PROVIDING SYNCHRONOUS CONTENT AND SUPPLEMENTAL EXPERIENCES

• US 20130151728A1
• Filed: 12/07/2011
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: CURRIER, RYAN
• Granted Patent: US 10,142,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/248
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• 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 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43079 of additional data with content streams on multiple devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73

Abstract

Methods, systems, computer readable media, and apparatuses for providing synchronous supplemental experiences are presented. According to one or more aspects, a video signal may be transmitted to a display device, and a sync signal may be transmitted to at least one other device. The sync signal may include an identifier of a program currently being displayed and a time value indicating a current point in time of the program. In at least one arrangement, the sync signal may cause the at least one other device to access content synchronization data; determine, based on the content synchronization data, that at least one supplemental experience corresponds to the identifier of the program and the time value; and present the at least one supplemental experience to a user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transmitting, by a first computing device, a video signal of a current program to a display device; and

transmitting, by the first computing device, a synchronization signal to at least one device remote from the first computing device, the synchronization signal including an identifier of the current program being presented and a time value indicating a current point in time of the program,

wherein the synchronization signal causes the at least one device to;

access content synchronization data; and

determine, based on the content synchronization data, that at least one supplemental experience corresponds to the identifier of the current program and the time value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronization signal further causes the at least one device to provide the at least one supplemental experience.

3. The method of claim 2,

wherein the at least one device accesses the content synchronization data via an internet protocol connection, and

wherein the at least one device, prior to providing the at least one supplemental experience, downloads, via the internet protocol connection, data associated with the at least one supplemental experience.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a reverse synchronization signal from the at least one device, the reverse synchronization signal including an identifier of the at least one supplemental experience being provided by the at least one device.

5. The method of claim 2,

wherein the synchronization signal is received by two or more devices remote from the first computing device, each of the two or more devices being used by a different user, and

wherein each of the two or more devices provides a different supplemental experience based on which user is using the particular device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronization signal further includes at least one of:

a channel identifier indicating a channel currently being displayed, a speed identifier indicating a current playback speed, a permission identifier indicating a current user permission level, and a volume identifier indicating a current playback volume level.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the synchronization signal indicates that a second program is currently being displayed instead of a previously displayed program, and

wherein the synchronization signal causes the at least one device to:

re-access the content synchronization data;

determine, based on the content synchronization data, that a second supplemental experience is related to the second program; and

provide the second supplemental experience.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to;

transmit a data signal comprising a content item to a user device; and

transmit a synchronization signal to at least one device remote from the apparatus, the synchronization signal including an identifier of the content item and a time value indicating a current point in time of the content item.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the synchronization signal causes the at least one device to:

access a content synchronization data;

determine, based on the content synchronization data, that at least one supplemental experience corresponds to the identifier of the current program and the time value; and

provide the at least one supplemental experience.

10. The apparatus of claim 9,

wherein the at least one device accesses the content synchronization data via an internet connection, and

wherein the at least one device, prior to providing the at least one supplemental experience, downloads, via the internet connection, data associated with the at least one supplemental experience.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory stores additional computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to:

receive a reverse synchronization signal from the at least one device, the reverse synchronization signal including an identifier of the at least one supplemental experience being provided by the at least one device.

12. The apparatus of claim 9,

wherein the synchronization signal is received by two or more devices remote from the apparatus, each of the two or more devices being used by a different user, and

wherein each of the two or more devices provides a different supplemental experience based on which user is using the particular device.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the synchronization signal further includes at least one of:

a channel identifier indicating a channel currently being displayed, a speed identifier indicating a current playback speed, a permission identifier indicating a current user permission level, and a volume identifier indicating a current playback volume level.

14. The apparatus of claim 8,

wherein the synchronization signal indicates that a second program is currently being displayed instead of a previously displayed program, and

wherein the synchronization signal causes the at least one device to:

re-access the content synchronization data;

determine, based on the content synchronization data, that a second supplemental experience is related to the second program; and

provide the second supplemental experience.

15. A method, comprising:

detecting, by a first computing device, a local wireless transmission signal containing information identifying a program currently being displayed by a local display device, and a current point in time of the program being displayed;

transmitting a request to an internet protocol resource containing synchronization data for the program, the request containing information identifying the program;

receiving the synchronization data for the program; and

determining, based on the current point in time and synchronization data, to execute a supplemental experience command.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

downloading, via an internet protocol connection, data associated with the supplemental experience command to be executed.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

transmitting, by the first computing device, a reverse synchronization signal, the reverse synchronization signal including an identifier of at least one supplemental experience being provided by the first computing device.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

prior to receiving the synchronization data for the program, transmitting user information to the internet protocol resource, wherein the received synchronization data is selected based on the user information.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the local wireless transmission signal further contains at least one of:

a channel identifier indicating a channel currently being displayed, a speed identifier indicating a current playback speed, a permission identifier indicating a current user permission level, and a volume identifier indicating a current playback volume level.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining, based on the local wireless transmission signal, that a second program is currently being displayed by the local display device instead of a previously displayed program, the local wireless transmission signal containing a current point in time of the second program;

transmitting a second request to the internet protocol resource, the second request containing information identifying the second program;

receiving second synchronization data for the second program; and

determining, based on the current point in time of the second program and the second synchronization data, to execute a second supplemental experience command.