Synchronization of Media State Across Multiple Devices

• US 20090259711A1
• Filed: 04/11/2008
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Munsterteiger, Barry Richard, Drieu, Gilles
• Application Number:
  US12/101,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20090259711A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/40 Combinations of multiple record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/322 used signal is digitally coded

Abstract

Media state synchronization across multiple devices can include detecting an event relating to a user'"'"'s access of content on a first device, determining state information relating to an access state of the content corresponding to the detected event, and transmitting the determined state information to a remote location for use in accessing the content on a second device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting an event relating to a user'"'"'s access of content on a first device;

determining state information relating to an access state of the content corresponding to the detected event; and

transmitting the determined state information to a remote location for use in accessing the content on a second device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected event comprises at least one of pause, stop, access complete, power off, and user input.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the state information comprises a playhead position.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the state information further comprises an indication of whether the content has been accessed completely.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the content comprises video, audio, text, graphics, or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein copies of the content reside on each of the first and second devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the content resides at a remote location and is streamed to a device during access.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote location comprises a computer system accessible via a wide area network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote location comprises a computer system within a same local area network as the first device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the content comprises digital video and access comprises playing a digital video file.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the transmitted state information to update content residing on the second device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the transmitted state information to position an access point in the content on the second device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote location comprises a computer system within a same local area network as the second device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device is located at the remote location.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device is located at the remote location.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the content comprises one or more media objects.

17. A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

detecting an event relating to a user'"'"'s access of content on a first device;

determining state information relating to an access state of the content corresponding to the detected event; and

transmitting the determined state information to a remote location for use in accessing the content on a second device.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the detected event comprises at least one of pause, stop, access complete, power off, and user input.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the state information comprises a playhead position.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the state information further comprises an indication of whether the content has been accessed completely.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the content comprises video, audio, text, graphics, or a combination thereof.

22. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein copies of the content reside on each of the first and second devices.

23. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the content resides at a remote location and is streamed to a device during access.

24. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the remote location comprises a computer system accessible via a wide area network.

25. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the remote location comprises a computer system within a same local area network as the first device.

26. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the content comprises digital video and access comprises playing a digital video file.

27. The computer program product of claim 17, the operations further comprising using the transmitted state information to update content residing on the second device.

28. The computer program product of claim 17, the operations further comprising using the transmitted state information to position an access point in the content on the second device.

29. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the remote location comprises a computer system within a same local area network as the second device.

30. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the first device is located at the remote location.

31. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the second device is located at the remote location.

32. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the content comprises one or more media objects.

33. A system comprising:

a processor configured to perform operations comprising;

detecting an event relating to a user'"'"'s access of content on a first device;

determining state information relating to an access state of the content corresponding to the detected event; and

transmitting the determined state information to a remote location for use in accessing the content on a second device.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the detected event comprises at least one of pause, stop, access complete power off, and user input.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the state information comprises a playhead position.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the state information further comprises an indication of whether the content has been accessed completely.

37. The system of claim 33, wherein the content comprises video, audio, text, graphics, or a combination thereof.

38. The system of claim 33, wherein copies of the content reside on each of the first and second devices.

39. The system of claim 33, wherein the content resides at a remote location and is streamed to a device during access.

40. The system of claim 33, wherein the remote location comprises a computer system accessible via a wide area network.

41. The system of claim 33, wherein the remote location comprises a computer system within a same local area network as the first device.

42. The system of claim 33, wherein the content comprises digital video and access comprises playing a digital video file.

43. The system of claim 33, the operations further comprising using the transmitted state information to update content residing on the second device.

44. The system of claim 33, the operations further comprising using the transmitted state information to position an access point in the content on the second device.

45. The system of claim 33, wherein the remote location comprises a computer system within a same local area network as the second device.

46. The system of claim 33, wherein the first device is located at the remote location.

47. The system of claim 33, wherein the second device is located at the remote location.

48. The system of claim 33, wherein the content comprises one or more media objects.

49. A method comprising.:

receiving from a remote location state information relating to an access state of content on a first device; and

using the received state information to manage a user'"'"'s access of content on a second device.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the state information comprises a playhead position.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the state information further comprises an indication of whether the content has been accessed completely.

52. The method of claim 49, wherein the content comprises video, audio, text, graphics, or a combination thereof.

53. The method of claim 49, wherein the content comprises one or more media objects.

54. The method of claim 49, wherein the remote location comprises a computer system within a same local area network as the second device.

55. The method of claim 49, wherein the content comprises digital video and access comprises playing a digital video file.

56. The method of claim 49, further comprising using the transmitted state information to position an access point in the content on the second device.

57. The method of claim 49, wherein the remote location comprises a computer system within a same local area network as the second device.