Content synchronization apparatus and method

• US 9,979,788 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2016
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Cho, Jeong-Mi, Jeong, So-Young, Kim, Jeong-Su
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzlo, John
• Application Number:
  US15/005,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20160142490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 370252, 370329, 370386, 370503
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• 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 21/43076 of the same content streams on multiple devices, e.g. when family members are watching the same movie on different devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43079 of additional data with content streams on multiple devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; 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 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12

Abstract

A content synchronization apparatus is provided. The content synchronization apparatus includes a communication unit configured to communicate with a device that the content synchronization apparatus can synchronize content with, a control unit configured to, in response to a synchronization command to share current content being played by the device being received, share the current content by acquiring the current content and state information corresponding to the current content through the communication unit, synchronize the current content with the device using the current content and the state information, and configure a display screen based on the results of the synchronization of the current content with the device, and an output unit configured to display the configured display screen.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

an output unit;

a photographing unit; and

a control unit configured to;

identify a content based on an image obtained by the photographing unit,

obtain the identified content and information related to the content,

obtain personalized information related to the content based on the information related to the content and user profile information, and

output a screen comprising the personalized information and the content through the output unit.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

an audio input unit,

wherein the control unit identifies the content based on an audio signal received through the audio input unit and the obtained image.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the control unit identifies the content which is being executed in an external device and obtains the identified content and the information related to content from the external device.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the information related to the content comprises information indicating an execution state of the content which is being executed in the external device,

wherein the controller configures and outputs a screen which is being executed in the external device based on the information indicating the execution state of the content and the content.

5. A controlling method of a device, the method comprising:

identifying a content based on obtained an image;

obtaining the identified content and information related to the content;

obtaining personalized information related to the content based on the information related to the content and user profile information; and

outputting a screen comprising the personalized information related to the content and the content.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving an audio signal,

wherein the identifying the content comprises identifying the content based on the received audio signal and the obtained image.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the obtaining the content and the information related to the content comprises identifying the content which is being executed in an external device and obtaining the identified content and the information related to content from the external device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the information related to the content comprises information indicating an execution state of the content which is being executed in the external device,

wherein the outputting the screen comprises configuring and outputting a screen which is being executed in the external device based on the information indicating the execution state of the content and the content.