MULTI-USER MEDIA DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR SYNCHRONIZING CONTENT ON MULTIPLE MEDIA PLAYERS

• US 20100223337A1
• Filed: 05/14/2010
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Reagan Inventions L.L.C. (Leigh M. Rothschild)
• Inventors: Rothschild, Leigh Mitchell
• Granted Patent: US 8,838,693 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42646 for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4302 Content synchronisation processes, e.g. decoder synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8453 by locking or enabling a set of features, e.g. optional functionalities in an executable program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

An interactive, multi-user media delivery system having a number of media storage mediums, each of containing a particular media selection, and a number of media players structured to selectively deliver the media selection to users. Each of the media players includes a control assembly structured to selectively control and regulate delivery of the media selection to the user, and at least one of the media players is selectively designatable as a slave unit. A master control assembly is further provided and is operatively associated with the media players, a connectivity assembly being included to establish a communicative link at least between the slave unit(s) and the master control assembly. The master control assembly is further structured to receive synchronization data from each of the media players, and to simultaneously and uniformly control the delivery of the media selection by the media players.

Claims

1-42. -42. (canceled)

43. An interactive, multi-user media delivery system comprising:

at least first and second portable media players structured to receive a media selection and selectively deliver, via a delivery assembly, the media selection to a user from a corresponding storage medium, each of the at least first and second portable media players including a control assembly structured to selectively control and regulate delivery of the media selection to the user and a connectivity assembly structured to establish a communicative link at least between the at least first and second portable media players;

the at least first portable media player being selectively designatable as a master unit and the at least second portable media player being selectively designatable as a slave unit; and

a master control assembly operatively associated with the at least first and second portable media players and disposed in the master unit,

the master control assembly structured to receive synchronization data of the media selection from each of the at least first and second portable media players at commencement of delivery of the media selection, the synchronization data including an identifier of the media selection and location designator indicative of what in the media selection is being delivered at a point in time when the synchronization data is collected, wherein

the master control assembly structured to periodically poll each of the at least first and second portable media players during delivery of the media selection to receive further synchronization data from each of the at least first and second portable media players and to simultaneously and uniformly synchronize the delivery of the media selection by controlling the control assembly of each of the at least first and second portable media players based on the polled and received synchronization data to ensure the at least first and second portable media players are delivering specific points of the media selection at the same time.

44. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 43, wherein the delivery assembly includes a digital music playback system.

45. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 43, wherein the delivery assembly includes a MP3 player.

46. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 43, wherein the delivery assembly includes a personal video recorder.

47. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 43, wherein the at least first and second portable media players are web enabled media players.

48. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 47, further comprising a messaging assembly operatively associated with each of the at least first and second portable media players, the messaging assembly structured to permit selective messaging communication initiated by the users to the users of the at least first and second portable media players while the media selection is being delivered to the users.

49. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 48, wherein the messaging assembly includes a text messaging assembly structured to communicate a message visibly utilizing a monitor associated with the delivery of the media selection.

50. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 48, wherein the messaging assembly includes an audio messaging assembly structured to communicate a message audibly utilizing an audio system associated with the delivery of the media selection.

51. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 48, wherein the messaging assembly includes a video messaging assembly structured to communicate a message visibly utilizing a monitor associated with the delivery of the media selection.

52. A media delivery system for synchronizing content on at least two portable media players comprising:

at least first and second portable media players structured to receive a media selection and selectively deliver, via a delivery assembly, the media selection to a user from a corresponding storage medium disposed in the portable media player, each of the portable media players including;

a control assembly structured to selectively control and regulate delivery of the media selection to the user, and

a connectivity assembly structured to coupled the portable media player to a computer network and enable network communications; and

a master control assembly operatively associated with and coupled to the portable media players over the computer network, the master control assembly structured to receive synchronization data of the media selection from each of the portable media players at commencement of delivery of the media selection, the synchronization data including an identifier of the media selection and location designator indicative of what in the media selection is being delivered at a point in time when the synchronization data is collected, wherein

the master control assembly structured to periodically poll each of the portable media players during delivery of the media selection to receive further synchronization data from each of the portable media players and to simultaneously and uniformly synchronize the delivery of the media selection by controlling the control assembly of each of the portable media players based on the polled and received synchronization data to ensure the at least two portable media players are delivering specific points of the media selection at the same time.

53. The media delivery system as recited in claim 52, wherein the master control assembly is disposed in server remotely located from the portable media players.

54. The media delivery system as recited in claim 52, further comprising a central authority coupled to the computer network and structured to receive the identifier for the media selection from each of the at least first and second portable media players and to verify that each media selection is an authorized copy based on the received identifier, wherein upon verification, each of the at least first and second portable media players having an authorized media selection is enabled to participate in the system.

55. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 52, further comprising a messaging assembly operatively associated with each of the at least first and second portable media players, the messaging assembly structured to permit selective messaging communication initiated by the users to the users of the at least first and second portable media players while the media selection is being delivered to the users.

56. The interactive, multi-user media delivery system as recited in claim 55, wherein the messaging assembly includes a text messaging assembly structured to communicate a message visibly utilizing a monitor associated with the delivery of the media selection.

57. The media delivery system as recited in claim 55, wherein the messaging assembly includes an audio messaging assembly structured to communicate a message audibly utilizing an audio system associated with the delivery of the media selection.

58. The media delivery system as recited in claim 55, wherein the messaging assembly includes a video messaging assembly structured to communicate a message visibly utilizing a monitor associated with the delivery of the media selection.

59. The media delivery system as recited in claim 52, wherein the at least first and second portable media players include a digital music playback system.

60. The media delivery system as recited in claim 52, wherein the at least first and second portable media players include a MP3 player.

61. The media delivery system as recited in claim 52, wherein the at least first and second portable media players include a personal video recorder.

62. The media delivery system as recited in claim 52, wherein the at least first and second portable media players are web enabled media players.