Media Device Playback Progress Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional systems fail to synchronize playback progress points across different media devices and content providers, leading to users spending time finding the correct playback point when resuming content consumption on different devices or platforms.
Innovation Solution
A system that detects nearby media devices using GPS, short-range wireless communication, or other methods to request and share progress point information, allowing seamless playback resumption across devices and content providers, even when the original device or provider has changed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a user watches content on one media device and later tries to resume on a different device, then the user can access content from multiple devices, but the playback progress point is not synchronized and the user cannot resume from the correct point
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud-based service as an intermediary to store and manage playback progress information. When a user watches content on one device, the progress point is automatically uploaded to the cloud service. When the user accesses the same content on a different device, the system retrieves the stored progress point from the cloud, enabling seamless resumption without manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements automatic feedback loops where playback progress information is continuously monitored and transmitted to the cloud service. The system also provides feedback to the user by displaying the retrieved progress point and confirming resumption, ensuring the correct playback state is restored across devices.
2Extent of automation
If the system automatically requests progress point information from nearby media devices, then playback resumption is automated, but the system complexity increases due to device detection and communication protocols
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables media devices to automatically perform self-service operations by autonomously detecting nearby devices, initiating progress point information requests, and processing responses without requiring user intervention. The device independently manages the entire workflow of detecting available devices, selecting the appropriate source, retrieving progress information, and resuming playback.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal communication framework that allows different types of media devices (smartphones, tablets, computers, smart TVs) to interact through standardized protocols. The system accommodates multiple detection methods (GPS, wireless communication) and communication approaches within a single unified architecture, reducing the need for device-specific implementations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the system stores progress point information from multiple content providers, then users can resume content from any provider, but the system must reconcile differences in content versions and timestamps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud-based service as an intermediary layer between multiple content providers and the user's media devices. This service acts as a universal translator that receives progress point information from different providers, reconciles variations in content versions and timestamp formats, and standardizes the data before storing it. When resuming playback, the service translates the standardized progress point back into the appropriate format for the target content provider.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts and transforms various parameters including timestamps, content identifiers, and progress point representations to accommodate differences between content providers. The cloud service converts provider-specific timestamp formats into a universal reference system and maps content identifiers across platforms, enabling accurate progress tracking regardless of the source or target provider.
Data Source
AI summary
The systems and methods are described herein for playback of content based on progress point information. The systems and methods detect nearby media devices to transmit or request progress point information. Based on the communicated progress point information, the system may generate an option to play back content at a point within the content up to which content was last consumed. When content providers offer different versions of one content item and the user does not select to play back content from the content provider associated with the progress point information, the system determines a proper playback point in other content providers.