Patent ID: 8010986
Filing Date: 2011-08-30
Classification: H04H,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for synchronizing an interactive television (ITV) event with a content element broadcast by a broadcasting device, the method comprising: generating a plurality of synchronization triggers at predetermined intervals; inserting the plurality of synchronization triggers into a transport medium at the predetermined intervals, each inserted synchronization trigger including a time indicia representing a time of a frame of the content element transporting the synchronization trigger; transmitting the synchronization triggers in association with the content element, wherein a receiving device is configured to receive the transport medium with the inserted plurality of synchronization triggers, retrieve the time indicia from each of the plurality of synchronization triggers, and synchronizing the receiving device based on the retrieved time indicia, wherein the synchronizing includes locking the receiving device to the time represented by the retrieved time indicia instead of a time indicated by a local time source; and wherein the receiving device is configured to synchronize the local time source by: