System and Method for Real-Time Customization and Synchronization of Media Content

• US 20170230454A1
• Filed: 08/13/2015
• Published: 08/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Julio Ferrer
• Original Assignee: Julio Ferrer
• Inventors: FERRER, Julio
• Granted Patent: US 10,616,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• 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 21/41415 involving a public display, viewable by several users in a public space outside their home, e.g. movie theatre, information kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4305 Synchronising client clock from received content stream, e.g. locking decoder clock with encoder clock, extraction of the PCR packets arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock H04L7/0012; arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter wherein the receiver takes measures against momentary loss of synchronisation H04L7/0083
• 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 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• 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

Abstract

A method for customizing media content includes: receiving over a network from a client device controlled by a user, by a server-side computing device, a message or packet comprising stock media content received from a user, the message or packet further comprising customization preferences of the user obtained by the client-side customization application, the customized media content to be played by a client-side playback device in coordination with server-side playback of the stock media content by a server-side playback device; customizing the stock media content, by the server-side computing device, using the customization preferences of the user, so as to create customized media content; and streaming live over the network, by the server-side computing device, to the client device, the customized media content for playback by the client device that is substantially synchronized with playback by the server-side computing device of the stock media content.

Claims

1. A method for real-time customization and synchronization of stock media content, comprising:

receiving, by a client device controlled by a user, stock media content selected by the user to be customized and played on the client device in coordination with server-side playback of the stock media content by a server-side computing device;

obtaining, by the client device, customization preferences of the user;

customizing the stock media content, by the client device, using the customization preferences, so as to create customized media content;

creating, by the client device, a client-side message or packet comprising one or more of a client-side unique identifier and a client-side start host time (CSHT);

sending, by the client device, the client-side message or packet to the server-side computing device;

receiving and processing a server-side message or packet comprising g one or more of a server-side unique identifier, the CSHT, a server-side start host time (SSHT), a server-side end host time (SEHT), and a server-side running media play time (SRMPT) and substantially synchronizing in real-time, by the client device, using one or more of the server-side unique identifier, the CSHT, the SSHT, the SEHT, and the SRMPT, client-side playback of the customized media content with server-side playback of the stock media content; and

playing back, by the client device, the synchronized customized media content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of communicating comprises transmitting a client-side message or packet, by the client device, over the network, to the server-side computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining comprises receiving customization preference selections from the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining comprises generating customization preferences for the user using user characteristics comprised in one or more of client-side data storage and client-side memory.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising a further step, performed after the substantially synchronizing step, of:

relaying to the user, by the client device, one or more offers to purchase customized goods prepared by the server-side computing device using the user'"'"'s customization preferences.

6. A method for customizing media content pursuant to a method for real-time customization and synchronization of stock media content, comprising:

receiving and processing, by a server-side computing device, from a client device controlled by a user, a client-side message or packet from the client device comprising one or more of a client-side unique identifier, and a client-side start host time (CSHT);

creating, by the server-side computing device, a server-side message or packet comprising one or more of a server-side unique identifier comprising a copy of the client-side unique identifier, the CSHT, a server-side start host time (SSHT), a server-side end host time (SEHT), and a server-side running media play time (SRMPT);

transmitting the server-side message or packet to the client device, by the server-side computing device, to be used by the client device along with previously received stock media content selected by a user to be customized, and customized media content previously created using customization preferences obtained from a user, to substantially synchronize in real-time, using the CSHT, client-side playback of the customized media content with server-side playback of the stock media content; and

playing back, by the server-side computing device, the synchronized stock media content.

7. A method for customizing media content pursuant to a method for real-time customization and synchronization of stock media content, comprising:

receiving over a network from a client device controlled by a user, by a server-side computing device, a message or packet comprising stock media content received from the user, the message or packet further comprising customization preferences of the user obtained by the client-side customization application, the customized media content to be played by a client-side playback device in coordination with server-side playback of the stock media content by a server-side playback device;

customizing the stock media content, by the server-side computing device, using the customization preferences of the user, so as to create customized media content;

transmitting, by the server-side computing device, to the client device, the customized media content so that the client device may substantially synchronize with its playback of the customized media content a playback of the stock media content by the server-side computing device;

receiving, by the server-side computing device, from the client device, a client-side message or packet comprising one or more of a client-side unique identifier and a client-side start host time (CSHT);

sending to the client device, by the server-side computing device, a server-side message or packet comprising one or more of a server-side unique identifier, the CSHT, a server-side start host time (SSHT), a server-side end host time (SEHT), and a server-side running media play time (SRMPT); and

initiating, by the server-side computing device, server-side playback of the stock media content and initiating, by the server-side computing device, via a play command the server-side computing device sends to the client device, client-side playback of the customized media content that is substantially synchronized using one or more of the client-side unique identifier, the CSHT, the SSHT, the SEHT, and the SRMPT.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of transmitting comprises downloading the customized media content by the server-side computing to the client device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of transmitting comprises streaming segments of the customized media content by the server-side computing to the client device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of transmitting comprises transmitting a server-side message or packet, by the server-side computing device, to the client device.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of receiving comprises receiving user customization preference selections from the client device, by the server-side computing device.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of receiving comprises receiving from the client device, by the server-side computing device, a client-side message or packet.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of receiving comprises receiving from the client device, by the server-side computing device, a client-side message or packet comprising user customization preference selections.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of receiving comprises generating, by the server-side computing device, customization preferences for the user using user characteristics comprised in one or more of server-side data storage and server-side memory.

