# US 7,743,088 B2 · Synchronization identifier generating method and apparatus for synchronizing digital contents > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,743,088 B2 - Document ID: US7743088B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/651,067 - Filed: 2007-01-09 - Published: 2007-08-09 - Granted: 2010-06-22 - Earliest claimed: 2006-02-07 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Sung-ho Ryu; Seok-hyun Yoon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7743088B2 ## CPC - H04L 67/1095: Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes - G11B 27/10: Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel - G11B 27/322: {used signal is digitally coded} - H04N 7/163: {by receiver means only} - H04N 21/41265: {having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device (unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204)} - H04N 21/8352: involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID] - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Provided are a synchronization identifier generating method for synchronizing digital contents and an apparatus for the same. The synchronization identifier generating method includes setting a sampling level that indicates a frequency of sampling digital contents; sampling the digital contents on the basis of the set sampling level; generating a first message digest on the basis of data sampled during the sampling the digital contents; and generating a synchronization identifier including the set sampling level and the first message digest. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A synchronization identifier generating method for synchronizing digital contents, the method comprising: setting a sampling level that indicates a frequency of sampling digital contents; sampling the digital contents on the basis of the set sampling level, wherein the sampling comprises sampling a plurality of regions in a content region and the sampled regions do not overlap each other; generating a first message digest on the basis of data sampled during the sampling the digital contents; generating a synchronization identifier including the set sampling level and the first message digest; and performing a synchronization operation with respect to the digitals contents when the first message digest is not duplicated in the existing synchronization identifier list. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The synchronization identifier generating method of claim 1, wherein the generating the first message digest comprises generating the first message digest by using a hash function. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The synchronization identifier generating method of claim 1, further comprising: increasing the sampling level if the first message digest is a duplicate of a message digest included in an existing synchronization identifier list; generating a second message digest with respect to the entire digital contents if the increased sampling level is higher than a highest sampling level; and detecting whether or not the second message digest is a duplicate of a message digest included in the existing synchronization identifier list. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The synchronization identifier generating method of claim 3, wherein the sampling the digital contents comprises sampling regions in the digital contents, and wherein the increasing the sampling level comprises not changing an interval or intervals between the sampled regions and the size or sizes of the sampled regions as the sampling level increases. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The synchronization identifier generating method of claim 3, wherein the sampling the digital contents comprises sampling regions in the digital contents, and wherein the increasing the sampling level comprises increasing at least one of an interval or intervals between the sampled regions and the size or sizes of the sampled regions as the sampling level increases. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The synchronization identifier generating method of claim 3, wherein the detecting whether or not the second message digest is a duplicate of a message digest included in the existing synchronization identifier list comprises giving a synchronization identifier having the duplicated message digest to the digital contents if the second message digest is a duplicate of a message digest included in the existing synchronization identifier list. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The synchronization identifier generating method of claim 1, wherein the synchronization identifier further comprises identification information of a device that generates the synchronization identifier, the identification information being a GUID (Globally Unique Identifier) having a fixed length. ### Claim 8 A synchronization identifier generating apparatus for synchronizing digital contents, the apparatus comprising: a processor and memory; a sampling module which sets a sampling level that indicates a frequency of sampling digital contents and samples the digital contents on the basis of the set sampling level, wherein the sampling comprises sampling a plurality of regions in a content region and the sampled regions do not overlap each other; a message digest generating module which generates a first message digest on the basis of data sampled during the sampling the digital contents; a synchronization identifier generating module which generates a synchronization identifier that comprises the set sampling level and the first message digest; and a content synchronization module which performs a synchronization operation with respect to the digitals contents when the first message digest is not duplicated in the existing synchronization identifier list. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein: the sampling module increases the sampling level if the generated synchronization identifier is a duplicate of a synchronization identifier in an existing synchronization identifier list; and the sampling module performs sampling with respect to the digital contents on the basis of the increased sampling level if the increased sampling level is lower than a highest sampling level. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sampling module does not change an interval or intervals between the sampled regions and the size or sizes of the sampled regions as the sampling level increases. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sampling module increases at least one of the interval or intervals between the sampled regions and the size or sizes of the sampled regions as the sampling level increases. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: the message digest generating module generates a second message digest with respect to the entire digital content if the increased sampling level is higher than the highest sampling level; and the message digest generating module gives a synchronization identifier having the duplicated message digest to the digital contents if the second message digest is a duplicate of a message digest included in the existing synchronization identifier list. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the message digest generating module generates the first message digest by using a hash function.