Portable content player, content storage device, and method of synchronizing content state lists between portable content player and content storage device

• US 9,552,364 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2013
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Koo, Min-soo
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBINSON, GRETA LEE
• Application Number:
  US14/084,169
• Publication Number:
  US 20140074779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 707609-614, 707617-618, 707620-621, 707624-625, 707/640, 707/674, 707/679, 707/695, 707/9, 709/201, 709/242, 717/140, 717/151
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel

Abstract

A portable content player, a content storage device, and a method of synchronizing content between the portable content player and the content storage device, the method including: generating a first content state list for content stored in the content storage device and a second content state list for content stored in the portable content player; generating an execution list based on the first content state list and the second content state list; and matching the first content state list with the second content state list by executing a synchronization command included in the execution list on content selected to be synchronized. Accordingly, a user can automatically match the content state lists of the portable content player and the content storage device.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing content state between a first device and a second device, the method comprising:

determining whether the first device and the second device are connected to each other;

selecting content according to a synchronization command included in an execution list;

synchronizing a first content state list of the first device and a second content state list of the second device with respect to the selected content;

determining whether a first content state of the first content state list for the selected content stored in the first device matches a second content state of the second content state list for the selected content stored in the second device when the first device and the second device are determined as being connected to each other; and

receiving, using the first device, at least a portion of the selected content being reproduced in the second device from the second device based on a result of the matching by executing the synchronization command; and

updating the first content state to synchronize the first content state and the second content state based on the result of the matching.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first content state comprises a reproduction state for the selected content stored in the first device and the second content state comprises a reproduction state for the selected content stored in the second device.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the reproduction state is one of a completely-reproduced state, a not-completely-reproduced state and a not-reproduced state.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the first device and the second device has information on a reproduction-interruption point for the selected content that has not been completely reproduced.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one of the first device and the second device finds the reproduction-interruption point for the selected content and reproduces the selected content from a portion subsequent to the reproduction-interruption point of the content.

6. A content storage device having a content reproduction function and performing content synchronization with a portable content player, the content storage device comprising:

a content storage unit configured to store content;

a synchronization controller configured to

determine whether the content storage device and the portable content player are connected,

select content according to a synchronization command included in an execution list;

synchronize a first content state list of the content storage device and a second content state list of the portable content player with respect to the selected content;

determine whether a first content state of the first content state list for the selected content stored in the content storage device matches a second content state of the second content state list for the selected content stored in the portable content player when the portable content player has been determined to be connected to the content storage device, and

update the first content state to synchronize the first content state and the second content state based on a result of the matching; and

a connection unit configured to transmit at least a portion of the selected content being reproduced in the content storage device to the portable content player based on the result of the matching by executing the synchronization command.

7. The content storage device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first content state comprises a reproduction state for the selected content stored in the content storage device and the second content state comprises a reproduction state for the selected content stored in the portable content player.

8. The content storage device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the reproduction state is one of a completely-reproduced state, a not-completely-reproduced state and a not-reproduced state.

9. The content storage device as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least one of the content storage device and the portable content player has information on a reproduction-interruption point for the selected content that has not been completely reproduced.

10. The content storage device as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one of the content storage device and the portable content player finds the reproduction-interruption point for the selected content and reproduces the selected content from a portion subsequent to the reproduction-interruption point of the selected content.

11. The content storage device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the content storage device is a personal computer.

12. A portable content player having a content reproduction function and performing content synchronization with a content storage device, the portable content player comprising:

a content storage unit configured to store content;

synchronization controller configured to determine whether the portable content player and the content storage device are connected to each other, to select content according to a synchronization command included in an execution list, to synchronize a first content state list of the content storage device and a second content state list of the portable content player with respect to the selected content, to determine whether a first content state of the first content state list for the selected content stored in the content storage device and a second content state of the second content state list for the selected content stored in the portable content player match each other when the portable content player and the content storage device are determined as being connected to each other, and to update the second content state to synchronize the first content state and the second content state based on a result of the matching by executing the synchronization command; and

a connection unit configured to receive at least a portion of the selected content being reproduced in the content storage device from the content storage device based on the result of the matching.

13. The portable content player as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first content state comprises a reproduction state for the selected content stored in the content storage device and the second content state comprises a reproduction state for the selected content stored in the portable content player.

14. The portable content player as claimed in claim 13, wherein the reproduction state is one of a completely-reproduced state, a not-completely-reproduced state and a not-reproduced state.

15. The portable content player as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one of the content storage device and the portable content player has information on a reproduction-interruption point for the selected content that has not been completely reproduced.

16. The portable content player as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least one of the content storage device and the portable content player device finds the reproduction-interruption point for the selected content and reproduces the selected content from a portion subsequent to the reproduction-interruption point of the selected content.