# US 2021/0243236 A1 · Synchronous delivery of media content in a collaborative environment

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- Number: US 2021/0243236 A1
- Document ID: US20210243236A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/149,847
- Filed: 2021-01-15
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2007-02-22
- Assignees: Match Group, LLC
- Applicants: Match Group, LLC
- Inventors: David A. Shamma
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210243236A1

## CPC

- H04L 65/4015: {where at least one of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. white board sharing, collaboration or spawning of a subconference}
- H04L 51/046: Interoperability with other network applications or services
- H04L 51/18: Commands or executable codes
- H04L 65/613: for the control of the source by the destination (control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637)
- H04L 67/104: Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
- H04N 21/242: Synchronisation processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Programme Clock References] {(arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18)}
- H04N 21/4147: PVR [Personal Video Recorder] (H04N5/76 takes precedence {; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40})
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

An apparatus and method for facilitating a synchronous display of a time-based media object (e.g., a video or audio file) with a remote device is provided. In one example, the apparatus comprises control logic for controlling the display of a media object in response to a user entered command with a first device, and communication logic for causing communication of the user entered command (e.g., play, pause, skip, etc.) and a metric (e.g., time or frame reference) associated with the media object to a second device for synchronizing the display of the media object with the first and second devices. The first and second devices may communicate via peer-to-peer communications, for example, in a collaborative or social application such as an IM application. Further, the apparatus may include various devices such as a personal computer, mobile phone device and/or mobile personal entertainment device, DVR, or the like.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-39. (canceled)

### Claim 40

A method for delivery of media content to user devices, the method comprising:
streaming media content to a first user device of a first user and to a second user device of a second user, the first user different from the second user;
receiving, during the streaming, user content from the first user device;
transmitting, during the streaming, the received user content to the second user device;
receiving, during the streaming, a command from the first user device to control playback of the media content; and
synchronously controlling the streaming on the first user device and on the second user device in accordance with the command received from the first user device.

### Claim 41 (depends on 40)

The method of claim 40, wherein the media content is video content or audio content.

### Claim 42 (depends on 40)

The method of claim 40, wherein the user content comprises text, user voice content, an image, or a link to a media object.

### Claim 43 (depends on 40)

The method of claim 40, wherein the command is a command to play the media content, to pause the media content, or to fast-forward the media content.

### Claim 44 (depends on 40)

The method of claim 40, wherein the command is a command to jump to a particular segment of the media content.

### Claim 45 (depends on 40)

The method of claim 40, further comprising:
receiving a ready indication from the second user device prior to streaming the media content to the first user device and the second user device.

### Claim 46 (depends on 40)

The method of claim 40, further comprising:
receiving, during the streaming, a command from the second user device to control playback of the media content; and
synchronously controlling the streaming on the first user device and on the second user device in accordance with the command received from the second user device.

### Claim 47 (depends on 40)

The method of claim 40, further comprising:
sending a link or a reference to the media content to the second user device, wherein the link or reference is a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI).

### Claim 48 (depends on 40)

The method of claim 40, further comprising:
sending, to the second user device, a metric indicating a current position of the media content.

### Claim 49

A non-transitory, computer-readable medium for providing instructions that, when executed, enable a system to perform operations to deliver a media object to a first user device and a second user device, the operations comprising:
streaming the media object to a first device and to a second device;
during the streaming, receiving user content from the first device;
during the streaming, transmitting the user content to the second device;
during the streaming, receiving a command from the first device to control a playback of the media object; and
synchronously controlling the streaming on the first device and on the second device, at least in part based on the command from the first device.

### Claim 50 (depends on 49)

The medium of claim 49, wherein the media object is a video file or an audio file.

### Claim 51 (depends on 49)

The medium of claim 49, wherein the user content is text, voice content, an image, or a link to the media object.

### Claim 52 (depends on 49)

The medium of claim 49, wherein the command plays the media object, pauses the media object, or fast-forwards the media object.

### Claim 53 (depends on 49)

The medium of claim 49, wherein the command jumps to a segment of the media object.

### Claim 54 (depends on 49)

The medium of claim 49, wherein the streaming is performed, at least in part based on a reception of a ready command from the second device.

### Claim 55 (depends on 49)

The medium of claim 49, the operations further comprising:
during the streaming, receiving a command from the second device that controls a playback of the media object; and
synchronously controlling the streaming on the first device and on the second device, at least in part based on the command from the second device.

### Claim 56 (depends on 49)

The medium of claim 49, the operations further comprising:
sending a link or a reference to the media object to the second device, the link or reference being a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI).

### Claim 57 (depends on 49)

The medium of claim 49, further comprising:
sending, to the second device, a metric indicating a frame number or time interval of the media object.

### Claim 58

An apparatus, comprising:
a communications interface that streams a time-based media object to a first personal device and to a second personal device, wherein the communications interface receives user content from the first personal device and transmits the user content to the second personal device, during the streaming, and the communications interface receives a command from the first personal device for controlling a playback of the time-based media object, during the streaming; and
a processor configured to synchronously control the streaming on the first personal device and on the second personal device according to the command from the first personal device.

### Claim 59 (depends on 58)

The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the time-based media object is defined by video content or audio content.

### Claim 60 (depends on 58)

The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the user content is defined by text, voice content, an image, or a link to the time-based media object.

### Claim 61 (depends on 58)

The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the command is to play the time-based media object, to pause the time-based media object, or to fast-forward the time-based media object.

### Claim 62 (depends on 58)

The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the command is to skip to a reference point of the time-based media object.

### Claim 63 (depends on 58)

The apparatus of claim 58, wherein, in response to a reception of a ready signal from the second personal device, the communications interface streams the time-based media object to the first personal device and the second personal device.

### Claim 64 (depends on 58)

The apparatus of claim 58, wherein
the communications interface receives a command from the second personal device, during the streaming, to control a playback of the time-based media object; and
the processor further is configured to synchronously control the streaming on the first personal device and on the second personal device according to the command from the second personal device.

### Claim 65 (depends on 58)

The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the communications interface sends a link or a reference to the time-based media object to the second personal device, the link or reference defined by a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI).

### Claim 66 (depends on 58)

The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the communications interface sends a metric to the second personal device, the metric indicating a time or frame reference of the time-based media object.