Providing a presentation on a network having a plurality of synchronized media types

• US 7,143,177 B1
• Filed: 07/25/2000
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Johnson, Frank E., Ogdon, Robert H.
• Primary Examiner(s): LIN, WEN TAI
• Application Number:
  US09/624,902
• Time in Patent Office: 2,317 Days
• Field of Search: 709/208, 709/231, 709/247, 709/224, 715/500.1, 398/182, 725/87, 725/32, 725139-142, 725/148, 719217-219, 719/231
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1836 with heterogeneous network architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5651 Reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 : Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 : Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43072 : of multiple content streams on the same device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 : Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 : Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 : using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 : for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 : Conference systems

Abstract

A presentation system is disclosed for synchronizing a performance of a plurality of presentation content portions at a network node, wherein, when two such content portions are to be presented concurrently at the network node, at least one is delayed until the other such portion can be presented concurrently therewith. In one embodiment, the content portions are transmitted via at least a portion of the Internet to a plurality of network nodes, wherein the presentation system can distribute the presentation content data to the network nodes via a plurality of network routes and presentation formats. Additionally, the present invention can provide various portions of the content data from a plurality of network server nodes, and during a performance of the presentation, the presentation receiving network nodes can determine a particular variation of the presentation to retrieve from the network server nodes. In particular, the retrieval of presentation data depends upon the transmission characteristics of the network such as data transmission rate. Thus, if a low transmission data rate is detected at a first network node, presentation elements of a reduced size can be retrieved.

Claims

1. A system for synchronizing display of at least one non-streaming portion of at least one presentation with at least one streaming portion of the presentation when the non-streaming and the streaming portions of the presentation are performed on at least a first network node via at least one communications network, the system comprising at least the following:

a time generator for outputting at least first and second timing data for synchronizing performance of said non-streaming and streaming portions at the at least first network node, wherein the second timing data is for a corresponding content in the streaming portion;

a presentation controlling node coupled to receive the first timing data and for transmitting to the at least first network node, via the communications network, presentation control information including;

(a) at least a first presentation command related to displaying the non-streaming portion at the first network node, and (b) a first time value derived from said first timing data, wherein said first time value is indicative of a time for performing the at least first presentation command at the first network node;

a presentation time determining component at said first network node for determining a second time value indicative of a time for performing at least part of said streaming portion at said first network node, wherein said second time value is determined from said second timing data by locating in the streaming portion received at the first network node, the corresponding content for the second timing data;

a time delay determining component at said first network node for determining a time delay between said first time value and the second time value;

a presentation synchronization component for using said time delay to delay the performing, at said first network node, of the non-streaming portion relative to the streaming portion.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of:

(a) said time generator generates each of said first and second timing data using a substantially identical reference of time;

(b) said streaming portion is received at the first network node via the communications network;

(c) said first timing data is indicative of an origination time for said non-streaming portion; and

(d) said second timing data is approximately indicative of an origination time for said streaming portion.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said second timing data is provided to said first network node via the communications network.

4. The system of claim 1, further including one or more presentation content supplying nodes for transmitting, via the communications network, said non-streaming portion to said first network node.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said non-streaming and streaming portions is streamed on the communications network, and the communications network includes a portion of the Internet.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the presentation control information provides information for identifying a first collection of one or more presentation segments for presenting on the at least first network node, and for identifying an alternative collection of one or more presentation segments for presenting on the at least first network node, wherein the first and the alternative collections are each replaceable with the other when presenting the presentation.

7. The system of claim 6, further including:

a computational component for determining network performance information of the communications network, wherein said computational component determines said network performance information using network data obtained from network transmissions detected at said at least first network node; and

a first segment selector, activated after said at least first network node receives said presentation control information, for selecting, using said network performance information, as a selected collection, one of said first and said alternative collections for transmitting to said at least first network node.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein

said selected collection is transmitted to the at least first network node;

wherein a second collection of presentation segments is transmitted to a second network node;

wherein the selected collection and the second collection are presented, respectively, via the first and second network nodes substantially concurrently, and the selected and second collections have corresponding presentation contents.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said computational component includes a network analyzer for determining said network performance information using one or more of the following types of said network data:

(a) a data transmission rate of said communications network at said first network node;

(b) a fluctuation in bandwidth of said communications network at said first network node; and

(c) a statistical prediction of a bandwidth of said communications network at said first network node.

