Host Device Synchronization for Multi-Client Content Playback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Coordinating the playback of content data, such as movies, among multiple information processing devices connected over a network is challenging, especially for friends at remote locations who want to watch a movie together, as synchronizing playback across different devices with varying download speeds and communication environments is difficult.
Innovation Solution
An information processing system comprising a content distribution server, a host device, and client devices connected via a network, where the host device controls playback by acquiring and communicating download status information from client devices to ensure synchronized playback, using mechanisms like progressive download and peer-to-peer models to manage content distribution and playback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple information processing devices download and playback content data independently, then each device can operate autonomously, but playback synchronization between devices becomes difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a host device as an intermediary that coordinates playback among multiple client devices. The host device receives playback status information from all client devices, determines a common playback position, and distributes control information to synchronize playback across all devices, thus resolving the contradiction between autonomous operation and synchronized playback.
2Reliability
If the system waits for all devices to finish downloading before starting playback, then playback synchronization is achieved, but the time required for content delivery increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by having all client devices download the complete content data before playback begins. The host device then determines a common playback position based on each device's download status, and distributes control information to synchronize playback. This allows playback to start simultaneously on all devices without waiting for the slowest device to finish downloading, thus reducing content delivery time while maintaining synchronization.
3Adaptability or versatility
If devices with different download speeds are used, then system adaptability increases, but maintaining synchronized playback becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by allowing each client device to operate according to its own download speed and capabilities, while the host device determines a common playback position that accommodates all devices. Each device plays back from its local content data at its own pace, but the host coordinates to ensure synchronized playback starts and progresses, thus maintaining synchronization despite different download speeds.
4Reliability
If the host device controls playback position for all devices, then playback synchronization is improved, but communication overhead between devices increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by having each client device autonomously determine its own playback status and send this information to the host device. The host device then determines the common playback position based on this self-reported information and sends control instructions back to the devices. This reduces communication overhead compared to continuous polling or centralized control, as devices only communicate when needed to update their status or receive synchronization commands.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
The time of a host device (10) is synchronized with the time of a client device (18). The host device (10) and the client device (18) progressively download content data from a content distribution server (16). The host device (10) controls the reproduction process of the host device (10) to be synchronized with that of the client device (18) in accordance with the download state in the host device (10) and the client device (18).