Cross-device playback with synchronization of consumption state

• US 8,229,888 B1
• Filed: 10/15/2004
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Radix Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Roskind, James A., Emigh, Aaron T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Syed, Farhan
• Application Number:
  US10/967,552
• Time in Patent Office: 2,839 Days
• Field of Search: 707/200, 707/201, 707/202, 707/203, 707/204
• US Class Current: 707/621
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4604 LAN interconnection over a backbone network, e.g. Internet, Frame Relay
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• 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 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• 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 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

Some embodiments comprise: A recipient data device connects to a source data device, which is associated with a profile that includes consumption state including information relating to a point at which playback of a piece of multimedia content at a playback device, different than the recipient data device, has been terminated. Data is synchronized, including the consumption state. The piece of multimedia content is played at the recipient data device, starting from a playback initiation point related to the point at which playback of the piece of multimedia content was terminated.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for synchronizing consumption state of multimedia content, comprising:

at a recipient data device, connecting to a source data device;

determining data to be synchronized based at least in part on information associated with the source data device;

wherein the information associated with the source data device includes a profile associated with the source data device, wherein the profile is associated with an individual user at the source data device, wherein the profile includes information relating to content that the user has elected to receive, wherein the content includes a piece of multimedia content, and wherein the profile includes consumption state, wherein the consumption state includes information relating to a point at which playback of the piece of multimedia content at a playback device has been terminated, wherein the playback device is different than the recipient data device;

synchronizing the data;

wherein synchronizing the data includes synchronizing the consumption state to the recipient data device from the source data device; and

playing the piece of multimedia content at the recipient data device;

wherein playing the piece of multimedia content starts from a playback initiation point related to the point at which playback of the piece of multimedia content was terminated, said point at which playback of the piece of multimedia content was terminated being included in the consumption state synchronized from the source data device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the information associated with the recipient data device includes preference information.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the information associated with the source data device includes at least one of an identity of the source data device, a list of data available on the source data device, metadata related to the list of data, information about at least one source from where the source data device acquires the list of data according to a schedule, and a resource available on the source data device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein synchronizing the data includes synchronizing a portion of the data from the recipient data device to the source data device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data is synchronized from the source data device in one of a serial mode, a parallel mode, or a mixed mode thereof.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein synchronizing the data is performed via an intermittent network connection.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transporting, by the recipient data device, the synchronized data to another data device.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the information relating to the point at which playback of the piece of multimedia content has been terminated relates to the individual user.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data includes the piece of multimedia content.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein synchronizing the data includes synchronizing only a portion of the piece of multimedia content, wherein the portion includes from the playback initiation point onward.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein synchronizing the data is performed via a network interface.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the source data device is a server.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the playback initiation point is the point at which playback of the piece of multimedia content was terminated.

23. The method according to claim 1, wherein the playback initiation point is the beginning of a segment of the piece of multimedia content, wherein the segment contains the point at which playback of the piece of multimedia content was terminated.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the segment is a scene.

25. The method according to claim 1, wherein the piece of multimedia content is video.

26. The method according to claim 1, wherein connecting to the source data device is performed via a network.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the network is the Internet.

28. The method according to claim 1, wherein the profile is part of an aggregated profile that corresponds to aggregated interests of a group of users who are different individual users of the source data device.

29. The method according to claim 1, further comprising forming a dynamic data sharing policy based on a preference specified in the individual user'"'"'s profile;

wherein the data sharing policy includes one or more schedules containing information indicating data delivery schedule within a future time period.