10. The system of claim 1, further including a phone bridge controller for transmitting an audio portion for said presentation to a third network node such that the audio portion is synchronized with an audio portion of the presentation provided to the first network node.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first timing data is indicative of time when a presentation command is issued.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the second timing data is transmitted to the at least first network node in response to a request from the at least first network node for the second timing data.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein instances of the second timing data are iteratively determined by the time generator during the presentation, and transmitted to various ones of a plurality of network client nodes, including the at least first network node, and there is an elapsed time between transmission of consecutively transmitted instances, wherein the elapsed time is in a range of 3 seconds to 60 seconds.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein data indicative of the corresponding content for the second timing data is transmitted to the at least first network node, wherein the presentation time determining component compares the data indicative of the corresponding content with the streaming portion.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the second time value is dependent upon a difference between:

(a) a time measurement for a part of the stream portion being currently rendered at the first network node, and (b) a time measurement for a starting point for the corresponding content for the second timing data.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the second time value is dependent upon an time offset from the second timing data, wherein the time offset is indicative of a difference between:

(a) a time measurement for a part of the stream portion being currently rendered at the first network node, and (b) a time measurement for a starting point for the corresponding content for the second timing data.

17. A method for synchronizing a performance of at least one non-streaming portion of a presentation with at least one streaming portion of the presentation when the non-streaming and streaming portions of the presentation are performed on at least first and second network nodes, via at least one communications network, method comprising at least the following:

storing a plurality of segments of a presentation for network access, via one or more content supplying nodes of a communications network, wherein there are subcollections of one or more of the segments, each subcollection having a predetermined presentation order and there are a first and a second of the subcollections, wherein said first subcollection is replaceable with said second subcollection when presenting the presentation;

identifying a plurality of network nodes for presenting the presentation, including the first and second network nodes;

outputting at least one occurrence of each of first and second timing data for synchronizing a non-streaming portion, and a streaming portion of the presentation at the first and second client nodes, wherein the second timing data identifies a timing for each of one or more presentation extents in the streaming portion;

first providing, via the communications network, one or more first instances of presentation control information to the first network node for controlling the presentation at the first network node;

second providing, via the communications network, one or more second instances of presentation control information to the second network node for controlling the presentation at the second network node;

wherein, for each network node of said first and second network nodes, said corresponding one of the first and second instances of presentation control information includes at least (a1) through (a3) following;

(a1) identifications of said content supplying nodes,

(a2) at least a first presentation command related to displaying the non-streaming portion at the network node, and

(a3) a presentation time value derived from said first timing data, wherein said presentation time value is indicative of a time for performing the at least first presentation command at the network node;

first transmitting said first subcollection from one or more of said content supplying nodes for presenting at the first network node, wherein said first instance(s) of presentation control information is used for obtaining said first subcollection at the first network node;

second transmitting said second subcollection from one or more of said content supplying nodes for presenting at the second network node substantially simultaneously with the presenting of the first subcollection at the first network node, wherein said second instance(s) of presentation control information is used by the second network node for presenting said second subcollection at the second network node;

synchronizing a performance of the presentation at the first network node with a performance of the presentation at the second network node, wherein each node (N) of said first and second network nodes include (b1) through (b3) following;

(b1) a corresponding presentation time determining component for determining a stream time value relative to performing at least part of said streaming portion, wherein the stream time value is determined from the second timing data by performing a step of matching a content for the streaming portion with a content for one of the presentation extents,

(b2) a corresponding time delay component for determining a time delay between the stream time value and a corresponding instance of the presentation time value; and

(b3) a presentation synchronization component for using said time delay to delay a performance, at the node N, of the non-streaming presentation portion relative to a performance of the streaming presentation portion.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein said steps of first providing to the first network node, and second providing to the second network node are performed substantially simultaneously, using the Internet as at least a portion of the communications network.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, further including a step of synchronously presenting the presentation at the first network node with presenting the presentation at the second network node so that each of the subcollections presented at the first network node is presented substantially simultaneously with some one of the subcollections at the second network node.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said step of synchronously presenting includes obtaining, by said first network node, a network performance measurement of a network transmission from a first of the content supplying network nodes to the first network node.

21. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein said step of first transmitting includes retrieving the first subcollection by the first network node from a first of the content supplying nodes;

and

said step of second transmitting includes retrieving the second subcollection by the second network node from a second of the content supplying nodes different from the first content supplying node.

22. A method as claimed in claim 17, further including synchronizing the presenting of the first and second subcollections at the first and second network nodes with a corresponding audio portion of the presentation provided at the sites of the first and second network nodes, wherein the corresponding audio portion is provided to the sites using a different network protocol from a protocol used in at least one of said steps of first and second transmitting via the communications network.

