METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING AUDIO PLAYBACK OF PLURAL PLAYING DEVICES AND AUDIO PLAYBACK SYSTEM

• US 20150081068A1
• Filed: 11/19/2013
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Primax Electronics Limited
• Original Assignee: Primax Electronics Limited
• Inventors: Cheng, Ting-Yuan
• Application Number:
  US14/084,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20150081068A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• 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 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams

Abstract

A method for synchronizing audio playback includes following steps. Firstly, a first playing device is set as a master playing device. Then, a second operation status of a second playing device is switched to a first operation status of the first playing device. In response to an action command, a first time information of the first playing device is transmitted to the second playing device. By comparing the first time information with a second time information of the second playing device, the second playing device and the first playing device start the audio playback. The first time information and the second time information are continuously compared with each other, and a playback progress of the second playing device is correspondingly adjusted. Consequently, the audio playback of the second playing device and the first playing device are synchronized.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing audio playback of plural playing devices, the plural playing devices comprise a first playing device and a second playing device, the method comprising steps of:

(A) setting the first playing device as a master playing device, wherein the first playing device is in a first operation status, and the second playing device is in a second operation status;

(B) allowing the first playing device to transmit the first operation status to the second playing device, so that the second operation status of the second playing device is switched to the first operation status;

(C) using a digital media controller to transmit an action command;

(D) transmitting a first time information of the first playing device to the second playing device after the playback command is received by the first playing device;

(E) the second playing device comparing the first time information of the first playing device with a second time information of the second playing device, thereby controlling the second playing device and the first playing device to start the audio playback in response to the action command; and

(F) allowing the second playing device to continuously receive the first time information of the first playing device and compare the first time information with the second time information after the first playing device and the second playing device start the audio playback, so that a playback progress of the second playing device is adjusted and the audio playback of the second playing device is synchronized with the audio playback of the first playing device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step (A) further comprises a sub-step of using the digital media controller to set a playback group including the first playing device and the second playing device.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein after the playback group including the first playing device and the second playing device is set, the step (A) further comprises a sub-step of synchronizing a first systematic time of the first playing device and a second systematic time of the second playing devices.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step (A) further comprises a sub-step of transmitting a delay time interval of the playback group from the digital media controller to the first playing device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step (A) further comprises a sub-step of transmitting a playback group information from the first playing device to the second playing device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the step (B) or the step (D), the first playing device acquires at least one audio data of an audio file from a digital media server and transmits the at least one audio data of the audio file to the second playing device in the wireless transmission manner.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first time information contains at least one of a current first systematic time Sm1, a first scheduled playback time Pm, a first playback progress Dm and a first initial playback time Cm, and the second time information contains at least one of a current second systematic time Ss1, a second scheduled playback time Ps, a second playback progress Ds and a second initial playback time Cs, wherein the current first systematic time Sm1 is a first systematic time Sm when the first time information is transmitted, the current second systematic time Ss1 is a second systematic time Ss when the first time information Tm is received, the first scheduled playback time Pm is the first systematic time Sm when scheduled playback of an audio file is started by the first playing device, the second scheduled playback time Ps is the second systematic time Ss when the scheduled playback of the audio file is started by the second playing device, the first playback progress Dm indicates a time length of the audio file having been played by the first playing device, the second playback progress Ds indicates the time length of the audio file having been played by the second playing device, the first initial playback time Cm is the first systematic time Sm when the audio file is started to be played by the first playing device at a first time, and the second initial playback time Cs is the second systematic time Ss when the audio file is started to be played by the second playing device at a first time.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein in the step (B), the first operation status is a stop status, a pause status or a play status.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the first operation status is the pause status, and the step (B) comprises sub-steps of:

(B1) allowing the first playing device to transmit the first operation status and the first playback progress Dm to the second playing device; and

(B2) switching the second operation status of the second playing device to the pause status, wherein the second playback progress Ds leads the first playback progress Dm by a first predetermined time period according to settings.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the first operation status is the play status, and the step (B) comprises sub-steps of:

(B3) allowing the first playing device to transmit the first operation status, the first playback progress Dm, the first initial playback time Cm and the current first systematic time Sm1 to the second playing device;

(B4) judging whether a sum of the first playback progress Dm and the first initial playback time Cm is equal to the current first systematic time Sm1, wherein if the judging condition is satisfied, a sub-step (B5) is performed, wherein if the judging condition is not satisfied, a sub-step (B6) is performed;

(B5) allowing the second playing device to calculate a difference between the current second systematic time Ss1 and the first initial playback time Cm so as to acquire a first delayed playback progress of the first playing device, and then to perform a sub-step (B7) and a sub-step (B8);

(B6) allowing the second playing device to calculate a difference between the current second systematic time Ss1 and the current first systematic time Sm1 and calculate a sum of the difference (Ss1−

Sm1) and the first playback progress Dm so as to acquire a second delayed playback progress of the first playing device, and then to perform the sub-step (B7) and the sub-step (B8);

