MEDIA CONTENT SYSTEM FOR TRANSFERRING A PLAYBACK MARKER BETWEEN NETWORK-CONNECTED PLAYBACK DEVICES

Number: 20210092176
Published: 2021-03-25
Filed: 2019-09-25
Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Inventors: Schneider; Evan
CPC: H04N21/2387; H04L65/613; G11B27/11; H04N21/8455; H04N21/4333; H04N21/6587
Verdict: Set aside playback-state transfer, business/media feature
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

Abstract

A media content system has a receiver that receives a request to transfer a playback marker from a first network-connected playback device to a second network-connected playback device, and receives the playback marker from the first network-connected playback device. The playback marker indicates a time at which playback of media content is stopped at the first network-connected playback device. Further, the media content system has a processor that generates a stop command to perform the stoppage of the playback of the media content at the first network-connected playback device, and generates a play command to perform playback resumption at the playback marker within the media content at the second network-connected playback device. Additionally, the media content system has a transmitter that sends the playback marker to the second network-connected playback device such that the second network-connected device performs the playback resumption at the time indicated by the playback marker.

Background

BACKGROUND 1. Field

This disclosure generally relates to the field of audio/visual (“AN”) equipment. More particularly, the disclosure relates to an A/V system that transfers playback of media content. 2. General Background

With recent advances in technology, media content (e.g., movies, shows, music, etc.) received via the Internet may be consumed through different devices in the same general vicinity. For example, a conventional home network configuration may allow for multiple televisions in the same home to view content received via the Internet. Yet content playback amongst those multiple devices is typically performed in an uncoordinated manner. For example, a user may start streaming a movie on a television in his or her dining room. In the middle of playing back the movie, that user may then want to move to his or her den and continue watching the movie on a television in the den. In some conventional configurations, such a change necessitates the user stopping playback of the movie on the television in the dining room, and restarting playback of the movie on the television in the den from the beginning of the movie. Accordingly, the user's place in the movie is essentially lost. Not wanting to have to watch the movie all the way from the beginning, the user is often left with having to try to find his or her previous spot in the content with multiple fast forward and rewind commands. Such user interaction typically does not result in continuing playback

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage device having a computer readable program stored thereon, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer system causes the computer system to: receive, at a media navigation device, a request to transfer a playback marker from a first network-connected playback device to a second network-connected playback device, the playback marker indicating a time at which playback of media content is stopped at the first network-connected playback device; generate a stop command to perform stoppage of the playback of the media content at the first network-connected playback device; send the stop command to the first network-connected playback device; in response to the sending of the stop command, receive the playback marker from the first network-connected playback device; generate a play command to perform playback resumption at the playback marker within the media content at the second network-connected playback device; and send the play command and the playback marker to the second network-connected playback device such that the second network-connected device performs the playback resumption of the media content at the time indicated by the playback marker. || 16. A method comprising: receiving, at a media navigation device, a request to transfer a playback marker from a first network-connected playback device to a second network-connected playback device, the playback marker indicating a time at which playback of media content is stopped at the first network-connected playback device; generating, with a processor, a stop command to perform the stoppage of the playback of the media content at the first network-connected playback device; sending, with the processor, the stop command to the first network-connected playback device; in response to the sending of the stop command, receiving the playback marker from the first network-connected playback device; generating, with the processor, a play command to perform playback resumption at the playback marker within the media content at the second network-connected playback device; and sending the play command and the playback marker to the second network-connected playback device such that the second network-connected device performs the playback resumption of the media content at the time indicated by the playback marker. || 20. A media content system comprising: a receiver that receives a request to transfer a playback marker from a first network-connected playback device to a second network-connected playback device, and receives the playback marker from the first network-connected playback device, the playback marker indicating a time at which playback of media content is stopped at the first network-connected playback device; a processor that generates a stop command to perform the stoppage of the playback of the media content at the first network-connected playback device, and generates a play command to perform playback resumption at the playback marker within the media content at the second network-connected playback device; and a transmitter that sends the playback marker to the second network-connected playback device such that the second network-connected device performs the playback resumption at the time indicated by the playback marker.