Patent Document

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0001]    The claimed subject matter relates generally to media display and, more specifically, to techniques for synchronizing two or more display devices to augment the user experience. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Despite many advances in the presentation of entertainment, for the most part the television viewing experience has remained static. Two improvements that have become available are on-line streaming media, such as NETFLIX® and HULU®, which may be played through mobile devices and conventional televisions, and time-shifting of programming through the use of digital video recorders (DVRs). 
         [0003]    Currently, some users may watch movies or shows with digital devices in hand. Sometimes, this type of viewing may involve multitasking, e.g., watching a show while performing unrelated activities such as game playing and communicating with other parties via text or email. Other typical types of multitasking may involve using the digital device to research the movie of show being watched. For example, a user may simultaneously view a movie with a particular actor while searching for information on the actor and their other credits. Other examples include using mobile application to identify a song played or location at which a film was shot or to investigate, and possibly purchase, a viewed item such as art, fashion, clothing, furniture, electronics, an automobile and so on. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    Provided are techniques for the transmission of media content on a first device and the concurrent transmission of information concerning the media content on a second device. Also included are techniques for the synchronization of the content and the information on the two devices. 
         [0005]    Provided are techniques for detecting a presentation of media content on a first display device; synchronizing contextual data corresponding to the media content with the media content; transmitting the contextual metadata corresponding to the media content to a second display device in response to the detecting, wherein the second display device is a different device than the first display device; and presenting the contextual metadata, in synchronization with the media content, on the second display device in conjunction with the presentation of the media content on the first display device. 
         [0006]    This summary is not intended as a comprehensive description of the claimed subject matter but, rather, is intended to provide a brief overview of some of the functionality associated therewith. Other systems, methods, functionality, features and advantages of the claimed subject matter will be or will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    A better understanding of the claimed subject matter can be obtained when the following detailed description of the disclosed embodiments is considered in conjunction with the following figures. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is an exemplary multimedia system architecture that includes a Parallel Program Transmission Device (PPTD), implemented according to the claimed subject matter. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of PPTD of  FIG. 1  in greater detail. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an illustration of information displayed in accordance with the claimed subject matter. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of one example of an Establish Parallel Data Display (PDD) process that may implement aspects of the claimed subject matter. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart of one example of a Synchronize PDD process that may implement aspects of the claimed subject matter. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system, method or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon. 
         [0014]    Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. 
         [0015]    A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. 
         [0016]    Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable. RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing. 
         [0017]    Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user&#39;s computer, partly on the user&#39;s computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user&#39;s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user&#39;s computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). 
         [0018]    Aspects of the present invention are described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
         [0019]    These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
         [0020]    The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational actions to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is an exemplary multimedia system architecture  100  that includes both a Parallel Program (PP) Transmission Module (PPTM)  114  and a PP Transmission Device (PPTD)  136 , implemented according to the claimed subject matter. PPTM  114  and PPTD  136  are both used as examples of components that may provide aspects of the claimed functionality. 
         [0022]    Logic associated with PPTM  114  executes in conjunction with a computing system  102 . Computing, system  102  includes a central processing unit (CPU)  104 , coupled to a monitor  106 , a keyboard  108  and a pointing device, or “mouse,”  110 , which together facilitate human interaction with computing system  102 . Also included in computing system  102  and attached to CPU  104  is a computer-readable storage medium (CRSM)  112 , which may either be incorporated into CPU  104  i.e. an internal device, or attached externally to CPU  104  by means of various, commonly available connection devices such as but not limited to, a universal serial bus (USB) port (not shown). Logic associated with PPTM  114  is stored on CRSM  112  and executed on one or more processors (not shown) of CPU  104  and computing system  102 . 
         [0023]    Computing system  102  is coupled to a local area network (LAN)  120  and the Internet  122 . Communicatively coupled to LAN  120  is a display device, which in this example is a television,  124  and, communicatively coupled to television  124  is a media player/recorder  126 . Communicatively coupled to Internet  122  is a content provider  132 , which is used in the following description as an example of one source of media content. Some examples of media content include, but are not limited to, a television show, a video stream, an audio stream and a movie. 
         [0024]    In the following examples, media content  134  from content provider  132  is transmitted to PPTD  136 , processed by PPTD  136  and PP data (PPD)  138  associated with media content  134  is transmitted to a second display device, which in this example is a tablet computer  140 . Concurrently with media content  134  being transmitted to PPTD  136 , media content is transmitted to television  124  over a cable  142 . Media content may be transmitted to television  124  for display in any conventional fashion. PPTD  136  also receives control data  139 , which is employed to synchronize PPD  138  with media content  134 . Depending upon a particular display configuration, control data  139  may originate from computing system  102 , content provider  132 , television  126  or media player/recorder  126  (see  250 ,  FIG. 5 ). 
         [0025]    In this example, PPD  138  originates at a Metadata Resource (MDR)  144 , which is one example of a source for such data. It should be noted that, in this example, PPD  138  represents information specific to media content  134  and MDR  144  is a repository for formation on multiple instances of media content in general, including PPD  138 . PDD  138  may be generated by, but not limited to, staff associated with media content; crowd sourcing; and analytic analysis. PPD  138  may be stored, before use, either co-located with the video program content, or at a third party provider such as MDR  144 . Examples of third party providers include any services that provide information about media content. It should be noted that PPD  138  and MDR  144  may be stored as digital files at any standard website, where it may be retrieved at user convenience. Immediately before transmission to a mobile device, PPD  138  may be cached in conventional means (i.e., content caching services), and/or stored in local devices, such as on a set-top box, DVR, conventional television, other alternative mobile devices, or home entertainment system. 
         [0026]    PPD  138  may contain either rich content on media content  134  itself, or pointers (e.g., web links) to other definitive sources containing rich data sets about the program, alternate video, audio, or pictures. In some cases, PPD  138  may contain links to other programs (via Uniform Resource Identifier, or URI, outside of the web) which activate other programs on the mobile device (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, etc.). Specific logical elements of PPD  138  may include, but are not limited to, information about persons involved in creation of media content  134  (e.g., actors and actresses, producers, directors, and other credited staff), information about location and objected depicted within media content  138 , information about music contained within media content  138 , as well as other facts which consumers might find of interest. 
         [0027]    PPD  138  also includes either an explicit or implicit temporal component. In other words, PDD  138  either contains explicit time stamps which may be associated with various points in media content  134 , or otherwise have an enablement mechanism by which PPD  138  can be synchronized to media content  134 . Examples of the latter (implicit temporal awareness) may be derived from a delivery mechanism, e.g., if PPD  138  is broadcast synchronously with media content  134 , media content  134 , then no explicit, running time stamp may be necessary. 
         [0028]    PPD  138  and MDR  144  may be manually created through dedicated “expert” means. For example, staff of video program creators, broadcast company, or third party service may compile information about media content  134 , and embed the information such that they may be displayed at the appropriate time within (or throughout) presentation of media content  134  the video. PPD  138  and MDR  144  may be manually created through “crowd-sourcing” means. For example, a wiki-type open community may contribute ideas to PPD  138  and MDR  144 , including facts which may be little known, for the benefit of the consumer. PPD  138  and MDR  144  may also be created through automated means through analytics services. For example, visual elements may be identified through facial, place, or object recognition software. Additionally, audio elements may be identified through analogous services. For example, PPD  138  and MDR  144  may be in part or in full created through automated fashion for the benefit of consumers. Finally, some combination of manual and automated services such as are described here may be used to populate PPD  138  and MDR  144  with information. 
         [0029]    It should be understood that architecture  100  is merely one example of a configuration that may support the claimed subject matter. Those with skill in the relevant arts will appreciate that media content may originate from a wide variety of sources, that such content may be transmitted to many different types of devices in many different ways, both by wire and wireless, and that the claimed subject matter may be performed by a number of different types of devices. For example, rather than a tablet computer  140 , the second display device may be a mobile telephone and, in addition to the description below that uses PPTD  136 , the claimed subject matter may be implemented by PPTM  114  or logic associated with television  124  or media player/recorder  126 . Further, additional PDD, distinct from PDD  138  may be transmitted to and displayed on a third device, distinct from television  124  and tablet computer  140 . 
         [0030]    Further, television  124  may be Internet-enabled or, in other words, able to download an appropriate signal from Internet  122 . Programming signals, or media content, may be transmitted by content provider  132  via Internet  122  or cable  142 . In other words, content provider  132  may transmit programming to television  124  via Internet  122 , cable  142  or both. 
         [0031]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of PPMD  136 , introduced above in  FIG. 1 , in greater detail. PPMD  136  includes an input/output (I/O) module  150 , a data module  152 , a metadata collection module  154 , a synchronization module  156  and a graphical user interface (GUI)  158 . For the sake of the following examples, PPMD  136  is assumed to be a standalone device with its own CRSM (not shown) and one or more processors (not shown). In the alternative, as explained above, the claimed functionality may be stored on CRSM  112  ( FIG. 1 ) in conjunction with PPTM  114  ( FIG. 1 ) and execute on one or more processors (not shown) of computing system  102  ( FIG. 1 ) or implemented in conjunction with television  124  ( FIG. 1 ) or media player/recorder  126  ( FIG. 1 ). In addition, it should be understood the representation of PPMD  136  in  FIG. 2  is a logical model. In other words, components  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156  and  158  may be stored in the same or separates files and loaded and/or executed within system  100  either as a single system or as separate processes interacting via any available inter process communication (IPC) techniques. 