(B7) allowing the second playback progress Ds to lead the first delayed playback progress or the second delayed playback progress by a second predetermined time period according to settings of the second playing device; and

(B8) allowing the second playing device to calculate a difference between the current second systematic time Ss1 and the first initial playback time Cm and a difference between the second playback progress Ds and the first playback progress Dm, and control the audio playback of the second playing device to be started at a time when the second systematic time Ss is larger than or equal to a sum of the difference (Sm1−

Cm), the difference (Ds−

Dm) and the first initial playback time Cm, so that the second operation status is switched to the play status.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the action command is a play command, and the step (E) comprises a sub-step of:

(E1) controlling the audio playback of the second playing device to be started at a time when the second systematic time Ss is larger than or equal to the first scheduled playback time Pm, wherein the first scheduled playback time Pm is equal to a sum of the current first systematic time Sm1 and a delay time interval, and the audio playback of the second playing device is started at the first scheduled playback time Pm.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the action command is a replay command, and the step (E) comprises sub-steps of:

(E2) calculating a difference between the second playback progress Ds and the first playback progress Dm; and

(E3) controlling the audio playback of the second playing device to be started at a time when the second systematic time Ss is larger than or equal to a sum of the first scheduled playback time Pm and the difference (Ds−

Dm), wherein the first scheduled playback time Pm is equal to a sum of the current first systematic time Sm1 and a delay time interval, and the audio playback of the second playing device is started at the first scheduled playback time Pm.

13. The method according to claim 7, wherein the action command is a seek command, and the step (E) comprises sub-steps of:

(E4) resetting the first playback progress Dm of the first playing device and the second playback progress Ds of the second playing device in response to the seek command, and

(E5) controlling the audio playback of the second playing device to be started at a time when the second systematic time Ss is larger than or equal to the first scheduled playback time Pm, wherein the first scheduled playback time Pm is equal to a sum of the current first systematic time Sm1 and a delay time interval, and the audio playback of the second playing device is started at the first scheduled playback time Pm.

14. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step (F) comprises sub-steps of:

(F1) transmitting the current first systematic time Sm1 and the first playback progress Dm from the first playing device to the second playing device;

(F2) allowing the second playing device to calculate a difference between the current first systematic time Sm1 and the first playback progress Dm and calculate a sum of the difference (Ss1−

Sm1) and the first playback progress Dm, thereby acquiring a third delayed playback progress of the first playing device;

(F3) allowing the second playing device to calculate a difference between the second playback progress Ds and the third delayed playback progress, thereby acquiring an audio playback time difference;

(F4) repeatedly performing the steps (F1), (F2) and (F3) to acquire plural audio playback time differences, and calculating an average time difference value of the plural audio playback time differences; and

(F5) allowing the second playing device to convert the average time difference value into an audio data bit number to be adjusted; and

(F6) allowing the second playing device to control the audio playback of the second playing device according to the audio data bit number.

15. An audio playback system comprises:

a digital media controller setting a first playing device as a master playing device and issuing an action command;

the first playing device comprising a first digital media renderer control module and a first digital media controller control module, wherein a first operation status and a first time information of the first playing device are transmitted from the first digital media renderer control module to a second playing device; and

the second playing device comprising a second digital media renderer control module and a second digital media controller control module, wherein the second digital media controller control module comprises;

a synchronizing unit receiving the first operation status of the first playing device and switching a second operation status of the second playing device into the first operation status, and comparing the first time information of the first playing device with a second time information of the second playing device, thereby controlling audio playback of the first playing device and audio playback of the second playing device to be synchronously started in response to an action command; and

a locked phase loop unit continuously receiving the first time information of the first playing device and comparing the first time information with the second time information after the first playing device and the second playing device start the audio playback, so that a playback progress of the second playing device is adjusted and the audio playback of the second playing device is synchronized with the audio playback of the first playing device.

16. The audio playback system according to claim 15, wherein the digital media controller is further used to set a playback group including the first playing device and the second playing device.

17. The audio playback system according to claim 16, wherein a delay time interval of the playback group is transmitted from the digital media controller to the first digital media renderer control module of the first playing device.

18. The audio playback system according to claim 15, wherein a playback group information is transmitted from the first digital media renderer control module of the first playing device to the second digital media controller control module of the second playing device.

19. The audio playback system according to claim 15, wherein the first digital media renderer control module of the first playing device acquires at least one audio data of an audio file from a digital media server and transmits the at least one audio data of the audio file to the second digital media controller control module of the second playing device in the wireless transmission manner.

