Group control and messaging for digital video playback sessions
First Claim
1. A method of managing simultaneous playback of a digital video program on a respective multiplicity of digital video playback devices, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving from one of the digital video playback devices, a request from a user to interrupt the simultaneous playback of the digital video program at other of the digital playback devices;
if the user has already interrupted the simultaneous playback of the digital video program at the other digital playback devices a predetermined number of times, a processor rejecting the request; and
if the user has not already interrupted simultaneous playback of the digital video program at the other digital playback devices the predetermined number of times, the processor forwarding the request to the other digital video playback devices for execution.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Group management of video device playback provides a mechanism for shared playback of recorded video content. Digital video playback devices are linked to a central management system through network connections which manages the shared playback, or a peer-to-peer network connection is used without the central management system. One user may be responsible for all actions affecting content playback, or all users may be permitted to affect content playback, with certain actions of those users limited in type or quantity. Group membership and group member permissions can be accomplished using the digital playback device through interactive interfaces implemented by the digital video playback device, or can be accomplished using a personal computer coupled to the device or central management system. Users may comment on shared playback using interactive video-based commentary functionality that may provide a text channel or graphical images that may be selected from a set of pre-configured commentary items.
51 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of managing simultaneous playback of a digital video program on a respective multiplicity of digital video playback devices, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving from one of the digital video playback devices, a request from a user to interrupt the simultaneous playback of the digital video program at other of the digital playback devices; if the user has already interrupted the simultaneous playback of the digital video program at the other digital playback devices a predetermined number of times, a processor rejecting the request; and if the user has not already interrupted simultaneous playback of the digital video program at the other digital playback devices the predetermined number of times, the processor forwarding the request to the other digital video playback devices for execution. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A system for managing simultaneous playback of a digital video program on a respective multiplicity of digital video playback devices, the system comprising:
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a processor, a computer-readable memory and a computer-readable tangible storage device; program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by a processor via the memory, to receive a request from a user to interrupt the simultaneous playback of the digital video program at other of the digital playback devices; program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by a processor via the memory, to reject the request if the user has already interrupted the simultaneous playback of the digital video program at the other digital playback devices a predetermined number of times; and program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by a processor via the memory, to forward the to the other digital video playback devices for execution if the user has not already interrupted the simultaneous playback of the digital video program at the other digital playback devices a predetermined number of times. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer program product for managing simultaneous playback of a digital video program on a respective multiplicity of digital video playback devices, the computer program product comprising:
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a computer-readable tangible storage device; program instructions, stored on the storage device, to receive a request from a user to interrupt the simultaneous playback of the digital video program at other of the digital playback devices; program instructions, stored on the storage device, to reject the request if the user has already interrupted the simultaneous playback of the digital video program at the other digital playback devices a predetermined number of times; and program instructions, stored on the storage device, to forward the to the other digital video playback devices for execution if the user has not already interrupted the simultaneous playback of the digital video program at the other digital playback devices a predetermined number of times. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification