Content Playback Synchronization via Acoustic Fingerprinting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies fail to efficiently identify and synchronize content playback across different devices, particularly in environments where users want to replay or interact with external content, such as sporting events, leading to delays and complex user interfaces.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves identifying content based on the environment using acoustic fingerprinting and location information, detecting playback initiation actions, and synchronizing content playback on a head-mounted display device with external content, allowing for timely and efficient provision of relevant content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If content identification is performed manually or through complex interfaces, then users can select and replay content, but the process becomes time-consuming and requires complex user interactions
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically identifies content playing on external display devices using acoustic fingerprinting and location data without requiring manual user input. The content-playback device autonomously detects the external content, determines its location, and retrieves relevant content for playback, enabling the system to serve itself rather than requiring user intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-identifies and caches content based on acoustic fingerprints before user requests. By continuously monitoring the environment and pre-loading potential content candidates, the system prepares content in advance, so when a user wants to replay or interact with external content, the identification and retrieval process is already complete or near-complete.
2Measurement precision
If the content-playback device continuously monitors the environment for content identification, then content can be identified quickly and accurately, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous monitoring, the device performs environmental scanning and content identification at periodic intervals or triggered by specific events (e.g., when external content is detected, when location changes, or at scheduled times). This periodic approach maintains identification accuracy while significantly reducing average power consumption compared to continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces continuous active sensing with event-driven sensing and passive listening. Acoustic fingerprinting allows the device to identify content through audio signals already present in the environment rather than actively transmitting probes or continuously analyzing all sensory inputs, reducing energy requirements while maintaining identification precision.
3Speed
If the system synchronizes content playback with external content in real-time, then content delivery is timely and relevant, but synchronization complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary synchronization layer that uses acoustic fingerprints as a common reference point between the external content source and the content-playback device. This intermediary mechanism simplifies the synchronization process by providing a clear temporal marker (the acoustic fingerprint match) that both systems can use to align their content playback without requiring complex real-time communication protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a copy of the acoustic fingerprint from the external content and compares it against a database of known content fingerprints. This copying approach allows for simple, efficient matching and synchronization without requiring direct real-time connection or complex synchronization protocols between the external device and playback device, reducing processing complexity while maintaining speed.
4Reliability
If the device uses multiple sensors and processing methods for content identification, then identification reliability improves, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple identification methods (acoustic fingerprinting, location-based identification, and visual recognition) into a unified content identification process. Rather than implementing separate complex systems for each method, the patent integrates them into a single coordinated approach where acoustic fingerprints serve as the primary identifier, location data provides context, and visual methods supplement the identification, reducing overall device complexity while improving reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables automatic, efficient, and timely playback of relevant content, improving user experience by simplifying interactions and preserving battery life through accurate content identification and synchronization.
Implementation Method 1
identifying content based on an environment in which a content-playback device is located includes: recording an audio sample using a microphone of the content-playback device; generating an acoustic fingerprint based on the audio sample; and using the acoustic fingerprint to identify the external content playing on the external display device
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for playing back content based on external content are provided. An example system and method may identify content based on an environment in which a content-playback device is located. The example system and method may also detect a playback-initiation action performed by a user of the content-playback device and identify a content-playback position based on the playback-initiation action. The example system and method may also trigger playback of the content on the content-playback device based on the identified content-playback position.