20. The audio playback system according to claim 15, wherein the first time information contains at least one of a current first systematic time Sm1, a first scheduled playback time Pm, a first playback progress Dm and a first initial playback time Cm, and the second time information contains at least one of a current second systematic time Ss1, a second scheduled playback time Ps, a second playback progress Ds and a second initial playback time Cs, wherein the current first systematic time Sm1 is a first systematic time Sm when the first time information is transmitted, the current second systematic time Ss1 is a second systematic time Ss when the first time information Tm is received, the first scheduled playback time Pm is the first systematic time Sm when scheduled playback of a audio file is started by the first playing device, the second scheduled playback time Ps is the second systematic time Ss when the scheduled playback of the audio file is started by the second playing device, the first playback progress Dm indicates a time length of the audio file having been played by the first playing device, the second playback progress Ds indicates the time length of the audio file having been played by the second playing device, the first initial playback time Cm is the first systematic time Sm when the audio file is started to be played by the first playing device at a first time, and the second initial playback time Cs is the second systematic time Ss when the audio file is started to be played by the second playing device at a first time.

21. The audio playback system according to claim 20, wherein the first operation status is a stop status, a pause status or a play status.

22. The audio playback system according to claim 21, wherein if the first operation status is the pause status, the first operation status and the first playback progress Dm are transmitted from the first digital media renderer control module of the first playing device to the synchronizing unit of the second playing device, and the second operation status is switched to the pause status by the synchronizing unit, wherein the second playback progress Ds leads the first playback progress Dm by a first predetermined time period according to settings of the synchronizing unit.

23. The audio playback system according to claim 21, wherein if the first operation status is the play status, the first operation status, the first playback progress Dm, the first initial playback time Cm and the current first systematic time Sm1 are transmitted from the first digital media renderer control module of the first playing device to the synchronizing unit of the second digital media controller control module of the second playing device, and the synchronizing unit judges whether a sum of the first playback progress Dm and the first initial playback time Cm is equal to the current first systematic time Sm1, wherein if the sum of the first playback progress Dm and the first initial playback time Cm is equal to the current first systematic time Sm1, the synchronizing unit calculates a difference between the current second systematic time Ss1 and the first initial playback time Cm so as to acquire a first delayed playback progress of the first playing device, wherein if the sum of the first playback progress Dm and the first initial playback time Cm is not equal to the current first systematic time Sm1, the synchronizing unit calculates a difference between the current second systematic time Ss1 and the current first systematic time Sm1 and calculates a sum of the difference (Ss1−

Sm1) and the first playback progress Dm so as to acquire a second delayed playback progress of the first playing device, wherein the second playback progress Ds leads the first delayed playback progress or the second delayed playback progress by a second predetermined time period according to settings of the synchronizing unit, wherein the synchronizing unit calculates a difference between the current second systematic time Ss1 and the first initial playback time Cm and a difference between the second playback progress Ds and the first playback progress Dm and controls the audio playback of the second playing device to be started at a time when the second systematic time Ss is larger than or equal to a sum of the difference (Sm1−

Cm), the difference (Ds−

Dm) and the first initial playback time Cm, so that the second operation status is switched to the play status.

24. The audio playback system according to claim 20, wherein the action command is a play command, wherein the synchronizing unit of the second digital media controller control module controls the audio playback of the second playing device to be started at a time when the second systematic time Ss is larger than or equal to the first scheduled playback time Pm, wherein the first scheduled playback time Pm is equal to a sum of the current first systematic time Sm1 and a delay time interval, and the audio playback of the second playing device is started at the first scheduled playback time Pm.

25. The audio playback system according to claim 20, wherein the action command is a replay command, wherein the synchronizing unit of the second digital media controller control module calculates a difference between the second playback progress Ds and the first playback progress Dm and controls the audio playback of the second playing device to be started at a time when the second systematic time Ss is larger than or equal to a sum of the first scheduled playback time Pm and the difference (Ds−

Dm), wherein the first scheduled playback time Pm is equal to a sum of the current first systematic time Sm1 and a delay time interval, and the audio playback of the second playing device is started at the first scheduled playback time Pm.

26. The audio playback system according to claim 20, wherein the action command is a seek command, wherein the first digital media renderer control module resets the first playback progress Dm and the synchronizing unit of the second digital media controller control module resets the second playback progress Ds in response to the seek command, and the synchronizing unit controls the audio playback of the second playing device to be started at a time when the second systematic time Ss is larger than or equal to the first scheduled playback time Pm, wherein the first scheduled playback time Pm is equal to a sum of the current first systematic time Sm1 and a delay time interval, and the audio playback of the second playing device is started at the first scheduled playback time Pm.

27. The audio playback system according to claim 20, wherein the locked phase loop unit comprises:

a network signal delay compensation unit receiving the current first systematic time Sm1 and the first playback progress Dm from the first digital media renderer control module, and acquiring a third delayed playback progress of the first playing device according to a difference between the current second systematic time Ss1 and the current first systematic time Sm1 and according to a sum of the difference (Ss1−

Sm1) and the first playback progress Dm;

an error computation unit acquiring an audio playback time difference according to a difference between the second playback progress Ds and the third delayed playback progress;

an averaging unit receiving plural audio playback time differences, and calculating an average time difference value of the plural audio playback time differences; and

an audio adjustment converting the average time difference value into an audio data bit number and controlling the audio playback of the second playing device according to the audio data bit number.