TIME-SENSITIVE REMOTE CONTROL OF A VIDEO PLAYBACK DEVICE

• US 20100232771A1
• Filed: 03/16/2009
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Tahler, Evan H., Prestenback, Kyle J.
• Application Number:
  US12/404,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20100232771A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: N/A
• 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 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8547 involving timestamps for synchronizing content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

One or more media players are remotely controlled via a data network in a manner that synchronizes the playback state of each media player with the playback state of a master device.

Claims

1. A method for remotely controlling a standalone media player via a data network, comprising:

using a master device to play back a packaged medium on which a content item is recorded, the master device having a media player user interface to respond to playback commands received from a user; and

transmitting synchronization information via the data network from the master device, the synchronization information configured to cause a remote standalone media player receiving the synchronization information via the data network to synchronize a playback state of the remote standalone media player to a playback state of the master device.

2. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the data network includes a portion of the internet.

3. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein using a master device comprises using a master standalone media player.

4. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein using a master device comprises using a computer.

5. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein transmitting synchronization information comprises transmitting indications of playback commands.

6. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein transmitting synchronization information comprises transmitting timecode indications.

7. The method claimed in claim 1, further comprising receiving a query via the data network from the remote standalone media player, wherein transmitting synchronization information is performed in response to the query.

8. The method claimed in claim 1, further comprising, simultaneously with using the master device, communicating audio information representing a voice of a person who is using the master device.

9. The method claimed in claim 1, further comprising, simultaneously with using the master device, communicating video information representing an image of a person who is using the master device.

10. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein using a master device comprises a person associated with production of the content item using the master device.

11. A standalone media player operable to play a packaged medium on which is recorded in machine-readable form a content item, the media player comprising:

a playback subsystem comprising a media drive for reading the content item recorded on the packaged medium and decoder logic for producing signals representing a content stream;

data communication logic, the data communication logic causing the standalone media player to receive synchronization information via a data network from a master device; and

synchronization logic, the synchronization logic causing the playback system to synchronize a playback state of the playback system to a playback state of the master device in response to received synchronization information.

12. The standalone media player claimed in claim 11, wherein the data network includes a portion of the internet.

13. The standalone media player claimed in claim 11, wherein the synchronization information comprises playback commands.

14. The standalone media player claimed in claim 11, wherein the synchronization information comprises timecode data.

15. The standalone media player claimed in claim 11, further comprising query logic, the query logic causing the standalone media player to transmit a query via the data network to the master device, wherein the synchronization information is responsive to the query.

16. A packaged media product for playback on a standalone media player, the packaged media product comprising a player-readable medium on which is recorded in machine-readable form a content item and code for instructing the standalone media player to:

receive synchronization information via a data network from a master device; and

synchronize a playback state of the playback system to a playback state of the master device in response to received synchronization information.

17. The packaged media product claimed in claim 16, wherein the data network includes a portion of the internet.

18. The packaged media product claimed in claim 16, wherein the synchronization information comprises playback commands.

19. The packaged media product claimed in claim 16, wherein the synchronization information comprises timecode data.

20. The packaged media product claimed in claim 16, wherein the code is further for instructing the standalone media player to transmit a query via the data network to the master device, wherein the synchronization information is responsive to the query.