Abstract:
A system is provided for enabling attendees of an online broadcast within a collaborative environment to interact with multimedia content during the online broadcast. By rendering the content itself instead of images derived from the content that cannot be interacted with, attendees are enabled to either drive their own multimedia experience, including play, seek, pause/stop, or follow the presenter and consume the multimedia based on the presenter&#39;s action (play, pause, stop, seek). The multimedia content may be rendered on each attendee&#39;s individual client device through local caching, which contributes to playback quality such that each individual attendee may be able to interact with and control the playback experience of the multimedia content independently.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Sharing multimedia content during an online meeting or broadcast is a common occurrence in a collaborative environment. Typically, a presenter may initiate an online meeting with one or more other users, and the presenter may provide multimedia content, which the presenter may desire to share with one or more attendees of the online meeting. An online meeting may include any environment in which multiple users may collaborate and have viewing access to shared documents or files, such as whiteboard sharing, desktop sharing, and application sharing environments. 
         [0002]    In a typical collaborative environment for sharing multimedia content, the presenter may share the multimedia content on the presenter&#39;s device and may present and discuss the multimedia content to the attendees of the online meeting. Multimedia content can include audiovisual files, slideshow presentations and other similar content. Typically, the attendees of the online meeting may be able to view the shared multimedia content provided by the presenter, and the attendees may follow along with the presenter&#39;s playback of the multimedia content. However, the attendees may not be able to interact with the multimedia content while the presenter presents it, and the attendees may not be able to exercise control over the content to manage and drive the attendee&#39;s individual playback experience of the multimedia content. Also, the presenter may not be able to drive the attendee&#39;s playback experience. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to exclusively identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
         [0004]    Embodiments are directed to a system for enabling attendees of an online broadcast within a collaborative environment to interact with multimedia content during the online broadcast. By rendering the content itself instead of images derived from the content that cannot be interacted with, attendees are enabled to either drive their own multimedia experience, including play, seek, pause/stop, or follow the presenter and consume the multimedia based on the presenter&#39;s action (play, pause, stop, seek, scan, etc.). The multimedia content may be rendered on each attendee&#39;s individual client device through local caching, which contributes to playback quality such that each individual attendee may be able to interact with and control the playback experience of the multimedia content independently. 
         [0005]    These and other features and advantages will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory and do not restrict aspects as claimed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  illustrates a system for enabling interaction with multimedia content in a collaborative environment according to embodiments; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  illustrates an example system for enabling independent control over multimedia content by attendees in a collaborative environment; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  illustrates an example scenario for enabling independent control over multimedia content by attendees in a collaborative environment according to embodiments; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a networked environment, where a system according to embodiments may be implemented; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram of an example computing operating environment, where embodiments may be implemented; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  illustrates a logic flow diagram for process  600  for enabling independent playback control over multimedia content in a collaborative environment according to embodiments. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    As briefly described above, a system is provided for enabling attendees of an online broadcast within a collaborative environment to interact with multimedia content and to independently drive the playback experience of the multimedia content on the attendee&#39;s own client device. The system may additionally enable a presenter to drive the multimedia content playback experience such that the attendees may view the multimedia content as the presenter controls the playback actions. The system may render the multimedia content on each attendee&#39;s individual client device such that each individual attendee may be able to interact with and control the playback experience of the multimedia content on the attendee&#39;s own client device. The attendee may perform play, pause, seek, scan, stop and other similar playback actions on the multimedia content in order to view the content at the attendee&#39;s own desire and pace. Further actions by an attendee may include, but are not limited to, taking notes (or ink) on top of the multimedia, or save the multimedia for later viewing. When each individual attendee interacts with the multimedia content rendered on his own client device and exercises playback control over the multimedia content, the presenter&#39;s playback and the attendee&#39;s playback may be un-synchronized, such that the presenter&#39;s playback of the multimedia content may not be broadcast to the attendee&#39;s client device and the attendee may not view the presenter&#39;s playback of the multimedia content. In another example implementation a feature like picture-in-picture may be provided such that the attendee can see the presenters view as well as the independent navigation. The presenter&#39;s client device may continuously provide playback state information of the multimedia content to the server system may enable the attendee to re-synchronize with the presenter&#39;s multimedia content playback if and when the attendee desires. 
