the another digital content player are mobile user devices.

18. A system including a first digital audio player, the first digital audio player including a processor and a set of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

store, in a memory device, digital audio information;

detect, using at least one processor, that the first digital audio player is within a proximity of a second digital audio player by;

detecting a broadcast from the first digital audio player;

queuing the broadcast; and

determining that the first digital audio player is within the proximity of the second digital audio player based on stored information obtained from a received query player message from the first digital audio player; and

sending a message to the first digital audio player acknowledging the broadcast when the first digital audio player is determined not within the proximity of the second digital audio player.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the digital audio information includes audio data.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising a gateway device, wherein a local wireless communication link is established via the gateway device.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the digital audio information includes an identification of a sequential grouping of audio, video, or image data.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the first digital audio player further comprises a user input interface for receiving user inputs.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the set of instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

store information indicating that the first digital audio player is within the proximity of the second digital audio player.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the set of instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

establish a local wireless communication link between the first digital audio player and the second digital audio player to synchronize digital audio information.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the set of instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

synchronize the digital audio information stored in the first digital audio player with digital audio information stored in the second digital audio player via the established local wireless communication link, wherein the first digital audio player and the second digital audio player are mobile digital audio players.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the local wireless communication link is a direct communication link between the first digital audio player and the second digital audio player.