15. The method of claim 7, comprising a further step, performed after the initiating step, of:

preparing, by the server-side computing device, one or more offers to the user to purchase customized goods to be created by the server-side computing device using the user'"'"'s customization preferences.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising further steps, performed after the preparing step, of:

processing an offer accepted by the user to purchase the customized goods prepared by the server-side computing device using the user'"'"'s customization preferences; and

creating, by the server-side computing device, the purchased customized goods.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the customized goods comprise one or more of customized physical goods, customized services, and customized media content.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the customized goods comprise one or more of a user-specified name, a user-specified message, and another form of customization specified by the user.

19. A method for receiving and processing a server-side message or packet and synchronizing one or more clocks comprised in a client device under a user'"'"'s control with one or more server-side clocks pursuant to a method for real-time customization and synchronization of stock media content, comprising:

receiving, by the client device, a server-side message or packet from the server-side master application, the server-side message or packet comprising one or more of a unique identifier, a client-side start host time (CSHT), a server-side start host time (SSHT), a server-side end host time (SEHT), and a server-side running media play time (SRMPT);

reading, by the client device, the accepted server-side message or packet into one or more client-side buffers;

recording, by the client device, a client end host time (CEHT);

evaluating and verifying, by the client device, integrity of the server-side message or packet by comparing the CEHT and the SEHT;

calculating a half-round-trip time (HRT), by the client device, using one or more of the CEHT, CSHT, SEHT, and SSHT;

reading, by the client device a value of the SRMPT;

calculating, by the client device, using one or more of CEHT, CSHT, SEHT, SSHT, SRMPT, and HRT, a playback offset time T_PO;

computing, by the client device, using one or more of the T_PO and the SRMPT, a client-side running media play time (CRMPT); and

substantially synchronizing, by the client device, using one or more of the CRMPT and the T_PO, client-side playback of customized media content to server-side playback of stock media content.

20. A method for customizing media content pursuant to a method for real-time customization and synchronization of stock media content, comprising:

receiving over a network from a client device controlled by a user, by a server-side computing device, a message or packet comprising stock media content received from a user, the message or packet further comprising customization preferences of the user obtained by the client-side customization application, the customized media content to be played by a client-side playback device in coordination with server-side playback of the stock media content by a server-side playback device;

customizing the stock media content, by the server-side computing device, using the customization preferences of the user, so as to create customized media content; and

streaming live over the network, by the server-side computing device, to the client device, the customized media content for playback by the client device that is substantially synchronized with playback by the server-side computing device of the stock media content.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of streaming live comprises streaming live the customized media content using user datagram protocol (UDP).

22. A method for customizing stock media content pursuant to a method for real-time customization and synchronization of stock media content, so as to create customized media content, comprising:

receiving, by a server-side computing device, from a client device under the control of a user, a client-side message or packet with pre-determined media content;

creating, by the server-side computing device, a customized media content;

adding, by the server-side computing device, to the customized media content, using a pre-defined data structure, new media content comprising one or more of user-selected new media content and non-user-selected new media content;

computing, by the server-side computing device, a total media frames count of the customized media content;

computing, by the server-side computing device, a total percentage of the then-written customized media content; and

writing, by the server-side computing device, the new media content into the customized media content.

23. A method for receiving and processing a server-side message or packet and synchronizing one or more clocks comprised in a client device under a user'"'"'s control with one or more server-side clocks pursuant to a method for real-time customization and synchronization of stock media content, comprising:

receiving, by the client device, a server-side message or packet from the server-side master application, the server-side message or packet comprising one or more of a unique identifier, a client-side start host time (CSHT), a server-side start host time (SSHT), a server-side end host time (SEHT), and a server-side running media play time (SRMPT);

reading, by the client device, the accepted server-side message or packet into one or more client-side buffers;

recording, by the client device, a client end host time (CEHT);

evaluating and verifying, by the client device, integrity of the server-side message or packet by comparing the CEHT and the SEHT;

calculating a half-round-trip time (HRT), by the client device, using one or more of the CEHT, CSHT, SEHT, and SSHT;

reading, by the client device a value of the SRMPT;

calculating, by the client device, using one or more of CEHT, CSHT, SEHT, SSHT, SRMPT, and HRT, a playback offset time T_PO;

computing, by the client device, using one or more of the T_PO and the SRMPT, a client-side running media play time (CRMPT); and

synchronizing, by the client device, using one or more of the CRMPT and the T_PO, client-side playback of customized media content to server-side playback of stock media content.

24. A method for constructing a media content file comprising one or more of a user'"'"'s selected media content and media content that was not selected by the user, pursuant to a method for real-time customization and synchronization of stock media content, comprising:

launching, by a client device under the control of a user, a client-side media player;

selecting and playing, by the client device, a pre-determined media content;

creating, by the client device, a customized media content;

adding, by the client device, new media content to the customized media content;

computing, by the client device, a total media frames count of the customized media content;

computes, by the client device, a total percentage of the then-written customized media content; and

writing, by the client device, the new media content into the customized media content.

25. A server-side computing device for customizing media content, comprising:

a processor;

data storage operably connected with the processor;

memory operably connected with the processor, the memory comprising one or more of a server-side master application, a server-side customization application, and a server-side streaming application;

a projector operably connected with the processor; and

a local interface operably connected with the processor and configured to communicate over a network with a client device controlled by a user,

the server-side master application configured to receive over the network from the client device a message or packet comprising stock media content selected by the user,

the server-side customization application configured to obtain customization preferences of the user;

the server-side customization application further configured to customize the stock media content, using the customization preferences of the user, so as to create customized media content,

the local interface configured to transmit to the client device via the network server-side timing information and the customized media content so that the client device may substantially synchronize with its playback of the customized media content a playback by the projector of the stock media content.