         [0013]    In the following detailed description, references are made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustrations specific embodiments or examples. These aspects may be combined, other aspects may be utilized, and structural changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. The following detailed description is therefore not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. While the embodiments will be described in the general context of program modules that execute in conjunction with an application program that runs on an operating system on a computing device, those skilled in the art will recognize that aspects may also be implemented in combination with other program modules. 
         [0014]    Generally, program modules include routines, programs, components, data structures, and other types of structures that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that embodiments may be practiced with other computer system configurations, including hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and comparable computing devices. Embodiments may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices. 
         [0015]    Embodiments may be implemented as a computer-implemented process (method), a computing system, or as an article of manufacture, such as a computer program product or computer readable media. The computer program product may be a computer storage medium readable by a computer system and encoding a computer program that comprises instructions for causing a computer or computing system to perform example process(es). The computer-readable storage medium can for example be implemented via one or more of a volatile computer memory, a non-volatile memory, a hard drive, a flash drive, a floppy disk, or a compact disk, and comparable media. 
         [0016]    Throughout this specification, the term “platform” may be a combination of software and hardware components for enabling interaction with multimedia content shared over a collaborative environment. Examples of platforms include, but are not limited to, a hosted service executed over a plurality of servers, an application executed on a single computing device, and comparable systems. The term “server” generally refers to a computing device executing one or more software programs typically in a networked environment. However, a server may also be implemented as a virtual server (software programs) executed on one or more computing devices viewed as a server on the network. More detail on these technologies and example operations is provided below. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates a system for enabling interaction with multimedia content in a collaborative environment according to embodiments. As illustrated in diagram  100 , in a collaborative environment such as a networked environment  110 , a presenter  102  and one or more attendees  120 ,  130  may interact with each other and share content over a server  112 . According some embodiments, more than one presenter may share content. According to other embodiments, communication may also include from an attendee to a presenter. For example, the presenter might need to know how many attendees have gone out of sync with their presentation. In an example scenario, the presenter  102  may generate or select from existing multimedia content  104  for sharing and presenting to one or more attendees  120 ,  130  during an online meeting hosted by the server  112  within the networked environment  110 . In the networked environment  110 , the multimedia content may be shared and exchanged using a variety of sharing methods, such as for example, e-mail messaging, text messaging, conferencing, whiteboard sharing, desktop sharing, and application sharing. The multimedia content  104  may be any content that may be shared over the networked environment such as audio files, video files, image files, word processing files, spreadsheet files, presentation files, and other similar files that may contain multimedia content, as well as stream video/audio, which support the some basic playback such as play/pause (or even seek). 
         [0018]    The presenter  102  may upload the multimedia content  104  to the server  112 , and the server  112  may share or broadcast the multimedia content  104  such that the one or more attendees  120 ,  130  may be able to view the multimedia content  104  on each attendee&#39;s own client device. In a conventional collaborative environment for sharing multimedia content  104 , attendees of an online meeting may be able to view the shared multimedia content  104  provided by the presenter  102  and follow along with the presenter&#39;s playback of the multimedia content  104 , but the attendees  120 ,  130  may not be able to interact with or exercise control over the content to control the attendee&#39;s playback experience of the multimedia content  104 . 
         [0019]    In a system according to embodiments, the multimedia content  104  may be provided to the attendees  120 ,  130  over the networked environment  110 , and the multimedia content  104  may be rendered on each attendee&#39;s individual client device such that each individual attendee  120 ,  130  may be able to interact with the multimedia content  104  and control the playback experience of the multimedia content  104  on the attendee&#39;s  120  own client device. The system may enable the attendee  120  to control his own multimedia content experience rather than simply following along with the presenter&#39;s control of the multimedia content  104 . For example, the attendee  120  may be able to control the timing of the multimedia content  104  playback. The attendee  120  may perform play, pause, seek, scan, stop and other similar playback actions on the multimedia content  104  in order to view the content at the attendee&#39;s  120  own desire and pace. 
