Synchronization of digital content

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11288632-B2
Application number	US-201916690939-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2019
Priority date	Nov 18, 2008
Publication date	Mar 29, 2022
Grant date	Mar 29, 2022

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to the sharing of synchronization information corresponding to content among devices in a communication network. An originating device collects synchronization information related to the presentation of content to a user via the originating device. The synchronization information is defined according to reference points related to the presentation of the content to the user via the originating device, including a current state of the presentation of the content and/or additional information obtained during the presentation of the content. Based on detection of a synchronization event, the originating device transmits the collected synchronization information, resulting in the receipt of the synchronization information by one or more receiving devices. Thereafter, the presentation of the content to the user on one of the receiving devices can incorporate the synchronization information collected and transmitted by the originating device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
determining synchronization information related to the presentation of content on a device, the synchronization information associated with presenting the content at a first reference point by the device;
in response to detecting a synchronization event, generating modified synchronization information based on a characteristic of a receiving device, wherein the modified synchronization information specifies one or more customizable attributes associated with presentation of the content at the first reference point on the receiving device; and
causing the modified synchronization information to be sent to the receiving device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the synchronization event comprises at least one of a detection of an output device, an initiation of a software application on the receiving device, or a detection of a user input indicative of a request for presentation of the content on the receiving device.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating the modified synchronization information based on user inputs.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising causing generation of a user interface configured to obtain user input representing of the one or more customizable attributes.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising determining the one or more customizable attributes based, in part, on the content.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising determining the one or more customizable attributes based, in part, on a configuration information attributed with a user profile applicable to the content.

7. A system comprising:
a first computing device comprising at least one processor and memory configured to execute a first set of computer-executable instructions, the first set of computer-executable instructions that when implemented are operative to:
generate synchronization information associated with a first reference point associated with presentation of content, and
receive input related to presentation of content by a receiving device; and

a second computing device comprising at least one processor and a memory configured to execute a second set of computer-executable instructions, the second set of computer-executable instructions that when implemented are operative to:
generate modified synchronization information based on a characteristic of the receiving device and the input related to the presentation of content, wherein the modified synchronization information specifies a customizable attribute associated with the presentation of the content at the first reference point on the receiving device;
cause sending of the modified synchronization information to the receiving device to present the content at the first reference point and modify the presentation of the content according to the customizable attribute.

8. The system as recited in claim 7 , wherein the receiving device is associated with an identifiable account.

9. The system as recited in claim 7 , wherein the receiving device is grouped according to configuration information associated with user profile information.

10. The system as recited in claim 7 , wherein the second set of computer-executable instructions are further operative to cause sending of modified synchronization information to the receiving device in response to detecting at least one of a detection of an output device, an initiation of a software application on the receiving device, or a detection of a user input indicative of a request for presentation of the content on the receiving device.

11. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the wherein the second set of computer-executable instructions are further operative to cause transmission of the modified synchronization information and the content together.

12. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the second set of computer-executable instructions are further operative to cause the generation of a user interface configured to obtain the input related to presentation of content on a receiving device on the first device.

13. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the customizable attribute is based, in part, on the content to be presented on the individual device.

14. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the customizable attribute is based, in part, on configuration information associated with user profile information.

15. A method comprising:
generating synchronization information indicative of a first reference point related to the presentation of content on a first device and a second device;
generating a first modified synchronization information to be sent to the first device based on a characteristic of the first device, wherein the first modified synchronization information specifies one or more customizable attributes associated with the presentation of content at the first reference point;
generating second modified synchronization information to be sent to the second device based on a characteristic of the second device, wherein the modified synchronization information specifies one or more customizable attributes associated with the presentation of content at the first reference point; and
in response to detecting a synchronization event associated with presentation of the content on the second device, causing the modified synchronization information to be sent to the second device.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the synchronization event associated with presentation of the content on the second device is at least one of a detection of an output device on the second device, an initiation of a software application on the second device, or a detection of a user input indicative of a request for presentation of the content on the second device.

17. The method as recited in claim 16 further comprising causing the first modified synchronization information to be sent to the first device.

18. The method as recited in claim 15 further comprising determining at least one of the first modified synchronization information or second modified synchronization information based on user inputs.

19. The method as recited in claim 18 further comprising causing the generation of a user interface configured to obtain user specification of the one or more customizable attributes.

20. The method as recited in claim 15 further comprising determining the one or more customizable attributes based, in part, on the content to be presented on the first device and the second device.

21. The method as recited in claim 15 further comprising determining the one or more customizable attributes are based, in part, on configuration information associated with user profile information.

22. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the first reference point corresponds to a plurality of reference points that define the presentation of the content.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Kessel Steven
• Freed Ian W
• Story Guy A
• Wolfish Howard
• Agarwal Amit D
• Li Nanyan
• Lattyak John
• Slezak James C
• Tomay Beryl
• Bezos Jeffrey P

Classifications

• H04L67/1095

  Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes · CPC title

• G06Q10/10 Primary

  Office automation; Time management · CPC title