Cloud Controller Synchronizing Remote Display Playback
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Solution Overview
Problem
The lack of synchronization between geographically remote television systems due to differences in broadcasting methods and digital compression delays disrupts the viewing experience when users attempt to watch the same show together, as one user may receive the show ahead of others, spoiling the experience.
Innovation Solution
A cloud-based system controller synchronizes display devices by determining local delays using audio or video fingerprinting, timestamps, or a combination of methods, and adjusts playback to align all devices, allowing for temporary pausing or rewinding to ensure synchronized viewing across remote locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users watch television shows on geographically remote display devices independently, then each user can access the show according to their local broadcasting method, but the shows are not synchronized across different locations due to differences in terrestrial broadcasting, cable broadcasting, satellite broadcasting, and digital compression delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a central server as an intermediary that receives shows from multiple broadcasting sources and redistributes them to remote display devices. The server acts as a synchronization coordinator that timestamps and sequences show segments, ensuring all remote devices receive and play back content at the same time despite different local broadcasting methods and compression delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-timestamping show segments at the central server before distribution. Each show segment is assigned a timestamp indicating its intended playback time, allowing remote devices to buffer and schedule playback in advance. This preliminary timing assignment ensures synchronized playback across all locations without requiring real-time coordination during actual viewing.
2Speed
If a user receives the show ahead of others due to different broadcasting methods, then that user can access the content faster, but the experience is spoiled for other users who are watching at the intended time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic playback control where each remote device can adjust its playback speed and timing based on its position in the queue. Devices that receive content early can buffer it and delay playback, while devices with later delivery can play back as soon as content arrives. The system dynamically coordinates these adjustments to ensure all devices synchronize at the predetermined show time, maintaining viewing experience reliability despite varying delivery speeds.
3Manufacturing precision
If digital compression is applied for High-Definition broadcasting, then image quality is improved, but additional delays are added to the show transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The central server performs preliminary buffering and timestamping of compressed HD content before distribution to remote devices. By pre-processing and timing the compressed content at the server level, the system accounts for compression delays in advance, allowing remote devices to synchronize playback without being affected by the variable processing times introduced by digital compression.
Data Source
AI summary
A system controller, preferably implemented as a cloud service, enables the synchronization of display devices located at geographically remote locations relative to one another. A display and control devices are provided at each of a plurality of sites, with one or both of the devices being capable displaying the transmitted show. The control device enables the system controller to determine local relative delays in the show and to control the temporal reproduction of said transmitted show by said display device so as to achieve a substantially synchronized reproduction of the show at each of the sites.