         [0020]    When each individual attendee  120  interacts with the multimedia content  104  rendered on his own client device and exercises playback control over the multimedia content  104 , the attendee&#39;s  120  playback may become un-synchronized with the presenter&#39;s  102  playback, such that the presenter&#39;s playback of the multimedia content  104  may not be broadcast to the attendee&#39;s client device, and the attendee may not view the presenter&#39;s playback of the multimedia content. Additionally, the system may enable attendees  120 ,  130  to view the multimedia content  104  in synchronization with the presenter  102  as the presenter  102  plays and discusses the multimedia content  104  during the online broadcast over the networked environment  110 . The presenter  102  may drive the multimedia content  104  playback experience such that the attendees may view the multimedia content as the presenter  102  controls the playback actions. The system may enable the attendee  120  to choose if and when to synchronize with the presenter&#39;s playback of the multimedia content  104  according to the attendee&#39;s inclination. 
         [0021]    In a system according to embodiments, the server  112  may be configured to keep track of the presenter&#39;s playback status of the multimedia content while the presenter&#39;s playback may be un-synchronized with the attendee&#39;s playback for providing the synchronizing and un-synchronizing capabilities. By keeping track of the presenter&#39;s playback status of the multimedia content  104 , the system may enable the attendee  120  to re-synchronize with the presenter&#39;s multimedia content playback if and when the attendee  120  desires. According to example embodiments, when the presenter  102  initially begins playback of the multimedia content  104 , the presenter&#39;s client device may continuously provide playback state information  106  of the multimedia content  104  to the server  112 . 
         [0022]    The state information  106  may include the current playback position of the multimedia content  104  on the presenter&#39;s client device, and other playback data such as when the presenter plays, seeks, rewinds, forwards, pauses, advances, slows, and stops the multimedia content, as well as other playback information such as whether the playback is full screen, the sound is muted, etc. “When” the presenter performs the playback action may be an actual time of the presenter performing the playback action or a position in the multimedia when the presenter performs the action. A system according to embodiments may keep track of both. When the attendee&#39;s playback is synchronized with the presenter&#39;s playback, the current state information  106  data may be sent from the server  112  to the attendee&#39;s device so that the attendee&#39;s multimedia content playback may correspond with the presenter&#39;s playback of the multimedia content  104 . The state information  106  may include a time code for indicating the location of the multimedia content  104  during the playback of the multimedia content  104 , so that the attendee may be enabled to re-synchronize with the presenter&#39;s playback of the multimedia content  104  at any time. When the attendee selects to synchronize with the presenter&#39;s playback, the server  112  may seek to the appropriate position as indicated by the time code included in the state information  106  data. 
         [0023]    In an example scenario, upon initial receipt and viewing of multimedia content  104 , the attendee  120  may opt to scan through and preview the multimedia content  104 , resulting in un-synchronizing the attendee&#39;s playback from the presenter&#39;s playback. After independently previewing the multimedia content  104 , the attendee  120  may desire to resume viewing in synchronization with the presenter&#39;s playback. The attendee  120  may select to re-synchronize with the presenter&#39;s playback of the multimedia content  104 , and based on the state information  106  provided to the server  112  from the presenter&#39;s client device, the server  112  may re-synchronize the attendee&#39;s  120  playback with the presenter&#39;s  102  playback at the location indicated by the state information. 
         [0024]    According to another example scenario, one or more attendees may join a broadcast session later than others. Regardless of when the attendees join the broadcast session, they may start initially in sync with the presenter&#39;s view based on the state information received at each client. Subsequently, the late joining attendees may also playback independently from the presenter and/or re-synchronize with the presenter. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  illustrates an example system for enabling independent control over multimedia content by attendees in a collaborative environment. As demonstrated in diagram  200 , a system according to embodiments may enable attendees of an online broadcast to interact with multimedia content and to independently drive the playback experience of the multimedia content on the attendee&#39;s own client device. Additionally, the system may enable the presenter to drive the multimedia content playback experience such that the attendees may view the multimedia content as the presenter controls the playback actions. 
