Synchronization of digital content among multiple devices

• US 8,731,460 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2012
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Spurgat, Jeffrey Jonathan, Gladwin, Stephen Christopher, Andrews, Hoyet Harrison III
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US13/621,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20130072109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 612 Days
• Field of Search: 455/66.1, 455 411- 412, 455 301- 306, 455418-420, 455/500, 455/502, 455517-519, 4554141-4142, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 709/208, 709/211, 709/213, 709/216, 709/231, 709/248
• US Class Current: 455/3.05
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/68 Systems specially adapted for using specific information, e.g. geographical or meteorological information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/88 which are wireless networks
• 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 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• 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 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams

Abstract

A wireless communication system and in particular a wireless communication system for digital audio players that provides for increased functionality, such as communication, interaction and synchronization between a computing platform and various mobile, portable or fixed digital audio players, as well as providing a communication link between the various digital audio players themselves. The computing platform may act, for example, through a wireless network or wireless communication platform, to control the digital audio players; to act as a cache of digital audio data for the digital audio players; as well as provide a gateway to the Internet to enable the digital audio players to access additional digital audio content and other information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing, by a first digital content device associated with a user, digital content for presentation to the user;

receiving, by way of a wireless communication, information regarding one or more changes made to digital content stored by a second digital content device; and

applying, by the first digital content device, the one or more changes to the digital content stored by the first digital content device to synchronize the digital content stored the first digital content device with the digital content stored by the second digital content device.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication is facilitated by a gateway.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the first digital content device is a personal computing platform.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the first digital content device is a set top box.

5. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the first digital content device is an audio player.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising sending, from the first digital content device, a request to synchronize the digital content stored by the first digital content device with the digital content stored by the second digital content device.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising determining an amount of storage required to apply the one or more changes to the digital content stored by the first digital content device.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising detecting if the first digital content device comprises the amount of storage required to apply the one or more changes to the digital content stored by the first digital content device.

9. The method of as recited in claim 1, wherein applying the one or more changes to the digital content stored by the first digital content device comprises one of:

copying, adding, or removing digital content.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the digital content comprises one of:

audio content, image content or video content.

11. A mobile device comprising:

at least one processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

maintain, by the mobile device, digital content for presentation to a user;

receive, by way of a wireless communication, information regarding one or more changes made to digital content maintained by a second device; and

applying, by the mobile device, the one or more changes to the digital content stored by the mobile device to synchronize the digital content stored by the mobile device with the digital content stored by the second device.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to send, from the mobile device, a request to synchronize the digital content stored by the mobile device with the digital content stored by the second device.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to determine an amount of storage required on the mobile device to apply the one or more changes to the digital content stored by the mobile device.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to detect if the mobile device has the amount of storage required to apply the one or more changes to the digital content stored by the mobile device.

15. The mobile device of claim 14, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, if the mobile device does not have the amount of storage required to apply the one or more changes, enable presentation of an error message to the user.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein applying the one or more changes to the digital content stored by the mobile device comprises one of:

copying, replacing, adding, or removing digital content.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform steps comprising:

storing, by a first digital content device associated with a user, digital content for presentation to the user;

receiving, by way of a wireless communication, information regarding one or more changes made to digital content stored by a second digital content device; and

applying, by the first digital content device, the one or more changes to the digital content stored by the first digital content device to synchronize the digital content stored by the first digital content device with the digital content stored by the second digital content device.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the step of sending, from the first digital content device, a request to synchronize the digital content stored by the first digital content device with the digital content stored by the second digital content device.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the step of detecting that the first digital content device is in wireless communication with the second digital content device.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the steps of sending, to the second digital content device, information regarding one or more changes made to the digital content stored by a first digital content device.