GB2459916A

GB2459916A - Synchronised media playback

Info

Publication number: GB2459916A
Application number: GB0808270A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Stuart Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-05-07
Filing date: 2008-05-07
Publication date: 2009-11-18
Also published as: GB0808270D0

Abstract

A media playback system in which identical media content is simultaneously played or experienced by users having not the same playback equipment, each playback equipment being synchronised with other playback equipment, which are running the same media content at the same time, each playback equipment being independently operated. The playback itinerary can be updated or renewed by downloading to or via computer, television receiver, radio receiver, set-top box, or any media playing or viewing device; by downloading to a telephone; by postal mail service; by email; alongside published material, such as cover media or disks. The playback time may be synchronised to a national or international time reference. When the playback equipment is activated after the scheduled start playback time the playback jumps to the current time position. The whole or portions of the media can be downloaded to the equipment in advance of the start playback time or can be contained on a DVD.

Description

Media Playback Function This invention relates to a media playback function in which identical media content is simultaneously played or experienced by unrelated users in unrelated places. Each playback function is synchronised with other playback functions, in the other locations, which are running the same playback itinerary.

Media playback could be considered to fall into two types, namely online and offline. A live radio or television broadcast are examples of an online media playback, while a CD, DVD or MP3 track are examples ofoffline media playback.

Offline line media playback, such as a given music track, is played at the will of a user, independently of other users, even if the given music track is being played from the same published album as the other users.

It is clear that unrelated or unconnected users effectively agree on choice of media, but the functional timings of playback are not agreed between users of identical media.

This invention is a playback function, which is any means by which media content is experienced by the user, utilising the synchronisation functionality described herein.

Synchronised simultaneous playback of identical copies of media items will occur in independent unrelated playback equipment at independent unrelated locations. This synchronised simultaneous playback differs from live broadcasts because it is playing offline content preloaded into, or connected to, the playback equipment. It differs from streaming media forthe same reasons.

The user can be a person or a non-person entity, such as technical or non-technical equipment.

* *. The content itinerary, equivalently known as a play list in some media sectors, can be located inside the playback equipment or inside any other equipment temporarily associated or permanently associated with the playback equipment.

The or each playback itinerary is loaded into the playback equipment to allow the user to have a schedule of the items to be played. Each playback itinerary covers a period of time provided by the media content provider.

The media content provider is the person, organisation, equipment or system which downloads the playback itinerary andlor the media content to the playback equipment.

Examples of the embodiment of various parts of the invention will now be described.

Example 1: Media content providers may include, but are not limited to, authors, performers, producers, publishers, distributors, vendors, broadcasters, transmitters of various forms of media or content, including, but not limited to, music, video, radio, television, photographic images, text. Media content may also include lyrics, narrative or subtitles.

Example 2: Playback itinerary can be updated or renewed by downloading to or via computer, television receiver, radio receiver, set-top box, or any media playing or viewing device; by downloading to a telephone; by postal mail service; by email; alongside published material, such as cover media, disks, and other items offered with a publication.

Example 3: Updates will consist of one or more of the following. Playback itinerary, music, video, audio, photographic or non-photographic images, text, lyrics, subtitles, human voice or human sounds, non-human voice or non-human sounds, advertisements, jingles, audio programmes, or screensavers.

Updates may also include one or more of the following. An indication of when the next update will be available; an indication if the most recent update is out of date or is still valid.

Example 4: One or more playback itineraries may be loaded into the playback equipment. If :. more that one playback itinerary is loaded into the playback equipment, then any number of the ::..: playback itineraries may overlap in any part of their schedules, and to any extent. Only one of the playback itineraries can be played at any point in time. * ** * * *

* Example 5: Media content or playback itineraries may be organised by topic, genre, or any other subject. * ** * * *

Example 6: User activates the playback function, which consists of one or more of the following sub-functions.

The current time in the playback device is synchronised to official national or international time references of any country, for example Greenwich Mean Time (in the UK) or Pacific Central Time (in the US) or Eastern Time (in the US).

The playback function processor (PF processor) initialises and undertakes one or more of the following functions: checks current time and date; checks the geographic location of the playback equipment using radio broadcast services, satellite-based GPS, user input or other method; loads the most recent update; or loads the most recent update for each category.

The PF processor jumps to the currently dated items in the playback itineraiy.

The PF processor reads the start times of each item in the selected playback itinerary.

Using the playback itinerary, the PF processor identifies the start time of the item that is scheduled to be playing at the current time.

The PF processor determines the time difference, Ta, between the start time of the said item and the current time.

The PF processorjumps to the current time position in the item, as determined by the offset time Ta.

The PF processor starts to play the media item from time position Ta, which may not necessarily be at the start of the media item.

The playback equipment is now synchronised with other independent unrelated playback equipments, which are playing at the same points of the same item in the same playback itinerary.

Example 7: The user of each independent unrelated playback equipment activates their own playback function at points in time, which are not equal to the activation times of the other playback equipment.

Example 8: Playback equipment is defined as one or more devices or systems capable of playing or viewing media content. * * *

Example 9: If any part or the whole of an item is not played for any reason, when it is due to be played, then another item can be played in its place for the necessary duration. * ** * S *

* Example 10: Users can contact a broadcaster of audio or visual material to make a request or dedication, which can be included in a subsequent media playback update. * .5 * S * I5S *

Example 11: A fixed amount of data storage memory is included or allocated in the playback equipment, which can be overwritten to prevent permanent storage of media content.

Example 12: Apportioned playback is described as follows.

