Patent ID: 9118977
Filing Date: 2015-08-25
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A content synchronization system comprising: a plurality of content playback devices configured to play a content; and a content-synchronization control device for synchronizing content control with the plurality of content playback devices, wherein the content-synchronization control device comprises: a request information reception unit configured to receive, from each content playback device, request information for requesting each content playback device to execute a playback control command which is a command concerning playback control of the content in a synchronized manner; an inquiry reception unit configured to receive an inquiry for determining presence/absence of playback control command transmitted to the content playback device from each content playback device; a waiting time determination unit configured to determine a waiting time from when the content playback device of the source of transmission of inquiry receives an inquiry response which is a response from the content-synchronization control device in reply to the inquiry to when it transmits a subsequent inquiry so that the reception time of the inquiry transmitted from each content playback device is at the same time, on the basis of a cycle reference value determined as a reference of a reception cycle of the inquiry; a start time determination unit, wherein in a case where when the inquiry reception unit receives the inquiry, the request information reception unit already received the request information and the start time of the content control with each content playback device according to the playback control command indicated by the request information is not yet determined, the start time determination unit determines the start time; and an inquiry response transmission unit configured to transmit, to the content playback device, an inquiry response including the waiting time determined with regard to the content playback device of the source of transmission of inquiry, wherein in a case where when the inquiry reception unit receives the inquiry, the request information reception unit already received the request information and the start time is determined, the inquiry response transmission unit transmits the inquiry response including the playback control information including the information about the start time and the playback control command indicated by the request information, each content playback device comprises: a request information transmission unit configured to transmit the request information to the content-synchronization control device; an inquiry transmission unit configured to transmit the inquiry to the content-synchronization control device; an inquiry response reception unit configured to receive an inquiry response transmitted by the inquiry response transmission unit in response to the inquiry; an inquiry transmission control unit configured to cause the inquiry transmission unit to transmit a subsequent inquiry with timing according to the waiting time indicated by the inquiry response; and a playback control unit, wherein when the inquiry response includes playback control information, the playback control unit starts the content control based on the playback control command indicated by the playback control information at the start time indicated by the playback control information.