Synchronizing streaming video between viewers over a network
US8930577B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 13, 2011 |
| Grant date | Jan 6, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 13, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N21/6587
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Described is a technology by which machines such as gaming (including media) systems are configured to synchronize streaming video between peers over a network, including participants communicating via voice or video chat. The video synchronization may include “full” synchronization that operates to synchronize streaming video that is currently unsynchronized video, by causing participants to stop and buffer, and resume playing from a specified position in the stream. Video synchronization also may include “fast” synchronization that operates to re-synchronize video that has begun to drift out of synchronization, such as by briefly pausing any stream that has gotten ahead of others. Also described is replicating the activation of a video transport control (e.g., pause, fast forward, rewind, skip, and the like) that occurs on one machine to other machines, such that video players behave as if there is a common remote control among the peer systems.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.