Synthetic Media Playback Across Devices with Low-Latency Synchronization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Coordinating playback of generative media content across multiple devices in an environment is challenging due to computational intensity and latency issues when relying on remote computing devices for real-time adjustments.

Innovation Solution

A distributed architecture is employed where remote computing devices produce permutations of generative media content, and local playback devices receive and synchronize these content streams with real-time adjustments, minimizing latency by distributing computational tasks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If remote computing devices are used to produce and manage permutations of generative media content, then content personalization and adaptability are improved, but computational latency and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent personalizationVSAvoidcomputational latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the media playback system into remote computing devices that generate content permutations and local playback devices that execute and synchronize playback. This segmentation allows computationally intensive generative tasks to occur remotely while local devices maintain real-time responsiveness, resolving the contradiction between personalized content generation and low-latency playback.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Remote computing devices pre-generate multiple permutations of generative media content before playback is requested. These pre-generated permutations are then stored and can be quickly selected and played back by local devices without requiring real-time computational processing, thus reducing latency while maintaining content adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Area of stationary object

If multiple playback devices are used to provide media content throughout an environment, then spatial coverage and user experience are improved, but synchronization complexity and coordination overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespatial coverageVSAvoidsynchronization complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A coordinator device acts as an intermediary between remote computing devices and multiple local playback devices. The coordinator receives playback requests, selects appropriate pre-generated permutations, and distributes synchronized playback instructions to all local devices, simplifying the synchronization process while enabling widespread spatial coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates identical copies of selected generative media content permutations and distributes them to multiple playback devices simultaneously. This copying approach ensures all devices play the same content at the same time, achieving synchronization without complex coordination protocols while providing coverage across the entire environment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Adaptability or versatility

If real-time adjustments to generative media content are implemented, then content relevance and user engagement are improved, but processing power requirements and system resource consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent relevanceVSAvoidprocessing power

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple permutations of generative media content are generated in advance and stored locally on playback devices. When playback occurs, the system simply selects from these pre-generated options based on real-time context, avoiding the need for computationally intensive real-time generation while maintaining content relevance through rapid selection from available permutations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12382125B2Playback of synthetic media content via multiple devices

Publication Date: 2025.08.05 SONOS INC

AI summary

Generative media content (e.g., generative audio) can be played back across multiple playback devices concurrently. A coordinator device can receive a multi-channel stream of media content, with at least some channels comprising generative media content. The coordinator device transmits each of the channels to a plurality of playback devices. A first playback device plays back a first subset of the channels according to first playback responsibilities and a second playback device plays back a second subset of the channels according to second playback responsibilities. The first and/or second playback responsibilities can be dynamically modified over time, for example in response to one or more input parameters.