23. The method as claimed in claim 17, further including a step of obtaining one or more measurements related to an expected time for said first subcollection to be received by the first network node via the communications network;

wherein said one or more measurements are indicative of one or more of;

(a) a size of said first subcollection;

(b) a bandwidth of previous transmissions via the communications network to the first network node;

(c) an overhead indicative of a protocol used in transmissions via the communication network to the first network node;

(d) an allotted time for said first network to receive said first subcollection;

(e) a fluctuation in bandwidth of the communications network;

(f) an error rate from the communications network; and

(g) a predictive statistical expectation of a bandwidth on the communications network.

24. The method as claimed in claim 17, further including:

establishing whether said first subcollection is cached at said first network node within a desired time prior to a performance of the first subcollection.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24, further including determining said desired time by determining one or more of:

(a) a measurement related to the performance of the presentation at said second network node;

(b) a predetermined length of time; and

(c) a length of time determined by a leader for the presentation.

26. The method as claimed in claim 24, further including determining said desired time by comparing:

(a) a transmission rate of the communications network between the first network node and at least one of said content supplying nodes; and

(b) a transmission rate of the communications network between said second network node, and at least one of said content supplying nodes.

27. A method for presenting a networked presentation, comprising the steps of:

first providing, via a communications network, one or more first instances of presentation control information to a first network node for controlling a first performance of the presentation at the first network node;

second providing, via the communications network, one or more second instances of presentation control information to a second network node for controlling a second performance of the presentation at the second network node;

wherein the presentation control information instances from each of said first and second instances are used to substantially synchronize the first and second performances of the presentation;

wherein, of the first and second instances of presentation control information further provides, to a corresponding one of the first and second network nodes, (a1) through (a4) following;

(a1) an identification of content supplying nodes for supplying at least a non-streaming portion for performing the presentation,

(a2) at least a first presentation command related to displaying the non-streaming portion at the corresponding network node,

(a3) presentation timing information (PTI) indicative of a time for performing the at least first presentation command at the corresponding network node; and

(a4) stream timing information (STI) for synchronizing a stream portion of the presentation with the non-streaming portion at the corresponding network node, wherein STI includes timing data indicative of a corresponding content in the stream portion, and additionally includes a representation of the content;

first transmitting to the first and second network nodes quantity of the streaming portion;

second transmitting to the first and second network nodes quantity of the non-streaming portion;

wherein for each performance (P) of the first and second performances of the presentation, (b1) through (b3) occur;

(b1) a stream time value (STV), indicative of a time for performing at least part of said streaming portion quantity, is determined from a received occurrence of the STI by locating in the streaming portion quantity, the representation of the content of STI,

(b2) a time delay between the STV and a corresponding instance of the PTI is determined; and

(b3) there is synchronization, at the network node providing the performance P, between the stream portion quantity and the non-stream portion quantity, said synchronization using said time delay of (b2) to delay presenting the non-streaming portion extent relative to presenting the streaming portion extent.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the first instance(s) identifies a first presentation portion for presenting on the first network node, and the second instance(s) identifies an alternative presentation portion for presenting on the second network node, wherein the first and the alternative presentation portions are each replaceable with the other when presenting the presentation.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein first presentation portion and said alternative presentation portion have a different but corresponding presentation contents.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the alternative presentation portion is represented by a reduced amount of data transmitted on the communications network in comparison to the first presentation portion.

31. A system for synchronizing display of at least one non-streaming portion of at least one presentation with at least one streaming portion of the presentation when the non-streaming and the streaming portions of the presentation are performed on at least a first network node via at least one communications network, the system comprising at least the following:

a time generator for outputting at least first and second timing data for synchronizing performance of said non-streaming and streaming portions at the at least first network node;

a presentation controlling node coupled to receive the first timing data and for transmitting to the at least first network node, via the communications network, presentation control information including;

(a) at least a first presentation command related to displaying at least a portion of the presentation at the first network node, and (b) a first time value derived from said first timing data, wherein said first time value is indicative of a time for performing the at least first presentation command at the first network node;

wherein the presentation control information provides information for identifying a first collection of one or more presentation segments for presenting on the at least first network node, and for identifying an alternative collection of one or more presentation segments for presenting on the at least first network node, wherein the first and the alternative collections are each replaceable with the other when presenting the presentation;

a computational component for determining network performance information of the communications network, wherein said computational component determines said network performance information using network data obtained from network transmissions detected at said at least first network node;

a first segment selector, activated after said at least first network node receives said presentation control information, for selecting, using said network performance information, as a selected collection, one of said first and said alternative collections for transmitting to said at least first network node;

a presentation time determining component at said first network node for determining a second time value relative to performing at least part of said streaming portion at said first network node, wherein said second time value is determined using said second timing data;

a time delay determining component at said first network node for determining a time delay between said first time value and the second time value; and

a presentation synchronization component for using said time delay to delay the performing, at said first network node, of the non-streaming portion relative to the streaming portion.

32. A system for synchronizing display of at least one non-streaming portion of at least one presentation with at least one streaming portion of the presentation when the non-streaming and the streaming portions of the presentation are performed on at least a first network node via at least one communications network, the system comprising at least the following:

a time generator for outputting at least first and second timing data for synchronizing performance of said non-streaming and streaming portions at the at least first network node;

a presentation controlling node coupled to receive the first timing data and for transmitting to the at least first network node, via the communications network, presentation control information including;

(a) at least a first presentation command related to displaying at least a portion of the presentation at the first network node, and (b) a first time value derived from said first timing data, wherein said first time value is indicative of a time for performing the at least first presentation command at the first network node;

wherein the presentation control information provides information for identifying a first collection of one or more presentation segments for presenting on the at least first network node, and for identifying an alternative collection of one or more presentation segments for presenting on the at least first network node, wherein the first and the alternative collections are each replaceable with the other when presenting the presentation;

a computational component for determining network performance information of the communications network, wherein said computational component determines said network performance information using network data obtained from network transmissions detected at said at least first network node;

a first segment selector, activated after said at least first network node receives said presentation control information, for selecting, using said network performance information, as a selected collection, one of said first and said alternative collections for transmitting to said at least first network node;

wherein the selected collection is transmitted to the at least first network node;

wherein a second collection of presentation segments is transmitted to a second network node;

wherein the selected collection and the second collection are presented, respectively, via the first and second network nodes substantially concurrently, and the selected and second collections have corresponding presentation contents;

a presentation time determining component at said first network node for determining a second time value relative to performing at least part of said streaming portion at said first network node, wherein said second time value is determined using said second timing data;

a time delay determining component at said first network node for determining a time delay between said first time value and the second time value; and

a presentation synchronization component for using said time delay to delay the performing, at said first network node, of the non-streaming portion relative to the streaming portion.

33. A system for synchronizing display of at least one non-streaming portion of at least one presentation with at least one streaming portion of the presentation when the non-streaming and the streaming portions of the presentation are performed on at least a first network node via at least one communications network, the system comprising at least the following:

a time generator for outputting at least first and second timing data for synchronizing performance of said non-streaming and streaming portions at the at least first network node;

a presentation controlling node coupled to receive the first timing data and for transmitting to the at least first network node, via the communications network, presentation control information including;

(a) at least a first presentation command related to displaying at least a portion of the presentation at the first network node, and (b) a first time value derived from said first timing data, wherein said first time value is indicative of a time for performing the at least first presentation command at the first network node;

wherein the presentation control information provides information for identifying a first collection of one or more presentation segments for presenting on the at least first network node, and for identifying an alternative collection of one or more presentation segments for presenting on the at least first network node, wherein the first and the alternative collections are each replaceable with the other when presenting the presentation;

a computational component for determining network performance information of the communications network, wherein said computational component determines said network performance information using network data obtained from network transmissions detected at said at least first network node;

wherein said computational component includes a network analyzer for determining said network performance information using one or more of the following types of said network data;

(a) a data transmission rate of said communications network at said first network node;

(b) a fluctuation in bandwidth of said communications network at said first network node; and

(c) a statistical prediction of a bandwidth of said communications network at said first network node;

a first segment selector, activated after said at least first network node receives said presentation control information, for selecting, using said network performance information, as a selected collection, one of said first and said alternative collections for transmitting to said at least first network node;

a presentation time determining component at said first network node for determining a second time value relative to performing at least part of said streaming portion at said first network node, wherein said second time value is determined using said second timing data;

a time delay determining component at said first network node for determining a time delay between said first time value and the second time value; and

a presentation synchronization component for using said time delay to delay the performing, at said first network node, of the non-streaming portion relative to the streaming portion.

