Synchronizing video content among clients in a collaboration system

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium impressed with computer program instructions, the instructions, when executed, implementing a method including:

• designating, at a server, a first client node as a leader node;
• receiving, from the leader node, designation of a video to be synchronously played at a plurality of client nodes;
• storing, at the server, an index table comprising sequential frame numbers and corresponding display time stamps for the video, with each sequential frame number, of the sequential frame numbers, identifying a particular frame of the video;
• receiving, at the server and from the first client node, a sync video message identifying a sync video event including a sync event time, wherein playback of the video is to be synchronized to the sync event time at one or more other client nodes in a follower set;
• using, at the server, a mapping result prepared from the index table stored at the server, wherein the mapping result maps the sync event time to a sync frame identifier, the sync frame identifier including one sequential frame number for the video;
• and
• sending, from the server, a follower sync video message to the one or more other client nodes in the follower set, the follower sync video message including the sync frame identifier, such that, in response to receiving the follower sync video message, the one or more other client nodes in the follower set can synchronize playback of the video at a frame corresponding to the frame number included in the sync frame identifier.

A system including one or more processors including or having access to memory loaded with computer instructions, the instructions, when executed on the one or more processors, implementing actions comprising:

• designating, at a server, a first client node as a leader node;
• receiving, from the leader node, designation of a video to be synchronously played at a plurality of client nodes;
• storing, at the server, an index table comprising sequential frame numbers and corresponding display time stamps for the video, with each sequential frame number, of the sequential frame numbers, identifying a particular frame of the video;
• receiving, at the server and from the first client node, a sync video message identifying a sync video event including a sync event time, wherein playback of the video is to be synchronized to the sync event time at one or more other client nodes in a follower set;
• using, at the server, a mapping result prepared from the index table stored at the server, wherein the mapping result maps the sync event time to a sync frame identifier, the sync frame identifier including one sequential frame number for the video;
• and
• sending, from the server, a follower sync video message to the one or more other client nodes in the follower set, the follower sync video message including the sync frame identifier, such that, in response to receiving the follower sync video message, the one or more other client nodes in the follower set can synchronize playback of the video at a frame corresponding to the frame number included in the sync frame identifier.

A method including:

• sending, to a server and from a first client node, a sync video message identifying a sync video event including a sync event time, wherein playback of the video is to be synchronized to the sync event time at one or more other client nodes in a follower set;
• receiving, from the server and at one or more of the other client nodes of the follower set, a follower sync video message including a sync frame identifier including a frame number within the video, the sync frame identifier included in the received follower sync video message being identified using a stored index table comprising sequential frame numbers and corresponding display time stamps for the video, each sequential frame number, of the sequential frame numbers, identifying a particular frame of the video, such that the stored index table is used to map the sync event time to the sync frame identifier including one sequential frame number of the sequential frame numbers within the video;
• and
• in response to the receiving of the follower sync video message, the one or more of the other client nodes in the follower set synchronizing the playback of the video at the frame corresponding to the frame number included in the received sync frame identifier.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium impressed with computer program instructions, the instructions, when executed, implementing a method including:

• sending, to a server and from a first client node, a sync video message identifying a sync video event including a sync event time, wherein playback of the video is to be synchronized to the sync event time at one or more other client nodes in a follower set;
• receiving, from the server and at one or more of the other client nodes of the follower set, a follower sync video message including a sync frame identifier including a frame number within the video, the sync frame identifier included in the received follower sync video message being identified using a stored index table comprising sequential frame numbers and corresponding display time stamps for the video, each sequential frame number, of the sequential frame numbers, identifying a particular frame of the video, such that the stored index table is used to map the sync event time to the sync frame identifier including one sequential frame number of the sequential frame numbers within the video;
• and
• in response to the receiving of the follower sync video message, the one or more of the other client nodes in the follower set synchronizing the playback of the video at the frame corresponding to the frame number included in the received sync frame identifier.