IP Library Granted Patent US 8,925,003
Granted Patent B2
US 8,925,003 · App. 13/791,494 · Granted Dec 30, 2014

Mechanism for facilitating synchronization of audio and video between multiple media devices

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,925,003
App. No.
13/791,494
Granted
Dec 30, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A mechanism for facilitating dynamic synchronization of audio and video for multiple media devices is described. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes first logic to insert a signature in an audio portion of an audio/video data stream. The signature represents uniquely identifiable data and is to be transmitted to a second media device having a display device. The apparatus may include second logic to detect the signature in the audio portion of the audio/video data stream, third logic to calculate latency of the display device using an audio output of the display device, and fourth logic to synchronize the audio output to a corresponding video display based on a feedback loop generated using the audio portion of the audio/video data stream transmitted to the display device and the audio output of the display device.

Claims (32)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first media device having

first logic to insert a signature in a first audio portion of an audio/video data stream to be transmitted to a second media device, wherein the signature represents uniquely identifiable data and the second media device comprises a display device;

second logic to detect the signature in a second audio portion, the second audio portion received from the display device of the second media device;

third logic to calculate latency of a path including the display device, wherein the third logic calculates the latency based on a difference between a time of detecting the signature in the second audio portion and a time of inserting the signature in the first audio portion; and

fourth logic to synchronize the first audio portion with a video portion of the audio/video data stream based on the calculated latency.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising fifth logic to broadcast the synchronized audio/video data stream.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first media device comprises one or more of an amplifier or an audio/video receiver.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second media device further comprises a sink device coupled to the display device, wherein the sink device includes one or more of a television, a cinema display, a projector, a Digital Versatile Disk (DVD) player, a Blu-ray player, a computing device, a smartphone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), and a game console.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a third media device coupled to the first and second media devices over a network, the third media device including a source device that generates the audio/video data stream, wherein the third media device includes a network computing system, a cable set-top box, a cable headend, a satellite broadcasting system, a Blu-ray player, and a DVD player.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the network comprises one or more of a broadcasting network, a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Personal Area Network (PAN), a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), an intranet, and an Internet.

7. A system comprising:

a computing device having a memory to store instructions, and a first media device to execute the instructions, wherein the instructions cause the first media device to

insert a signature in a first audio portion of an audio/video data stream to be transmitted to a second media device, wherein the signature represents uniquely identifiable data and the second media device comprises a display device;

detect the signature in a second audio portion, the second audio portion received from the display device of the second media device;

calculate latency of a path that includes the display device based on a difference between a time of detecting the signature in the second audio portion and a time of inserting the signature in the first audio portion; and

synchronize the first audio portion with a video portion of the audio/video data stream based on the calculated latency.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions cause the first media device further to broadcast the synchronized audio/video data stream.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first media device comprises one or more of an amplifier or an audio/video receiver.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the second media device comprises a sink device coupled to the display device, wherein the sink device includes one or more of a television, a cinema display, a projector, a Digital Versatile Disk (DVD) player, a Blu-ray player, a computing device, a smartphone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), and a game console.

11. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a third media device coupled to the first and second media devices over a network, the third media device including a source device that generates the audio/video data stream, wherein the third media device includes a network computing system, a cable set-top box, a cable headend, a satellite broadcasting system, a Blu-ray player, and a DVD player.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the network comprises one or more of a broadcasting network, a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Personal Area Network (PAN), a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), an intranet, and an Internet.

13. A method for synchronizing an audio and video portion, the method comprising:

inserting a signature in a first audio portion of an audio/video data stream to be transmitted to a second media device, wherein the signature represents uniquely identifiable data and the second media device comprises a display device;

detecting the signature in a second audio portion, the second audio portion received from the display device of the second media device;

calculating latency of a path that includes the display device based on a difference between a time of detecting the signature in the second audio portion and a time of inserting the signature in the first audio portion; and

synchronizing the first audio portion with a video portion of the audio/video data based on the calculated latency.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising broadcasting the synchronized audio/video data stream.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first media device comprises one or more of an amplifier or an audio/video receiver.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second media device comprises a sink device coupled to the display device, wherein the sink device includes one or more of a television, a cinema display, a projector, a Digital Versatile Disk (DVD) player, a Blu-ray player, a computing device, a smartphone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), and a game console.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first and second media devices are coupled to a third media device over a network, the third media device including a source device that generates the audio/video data stream, wherein the third media device includes a network computing system, a cable set-top box, a cable headend, a satellite broadcasting system, a Blu-ray player, and a DVD player.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the network comprises one or more of a broadcasting network, a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Personal Area Network (PAN), a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), an intranet, and an Internet.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 21, 2019
From: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
To: LATTICE SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SILICON IMAGE, INC.; SIBEAM, INC.; DVDO, INC.
Reel/Frame 049827/0326 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 21, 2019
From: LATTICE SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 049980/0786 →
MERGER Recorded Aug 21, 2015
From: SILICON IMAGE, INC.
To: LATTICE SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 036419/0792 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 18, 2015
From: LATTICE SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SIBEAM, INC.; SILICON IMAGE, INC.; DVDO, INC.
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
Reel/Frame 035223/0387 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2013
From: GOLDBERG, MARSHALL
To: SILICON IMAGE, INC.
Reel/Frame 029965/0797 →