         [0032]    I/O module  150  handles any communication PPMD  136  has with other components of system  100 , including but not limited to, the Internet  122 , content provider  132  and tablet computer  140 . Data module  152  stores information that PPMD  136  requires during normal operation. Examples of the types of information stored in data module  152  include system data  160 , device data  162 , a metadata source data  164  and operating parameters  166 . 
         [0033]    System data  160  stores information on different components of architecture  100  ( FIG. 1 ), including but not limited to, devices and communication media. PPMD  136  employs such information to communicate with other devices and components of architecture  100 . Device data  162  stores information on different devices, such as television  124  ( FIG. 1 ) and tablet computer  140  ( FIG. 1 ) that may be used to display either media content or metadata in accordance with the claimed subject matter. 
         [0034]    Metadata source data  164  stores information on various sources for information about media content  134 , such as MDR  144  ( FIG. 1 ), that may be transmitted in conjunction with media content  134 . For example, if media content  134  is a movie, metadata source data  164  may provide links to a database that includes information about the trivia, actors and products within the movie. Operating parameters  166  stores information on various user preferences that have been set. For example, a user may specify default devices for display or a particular default category (see  182 ,  184  and  186 ,  FIG. 3 ). Variables (not shown) in operating parameters  166  are typically set via GUI  158 . 
         [0035]    Metadata collection module  154  analyses media content  134  and collects metadata associated with media content  154  using information in metadata source data  164 . Such metadata may be collected comprehensively or “on demand.” For example, information on the actors within media content  134  may be collected as soon as media content  134  is identified or, in the alternative, only in response to a request by the user for actor information. The particular type of data collection, i.e., comprehensive or “ad hoc,” may be specified by a variable in operating parameters  166 . 
         [0036]    Synchronization module  156  coordinates information collected by metadata collection module  154  with the specific portion of media content  134  currently being displayed. For example, if a user request actor or product information, information only on the actors or products, respectively, currently display on television  124  is presented to the user on tablet computer  140 . GUI  158  enables users of PPMD  136  to interact with and to define the desired functionality of PPMD  136 . Components  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158 ,  160 ,  162 ,  164  and  166  are described in more detail below in conjunction with  FIGS. 3-5 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 3  is an illustration of tablet computer  140  ( FIG. 1 ) displaying information transmitted from PPTD  136  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) in accordance with the claimed subject matter. Table computer  140  includes a screen  180 . Displayed in screen  180  are three (3) possible categories of information related to, in this example, media content  134  ( FIG. 1 ). The categories include “Trivia”  182 , “Actors”  184  and “Products”  186 . Each of categories  182 ,  184  and  186  represent examples of types of metadata that may be displayed in conjunction with the display of media content  134  on, in this example, television  124  ( FIG. 1 ). Trivia  182  represents information relating to trivia associated with media content  134  such as, but not limited to, information on the creation of media content  134 . Actors  184  represents information on actors associated with media content  134 . Products  186  represents information on products that may be viewed within media content  134 . It should be understood that categories  182   184  and  186  are merely examples of types of metadata that may be made available in accordance with the claimed subject matter. 
         [0038]    A user (not shown) who is viewing content  134  on television  124  and viewing metadata on table computer  140  may select one of the categories  182 ,  184  and  186  by tapping on the corresponding portion of screen  180 . In this example, the user has selected Trivia  182  and Trivia Content  188  is displayed on screen  180 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of one example of an Establish Parallel Data Display (PDD) process  200  that may implement aspects of the claimed subject matter. In the following example, process  200  is associated with logic stored and executed on one or more processors (not shown) of PPTD  136  ( FIG. 1 and 2 ). It should be noted that, as explained above in conjunction with  FIG. 1 , PPTD  136  is only one device that may implement the claimed subject matter and may also be, but is not limited to, implemented by PPTM  114  or logic associated with computing system  102  ( FIG. 1 ) television  124  ( FIG. 1 ) or media player/recorder  126  ( FIG. 1 ). In the following example, media content  134  is displayed on television  124  in conjunction with PPD  138  displayed on tablet computer  140 . 
         [0040]    Process  200  starts in a “Begin Establish PDD” block and proceeds immediately to a “Receive PDD Request” block  204 . During processing associated with block  204 , PPTD  136  receives a request to initiate transmission of media content  134  to television  124 . During processing associated with a “Retrieve Parameters” block  204 , PPTD  136 , after identifying television  124 , tablet computer  140  and media content  134 , retrieves information about television  124  and tablet computer  140  from device data  162  ( FIG. 2 ) and any potential sources of information about media content from metadata resources  164  ( FIG. 2 ). During processing associated with a “Data available?” block  206 , a determination is made as to whether or not any data, such as in this example PPD  138 , is available for media content  134 . If not, control proceeds to a “Notify User” block  208 . During processing associated with block  208 , the user who requested the transmission of media content  134  is notified that PPD  138  is not available and the transmission of media content  134  proceeds in a conventional manner. If, during processing associated with block  206 , a determination is made that PPD  138  is available, control proceeds to a “Retrieve Data” block  210 , during which PPD  138  is retrieved from the identified source. 
