Patent ID: 8516528

Claim:
A method of synchronizing an application showing on a second (2nd) screen of a secondary device with a television program showing on a primary screen associated with a primary device, the primary device outputting the television program according to tuned-to television signals, the method comprising: specifying a first triggering event, a second triggering event and a third triggering event within the television signals, the second triggering event occurring after the first triggering event and the third triggering event occurring after the second triggering event; specifying a first event, a second event and a third event to be executed at the application simultaneously with the corresponding one of the first, second and third triggering events, including specifying a first elapse period and a second elapse period, the first elapse period specifying an amount of time at which the second event is to execute after the first event, the second elapse period specifying an amount of time at which the third event is to execute after the second event; facilitating transmission of a first event triggered message from the primary device upon the primary device detecting occurrence of the first triggering event, the first event triggered message indicating occurrence of the first triggering event as detected by the primary device; synchronizing execution of the first, second and third events at the secondary device relative to transmission of the first event triggered message, including facilitating the secondary device to: calculate a latency amount associated with transmission of the first event triggered message, the latency amount identifying an amount of time elapsing between the primary device transmitting the first event triggered message and the secondary device receiving the first event triggered message; and shorten the first elapse period by an amount of time equal to the latency amount such that the second event executes at the application simultaneously with the second triggering event and the third event executes at the application simultaneously with the third triggering event.