SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR LATENCY-BASED SYNCHRONIZED PLAYBACK AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS

• US 20130173742A1
• Filed: 12/28/2011
• Published: 07/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Thomas, William L., Grab, Eric W., Klappert, Walter R., Woods, Thomas S., Nichols, Michael R.
• Application Number:
  US13/338,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20130173742A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• 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 21/2625 for delaying content or additional data distribution, e.g. because of an extended sport event
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47208 for requesting near-video-on-demand content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• 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

Abstract

Embodiments provide methods and systems for synchronizing simultaneous media asset viewing for users at different geographical viewing locations. In some embodiments, a first user device receives a request to synchronize viewing of a media asset with a second user device. If the first user device accepts the request for synchronized viewing, the first and second user devices receive the media asset from a common source. Control circuitry at the common source may determine the latencies to the first and second user devices. The transmission of the media asset to the first and second user devices is adjusted according to the latencies.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing simultaneous media asset viewing with different user devices, the method comprising:

identifying a group of devices selected for simultaneous viewing of a media asset;

determining, by control circuitry at a media source, for each user device in the group of user devices, a latency between the media source and the respective user device, wherein the determined latency comprises a transmission latency corresponding to a transmission time between the media source and the user device; and

adjusting, by communications circuitry at the media source, delivery of the media asset from the media source to each of the user devices in the group based on the determined latency between the media source and each of the user devices in the group.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the media source is one of the user devices in the group that accesses the media asset from storage.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the media source displays the media asset based on the determined latencies between the media source and each of the user devices in the group.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the media source is a media content source of a media content provider.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by communications circuitry at a first user device in the group of user devices, a request from a second user device in the group of user devices to synchronize viewing of the media asset with the group of user devices.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the synchronized viewing of the media asset begins at a predetermined time period after the second user device transmits the synchronization request.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by control circuitry, a delay for transmitting the program to each user device in the group of user devices, wherein the determined delay for each user device in the group of user devices is based on the difference between the latency of the user device and the highest latency determined for the group of user devices; and

transmitting, by the communications circuitry at the media source, the media asset from the media source to each of the user devices based on the determined delays.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the latencies between the media source and each of the user devices in the group of user devices further comprises a decoding time of the user device, the method further comprising determining, by the control circuitry, the decoding time of the user device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each user device in the group of user devices adjusts the display of the media asset based on the latencies for the group of user devices.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein by participating in synchronized viewing, at least one user device in the group of user devices accesses the media asset before the media asset is aired in a geographic region of the at least user device.

11. A system for synchronizing simultaneous media asset viewing with different user devices, the system comprising:

control circuitry at a media source configured to;

identify a group of devices selected for simultaneous viewing of a media asset; and

determine, for each user device in the group of user devices, a latency between the media source and the respective user device, wherein the determined latency comprises a transmission latency corresponding to a transmission time between the media source and the user device; and

communications circuitry at the media source configured to adjust delivery of the media asset from the media source to each of the user devices in the group based on the determined latency between the media source and each of the user devices in the group.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the media source is one of the user devices in the group that accesses the media asset from storage.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to display the media asset based on the determined latencies between the media source and each of the user devices in the group.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the media source is a media content source of a media content provider.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising communications circuitry at a first user device in the group of user devices configured to receive a request from a second user device in the group of user devices to synchronize viewing of the media asset with the group of user devices.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the synchronized viewing of the media asset begins at a predetermined time period after the second user device transmits the synchronization request.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine a delay for transmitting the program to each user device in the group of user devices, wherein the determined delay for each user device in the group of user devices is based on the difference between the latency of the user device and the highest latency determined for the group of user devices;

and the communications circuitry is further configured to transmit the media asset from the media source to each of the user devices based on the determined delays.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the latencies between the media source and each of the user devices in the group of user devices further comprises a decoding time of the user device, the control circuitry is further configured to determine the decoding time of the user device.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein each user device in the group of user devices adjusts the display of the media asset based on the latencies for the group of user devices.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein by participating in synchronized viewing, at least one user device in the group of user devices accesses the media asset before the media asset is aired in a geographic region of the at least user device.

21-30. -30. (canceled)