METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR RENDERING CONTENT ACROSS MULTIPLE CLIENT DEVICES

• US 20170078357A1
• Filed: 11/22/2016
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audio Pod IP, LLC (Audio Pod Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Audio Pod Inc., Glenn Mccue, Gregory Shostakovsky, John Mccue, Robert Mccue
• Inventors: McCue, John, McCue, Robert, Shostakovsky, Gregory, McCue, Glenn
• Granted Patent: US 10,091,266 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/78 Detection of presence or absence of voice signals switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols

Abstract

A method and a system for rendering digital content across multiple client devices are provided. At least a portion of first digital content is rendered on a first client device. An identifier corresponding to the first digital content, which identifies a descriptor of the first digital content, and a first position in the first digital content are determined on the first client device. The identifier and the first position are transferred from the first client device to a second client device via a network accessible library. The descriptor is downloaded from the network accessible library to the second client device by using the identifier. At least a portion of ancillary digital content associated with the first digital content is rendered on the second client device by using the descriptor and the first position. Thus, rendering of the first content and the ancillary digital content may be synchronized across multiple devices.

Claims

1. A method of rendering digital content across multiple client devices comprising:

rendering on a first client device at least a portion of first digital content;

determining on the first client device an identifier corresponding to the first digital content, wherein the identifier identifies a descriptor of the first digital content;

determining on the first client device a first position in the first digital content;

transferring the identifier and the first position from the first client device to a second client device via a network accessible library;

downloading the descriptor from the network accessible library to the second client device by using the identifier; and

rendering on the second client device at least a portion of ancillary digital content associated with the first digital content by using the descriptor and the first position.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ancillary digital content is rendered on the second client device in synchronization with the rendering of the first content on the first client device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the ancillary digital content comprises a series of items, the method further comprising:

determining on the second client device an item in the series of items that is associated with the first position in the first digital content by using the descriptor, wherein the item associated with the first position is rendered on the second client device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first position is determined by tracking a current position in the first digital content as the first digital content is rendered on the first client device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the descriptor contains the ancillary digital content, location information for accessing the ancillary digital content, or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the descriptor contains location information for accessing the ancillary digital content, further comprising:

accessing the ancillary digital content for rendering on the second client device by using the location information in the descriptor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the ancillary digital content is a different type of digital content than the first digital content.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the ancillary digital content includes audio content, audio/video content, video content, text content, static image content, moving image content, user-entered content, advertising content, or a combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the ancillary digital content includes a plurality of different types of digital content.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

selecting one or more different types of digital content for rendering on the second client device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more different types of digital content are selected in dependence on rendering capabilities of the second client device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the ancillary digital content is rendered on the second client device without rendering the first digital content on the second client device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first client device and the second client device have different rendering capabilities.

14. A system for rendering digital content across multiple client devices comprising:

a first client device;

a second client device; and

a network accessible library accessible by the first and second client devices via a network;

wherein the first client device is configured to;

render at least a portion of first digital content;

determine an identifier corresponding to the first digital content, wherein the identifier identifies a descriptor of the first digital content;

determine a first position in the first digital content; and

transfer the identifier and the first position to the second client device via the network accessible library; and

wherein the second client device is configured to;

download the descriptor from the network accessible library by using the identifier; and

render at least a portion of ancillary digital content associated with the first digital content by using the descriptor and the first position.