Playing multimedia content on multiple devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016295268-A1
Application number	US-201615181394-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 13, 2016
Priority date	Jan 25, 2010
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

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

1 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media, storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause performance of:
concurrently playing of a media content item at a first device and at a second device, the playing of the media content item at the first device synchronized, for a period of time, with playing of the media content item at the second device; while the first device is playing a particular portion of the media content item, playing different content on the second device; upon completion of playing the particular portion at the first device, resuming synchronized 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 first device is a computing device configured to display the media content item on a television screen, and the second device is a handheld device communicatively coupled to the computing device.

3 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause:
sending, to the first device and the second device, from a content management device, media streams comprising the media content item, the first device and the second device playing the media content item from the media streams; sending the different content to the second device in place of the particular portion.

4 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the different content is a censored version of the particular portion or an uncensored version of the particular portion.

5 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause:
the first device sending, to the second device, a media stream comprising the media content item, the second device playing the media content item from the media stream; censoring the particular portion for playback at the first device; wherein playing different content comprises the first device sending an uncensored version of the particular portion in place of the particular portion.

6 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause:
the first device sending, to the second device, a media stream comprising the media content item, the second device playing the media content item from the media stream; the first device generating a censored version of the particular portion; wherein playing different content than the particular portion comprises the first device sending the censored version in place of the particular portion.

7 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the content management device is the first device.

8 . A method comprising:
causing, by a content management device, concurrent playing of a media content item at a first device and at a second device, the playing of the media content item at the first device synchronized, for a period of time, with playing of the media content item at the second device; while the first device is playing a particular portion of the media content item, the content management device causing playing of different content on the second device; upon completion of playing the particular portion at the first device, causing resuming of synchronized playing of the media content item at the first device and the second device.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first device is a computing device configured to display the media content item on a television screen, and the second device is a handheld device communicatively coupled to the computing device.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
sending, to the first device and the second device, from the content management device, media streams comprising the media content item, the first device and the second device playing the media content item from the media streams; wherein causing the second device to play different content than the particular portion comprises sending the different content to the second device in place of the particular portion.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the different content is a censored version of the particular portion or an uncensored version of the particular portion.

12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
causing the first device to send, to the second device, a media stream comprising the media content item, the second device playing the media content item from the media stream; causing the first device to censor the particular portion for playback at the first device; wherein causing the second device to play different content than the particular portion comprises causing the first device to send an uncensored version of the particular portion in place of the particular portion.

13 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
causing the first device to send, to the second device, a media stream comprising the media content item, the second device playing the media content item from the media stream; causing the first device to generate a censored version of the particular portion; wherein causing the second device to play different content than the particular portion comprises causing the first device to send the censored version in place of the particular portion.

14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the content management device is the first device.

15 . An system comprising:
a subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware in one or more computing devices, configured to cause concurrent playing of a media content item at a first device and at a second device, the playing of the media content item at the first device synchronized, for a period of time, with playing of the media content item at the second device; a subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware in one or more computing devices, configured to, while the first device is playing a particular portion of the media content item, cause playing of different content on the second device; a subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware in one or more computing devices, configured to, upon completion of playing the particular portion at the first device, cause resuming of synchronized playing of the media content item at the first device and the second device.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the first device is a computing device configured to display the media content item on a television screen, and the second device is a handheld device communicatively coupled to the computing device.

17 . The system of claim 15 , further comprising:
a subsystem configured to send, to the first device and the second device, media streams comprising the media content item, the first device and the second device playing the media content item from the media streams; wherein causing the second device to play different content than the particular portion comprises sending the different content to the second device in place of the particular portion.

18 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the different content is a censored version of the particular portion or an uncensored version of the particular portion.

19 . The system of claim 15 , further comprising:
a subsystem configured to cause the first device to send, to the second device, a media stream comprising the media content item, the second device playing the media conten

Assignees

• Tivo Inc

Inventors

• Lanier Brian
• Barton James M

Classifications

• H04N21/4402

  involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display {(details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764)} · CPC title

• H04N21/431

  Generation of visual interfaces {for content selection or interaction}; Content or additional data rendering · CPC title

• G06F3/1438 Primary

  using more than one graphics controller · CPC title

• H04N21/6125

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

• H04N21/4122 Primary

  additional display device, e.g. video projector (digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423) · CPC title