Method and system for media content data distribution and consumption

Abstract

A time synchronization beacon, which includes a plurality of timing signals at a plurality of different respective carrier frequencies, is synchronously transmitted over a power line network to synchronize consumption of media content data, such as audio data, which has been transmitted over the network from a power line communications (“PLC”) audio source to PLC equipped media content consumption devices, such as stereo audio speaker sets. The sets of speakers can be located in different respective rooms throughout a facility. The audio data can be in the form of network audio network data packets including one or more channels of audio data. The PLC consumption devices select which transmitted channel data is received and consumed. The beacon coordinates the start time of consumption of segments of audio data samples, and the sample-to-sample consumption time interval at PLC equipped consumption devices. The network packets can be addressed for desired PLC consumption devices using PLC network addressing methods.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.