# US 10,771,866 B2 · Methods, systems, and media synchronizing audio and video content on multiple media devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,771,866 B2 - Document ID: US10771866B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/988,307 - Filed: 2018-05-24 - Published: 2019-11-28 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-24 - Assignees: Google Inc. - Applicants: Google LLC - Inventors: Nikita Gupta; Kenneth MacKay - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10771866B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/43076: {of the same content streams on multiple devices, e.g. when family members are watching the same movie on different devices} - H04N 21/43615: {Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals (home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805)} - H04N 21/4112: {having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities} - H04N 21/4394: {involving operations for analysing the audio stream, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in audio streams (arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58)} - H04N 21/4402: involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display {(details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764)} - H04N 21/47217: {for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks (specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312)} - H04N 21/6336: directed to decoder - H04N 21/8106: {involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages} - H04N 21/8547: involving timestamps for synchronizing content - H04N 21/4344: {Remultiplexing of multiplex streams, e.g. by modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Methods, systems, and media for synchronizing audio and video content on multiple media devices are provided. In some embodiments, the method comprises: receiving, at a media device, an indication of a media content item to be presented using the media device, wherein the media device includes an audio component for presenting audio content associated with the media content item and a video component for presenting video content associated with the media content item; determining that the media device is associated with a group of media devices for presenting the media content item, wherein the group of media devices includes the media device and at least one audio device that presents the audio content associated with the media content item; generating an audio timestamp that controls the presentation of the audio content on the group of media devices; generating a video timestamp that control the presentation of the video content on the group of media devices; and causing, at the media device, the video content associated with the media content item to be presented using the generated video timestamp and causing the audio content associated with the media content item to be simultaneously presented by the at least one audio device in the group of media devices by transmitting the audio timestamp to the at least one audio device in the group of media devices. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for synchronizing audio and video content, the method comprising: receiving, at a media device, an indication of a media content item to be presented using the media device, wherein the media device includes an audio component for presenting audio content associated with the media content item and a video component for presenting video content associated with the media content item; determining that the media device is associated with a group of media devices for presenting the media content item, wherein the group of media devices includes the media device and at least one audio device that presents the audio content associated with the media content item; generating, by the media device, an audio timestamp that controls the presentation of the audio content on the group of media devices; generating, by the media device, a video timestamp that controls the presentation of the video content on the media device based on the generated audio timestamp in response to setting the audio component of the media device as a master device and the at least one audio device in the group of media devices as a follower device; and causing, at the media device, the video content associated with the media content item to be presented using the generated video timestamp and causing the audio content associated with the media content item to be simultaneously presented by the at least one audio device in the group of media devices by transmitting the audio timestamp from the media device to the at least one audio device in the group of media devices. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether to present the audio content of the media content item on the audio component of the media device and the at least one audio device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising inhibiting the audio content associated with the media content item from being presented on the media device in response to determining that the audio content of the media content item is to be presented on the at least one audio device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the audio content is presented on the media device using the generated audio timestamp and wherein the audio timestamp is transmitted to the at least one audio device in response to determining that the audio content of the media content item is to be presented on the audio component of the media device and the at least one audio device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving an indication of a change in playback of the media content item; and in response to receiving the indication of the change in playback, causing presentation of the video content associated with the media content item on the media device and the presentation of audio content associated with the media content item by the at least one audio device in the group of media devices to be modified based on the indication by generating an updated audio timestamp that is transmitted to the at least one audio device in the group of audio devices and by generating an updated video timestamp based on the updated audio timestamp. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the change in playback of the media content item is a change in a playback position of the media content item. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the change in playback of the media content item is a change in a volume of the audio content associated with the media content item. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the audio timestamp is generated based on a current audio timestamp, a duration of time that has elapsed since presentation of the media content item began on the media device, and a sampling rate of the audio content associated with the media content item. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: detecting a plurality of media devices having at least one of audio playback capabilities and video playback capabilities; and causing a user interface for selecting one or more of the plurality of detected media devices to be presented, wherein a subset of media devices that are selected from the plurality of media devices are placed in the group of media devices. ### Claim 10 A system for synchronizing audio and video content, the system comprising: a memory; and a hardware processor coupled to the memory that is programmed to: receive, at a media device, an indication of a media content item to be presented using the media device, wherein the media device includes an audio component for presenting audio content associated with the media content item and a video component for presenting video content associated with the media content item; determine that the media device is associated with a group of media devices for presenting the media content item, wherein the group of media devices includes the media device and at least one audio device that presents the audio content associated with the media content item; generate, by the media device, an audio timestamp that controls the presentation of the audio content on the group of media devices; generate, by the media device, a video timestamp that control the presentation of the video content on the media device based on the generated audio timestamp in response to setting the audio component of the media device as a master device and the at least one audio device in the group of media devices as a follower device; and cause, at the media device, the video content associated with the media content item to be presented using the generated video timestamp and causing the audio content associated with the media content item to be simultaneously presented by the at least one audio device in the group of media devices by transmitting the audio timestamp from the media device to the at least one audio device in the group of media devices. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the hardware processor is further programmed to determine whether to present the audio content of the media content item on the audio component of the media device and the at least one audio device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the hardware processor is further programmed to inhibit the audio content associated with the media content item from being presented on the media device in response to determining that the audio content of the media content item is to be presented on the at least one audio device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the audio content is presented on the media device using the generated audio timestamp and wherein the audio timestamp is transmitted to the at least one audio device in response to determining that the audio content of the media content item is to be presented on the audio component of the media device and the at least one audio device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the hardware processor is further programmed to: receive an indication of a change in playback of the media content item; and in response to receiving the indication of the change in playback, cause presentation of the video content associated with the media content item on the media device and the presentation of audio content associated with the media content item by the at least one audio device in the group of media devices to be modified based on the indication by generating an updated audio timestamp that is transmitted to the at least one audio device in the group of audio devices and by generating an updated video timestamp based on the updated audio timestamp. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the change in playback of the media content item is a change in a playback position of the media content item. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the change in playback of the media content item is a change in a volume of the audio content associated with the media content item. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the audio timestamp is generated based on a current audio timestamp, a duration of time that has elapsed since presentation of the media content item began on the media device, and a sampling rate of the audio content associated with the media content item. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the hardware processor is further programmed to: detect a plurality of media devices having at least one of audio playback capabilities and video playback capabilities; and cause a user interface for selecting one or more of the plurality of detected media devices to be presented, wherein a subset of media devices that are selected from the plurality of media devices are placed in the group of media devices. ### Claim 19 A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for synchronizing audio and video content, the method comprising: receiving, at a media device, an indication of a media content item to be presented using the media device, wherein the media device includes an audio component for presenting audio content associated with the media content item and a video component for presenting video content associated with the media content item; determining that the media device is associated with a group of media devices for presenting the media content item, wherein the group of media devices includes the media device and at least one audio device that presents the audio content associated with the media content item; generating, by the media device, an audio timestamp that controls the presentation of the audio content on the group of media devices; generating, by the media device, a video timestamp that controls the presentation of the video content on the media device, wherein the video timestamp is based on the generated audio timestamp in response to setting the audio component of the media device as a master device and the at least one audio device in the group of media devices as a follower device; and causing, at the media device, the video content associated with the media content item to be presented using the generated video timestamp and causing the audio content associated with the media content item to be simultaneously presented by the at least one audio device in the group of media devices by transmitting the audio timestamp from the media device to the at least one audio device in the group of media devices.