Server for presenting interactive content synchronized to time-based media

• US 8,489,777 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2011
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Spot411 Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Spot411 Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Shah, Ajay
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG, LIANG CHE A
• Application Number:
  US13/097,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20110209189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/248
• US Class Current: 709/248
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/433 using audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/233 Processing of audio elementary streams monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• 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 21/43076 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 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6332 directed to client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8545 for generating interactive applications

Abstract

Where multiple client devices are synchronized to multiple, asynchronous instances of a time-based media presentation such as live and time-shifted views of a television broadcast, interactive content can be delivered to each one of the various devices at a particular time (or “time offset”) within the presentation independent of when each instance of the time-based media presentation is viewed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a plurality of time offsets from a plurality of client devices that identify a temporal location in a presentation of time-based media for each one of the plurality of client devices;

transmitting time-based interactive content selected according to the temporal location to at least one of the plurality of client devices for display on the at least one of the plurality of client devices, wherein the interactive content includes a quiz synchronized to the presentation;

scoring one or more responses to the quiz from the plurality of client devices; and

transmitting a quiz result based upon the scoring to one of the plurality of clients for display on the one of the plurality of client devices synchronized to the presentation according to an independently determined time offset for the one of the plurality of client devices.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting time-based interactive content includes transmitting a presentation offset in order to synchronize display of the time-based interactive content on each one of the plurality of client devices.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the interactive content includes a poll temporally related to the presentation.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising transmitting a result for the poll to one or more of the plurality of client devices.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising updating the interactive content for each one of the plurality of devices as the time offset for that one of the plurality of devices changes over an interval of the presentation.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the presentation includes a live television broadcast.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the presentation includes a time-shifted television broadcast.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the presentation includes a display to the client device from a pre-recorded media including at least one of a CD, a DVD, a Blu-ray disc, and an HD DVD.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein synchronizing the client device includes:

receiving data representative of an audio component of the presentation from each one of the plurality of client devices;

determining for each one of the plurality of client devices a time offset within the presentation; and

transmitting the time offset for each one of the plurality of client devices to that one of the plurality of client devices.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the interactive content includes an instant messaging interface that couples the plurality of client devices in a communicating relationship for synchronous chat.

11. A computer program product for providing interactive content, the computer program product comprising computer executable code embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium that, when executing on one or more computing devices, performs the steps of:

receiving a plurality of time offsets from a plurality of client devices that identify a temporal location in a presentation of time-based media for each one of the plurality of client devices;

transmitting time-based interactive content according to the temporal location to at least one of the plurality of client devices for display on the at least one of the plurality of devices, wherein the interactive content includes a quiz synchronized to the presentation;

scoring one or more responses to the quiz from the plurality of client devices; and

transmitting a quiz result based upon the scoring to one of the plurality of clients for display on the one of the plurality of client devices synchronized to the presentation according to an independently determined time offset for the one of the plurality of client devices.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein transmitting time-based interactive content includes transmitting a presentation offset in order to synchronize display of the time-based interactive content on each one of the plurality of client devices.

14. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the interactive content includes a poll temporally related to the presentation.

15. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising code that performs the step of transmitting a result for the poll to one or more of the plurality of client devices.

16. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising code that performs the step of updating the interactive content for each one of the plurality of devices as the time offset for that one of the plurality of devices changes over an interval of the presentation.

17. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the presentation includes a live television broadcast.

18. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the presentation includes a time-shifted television broadcast.

19. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the presentation includes a display to the client device from a pre-recorded media including at least one of a CD, a DVD, a Blu-ray disc, and an HD DVD.

13. A server comprising:

a data network interface configured to provide a communicating relationship with a data network;

a database; and

a processor configured to perform the steps of;

receiving a plurality of time offsets from a plurality of client devices that identify a temporal location in a presentation of time-based media for each one of the plurality of client devices;

transmitting time-based interactive content from the database according to the temporal location to at least one of the plurality of client devices for display on the at least one of the plurality of devices, wherein the interactive content includes a quiz synchronized to the presentation;

scoring one or more responses to the quiz from the plurality of client devices; and

transmitting a quiz result based upon the scoring to one of the plurality of clients for display on the one of the plurality of client devices synchronized to the presentation according to an independently determined time offset for the one of the plurality of client devices.