         [0026]    In an example embodiment, attendees may be enabled to automatically view the multimedia content in synchronization  220  with the presenter  202  as the presenter  202  plays and discusses the multimedia content during the online broadcast or other multimedia sharing method. In an example scenario, the presenter  202  may generate or select from existing multimedia content  204  on the presenter&#39;s client device for sharing with one or more attendees of an online broadcast in a collaborative environment. The presenter  202  may upload  206  the multimedia content to a server, and the server may share  208  the online broadcast of the multimedia content with one or more attendees, for example, within a cloud based environment. The attendees may receive the shared broadcast and may view  222  the online broadcast including the multimedia content provided by the presenter  202 . 
         [0027]    Initially, the attendee&#39;s playback of the multimedia content may be automatically synchronized  220  with the presenter&#39;s playback of the multimedia content during the online broadcast. While the attendee&#39;s playback is synchronized  220  with the presenter&#39;s playback, the attendee may simultaneously view the presenter&#39;s presentation  224  of the multimedia content as the presenter  202  presents the multimedia content  210 . If the attendee takes no actions which may un-synchronize the playback, such as interacting with the multimedia content to control the playback, then as the presenter  202  performs additional playback actions  212  on the multimedia content, the attendee may continuously follow along with and view the presenter&#39;s playback actions  226  on the multimedia content. For example, if the presenter  202  shares a slideshow presentation containing an embedded multimedia file over the server, when the presenter plays the multimedia file, the multimedia file may simultaneously play on the synchronized attendee&#39;s client device. After the file is finished playing, the presenter may advance to a new slide on the presenter&#39;s client device, and the new slide may also be advanced on the synchronized attendee&#39;s client device. Similarly, timing, starting, pace, etc. of animations on presentations may also be controlled by each attendee. 
         [0028]    In an example embodiment, the presenter&#39;s playback and the attendee&#39;s playback may be automatically synchronized  220  upon the attendee&#39;s receipt and viewing of the multimedia content over the server. The system may enable the attendee to un-synchronize  230  the multimedia content playback at any time by initiating playback control actions over the multimedia content. For example, in the slideshow presentation scenario described above, when the attendee receives the online broadcast for viewing the slideshow, the multimedia content may be rendered on the attendee&#39;s client device. The attendee may independently view the multimedia content  234 , and may skip to a different slide within the presentation, or as another example, if the shared multimedia content is a video file, the attendee may play the video, scan forward and pause the video. As soon as the attendee performs playback actions  236  over the multimedia content on the attendee&#39;s client device, the presenter playback and the attendee&#39;s playback may automatically become un-synchronized  230 , and the attendee may have full control over the playback of the multimedia content on the attendee&#39;s client device independent of the presenter&#39;s playback of the multimedia content. 
         [0029]    The attendee playback of the multimedia content may remain un-synchronized  238  unless and until the attendee may elect to re-synchronize  228  with the presenter playback. As described above, the attendee may select at any time to re-synchronize  228  with the presenter&#39;s playback, and based on state information data provided by the presenter, the server may synchronize the attendee playback with the presenter playback at the appropriate position. 
         [0030]      FIG. 3  illustrates an example scenario for enabling independent control over multimedia content by attendees in a collaborative environment according to embodiments. As demonstrated in diagram  300 , a presenter in a collaborative environment may initiate playback of multimedia content  302  during an online broadcast over a collaborative server. The multimedia content may be provided to the server  304  by the presenter&#39;s device, and the server may broadcast the multimedia content such that the one or more attendees  312 ,  314 ,  316  may be able to view the multimedia content on each attendee&#39;s own client device. Additionally, the server may continuously monitor the presenter&#39;s playback status of the multimedia content based on state information  306  of the position of the presenter&#39;s playback provided  310  to the server by the presenter&#39;s client device for providing the synchronizing and un-synchronizing capabilities. 
         [0031]    In an example embodiment, each attendee  312 ,  314 ,  316  may receive an independent broadcast stream of the multimedia content from the server, such that each attendee  312 ,  314 ,  316  may have independent playback control over the received multimedia content. While each attendee  312 ,  314 ,  316  views the independent broadcast stream of the multimedia content, the attendee may remain synchronized with presenter playback such that the attendee  312  may view the presenter&#39;s playback of the multimedia content. Additionally, the attendee may initiate playback control actions over the multimedia content, such as play, pause, scan, and stop actions, which may result in un-synchronizing the attendee&#39;s playback of the multimedia content from the presenter&#39;s playback of the multimedia content. 
