Method and apparatus for content playback using multiple IPTV devices
View Patent ↗An apparatus and method for resuming playback of media content from more than one Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) device. The playback of a media asset or media content typically contains an asset ID and a start time. Based on the architecture of a second display device (e.g., a second IPTV device) the IPTV system determines the identity of an account and its associated IPTV devices. When a user pauses an asset, the system sends the asset identification (ID) and the stop time to a server operatively coupled to the system. The next time (within a predefined duration) the user requests the same asset ID, the pause time and the asset ID are returned. Using the pause time and the asset ID, the user can resume playback of the asset.
1. A system comprising:
an electronic storage device storing:
a list of IPTV devices associated with each of one or more authenticated users;
a content list comprising asset identification information for each IPTV device in the list of IPTV devices;
a network interface for receiving:
user authentication information;
asset identification information; and
an interruption command that includes offset information that represents a time interval from a user initiated pause time of an asset,
wherein when a server receives an execution command specifying the asset identification information, the server sends content information for execution as a function of the offset information,
wherein the server sends content identification information so that content is played back starting at a predetermined time before the pause time.
2. The system as in claim 1 , further comprising:
an execution command, associated with a second IPTV device, to initiate play back of the content utilizing the second IPTV device.
3. The system as in claim 2 , wherein the server sends content identification information and the second IPTV device plays back content dependent on the offset information.
4. The system as in claim 1 , wherein the network interface receives a playback command.
5. The system as in claim 1 , wherein the content information is interne content.
6. The system as in claim 1 , wherein the electronic storage device stores information that allows a content list associated with a first authenticated user to be made available to a second authenticated user.
7. The system as in claim 1 , wherein the offset information is determined from a point in time of main content of the asset.
8. The system as in claim 1 , wherein, when the server receives asset identification information from a time zone that differs from the time zone from which the interruption command is received, the server determines new offset information as a function of the time zone from which the interruption command was received and the time zone from which the asset identification information was received, and
the server sends content information for execution as a function of the new offset information.
9. The system as in claim 8 , wherein, when the network interface receives a fast forward command, the server provides content information to a point of the content based on the asset identification information from a time zone.
10. The system as in claim 1 , wherein the asset list is an electronic location.
11. The system as in claim 10 , wherein the location is a uniform resource locator (URL).
12. The system as in claim 10 , wherein the location is a uniform resource identifier (URI).
13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program that when executed on a computer performs processing, the program comprising the steps of:
receiving a first asset list from a server identifying one or more assets available for playback on a first IPTV device;
sending an asset selection to the server;
sending a user initiated interruption command including offset information to the server, the offset information representing a time interval from a pause time of the asset;
receiving a second asset list from the server identifying one or more assets available for playback on a second IPTV device; and
sending a playback command to resume play back of the asset available for playback to the server for content to be played back starting at a predetermined time before the pause time.
14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the one or more assets available for playback on the second IPTV device are available for playback on the first IPTV device.