System and method to assist synchronization of distributed play out of content
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- extracting, at a first station, at least a plurality of first features from audio captured by a first microphone at the first station;
receiving, at the first station from a communication network, at least a plurality of second features of audio captured by a second microphone at a second station, the second features being extracted at the second station, each of the first features and the second features forming an identifiable representation of aspects of the corresponding captured audio;
storing the received plurality of second features in a buffer at the first station;
comparing the extracted plurality of first and second audio features to determine if a latency exists between the first and second stations, and if so, thengenerating synchronization information to initiate at least one of a pause or jump operation in connection with content playing out by at least one of the first and second stations for an interval corresponding to an interval by which one station leads the other station to synchronize content undergoing play out at the first and second stations; and
purging the buffer once said content undergoing play out at the first and second stations is synchronized, said purging being a different event from an end of the content play out, and being performed in response to a reset message indicating the content play out being synchronized.
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Abstract
A method for synchronizing content undergoing play out at first and second stations commences by comparing audio within content undergoing play out on the first station to the audio within content undergoing play out on the second station to determine if a latency exists between the first and second stations. If such a latency exists, then at least one of a pause or jump operations is performed in connection with content playing out by at least one of the first and second stations for an interval corresponding to an interval by which one station leads the other station to bring the two stations into substantial synchronism.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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extracting, at a first station, at least a plurality of first features from audio captured by a first microphone at the first station; receiving, at the first station from a communication network, at least a plurality of second features of audio captured by a second microphone at a second station, the second features being extracted at the second station, each of the first features and the second features forming an identifiable representation of aspects of the corresponding captured audio; storing the received plurality of second features in a buffer at the first station; comparing the extracted plurality of first and second audio features to determine if a latency exists between the first and second stations, and if so, then generating synchronization information to initiate at least one of a pause or jump operation in connection with content playing out by at least one of the first and second stations for an interval corresponding to an interval by which one station leads the other station to synchronize content undergoing play out at the first and second stations; and purging the buffer once said content undergoing play out at the first and second stations is synchronized, said purging being a different event from an end of the content play out, and being performed in response to a reset message indicating the content play out being synchronized. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus at a first station, the apparatus comprising:
a first microphone, a network interface and a processor configured to; extract at least a plurality of first features of audio captured by the first microphone from the content undergoing play out at the first station; receive from the network interface at least a plurality of second features from audio captured by a second microphone from the content undergoing play out at a second station, wherein the second features are extracted at the second station, each of the first features and the second features forming an identifiable representation of aspects of the corresponding captured audio; store the received plurality of second features in a buffer at the first station; compare the extracted first and second plurality of audio features to determine if a latency exists between the first and second stations; generate synchronization information to initiate at least one of a pause or jump operations in connection with content play out at one of the first and second stations leading station for an interval corresponding to an interval by which one station leads the other station to synchronize content undergoing play out at the first station with content undergoing play out at the second station; and purge the buffer once said content undergoing play out at the first and second stations is synchronized, said purging being a different event from an end of the content play out, and being performed in response to a reset message indicating the content play out being synchronized. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
Specification