         [0032]    In further embodiments, the system may enable the attendee to re-synchronize  320  with the presenter&#39;s multimedia content playback if and when the attendee desires. When the attendee  312  elects to re-synchronize  320  with the presenter&#39;s playback, the current state information  306  data may be sent from the server to the attendee&#39;s client device so that the attendee&#39;s multimedia content playback may correspond to the presenter&#39;s playback of the multimedia content. 
         [0033]    The example systems in  FIG. 1 through 3  have been described with specific configurations, applications, and interactions. Embodiments are not limited to systems according to these examples. A system for enabling independent playback control over multimedia content in a collaborative environment may be implemented in configurations employing fewer or additional components and performing other tasks. Furthermore, specific protocols and/or interfaces may be implemented in a similar manner using the principles described herein. 
         [0034]      FIG. 4  is an example networked environment, where embodiments may be implemented. A system for enabling independent playback control over multimedia content in a collaborative environment may be implemented via software executed over one or more servers  414  such as a hosted service. The platform may communicate with client applications on individual computing devices such as a smart phone  413 , a laptop computer  412 , or desktop computer  411  (‘client devices’) through network(s)  410 . 
         [0035]    Client applications executed on any of the client devices  411 - 413  may facilitate communications via application(s) executed by servers  414 , or on individual server  416 . An application executed on one of the servers may facilitate enabling independent playback control over multimedia content in a collaborative environment. The application may retrieve relevant data from data store(s)  419  directly or through database server  418 , and provide requested services (e.g. document editing) to the user(s) through client devices  411 - 413 . 
         [0036]    Network(s)  410  may comprise any topology of servers, clients, Internet service providers, and communication media. A system according to embodiments may have a static or dynamic topology. Network(s)  410  may include secure networks such as an enterprise network, an unsecure network such as a wireless open network, or the Internet. Network(s)  410  may also coordinate communication over other networks such as Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or cellular networks. Furthermore, network(s)  410  may include short range wireless networks such as Bluetooth or similar ones. Network(s)  410  provide communication between the nodes described herein. By way of example, and not limitation, network(s)  410  may include wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. 
         [0037]    Many other configurations of computing devices, applications, data sources, and data distribution systems may be employed to implement a platform for enabling independent playback control over multimedia content in a collaborative environment. Furthermore, the networked environments discussed in  FIG. 4  are for illustration purposes only. Embodiments are not limited to the example applications, modules, or processes. 
         [0038]      FIG. 5  and the associated discussion are intended to provide a brief, general description of a suitable computing environment in which embodiments may be implemented. With reference to  FIG. 5 , a block diagram of an example computing operating environment for an application according to embodiments is illustrated, such as computing device  500 . In a basic configuration, computing device  500  may be any computing device executing an application for enabling independent playback control over multimedia content in a collaborative environment according to embodiments and include at least one processing unit  502  and system memory  504 . Computing device  500  may also include a plurality of processing units that cooperate in executing programs. Depending on the exact configuration and type of computing device, the system memory  504  may be volatile (such as RAM), non-volatile (such as ROM, flash memory, etc.) or some combination of the two. System memory  504  typically includes an operating system  505  suitable for controlling the operation of the platform, such as the WINDOWS® operating systems from MICROSOFT CORPORATION of Redmond, Wash. The system memory  504  may also include one or more software applications such as a multimedia synchronization application  522 , and playback control module  524 . 
         [0039]    Playback control module  524  may enable a computing device  500  to continually detect a collaborative environment for sharing and presenting multimedia content over an online broadcast. Through the playback control module  524 , multimedia synchronization application  522  may enable attendees of the online broadcast to receive multimedia content and to independently view, interact with, and perform playback control actions on the multimedia content. The multimedia synchronization application  522  may enable the attendee&#39;s playback of the multimedia content to become un-synchronized with the presenter&#39;s playback while the attendee exercises playback control over the multimedia content. Additionally, the multimedia synchronization application  522  may enable the attendee&#39;s playback of the multimedia content to become re-synchronized with the presenter&#39;s playback of the multimedia content upon election by the attendee. Multimedia synchronization application  522  and playback control module  524  may be separate applications or integrated modules of a hosted service. This basic configuration is illustrated in  FIG. 5  by those components within dashed line  508 . 