Fixed length portions of the media content are downloaded to the playback equipment, in advance of the playback time of the media content.

The amount of advance time that each portion of media content is loaded into the playback equipment, prior to scheduled playback times, is of sufficient amount of time to allow for temporary signal blackouts or loss of communications.

Such a loss of signal or communications would not cause a loss of playback.

The apportioned playback requires the playback equipment to periodically or occasionally connect to the source of the media content. The type of connection port on the playback equipment can be wireless or non-wireless or both types.

In apportioned playback, the playback itinerary is loaded into the playback equipment. The playback itinerary will cover a period of time as required by the media content provider. *..S * . * ** * **** * * **** * .* * * * * ** * I* * * . S.. S

Claims

Claims I. A media playback system in which identical media content is simultaneously played or experienced by users having not the same playback equipment, each playback equipment being synchronised with other playback equipment, which are running the same media content at the same time, each playback equipment being independently operated.
2. A media playback system as in claim I in which: Synchronised simultaneous playback of identical copies of media items will occur in independent unrelated playback equipment at independent unrelated locations; Synchronised simultaneous playback plays offline content preloaded into, or connected to, the playback equipment: Playback equipment is one or more devices or systems capable of playing or viewing media content.
3. A media playback system as in the preceding claims in which the user can be a person or a non-person entity, such as equipment. * * * ** S * S5.
4. A media playback system as in the preceding claims in which the content itinerary, equivalently known as a play list in some media sectors, can be located inside the playback equipment or inside any other equipment temporarily associated or permanently associated with the playback equipment. * I. * I * *** S
5. A media playback system as in the preceding claims in which: Media content is provided by media content providers; The or each playback itinerary is loaded into the playback equipment to allow the user to have a schedule of the items to be played. Each playback itinerary covers a period of time provided by the media content provider; The media content provider is the person, organisation, equipment or system which downloads the playback itinerary and/or the media content to the playback equipment; Media content providers may include, but are not limited to, authors, performers, producers, publishers, distributors, vendors, broadcasters, transmitters of various forms of media or content, including, but not limited to, music, video, radio, television, photographic images, text; Media content may also include lyrics, narrative or subtitles.
6. A media playback system as in the preceding claims in which: The playback itinerary can be updated or renewed by downloading to or via computer, television receiver, radio receiver, set-top box, or any media playing or viewing device; by downloading to a telephone; by postal mail service; by email; alongside published material, such as cover media, disks, and other items offered with a publication.
7. A media playback system as in the preceding claims in which updates will consist of one or more of: Playback itinerary, music, video, audio, photographic or non-photographic images, text, lyrics, subtitles, human voice or human sounds, non-human voice or non-human sounds, advertisements,jingles, audio programmes, or screensavers.
8. A media playback system as in the preceding claims in which updates may also include one or more of: * * ,* * An indication of when the next update will be available; an indication if the most recent update ,. is out of date or is still valid.
9. A media playback system as in the preceding claims in which: One or more playback itineraries may be loaded into the playback equipment; any number of the playback itineraries may overlap in any part of their schedules, and to any extent.
10. A media playback system as in the preceding claims in which: Media content or playback itineraries may be organised by topic, genre, or any other subject.
11. A media playback system as in the preceding claims in which the current time in the playback device is synchronised to national or international time references in any country.
12. A media playback system as in the preceding claims in which the playback function processor: checks current time and date; checks the geographic location of the playback equipment using radio broadcast services, satellite-based OPS, user input or other method; loads the most recent update; or loads the most recent update for each category;
13. A media playback system as in the preceding claims in which: The playback function processorjumps to the currently dated items in the playback itinerary; The playback function processor reads the start times of each item in the selected playback itinerary; Using the playback itinerary, the playback function processor identifies the start time of the item that is scheduled to be playing at the current time; The playback function processor determines the time difference, Ta, between the start time of the said item and the current time; : The playback function processor jumps to the current time position in the item, as determined u'' * * The playback function processor starts to play the media item from time position Ta, which may not necessarily be at the start of the media item; The playback equipment is now synchronised with other independent unrelated playback equipments, which are playing at the same points of the same item in the same playback itinerary.
14. A media playback system as in the preceding claims in which: The user of each independent unrelated playback equipment can activate their own playback equipment at points in time which are not equal to the activation times of the other playback equipment.
15. A media playback system as in the preceding claims in which: any part or the whole of an item that is not played for any reason, when it is due to be played, is replaced by another item for the necessary duration.
16. A media playback system as in the preceding claims in which: Users can contact a broadcaster of audio or visual material to make a request or dedication, which can be included in a subsequent media playback update.
17. A media playback system as in the preceding claims in which: A fixed amount of data storage memory is included or allocated in the playback equipment, which can be overwritten to prevent permanent storage of media content.
18. A media playback system as in the preceding claims utilising apportioned playback in which: Fixed length portions of the media content are downloaded to the playback equipment, in advance of the playback time of the media content; The amount of advance time that each portion of media content is loaded into the playback equipment, prior to scheduled playback times, is of sufficient amount of time to allow for * S..... temporary signal blackouts or loss of communications; *.,. A loss of signal or communications would not cause a loss of playback; * I. The apportioned playback requires the playback equipment to periodically or occasionally connect to the source of the media content. The type of connection port on the playback L: equipment can be wireless or non-wireless or both types; In apportioned playback, the playback itinerary is loaded into the playback equipment. The playback itinerary will cover a period of time as required by the media content provider.
19. A media playback system as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as herein described.