Platform Independent Multimedia Playback Apparatuses, Methods, and Systems

• US 20140047073A1
• Filed: 08/09/2013
• Published: 02/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Marcin Beme
• Original Assignee: Marcin Beme
• Inventors: Beme, Marcin
• Application Number:
  US13/963,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20140047073A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805

Abstract

The PLATFORM INDEPENDENT MULTIMEDIA PLAYBACK APPARATUSES, METHODS, AND SYSTEMS (“PLAYPLAT”) may be configured to enable cross-device and cross-format synchronization of media content. The PLAYPLAT may conserve bandwidth through its selection of appropriate portions of media for synchronization, such as through the use of predictive technology. The PLAYPLAT can further be configured to scan media content and create meta-data suitable for cross-format synchronization. The PLAYPLAT may also enable consumer commerce transactions based on media consumption or other factors. Additionally, the PLAYPLAT may be configured to enable account creation without registration and conduct transactions anonymously.

Claims

1. A processor-implemented method for synchronization of media in multiple formats across multiple devices, the method comprising:

receiving, at a synchronization server, a changed context synchronization request from a first user device configured to allow a user to consume media in a first format;

retrieving, using the synchronization server, a list of other devices accessible to a user associated with the first user device, wherein at least one of the devices is configured to allow the user to consume the media in at least a second format;

sending, using the synchronization server, a sync point update request to at least one of the devices, wherein the sync point update request includes a sync point representing the last portion of the media consumed by the user;

receiving, at the synchronization server, a sync point update response from at least one of the devices;

generating, using the synchronization server, a changed context synchronization response based on the sync point update response received from at least one of the devices; and

sending the changed context synchronization response to the first user device using the synchronization server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first format is an audio file and the second format is a text-based file.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the content synchronization request indicates the device on which the user will next consume the media.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, using the synchronization server, a user interaction package from the first user device, the user interaction package including user interaction designations that indicate the user'"'"'s interaction with the media; and

sending, using the synchronization server, the user interaction package to at least one of the other devices.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the user interaction package contains a plurality of user interaction nodes, each node representing a single action performed by the user.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining, for each node, the location of the user while performing the single action represented by the node.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, using a content server, a content request from at least one device in response to the sync point update request;

loading the media onto the at least one device using the content server.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the content request is a content differential request for a subset of the total content available for the media, and wherein loading the media onto the at least one device comprises loading a subset of the total content.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the subset of the total content represents a portion of the content that has not yet been consumed by the user.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising calculating, using the content server, a content padding factor and a content sync terminus to determine the amount of content to be loaded onto the at least one device.

11. A system for synchronization of media in multiple formats across multiple devices, the system comprising:

a server having a processor and memory;

a changed context module running on the server, the changed context module being configured to receive a changed context synchronization request from a first user device that allows a user to consume media in a first format;

a device list module running on the server and configured to retrieve a list of other devices accessible to a user associated with the first user device, wherein at least one of the devices is configured to allow the user to consume the media in at least a second format;

an update module running on the server and configured to

send a sync point update request to at least one of the devices, wherein the sync point update request includes a sync point representing the last portion of the media consumed by the user; and

receive a sync point update response from at least one of the devices;

wherein the changed context module is further configured to generate a changed context synchronization response based on the sync point update response received from at least one of the devices and to send the changed context synchronization response to the first user device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first format is an audio file and the second format is a text-based file.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the content synchronization request indicates the device on which the user will next consume the media.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the server is configured to:

receive a user interaction package from the first user device, the user interaction package including user interaction designations that indicate the user'"'"'s interaction with the media; and

send the user interaction package to at least one of the other devices.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the user interaction package contains a plurality of user interaction nodes, each node representing a single action performed by the user.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the server is configured to:

receive a content request from at least one device in response to the sync point update request; and

load the media onto the at least one device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the content request is a content differential request for a subset of the total content available for the media, and wherein the server is configured to load a subset of the total content onto the at least one device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the subset of the total content represents a portion of the content that has not yet been consumed by the user.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the server is configured to calculate a content padding factor and a content sync terminus to determine the amount of content to be loaded onto the at least one device.

20. A processor-readable tangible medium for indexing and matching equivalent media files of different formats, the medium storing processor-issuable-and-generated instructions to:

receive a changed context synchronization request from a first user device configured to allow a user to consume media in a first format;

retrieve a list of other devices accessible to a user associated with the first user device, wherein at least one of the devices is configured to allow the user to consume the media in at least a second format;

send a sync point update request to at least one of the devices, wherein the sync point update request includes a sync point representing the last portion of the media consumed by the user;

receive a sync point update response from at least one of the devices;

generate a changed context synchronization response based on the sync point update response received from at least one of the devices; and

send the changed context synchronization response to the first user device using the synchronization server.