Synchronized, interactive playback of digital movies across a network
First Claim
1. A method for allowing a plurality of physically remote participants to individually control, in a collaborative manner, the viewing of movie data by the other participants, for use with a plurality of computer-controlled playback systems interconnected by a communication channel, each of the computer-controlled playback systems having means for transferring playback control data and means for storing the movie data, and each of the participants having access to at least one of the playback systems, the method comprising the steps of:
- (1) interactively requesting, by any one of the participants, a playback function selected from a group including at least the following playback functions;
play, stop and seek;
(2) transferring playback control data, corresponding to said requested playback function, onto said communication channel from a computer-controlled playback system accessible to said one of the participants requesting said playback function;
(3) receiving said playback control data, corresponding to said requested playback function, at the other computer-controlled playback systems; and
(4) playing the movie data in a substantially synchronized manner at each of the playback systems in accordance with said playback control data as requested by said one of the participants.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for synchronized playback and control of a movie (also referred to as time-based digital media). The movie includes one or more data structures, called "tracks", containing time-based data that is intended to be played together in a synchronized manner at a given rate of speed. The system and method allows two or more participants that are operating on different playback systems at different locations to simultaneously view and control the playing of the movie. The image on each participants display is kept synchronized with the others, providing a virtual co-location.
509 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method for allowing a plurality of physically remote participants to individually control, in a collaborative manner, the viewing of movie data by the other participants, for use with a plurality of computer-controlled playback systems interconnected by a communication channel, each of the computer-controlled playback systems having means for transferring playback control data and means for storing the movie data, and each of the participants having access to at least one of the playback systems, the method comprising the steps of:
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(1) interactively requesting, by any one of the participants, a playback function selected from a group including at least the following playback functions;
play, stop and seek;(2) transferring playback control data, corresponding to said requested playback function, onto said communication channel from a computer-controlled playback system accessible to said one of the participants requesting said playback function; (3) receiving said playback control data, corresponding to said requested playback function, at the other computer-controlled playback systems; and (4) playing the movie data in a substantially synchronized manner at each of the playback systems in accordance with said playback control data as requested by said one of the participants. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9)
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7. The method of step 1, further comprising the steps of transferring the movie data to each of the computer-controlled playback systems and storing the movie data in a media file, the media file being locally accessible to the computer controlled playback system.
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10. A system for allowing a plurality of participants located at different locations to view and interactively control a movie, comprising:
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(a) a communication channel; and (b) two or more computer-implemented playback systems, connected via said communication channel, that allow the plurality of participants to view movie data, said movie data containing time-based tracks, each of said playback systems includes, (i) a media playback engine that controls viewing of said movie data and transfers playback functions interactively requested by a participant to other participants over said communication channel, said playback functions include play, stop and seek, (ii) a media file, connected to said media playback engine, that stores said movie data, and (iii) a monitor, connected to said media playback engine, that displays said movie data. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for allowing a plurality of physically remote participants to control, in a collaborative manner, the viewing of video data, for use with a plurality of computer-controlled playback systems interconnected by a communication channel, each of the computer-controlled playback systems having means for transferring playback control data and means for storing the video data, and each of the participants having access to at least one of the playback systems, the method comprising the steps of:
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interactively requesting, by a first participant, a first playback function selected from a group including at least the following playback functions;
play, stop and seek;interactively requesting, by a second participant, a second playback function selected from said group; transferring first playback control data, corresponding to said first playback function, onto the communication channel from a first computer controlled playback system accessible to said first participant; receiving said first playback control data at a second computer-controlled playback system accessible to said second participant; and transferring second playback control data, corresponding to said second playback function, onto said communication channel from said second computer controlled playback system accessible to said second participant; receiving said second playback control data at said first computer-controlled playback system; and playing the video data in a substantially synchronized manner at each of the playback systems in accordance with said first and second playback control data as requested by said first participant and said second participant. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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- 23. The method of step 22, wherein said first computer-controlled playback system and said second computer-controlled playback system store the video data in a first local media file and a second local media file, respectively.
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30. A computer-controlled playback system for allowing a plurality of physically remote participants to individually control, in a collaborative manner, the viewing of movie data by the other participants, said computer-controlled playback system interconnected with a plurality of other computer-controlled playback systems by a communication channel, each of the computer-controlled playback systems having means for transferring playback control data and a local media file that stores the movie data, and each of the participants having access to at least one of the playback systems, the computer-controlled playback system comprising
a local media file that stores the movie data; -
means for enabling a participant to select a playback function from a group including at least the following playback functions;
play, stop and seek;means for transferring first playback control data, corresponding to said selected playback function, onto the communication channel to the other plurality of computer-controlled playback systems; means for receiving second playback control data from the other plurality of computer-controlled playback systems; and means for playing the movie data in a substantially synchronized manner in accordance with said first and second playback control data. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification