PLAYBACK SYNCHRONIZATION IN A GROUP VIEWING A MEDIA TITLE

• US 20140373081A1
• Filed: 09/03/2014
• Published: 12/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Dodson, Joseph, Khan, Mohammed A.
• Granted Patent: US 11,051,059 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/97
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/24 Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of server load, available bandwidth, upstream requests monitoring of server performance or load G06F11/34; arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2407 Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14
• 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 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43076 of the same content streams on multiple devices, e.g. when family members are watching the same movie on different devices
• 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 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

A method and apparatus for synchronizing the playback of a media title to a group of client device platforms is disclosed. A synchronizer may make adjustments to the playback modes of one or more client device platforms within a group watching the same media title in order to ensure synchronized playback. When a client device platform is behind the group its playback mode may be changed to a fast playback mode. When a client device platform is ahead of the group its playback mode may be changed to a slow playback mode. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. A media player configured to present media content synchronously with a group of one or more other users viewing the media content with one or more corresponding other media players,

wherein the media player is configured to detect a place in time of its presentation of the media content relative to the one or more corresponding other media players and speed up or slow down presentation of one or more frames of the media content order to gain back synchronization with the group when the media player loses synchronization with the group as a result of some event.

2. The media player of claim 1, wherein the event is a pausing by the media player or one or more of the one or more corresponding media players.

3. The media player of claim 1, wherein the media player includes:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor;

one or more instructions embodied in the memory for execution by the processor, the instructions being configured to synchronize presentation the media content by

monitoring the playback progress of the media content for the media player and each of the one or more other corresponding other media players;

determining whether the playback progress of media player and each of the one or more other corresponding other media players are in synchronization and/or are predicted to remain in synchronization; and

changing a playback mode of one or more selected client device platforms of the plurality of client device platforms from a standard playback mode to an adjusted playback mode when it is determined in said determining that the playback progress for the media player and each of the one or more other corresponding other media players are not in synchronization and/or are predicted to not remain in synchronization.

4. The media player of claim 3, wherein changing a playback mode of one or more selected client device platforms of the plurality of client device platforms from a standard playback mode to an adjusted playback mode includes removing and/or adding frames from the media title for each of the selected client device platforms.

5. The media player of claim 1, wherein the media player is configured to monitor presentation of the media content and predict whether presentation of the media content on the media player and the one or more corresponding other media players will remain in synchronization at a future time.

6. The media player of claim 5, wherein the media player is configured to monitor presentation of the media content by checking the media player and the one or more corresponding other media players for an abnormally large latency in connection.

7. The media player of claim 5, wherein the media player is configured to monitor presentation of the media content by monitoring the communications between the plurality of client device platforms.

8. The media player of claim 7, wherein the communication is a textual communication.

9. The media player of claim 8, wherein the communication is a vocal communication.

10. The media player of claim 5 wherein the media player is configured to monitor presentation of the media content by visually monitoring one or more users of each of the plurality of client device platforms.