Playing multimedia content on multiple devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10349107-B2
Application number	US-201615181386-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2016
Priority date	Jan 25, 2010
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

A method for displaying multimedia content is described. The method includes causing playing of multimedia content on a first device; responsive to a first user input, on a second device, comprising one of: playing, fast forwarding, rewinding, or pausing the playing of the multimedia content: causing an action comprising one of: playing, fast forwarding, rewinding, or pausing of the multimedia content on the second device at a start position that is based on the user input and a current position of the playing of the multimedia content on the first device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media, storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by control circuitry, cause the control circuitry to:
cause, by a content management device, synchronous playing of a media content item at a first device and a second device;
receive, at the content management device, a first input requesting to fast-forward the playing of the media content item at the second device ahead of a currently playing position of the media content item at the first device;
responsive to the first input, cause, by the content management device, forwarding of the playing of the media content item at the second device while the first device continues the playing of the media content item at the first device at a standard playback speed;
subsequent to the first input, while the playing of the media content item at the second device is no longer synchronized with the playing of the media content item at the first device at least partially on account of the forwarding, receive, at the content management device, a second input requesting to synchronize the playing of the media content item at the second device with the playing of the media content item at the first device; and
responsive to the second input, rewind playback of the media content at the second device to a frame of the media content being displayed at the first device to again cause synchronous playing of the media content item at the first device and the second device.

2. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the control circuitry, further cause performance of:
receive, at the second device, from the first device, a media stream comprising the media content item, the second device playing the media content item from the media stream.

3. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein execution of the instruction causing synchronous playing of the media content item at the first device and the second device further causes the control circuitry to resume the playing of the media content at the second device at a frame within the media content item that is currently being played at the first device.

4. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein execution of the instruction to cause forwarding of the playing of the media content item further causes the control circuitry to play the media content at a faster speed than the standard playback speed or skipping a portion of the media content item.

5. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the control circuitry, further cause the control circuitry to, responsive to the second device sending an instruction for the first device to fast forward or skip through a portion of the media content item, cause the first device to fast forward or skip through the portion of the media content item while playing the media content item.

6. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the control circuitry, further cause the control circuitry to, responsive to third input received at the second device, send, from the second device, an instruction to the first device to fast forward or skip through a portion of the media content item, the first device configured, in response to the instruction, to fast forward or skip through the portion of the media content item while playing the media content item, the second device configured to, in response to the third input, also fast forward or skip through the portion of the media content item while playing the media content item.

7. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the control circuitry, further cause the control circuitry to send, from the content management device, a multimedia stream comprising the multimedia content to both the first device and the second device.

8. A method comprising:
causing, by a content management device, synchronous playing of a media content item at a first device and a second device;
receiving, at the content management device, a first input requesting to fast-forward the playing of the media content item at the second device ahead of a currently playing position of the media content item at the first device;
responsive to the first input, causing, by the content management system, forwarding of the playing of the media content item at the second device while the first device continues the playing of the media content item at the first device at a standard playback speed;
subsequent to the first input, while the playing of the media content item at the second device is no longer synchronized with the playing of the media content item at the first device at least partially on account of the forwarding, receiving, at the content management system, a second input requesting to synchronize the playing of the media content item at the first device with the playing of the media content item at the second device; and
responsive to the second input, rewinding playback of the media content at the second device to a frame of the media content being displayed at the first device to again cause synchronous playing of the media content item at the first device and the second device.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving, at the second device, from the first device, a media stream comprising the media content item, the second device playing the media content item from the media stream.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein causing synchronous playing of the media content item at the first device and the second device comprises causing resuming of the playing of the media content at the second device at a frame within the media content item that is currently being played at the first device.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein forwarding the playing of the media content item comprises playing the media content at a faster speed than the standard playback speed or skipping a portion of the media content item.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising, responsive to the second device sending an instruction for the first device to fast forward or skip through a portion of the media content item, causing the first device to fast forward or skip through the portion of the media content item while playing the media content item.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising, responsive to third input received at the second device, sending, from the second device, an instruction to the first device to fast forward or skip through a portion of the media content item, the first device configured, in response to the instruction, to fast forward or skip through the portion of the media content item while playing the media content item, the second device configured to, in response to the third input, also fast forward or skip through the portion of the media content item while playing the media content item.

14. The method as recited in claim 8 , further comprising the content management device sending a multimedia stream comprising the multimedia content to both the first device and the second device.

15. A content management system comprising:
a subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware at one or more computing devices, configured to cause, by a content management device, synchronous playing of a media content item at a first device and a second device;
a subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware at one or more computing devices, con

Assignees

• Tivo Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Lanier Brian
• Barton James M

Classifications

• H04N21/2387

  Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play · CPC title

• H04N21/6125

  involving transmission via Internet (transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82) · CPC title

• H04N21/4751

  for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children · CPC title

• G06F3/1438 Primary

  using more than one graphics controller · CPC title

• G09G2340/045

  Zooming at least part of an image, i.e. enlarging it or shrinking it · CPC title