Synchronous delivery of media content in a collaborative environment
An apparatus and method for facilitating a synchronous display of a time-based media object (e.g., a video or audio file) with a remote device is provided. In one example, the apparatus comprises control logic for controlling the display of a media object in response to a user entered command with a first device, and communication logic for causing communication of the user entered command (e.g., play, pause, skip, etc.) and a metric (e.g., time or frame reference) associated with the media object to a second device for synchronizing the display of the media object with the first and second devices. The first and second devices may communicate via peer-to-peer communications, for example, in a collaborative or social application such as an IM application. Further, the apparatus may include various devices such as a personal computer, mobile phone device and/or mobile personal entertainment device, DVR, or the like.
1. A method for facilitating a display of a time-based media object, the method comprising:
receiving a first command to control the media object on a display of a first device;
generating an estimate of a communication time between the first device and a second device, based on pinging the second device; and
in response to a selection of a button in an instant messaging application at the first device or an entry of text in the instant messaging application at the first device, causing communication of a seek command and a metric associated with the media object to the second device to synchronize the display of the media object on the first device with a display of the media object on the second device, the metric based on an offset from a specified position in the media object.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
controlling the display of the media object on the first device based on a received command and metric from the second device.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metric is a time or frame reference associated with the media object.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
causing communication of a play, pause, rewind, forward, or slow-motion command to the second device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the seek command is communicated to the second device in response to the entry of the text in the instant messaging application.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media object comprises a video or audio file.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
delaying control of the display of the media object on the first device by an amount of time based on the estimate of the communication time between the first device and the second device.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the specified position in the media object is a current position of the display of the media object on the first device.
9. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions for facilitating a display of a time-based media object, the instructions for causing the performance of a method comprising:
receiving a first command to control the media object on a display of a first device;
generating an estimate of a communication time between the first device and a second device, based on pinging the second device; and
in response to a selection of a button in an instant messaging application at the first device or an entry of text in the instant messaging application at the first device, causing communication of a seek command and a metric associated with the media object to the second device to synchronize the display of the media object on the first device with a display of the media object on the second device, the metric based on an offset from a specified position in the media object.
10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , further comprising:
instructions for controlling the display of the media object on the first device based on a received command and metric from the second device.
11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the metric is a time or frame reference associated with the media object.
12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , further comprising:
instructions for causing communication of a play, pause, rewind, forward, or slow-motion command to the second device.
13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the media object comprises a video or audio file.
14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , further comprising:
instructions for delaying control of the display of the media object on the first device by an amount of time based on the estimate of the communication time between the first device and the second device.
15. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , further comprising:
instructions for communicating the seek command to the second device in response to the entry of the text in the instant messaging application.
16. An apparatus for facilitating a display of a time-based media object, the apparatus comprising:
control logic configured to receive a first command to control the media object on a display of a first device and to generate an estimate of a communication time between the first device and a second device; and
communication logic for causing, in response to a selection of a button in an instant messaging application at the first device or an entry of text in the instant messaging application at the first device, communication of a seek command and a metric associated with the media object to the second device, wherein the control logic generates the estimate based on the communication logic pinging the second device, and the communication logic synchronizes the display of the media object on the first device with a display of the media object on the second device, the metric based on an offset from a specified position in the media object.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the communication logic receives a command and metric from the second device, and the control logic further controls the display of the media object on the first device based on the received command and metric from the second device.
18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the communication logic communicates the seek command in response to the entry of the text in the instant messaging application.
19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the control logic delays control of the display of the media object on the first device by an amount of time based on the estimate of the communication time between the first device and the second device.
20. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the metric is a time or a frame reference.
21. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the communication logic causes the first device and the second device to advance the media object by different time values to reach a destination time.