         [0041]    During processing associated with a “Sync Devices” block  212 , media content  134  and PPD  138  are synchronized so that, once the presentation of media content  134  is initiated, the data displayed on tablet computer  140  corresponds to the specific portion of media content  134  being displayed on television  124  (see  250 ,  FIG. 5 ). During processing associated with an “Initiate Displays” block  214 , media content  134  is presented on television  124  and PPD  138  is presented on tablet computer  140  in accordance with the disclosed technology. Finally, once the user has been notified during processing associated with block  208  or the display of media content  134  and PPD  138  has been initiated during processing associated with block  214 , control proceeds to an “End Establish PDD” block  219  in which process  200  is complete. 
         [0042]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart of one example of a Synchronize PDD process  250  that may implement aspects of the claimed subject matter. Like process  200 , in this example, process  250  is associated with logic stored and executed on one or more processors (not shown) of PPTD  136  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ). It should be noted that, as explained above in conjunction with  FIG. 1 , PPTD  136  is only one device that may implement the claimed subject matter and may also be, but is not limited to, implemented by PPTM  114  or logic associated with computing system  102  ( FIG. 1 ) television  124  ( FIG. 1 ) or media player/recorder  126  ( FIG. 1 ). 
         [0043]    Process  250  starts in a “Begin Synchronize PPD” block and proceeds immediately to a “Sync Data” block  254 . During processing associated with block  254 , PPTD  136  receives indication that particular media content, in this example media content  138 , is to be displayed in conjunction with the disclosed techniques. Typically, block  254  is performed at the beginning of a transmission, or presentation, of the particular media content. It should be understood that process  250 , in addition to the synchronization of data at the beginning of a presentation, is also responsible for ensuring that PPD  138  ( FIG. 1 ) and media content  134  ( FIG. 1 ) are synchronized throughout a presentation on, in this example tablet computer  140  ( FIGS. 1 and 3 ). For example, a viewer may pause, fast forward, return to a previous spot or jump to a future position in the media content. In such cases, PPD  138  must be re-synchronized to reflect the current position in the presentation. 
         [0044]    Once PPD  138  has been synchronized during processing associated with block  254 , control proceeds to an “Initiate Transmission” block  256  in which both media content  134  and PPD  138  are simultaneously transmitted to their respective devices (see  214 ,  FIG. 4 ). During processing associated with a “PPD In-band?” block  258 , a determination is made as to whether or not PPD  138  is being transmitted as part of media content  134 , i.e., by the media content provider  132  ( FIG. 1 ). If so, control proceeds to a “Provider Sync” block  260 , which represents the situation in which the provider of the media content is able to be responsible for the synchronization of PSS and the media content. If, during processing associated with block  258 , a determination is made that PDD is not in-band, control proceeds to a “Continue Transmission” block  262 . During processing associated with block  262 , the presentation of media content  134  and PPD  138  are assumed to be synchronized and the presentations merely proceed. 
         [0045]    In response to a periodic timing interrupt  264 , control proceeds to an “In Sync?” block  266 . During processing associated with block  266 , a determination is made as to whether or not media content  134  and PPD  138  are still synchronized, in this example by a comparison of their respective timestamps (not shown). If so, control returns to block  262  and processing continues as described above. If not, control proceeds to a “Re-Sync Data  268 , during which media content  134  and PPD  138  are resynchronized before returning to Continue Transmission block  262 . Re-Sync Data block  268  may also be entered via a Context Interrupt  270 , which would typically be transmitted by computing system  102 , television  124  or media player/recorder  126  in response to a change in the presentation of media content  134 , such as, but not limited to, a pause, fast forward, rewind, or jump to another portion of media content  138  by the user. Context interrupt  270  may also be generated by PPTD  136  based upon a monitoring of the presentation of media content  134 . 
         [0046]    Finally, in response to an End-of-Transmission (EOT) signal  272 , control proceeds to an “End Synchronize PDD” block  279  in which process  250  is complete. During typical processing, process  250  loops through blocks  262 ,  264  and  268  to ensure that media content  134  and PPD  138  remain synchronized during presentation of media content  134  on television  124  and PPD  138  on tablet computer  140 . 
         [0047]    While the claimed subject matter has been shown and described with reference to particular embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter, including but not limited to additional, less or modified elements and/or additional, less or modified blocks performed in the same or a different order.

Technology Category: h