Social Network Media Session Synchronization via Reference Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Social networking systems lack the ability to facilitate seamless sharing and synchronization of media sessions, such as audio, video, and gaming, between users, limiting real-time interaction and collaboration within online communities.
Innovation Solution
A social networking system that provides a reference for a first media session to a second user, allowing them to participate in a synchronized media session, and displays this as a single session to both users, while ensuring compliance with privacy settings and media availability, using APIs to integrate third-party media services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a social networking system allows users to share media sessions, then user interaction and collaboration are enhanced, but system complexity and synchronization requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an intermediary approach by introducing a media session sharing mechanism that acts as a mediator between users. The system generates shareable media session objects that can be transmitted through the social network, allowing users to join and synchronize media sessions without direct peer-to-peer complexity. This intermediary layer handles the synchronization protocol and session management, reducing the complexity burden on individual user devices while enabling enhanced interaction capabilities.
2Reliability
If real-time synchronization of media sessions is implemented, then collaborative experience is improved, but network bandwidth and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and separates the synchronization data from the full media content. Instead of transmitting complete media streams between users, the system extracts only the essential synchronization metadata (timestamps, session state, playback position) and transmits this minimized data set. This extraction approach maintains reliable synchronization while dramatically reducing network bandwidth consumption and processing requirements compared to full media stream transmission.
3Reliability
If privacy settings are enforced during media session sharing, then user security is improved, but sharing functionality becomes more restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic privacy controls that adapt to different sharing contexts. The system allows privacy settings to be adjusted dynamically based on the media session type, user relationships, and session characteristics. For example, different privacy levels can be applied to different media sessions, and users can modify sharing permissions during the session. This dynamic approach maintains security requirements while preserving sharing flexibility, as the system can transition between different privacy states rather than being locked into a fixed restriction level.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a first computing device associated with a receiving user receives, from a second computing device, a reference of a first media session that has been initiated by a sharing user. The reference is displayed to the receiving user on a user interface of the first computing device. The first computing device receives user input requesting that the receiving user also participate in the first media session. The first computing device then receives from the second computing device information to initiate a second media session on the first computing device. The second media session is initiated at the same point in time that the first media session is currently at, and the second media session is synchronized with the first media session.