This disclosure describes a video co-watching system that can efficiently, flexibly, and securely provide access to, and synchronize, co-watching digital video content across multiple participant devices while providing live digital video chat streams between the participant devices. For example, the video co-watching system can enable the participant devices to simultaneously present co-watching digital video content together with a presentation of a video chat. In addition, the video co-watching system can synchronize the co-watching digital video content at each participant device while also facilitating video chatting between the participant devices by transmitting a playback modifier signal to cause one participant device to perform a modification to the playback made at another participant device.

Embodiments of this application provide a method for resuming playing multimedia content between devices. A first device receives first playback information sent by a second device, where the first playback information corresponds to first multimedia content played by the second device, and the first device and the second device are located in a same wireless network. The first device displays a first playback control card corresponding to the first multimedia content, where the first playback control card includes a first control and a second control, and the second control is used to control playback of the first multimedia content. In response to a first user input performed on the first control, the first device obtains the first multimedia content from a server based on the first playback information, and resumes playing the first multimedia content based on the first playback information.

A method may include receiving, via a processor, a frame of image data, such that the frame of image data may include an active portion and an idle portion. The active portion may include data for presenting one or more images via a first display of a first electronic device. The method may also include receiving a signal from a second electronic device during the idle portion of the frame of image data, such that the second electronic device is separate from the first display. The method may then involve initiating processing of the frame of image data in response to the signal being received from the second electronic device.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method, comprising: receiving, by a media processor including a processor, spherical audiovisual media content from a content delivery network; rendering, by the media processor, video for a point of view in the spherical audiovisual media content at a display device coupled to the media processor; receiving, from a remote control device coupled to the media processor, a control signal panning the point of view, resulting in a new field of view; and generating, by the media processor, audio signals from the spherical audiovisual media content corresponding to the new field of view, wherein the audio signals are adapted to audio reproduction equipment coupled to the media processor. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Embodiments include processes for media object rendering, including the steps of providing a plurality of clients, the clients including a media client and the clients in communication with a synchronization client, the clients defining a synchronization group. The media clients include instructions for receiving media object content over a network from a content server, rendering the media object content, and random access to the media object content in response to synchronization client seek time instructions. The synchronization client includes instructions to calculate a relative lag and provide seek time instructions to the media clients for a media object being rendered, the relative lag being a running measurement of its offset relative to the synchronization server's clock. The synchronization client periodically queries the clock of a synchronization server. The synchronization server responds to the synchronization client queries with internal clock value as a timestamp and a timestamp for a target time reference within said media object content for the synchronization group, whereby the synchronization client provides seek time to its paired media clients for the media client to move to that offset, establishing and maintaining playback synchronization among the synchronization group.

Example systems, apparatus, and methods receive audio information including a plurality of frames from a source device, wherein each frame of the plurality of frames includes one or more audio samples and a time stamp indicating when to play the one or more audio samples of the respective frame. In an example, the time stamp is updated for each of the plurality of frames using a time differential value determined between clock information received from the source device and clock information associated with the device. The updated time stamp is stored for each of the plurality of frames, and the audio information is output based on the plurality of frames and associated updated time stamps. A number of samples per frame to be output is adjusted based on a comparison between the updated time stamp for the frame and a predicted time value for play back of the frame.

The invention provides a method for providing a synchronization in a computer network for synchronized playback of audio an/or video by a plurality of separate devices. Each separate device generates a virtual clock in response to a timing of the audio codec of a received audio stream. Especially, segmented time is used as reference time. Either the virtual clock is generated directly in response to the tick counter of the audio codec, or by a periodic measurement of the timing of the audio codec extrapolated by a monotonic clock. A sample rate converter may be used to slightly adjust the frequency of the virtual clock.

The present disclosure relates to a content distribution system and a content distribution method capable of improving a user experience of a user who views content. A distribution server distributes content in which a plurality of high-definition partial images and a low-resolution entire image including those partial images as regions are hierarchically configured. Then, a mobile display device displays the entire image and displays the partial image in a selectable manner on the entire image, and operation of selecting a predetermined partial image is performed. On the other hand, a large screen display device displays the partial images distributed from the distribution server in high definition according to operation on the mobile display device.

Generally, a method and system for synchronized playing of a streamed media item on multiple remote devices are provided. The system may comprise a source device arranged to play and stream a media item and arranged to select at least one target device with which to share the media item thereof. The system may comprise a synchronization server in communication with the source device and with the at least one target device. The synchronization server may be arranged to: (i) determine a source average latency for the source device and a target average latency for each of the at least one target device; and (ii) determine, for each of the at least one target device, based on the source average latency and the respective target device's target average latency, a global time offset usable to synchronize playing of the media item thereof up to a predetermined accuracy.

A method is provided for synchronizing a source device with a sink device. The source device transmits a stream of packets to the sink device. The source device receives feedback from the sink device indicating packet arrival times of the packets at the sink device. Based on the feedback, in some aspects, the source device determines an average time shift in the packet arrival times at the sink device, wherein the average time shift is relative to expected packet arrival times of the packets at the sink device. In some such aspects, the source device detects that the average time shift exceeds a threshold, and in response to the detecting, adjusts a streaming time of the stream of packets to synchronize, within a predefined tolerance, the source device with the sink device.