Method and system for synchronizing content

A system and system of synchronizing a delivery of a first content to a plurality of users including providing a second content to a compression device to provide a time window in the second content, and delivering the first content to the plurality of users when the first content is synchronized to simultaneously deliver the first content to each of the plurality of users.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram view of an embodiment of the system of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a first content 5 and second content 10 are provided to a first 30 and second 25 users. The first content 5 , in this embodiment, is an advertisement that is to be viewed during a second content 10 , which is generally a sitcom, sporting event, movie, news, or the like. Thus, the first content 5 is advertisement that is scheduled to be viewed during commercial breaks of the second content 10 . It is noted that the first 5 and second 10 content is generally viewed on a television, computer or other displaying device that is capable of displaying content to a user. The second content 10 is sent to a compression device 15 , such as the Time Machine® manufactured by Prime Image, Inc. of San Jose, Calif. That product generally takes the second content 10 , such as a sporting event, movie, sitcom, news, etc., and compresses the amount of time of the particular second content 10 in order to create more time for the first content 5 , e.g., advertising commercials. The benefit of this compression device is clear. By compressing the second content to create an additional time window 20 , more first content 5 , e.g., advertising commercials, may be included in a second content 10 to increase advertising revenue for the broadcaster. An additional benefit is that the time window 20 created may create a flexible time window 20 in the second content 10 that will permit a broadcaster to synchronize a particular first content 5 to be viewed simultaneously across a number of broadcasting channels. This is a tremendous benefit never available in the past. By creating the time window 20 in the second content 10 , for example an additional two minute time window, a broadcaster may create an additional two minutes of space to synchronize a particular first content 5 to be viewed simultaneously across a number of broadcast channels. That is, once the two minutes of additional time is created among a number of broadcast channels, an advertiser may schedule his advertisement (first content 5 ) to be viewed at the same two minute time window across a number of broadcast channels. By doing this, a viewer or listener (user) is forced to view the advertisement even if the user changes the channel. The system of this embodiment requires only that each second content 10 be sent to a compression device 15 , such as the Time Machine® of Prime Image, Inc., to create the additional time window in the second content where the first content 5 will be placed. Then the first content 5 is synchronized to be sent to the first user 30 and the second user 25 simultaneously. Note that while two users are shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1 , more than two users may be sent the first 5 and second 10 content. In fact, a plurality of users (at least two users) are capable of receiving the synchronized first content 5 within the time window 20 created by the compression device 15 within the second content 10 . At least two users are needed since it is those two users that are simultaneously receiving the first and second content. It is further noted that the user may be a viewer, in one embodiment, and a listener, in another embodiment. If audio signals are being compressed rather than visual signals, another product, also manufactured by Prime Image, Inc. and known as the Cash Machine, may be used to compress the audio signals. In use, the delivery of the first content 5 to a plurality of users 30 , 25 is as follows. The second content 10 is provided to the compression device 15 where the second content 10 , e.g., the movie, sitcom, news, audio talk show, is compressed to create the time window 20 . The first content 5 , e.g., the advertisement, is then sent to the time window 20 and placed in the time window that is simultaneously delivered to the plurality of users 30 , 25 . In a further embodiment, the system contains a processor as part of the compression device that is used to control the timing of the time window containing the first content 5 . By doing this, the first content 20 may be synchronized to be shown or listened to by the plurality of users at the same time. This advantage is clear in that all of the first content 5 is shown at the same time (synchronized) across a number of broadcast channels so as to capture the viewing or listening audience. FIG. 2 is a block diagram view of a further embodiment of the system of the present invention. In FIG. 2 , the same first 10 and second 5 content of FIG. 1 are shown being transmitted to a distributing device 35 . The distributing device 35 may be, in one embodiment, a satellite transmitter or other type of transmitter that is capable of transmitting the first and second content to a broadcaster/compression device/processor 45 . Again, much like in FIG. 1 , the first and second content is transmitted to a compression device 45 that is, in this embodiment, maintained by the broadcaster 45 and that has a processor 45 so as to time the simultaneous broadcast of the first and second content through the newly created time window (not shown). The synchronized first content is then sent to the plurality of users 50 for simultaneous viewing by all users of the same first content 5 , e.g., advertisement. Again, the embodiment of FIG. 2 , much like FIG. 1 , advantageously allows the first content 5 to be synchronized by the processor to be simultaneously viewed or listened by all the plurality of users to that the advertisement (first content) cannot be avoided by the viewer or listener. Thus, the entire audience is captured since changing the broadcast channel will not avoid viewing the advertisement since all advertisements may be simultaneously sent to all users at the same time. Other embodiments may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art to which this invention pertains that fall within the scope of the invention as claimed below.