Synchronizing media presentation at multiple devices

• US 9,974,037 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2015
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Crowe, Keith, Agostino, Dan, Duran, Filinto
• Primary Examiner(s): NANO, SARGON N
• Application Number:
  US14/919,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20160044622A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• 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 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4302 Content synchronisation processes, e.g. decoder synchronisation
• 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 21/44004 involving video buffer management, e.g. video decoder buffer or video display buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0025 synchronizing potentially movable access points

Abstract

A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may include, for example, a device to perform operations including determining a target playback latency not less than a greater of a first playback latency of a streaming media signal at a first media processor and a second playback latency of the first media signal at a second media processor. The streaming media signal includes a first in-content reference. A coordinated playback time is determined according to the target playback latency. A buffer, when adjusted by a buffer value, causes the first in-content reference to be encountered at a coordinated time during playback by the first media processor, which results in a synchronized playback of the streaming media between the first and second media processors. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining, by a synchronization controller comprising a processor, a greater of a first playback latency of a streaming media signal comprising media content at a first media processor and a second playback latency of the streaming media signal at a second media processor; and

determining, by the synchronization controller, according to the greater of the first and second playback latencies, a coordinated playback time at which a first in-content reference is to be encountered during playback

facilitating, by the synchronization controller, a transfer of the coordinated playback time to the first and second media processors,

wherein a first buffer of the first media processor, when adjusted by a first buffer value based on a first difference between the first playback latency and the coordinated playback time, and wherein a second buffer of the second media processor, when adjusted by a second buffer value based on a second difference between the second playback latency and the coordinated playback time, causes the first in-content reference to be encountered at the coordinated playback time during playback by the first and second media processors, resulting in a synchronized playback of the media content of the streaming media signal between the first and second media processors.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the first and second playback latencies.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining of the first and second playback latencies comprises:

identifying, by the synchronization controller, a second in-content reference within the streaming media signal;

determining, by the synchronization controller, a reference time at which the second in-content reference is available for network transport to each of the first and second media processors;

determining, by the synchronization controller, a first playback time at which the second in-content reference is encountered during playback at the first media processor;

determining, by the synchronization controller, a second playback time at which the second in-content reference is encountered during playback at the second media processor;

determining, by the synchronization controller, the first playback latency as a first difference between the first playback time and the reference time; and

determining, by the synchronization controller, the second playback latency as a second difference between the second playback time and the reference time.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first playback time is received from the first media processor and the second playback time is received from the second media processor, wherein the first media processor comprises a first time reference and the second media processor comprises a second time reference, wherein the first and second time references are synchronized.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the coordinated playback time is responsive to a synchronization request generated by one of the first and second media processors in response to an event associated with the one of the first and second media processors.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding, by the synchronization controller, a delay offset to the greater of the first and second playback latencies, wherein the determining of the coordinated playback time is according to the greater of the first and second playback latencies adjusted by the delay offset.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first in-content reference comprises one of a frame, a presentation time stamp, a sound sample, or an MPEG transport stream access unit.

8. A machine-readable storage device, comprising instructions, wherein execution of the instructions by a synchronization processing system including a processor facilitates performance of operations, comprising:

determining a target playback latency not less than a greater of a first playback latency of a streaming media signal comprising media content at a first media processor and a second playback latency of the streaming media signal at a second media processor, wherein the streaming media signal comprises a first in-content reference; and

determining a coordinated playback time according to the target playback latency,

facilitating, by the synchronization processing system, a transfer of the coordinated playback time to the first and second media processors,

wherein a first buffer of the first media processor, when adjusted by a first buffer value based on a first difference between the first playback latency and the coordinated playback time, and wherein a second buffer of the second media processor, when adjusted by a second buffer value based on a second difference between the second playback latency and the coordinated playback time, causes the first in-content reference to be encountered at the coordinated playback time during playback by the first and second media processors, resulting in a synchronized playback of the media content of the streaming media signal between the first and second media processors.

9. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the determining of the first and second playback latencies comprises:

identifying a second in-content reference within the streaming media signal;

determining a reference time at which the second in-content reference is available for network transport to each of the first and second media processors;

determining a first playback time at which the second in-content reference is encountered during playback at the first media processor;

determining a second playback time at which the second in-content reference is encountered during playback at the second media processor;

determining the first playback latency as a first difference between the first playback time and the reference time; and

determining the second playback latency as a second difference between the second playback time and the reference time.

10. The machine-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the first playback time is received from the first media processor and the second playback time is received from the second media processor, wherein the first media processor comprises a first time reference and the second media processor comprises a second time reference, wherein the first and second time references are synchronized.

11. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8, further comprising receiving a synchronization request from one of the first and second media processors in response to an event associated with the one of the first and second media processors, wherein the determining of the first and second playback latencies is responsive to the synchronization request.

12. The machine-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the event is selected from a group consisting of a power-on event, a channel-change event, a selection of a menu item, or a time value.

13. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the first in-content reference comprises one of a frame, a presentation time stamp, a sound sample, or an MPEG transport stream access unit.

14. A synchronization device, comprising:

a memory that stores executable instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the instructions, performs operations comprising;

determining a target playback latency not less than a greater of a first playback latency of a streaming media signal comprising media content at a first media processor and a second playback latency of the streaming media signal at a second media processor, wherein the streaming media signal comprises a first in-content reference; and

determining a coordinated playback time according to the target playback latency,

facilitating, by the synchronization device, a transfer of the coordinated playback time to the first and second media processors,

wherein a first buffer of the first media processor, when adjusted by a first buffer value based on a first difference between the first playback latency and the coordinated playback time, and wherein a second buffer of the second media processor, when adjusted by a second buffer value based on a second difference between the second playback latency and the coordinated playback time, causes the first in-content reference to be encountered at the coordinated playback time during playback by the first and second media processors, resulting in a synchronized playback of the media content of the streaming media signal between the first and second media processors.

15. The synchronization device of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise determining the first and second playback latencies.

16. The synchronization device of claim 15, wherein the determining of the first and second playback latencies comprises:

identifying a second in-content reference within the streaming media signal;

determining a reference time at which the second in-content reference is available for network transport to each of the first and second media processors;

determining a first playback time at which the second in-content reference is encountered during playback at the first media processor;

determining a second playback time at which the second in-content reference is encountered during playback at the second media processor;

determining the first playback latency as a first difference between the first playback time and the reference time; and

determining the second playback latency as a second difference between the second playback time and the reference time.

17. The synchronization device of claim 16, wherein the first playback time is received from the first media processor and the second playback time is received from the second media processor, wherein the first media processor comprises a first time reference and the second media processor comprises a second time reference, wherein the first and second time references are synchronized.

18. The synchronization device of claim 14, further comprising receiving a synchronization request from one of the first and second media processors in response to an event associated with the one of the first and second media processors, wherein the determining of the first and second playback latencies is responsive to the synchronization request.

19. The synchronization device of claim 14, further comprising adding a delay offset to the greater of the first and second playback latencies, wherein the determining of the coordinated playback time is according to the greater of the first and second playback latencies adjusted by the delay offset.

20. The synchronization device of claim 14, wherein the first in-content reference comprises one of a frame, a presentation time stamp, a sound sample, or an MPEG transport stream access unit.