9. A system for synchronizing consumption state of multimedia content, comprising:

a recipient data device comprising;

a processor configured to;

connect to a source data device;

determine data to be synchronized based at least in part on information associated with the source data device;

wherein the information associated with the source data device includes a profile associated with the source data device, wherein the profile is associated with an individual user at the source data device, wherein the profile includes information relating to content that the user has elected to receive, wherein the content includes a piece of multimedia content, and wherein the profile includes consumption state, wherein the consumption state includes information relating to a point at which playback of the piece of multimedia content at a playback device has been terminated, wherein the playback device is different than the recipient data device;

synchronize the data;

wherein synchronizing the data includes synchronizing the consumption state to the recipient data device from the source data device; and

play the piece of multimedia content;

wherein playing the piece of multimedia content starts from a playback initiation point related to the point at which playback of the piece of multimedia content was terminated, said point at which playback of the piece of multimedia content was terminated being included in the consumption state synchronized from the source data device; and

a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory provides instructions to the processor.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the information associated with the recipient data device includes preference information.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the information associated with the source data device includes at least one of an identity of the source data device, a list of data available on the source data device, metadata related to the list of data, information about at least one source from where the source data device acquires the list of data according to a schedule, and a resource available on the source data device.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to synchronize the data from the source data device in one of a serial mode, a parallel mode, and a mixed mode thereof.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein the information relating to the point at which playback of the piece of multimedia content has been terminated relates to the individual user.

30. The system according to claim 9, wherein the data includes the piece of multimedia content.

31. The system according to claim 30, wherein synchronizing the data includes synchronizing only a portion of the piece of multimedia content, wherein the portion includes from the playback initiation point onward.

32. The system according to claim 9, wherein synchronizing the data is performed via a network interface.

33. The system according to claim 9, wherein the source data device is a server.

34. The system according to claim 9, wherein the playback initiation point is the point at which playback of the piece of multimedia content was terminated.

35. The system according to claim 9, wherein the playback initiation point is the beginning of a segment of the piece of multimedia content, wherein the segment contains the point at which playback of the piece of multimedia content was terminated.

36. The system according to claim 35, wherein the segment is a scene.

37. The system according to claim 9, wherein the piece of multimedia content is video.

38. The system according to claim 9, wherein connecting to the source data device is performed via a network.

39. The system according to claim 38, wherein the network is the Internet.

14. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code adapted to execute a method for synchronizing consumption state of multimedia content, the method comprising:

at a recipient data device, connecting to a source data device;

determining data to be synchronized based at least in part on information associated with the source data device;

wherein the information associated with the source data device includes a profile associated with the source data device, wherein the profile is associated with an individual user at the source data device, wherein the profile includes information relating to content that the user has elected to receive, wherein the content includes a piece of multimedia content, and wherein the profile includes consumption state, wherein the consumption state includes information relating to a point at which playback of the piece of multimedia content at a playback device has been terminated, wherein the playback device is different than the recipient data device;

synchronizing the data;

wherein synchronizing the data includes synchronizing the consumption state to the recipient data device from the source data device; and

playing the piece of multimedia content at the recipient data device;

wherein playing the piece of multimedia content starts from a playback initiation point related to the point at which playback of the piece of multimedia content was terminated, said point at which playback of the piece of multimedia content was terminated being included in the consumption state synchronized from the source data device.

15. The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the information associated with the recipient data device includes preference information.

16. The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the information associated with the source data device includes at least one of an identity of the source data device, a list of data available on the source data device, metadata related to the list of data, information about at least one source from where the source data device acquires the list of data according to a schedule, and a resource available on the source data device.

17. The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the information relating to the point at which playback of the piece of multimedia content has been terminated relates to the individual user.

40. The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the data includes the piece of multimedia content.

41. The computer program product according to claim 40, wherein synchronizing the data includes synchronizing only a portion of the piece of multimedia content, wherein the portion includes from the playback initiation point onward.

42. The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein synchronizing the data is performed via a network interface.

43. The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the source data device is a server.

44. The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the playback initiation point is the point at which playback of the piece of multimedia content was terminated.

45. The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the playback initiation point is the beginning of a segment of the piece of multimedia content, wherein the segment contains the point at which playback of the piece of multimedia content was terminated.

46. The computer program product according to claim 45, wherein the segment is a scene.

47. The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the piece of multimedia content is video.

48. The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein connecting to the source data device is performed via a network.

49. The computer program product according to claim 48, wherein the network is the Internet.