Methods and apparatus for communicating delay information and minimizing delays

A playback device comprising:

• interface circuitry configured to:
• receive a first content stream which was subject to transcoding by a first transcoder device prior to receipt, said first content stream including first content;
• and
• receive a second content stream, said second content stream including second content, said first and said second content being different, said first content being video content and said second content being audio content;
• receive from the first transcoder device information indicating a first transcoding delay introduced into said first content stream prior to receipt by the playback device;
• a processor configured to:
• generate a first aggregate stream latency from the first transcoding delay and one or more additional latencies corresponding to said first content stream;
• generate a second aggregate stream latency from a plurality of latencies corresponding to said second content stream;
• generate a stream delay difference between said first content stream and said second content stream based on said received first transcoding delay;
• and
• delay the playback of the second content stream by an amount equal to the generated stream delay difference outputting synchronized video and audio content;
• and
• wherein said processor is further configured to subtract said second aggregate stream latency from said first aggregate stream latency to generate said stream delay difference when said first aggregate stream latency is larger than said second aggregate stream latency.

A method of communicating and processing content streams corresponding to a multi-media communications session, the method comprising:

• performing, at a first transcoder device, a transcoding operation on a first content stream which is part of said multi-media communications session which also includes a second content stream;
• communicating information to a downstream playback device indicating a delay introduced into the first content stream by said transcoding operation performed on the first content stream, said first content stream including first content and said second content stream including second content, said first and said second content being different, said first content being audio content and said second content being video content;
• and
• communicating additional information to said downstream playback device indicating one or more latencies introduced into said first content stream, said one or more latencies having been introduced into said first content stream by one or more devices upstream of said first transcoder device;
• generating, by the downstream playback device, a first aggregate stream latency based on the information indicating a delay introduced into the first content stream by said transcoding operation performed on the first content stream and the one or more latencies introduced into said first content stream by said one or more devices upstream of said first transcoder device;
• generating, by the downstream playback device, a second aggregate stream latency from a plurality of latencies corresponding to said second content stream;
• generating a stream delay difference between said first content stream and said second content stream based on said generated first aggregate stream latency and said generated second aggregate stream latency;
• and
• when said second aggregate stream latency is larger than said first aggregate stream latency:
• (i) subtracting, by the downstream playback device, said first aggregate stream latency from said second aggregate stream latency to generate said stream delay difference, and (ii) delaying, by the downstream playback device, the playback of the first content stream by an amount equal to the generated stream delay difference outputting synchronized video and audio content;
• and
• when said first aggregate stream latency is larger than or equal to said second aggregate stream latency:
• (i) subtracting, by said downstream playback device, said second aggregate stream latency from said first aggregate stream latency to generate said stream delay difference, and (ii) delaying, by said downstream playback device, the playback of the second content stream by an amount equal to the generated stream delay difference outputting synchronized video and audio content.

A non-transitory computer readable medium including a first set of computer executable instructions which when executed by a processor of a playback device cause the playback device to:

• receive a first content stream which was subject to transcoding by a first transcoder device prior to receipt, said first content stream including first content;
• receive a second content stream, said second content stream including second content, said first and said second content being different, said first content being video content and said second content being audio content;
• receive from the first transcoder device information indicating a first transcoding delay introduced into said first content stream prior to receipt by the playback device;
• generate a first aggregate stream latency from the first transcoding delay and one or more additional latencies corresponding to said first content stream;
• generate a second aggregate stream latency from a plurality of latencies corresponding to said second content stream;
• generate a stream delay difference between said first content stream and said second content stream based on said generated first aggregate stream latency and said generated second aggregate stream latency;
• and
• when said second aggregate stream latency is larger than said first aggregate stream latency:
• (i) subtract said first aggregate stream latency from said second aggregate stream latency to generate said stream delay difference, and (ii) delay the playback of the first content stream by an amount equal to said generated stream delay difference outputting synchronized video and audio content;
• and
• when said first aggregate stream latency is larger than or equal to said second aggregate stream latency:
• (i) subtract said second aggregate stream latency from said first aggregate stream latency to generate said stream delay difference, and (ii) delay the playback of the second content stream by an amount equal to said generated stream delay difference outputting synchronized video and audio content.