Media Playback Synchronization via Minimum Clock Offset
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing media streaming technologies face challenges in synchronizing media playback across devices, particularly in wireless networks where variable network delays complicate clock synchronization, leading to inconsistent and unsatisfactory media experiences.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a method that generates multiple clock offset values to identify a minimum offset, which is less influenced by variable network delays, allowing for precise timing synchronization between sending and receiving media devices, and adjusting the clock of the receiving device to match the intended presentation time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional clock synchronization methods are used in wireless networks, then media playback can be transmitted across devices, but variable network delays cause timing inaccuracies and playback desynchronization
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary clock offset measurements by sending multiple timestamped messages before actual media playback synchronization. The receiving device calculates multiple clock offset values from these preliminary messages and selects the minimum value, which is less influenced by variable network delays, to establish accurate timing synchronization before media data transmission begins.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiving device receives multiple copies of timestamped synchronization messages from the sending device. By analyzing multiple copies with different timestamps and selecting the minimum clock offset value, the system creates a more reliable timing reference that compensates for variable network conditions, ensuring accurate media playback synchronization.
2Measurement precision
If multiple clock offset values are generated and analyzed to find the minimum offset, then timing synchronization accuracy is improved, but the complexity of the synchronization process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronization process is segmented into distinct phases: receiving multiple timestamped messages, calculating individual clock offset values for each message, identifying the minimum offset value, and applying this minimum offset for media playback synchronization. This segmentation makes the complex process more manageable and systematic, improving measurement precision through structured analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses multiple disposable timestamped messages that are sent and processed temporarily to establish the clock offset. These messages serve their purpose of providing timing information and can be discarded after the minimum offset is determined. This approach achieves high measurement precision without requiring permanent or complex synchronization infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
Various exemplary embodiments relate to method and media devices for synchronizing media playback between a receiving media device and sending media device, including: receiving, at the receiving media device, a plurality of messages from the sending media device, wherein the plurality of messages include a plurality of sender timestamps; generating a plurality of clock offset values based on the plurality of sender timestamps and a clock of the receiving media device; identifying a minimum clock offset value from the plurality of clock offset values; locating first media data for playback and a first presentation time associated with the first media data; and causing the first media data to be rendered at a first time that matches the first presentation time based on the minimum clock offset.