34. A method for synchronizing a performance of at least one non-streaming portion of a presentation with at least one streaming portion of the presentation when the non-streaming and streaming portions of the presentation are performed on at least first and second network nodes, via at least one communications network, the method comprising at least the following:

storing a plurality of segments of a presentation for network access, via one or more content supplying nodes of a communications network, wherein there are subcollections of one or more of the segments, each subcollection having a predetermined presentation order, and there are first and second of the subcollections, wherein said first subcollection is replaceable with said second subcollection when presenting the presentation;

identifying a plurality of network nodes for presenting the presentation, including the first and second network nodes;

outputting at least first and second timing data for synchronizing non-streaming and streaming portions of the presentation at the first and second client nodes;

first providing, via the communications network, one or more first instances of presentation control information to the first network node for controlling the presentation at the first network node;

second providing, via the communications network, one or more second instances of presentation control information to the second network node for controlling the presentation at the second network node;

wherein the steps of first providing, and second providing are performed substantially simultaneously, using the Internet as at least a portion of the communications network;

wherein, for each network node of the first and second network nodes, the corresponding one of the first and second instances of presentation control information includes at least (a1) through (a3) following;

(a1) identifications of the content supplying nodes,

(a2) at least a first presentation command related to displaying the non-streaming portion at the network node, and

(a3) a presentation time value derived from the first timing data, wherein the presentation time value is indicative of a time for performing the at least first presentation command at the network node;

first transmitting the first subcollection from one or more of the content supplying nodes for presenting at the first network node, wherein the first instance(s) of presentation control information is used for obtaining the first subcollection at the first network node;

second transmitting the second subcollection from one or more of the content supplying nodes for presenting at the second network node substantially simultaneously with the presenting of the first subcollection at the first network node, wherein the second instance(s) of presentation control information is used by the second network node for presenting the second subcollection at the second network node;

synchronizing a performance of the presentation at the first network node with a performance of the presentation at the second network node so that each of the subcollections presented at the first network node is presented substantially simultaneously with some one of the subcollections at the second network node;

wherein each node (N) of the first and second network nodes include (b

     1) through (b3) following;

(b1) a corresponding presentation time determining component for determining a stream time value relative to performing at least part of the streaming portion,

(b2) a corresponding time delay component for determining a time delay between the stream time value and a corresponding instance of the presentation time value; and

(b3) a presentation synchronization component for using said time delay to delay a performance, at the node N, of the non-streaming presentation portion relative to a performance of the streaming portion;

wherein said step of synchronizing includes obtaining, by said first network node, a network performance measurement of a network transmission from a first of the content supplying network nodes to the first network node.

35. A method for synchronizing a performance of at least one non-streaming portion of a presentation with at least one streaming portion of the presentation when the non-streaming and streaming portions of the presentation are performed on at least first and second network nodes, via at least one communications network, the method comprising at least the following:

storing a plurality of segments of a presentation for network access, via one or store content supplying nodes of a communications network, wherein there are subcollections of one or more of the segments, each subcollection having a predetermined presentation order, and there are first and second of the subcollections, wherein said first subcollection is replaceable with said second subcollection when presenting the presentation;

identifying a plurality of network nodes for presenting the presentation, including the first and second network nodes;

outputting at least first and second timing data for synchronizing non-streaming and streaming portions of the presentation at the first and second client nodes;

first providing, via the communications network, one or more first instances of presentation control information to the first network node for controlling the presentation at the first network node;

second providing, via the communications network, one or more second instances of presentation control information to the second network node for controlling the presentation at the second network node;

wherein, for each network node of said first and second network nodes, said corresponding one of the first and second instances of presentation control information includes at least (a1) through (a3) following;

(a1) identifications of the content supplying nodes,

(a2) at least a first presentation command related to displaying the non-streaming portion at the network node, and

(a3) a presentation time value derived from the first timing data, wherein the presentation time value is indicative of a time for performing the at least first presentation command at the network node;

first transmitting the first subcollection from one or more of the content supplying nodes for presenting at the first network node, wherein the first instance(s) of presentation control information is used for obtaining the first subcollection at the first network node;

second transmitting the second subcollection from one or more of the content supplying nodes for presenting at the second network node substantially simultaneously with the presenting of the first subcollection at the first network node, wherein the second instance(s) of presentation control information is used by the second network node for presenting the second subcollection at the second network node;

establishing whether the first subcollection is cached at said first network node within a desired time prior to a performance of the first subcollection;

wherein the desired time is determined by comparing;

(a) a transmission rate of the communications network between the first network node, and at least one of said content supplying nodes; and

(b) a transmission rate of the communications network between the second network node, and at least one of said content supplying nodes;

synchronizing a performance of the presentation at the first network node with a performance of the presentation at the second network node;

wherein each node (N) of the first and second network nodes include (b1) through (b3) following;

(b1) a corresponding presentation time determining component for determining a stream time value relative to performing at least part of the streaming portion,

(b2) a corresponding time delay component for determining a time delay between the stream time value and a corresponding instance of the presentation time value; and

(b3) a presentation synchronization component for using said time delay to delay a performance, at the node N, of the non-streaming presentation portion relative to a performance of the streaming portion.