PROVIDING CONTENT VIA MULTIPLE DISPLAY DEVICES

• US 20160266747A1
• Filed: 05/25/2016
• Published: 09/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: LEATHAM, RICHARD ANDREW
• Granted Patent: US 10,579,215 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• 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 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments for providing content via multiple display devices. Primary content is rendered on a first computing device. A second computing device is associated with the first computing device. The first computing device determines a current state in the primary content. A directive to render supplemental content is sent to the second computing device. The supplemental content is related to the current state of the primary content. The supplemental content is rendered on the second computing device.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying a program, wherein when executed by at least one computing device, the program causes the at least one computing device to at least:

discover a plurality of mobile computing devices available to render content;

render a user interface including a list of the plurality of mobile computing devices;

receive a selection of a particular mobile computing device of the plurality of mobile computing devices from the list of the plurality of mobile computing devices;

render first content on a first display device;

determine a current state of the first content rendered on the first display device; and

send a directive to the particular mobile computing device to render second content that is relevant to the current state of the first content on a second display device corresponding to the particular mobile computing device.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the selection of the particular mobile computing device specifies a type of supplemental content to be rendered by the particular mobile computing device and the directive to render the second content is of the type specified.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein when executed the program further causes the at least one computing device to at least:

receive a subsequent selection of a different mobile computing device of the plurality of mobile computing devices, the subsequent selection specifying a another type of supplemental content to be rendered by the different mobile computing device; and

send a subsequent directive to the different mobile computing device to render third content of the other type that is relevant to the current state of the first content on a third display device corresponding to the different mobile computing device.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein when executed the program further causes the at least one computing device to at least receive the first content from a local storage device.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein when executed the program further causes the at least one computing device to at least receive the first content from a content server accessible over a network.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein when executed the program further causes the at least one computing device to at least:

determine an updated state of the first content rendered on the first display device; and

send a second directive to the particular mobile computing device to render third content that is relevant to the updated state of the first content on the second display device.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the directive is sent through a local area network to the particular mobile computing device to render the second content.

8. A system, comprising:

a first display device; and

a first computing device coupled to the first display device, the first computing device configured to at least;

detect a second computing device coupled to a second display device, the second computing device rendering primary content on the second display device;

register with the second computing device as a secondary display device;

receive a directive from the second computing device to render secondary content relating to a current state of the primary content; and

render the secondary content on the first display device in response to the directive.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first computing device is further configured to render a window on the first display device prior to receiving the directive, and the secondary content is rendered within the window.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein registering with the second computing device as the secondary display comprises performing a pairing operation with the second computing device in response to receiving a button push.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the second computing device is detected based at least in part on a user account corresponding to the second computing device being registered with a content server.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the secondary content is cached on the first computing device.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the first computing device is further configured to at least:

receive a second directive from the second computing device to render additional secondary content relating to an updated state of the primary content; and

render the additional secondary content on the first display device in response to the second directive.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the first computing device is further configured to at least cease rendering of the secondary content on the first display device in response to determining that another directive is not received.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a first computing device, a request from a mobile computing device to register as a secondary display device;

rendering, by the first computing device, primary content on a first display corresponding to the first computing device;

determining, by the first computing device, a current state of the primary content rendered on the first display; and

sending, by the first computing device, a directive to the mobile computing device to render a supplemental content on a second display corresponding to the mobile computing device, the supplemental content being relevant to the current state of the primary content.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the request from the mobile computing device to register and the directive to the mobile computing device to render the supplemental content are sent over a local area network.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, by the first computing device, a second request from the mobile computing device to play different primary content;

ceasing, by the first computing device, rendering of the primary content on the first display; and

rendering, by the first computing device, the different primary content on the first display corresponding to the first computing device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining, by the first computing device, an updated state of the different primary content on the first display; and

sending, by the first computing device, a subsequent directive to the mobile computing device to render a different supplemental content on the second display corresponding to the mobile computing device, the different supplemental content being relevant to the updated state of the different primary content.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising streaming, by the first computing device, the supplemental content to the second computing device.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the supplemental content comprises a list of cast members currently on screen in the primary content.