         [0040]    Computing device  500  may have additional features or functionality. For example, the computing device  500  may also include additional data storage devices (removable and/or non-removable) such as, for example, magnetic disks, optical disks, or tape. Such additional storage is illustrated in  FIG. 5  by removable storage  509  and non-removable storage  510 . Computer readable storage media may include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information, such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. System memory  504 , removable storage  509  and non-removable storage  510  are all examples of computer readable storage media. Computer readable storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by computing device  500 . Any such computer readable storage media may be part of computing device  500 . Computing device  500  may also have input device(s)  512  such as keyboard, mouse, pen, voice input device, touch input device, and comparable input devices. Output device(s)  514  such as a display, speakers, printer, and other types of output devices may also be included. These devices are well known in the art and need not be discussed at length here. 
         [0041]    Computing device  500  may also contain communication connections  516  that allow the device to communicate with other devices  518 , such as over a wired or wireless network in a distributed computing environment, a satellite link, a cellular link, a short range network, and comparable mechanisms. Other devices  518  may include computer device(s) that execute communication applications, web servers, and comparable devices. Communication connection(s)  516  is one example of communication media. Communication media can include therein computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. 
         [0042]    Example embodiments also include methods. These methods can be implemented in any number of ways, including the structures described in this document. One such way is by machine operations, of devices of the type described in this document. 
         [0043]    Another optional way is for one or more of the individual operations of the methods to be performed in conjunction with one or more human operators performing some. These human operators need not be collocated with each other, but each can be only with a machine that performs a portion of the program. 
         [0044]      FIG. 6  illustrates a logic flow diagram for process  600  for enabling independent playback control over multimedia content in a collaborative environment according to embodiments. Process  600  may be implemented on a computing device or similar electronic device capable of executing instructions through a processor. 
         [0045]    Process  600  begins with operation  610 , where a server may detect multimedia content shared by a presenter in a collaborative environment. At operation  620 , the presenter may upload the multimedia content, and the server may retrieve the multimedia content for sharing with one or more attendees in an online broadcast or meeting. At operation  630  the server may continuously retrieve presenter playback state information of the multimedia content. The state information may include the current playback position of the multimedia content on the presenter&#39;s client device, and other playback data such as when the presenter plays, seeks, pauses, and stops the multimedia content. 
         [0046]    At operation  640  the server may broadcast the multimedia content such that the one or more attendees may be able to view the multimedia content on each attendee&#39;s own client device. Initially, the attendee&#39;s playback of the multimedia content may be automatically synchronized with the presenter&#39;s playback of the multimedia content during the online broadcast. While the attendee&#39;s playback is synchronized  220  with the presenter&#39;s playback, the attendee may simultaneously view the presenter&#39;s presentation of the multimedia content as the presenter presents the multimedia content. At operation  650  the system may enable the attendee to control his own multimedia content experience. The multimedia content may be rendered on the attendee&#39;s individual client device such that the individual attendee may be able to interact with the multimedia content and control the playback experience of the multimedia content on the attendee&#39;s own client device. For example, the attendee may perform play, pause, seek, scan, stop and other similar playback actions on the multimedia content in order to view the content at the attendee&#39;s own desire and pace. 
         [0047]    Operation  650  may be followed by operation  660  where the presenter&#39;s playback and the attendee&#39;s playback may be un-synchronized, such that the presenter&#39;s playback of the multimedia content may not be broadcast to the attendee&#39;s client device and the attendee may not view the presenter&#39;s playback of the multimedia content. At operation  670 , after independently controlling the multimedia content playback, the attendee may select to re-synchronize with the presenter&#39;s playback, and based on the state information provided to the server from the presenter&#39;s client device, the server may re-synchronize the presenter&#39;s playback and the attendee&#39;s playback. 
         [0048]    The operations included in process  600  are for illustration purposes. Automatically enabling independent playback control over multimedia content in a collaborative environment may be implemented by similar processes with fewer or additional steps, as well as in different order of operations using the principles described herein. 
         [0049]    The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the embodiments. Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims and embodiments.