IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,716,498
Granted Patent B2
US 11,716,498 · App. 17/389,568 · Granted Aug 1, 2023

Resuming playback on multiple streaming devices

Inventors: Javier Alvarez (Austin, TX); Robert Van Gulick (Austin, TX); Nicolas Hewitt (Austin, TX)
Assignee: Roku, Inc.
H04N21/43078G06F1/3206H04N21/4126H04N21/42204H04N21/4436H04N21/6587
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,716,498
App. No.
17/389,568
Granted
Aug 1, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed herein are system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method and/or computer program product embodiments, and/or combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for transferring streaming media playback between streaming media devices. In an example embodiment, a user may be streaming content using a first media device. The user may then send a command to the first media device to transfer the streaming content to a second media device. The first media device may identify the second media device as being on a common network and transmit a wake command to the second media device as well as media playback state information indicating a playback position to resume playback. In some embodiments, the first media device may download the media playback state information onto a mobile device. The mobile device may then provide the media playback state information to the second media device to resume playback at the first media device's playback position.

Claims (41)

1. A computer implemented method for transferring streaming media playback from a first media device to a second media device, comprising:

receiving, at the first media device, a command to transfer playback of media to the second media device;

identifying, by the first media device, the second media device based on the first media device and the second media device sharing a common network;

transmitting, from the first media device to the second media device via the common network, a command to wake the second media device, wherein the command to wake the second media device places the second media device in a standby mode to preload the media and to monitor for a wake event; and

transmitting, from the first media device to the second media device, media playback state information indicating a playback position to resume playback of the media on the second media device.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to transmitting the media playback state information, causing the first media device to enter a sleep mode.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the wake event is a detection of movement of a remote control device corresponding to the second media device.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the media playback state information further comprises a channel identification and a content identification.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the common network is a shared WiFi network.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the command further comprises:

receiving the command from a smartphone, a tablet, or a remote control in response to a user interacting with a graphical user interface displayed on the smartphone, the tablet, or the remote control.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a first media device, cause the first media device to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at the first media device, a command to transfer playback of media to a second media device;

identifying, by the first media device, the second media device based on the first media device and the second media device sharing a common network;

transmitting, from the first media device to the second media device via the common network, a command to wake the second media device, wherein the command to wake the second media device places the second media device in a standby mode to preload the media and to monitor for a wake event; and

transmitting, from the first media device to the second media device, media playback state information indicating a playback position to resume playback of the media on the second media device.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , the operations further comprising:

in response to transmitting the media playback state information, causing the first media device to enter a sleep mode.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the wake event is a detection of movement of a remote control device corresponding to the second media device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the media playback state information further comprises a channel identification and a content identification.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the common network is a shared WiFi network.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein receiving the command further comprises:

receiving the command from a smartphone, a tablet, or a remote control in response to a user interacting with a graphical user interface displayed on the smartphone, the tablet, or the remote control.

13. A method, comprising:

periodically receiving, at a second media device from a first media device, media playback state information indicating a playback position of media streaming on the first media device;

storing, at the second media device, the media playback state information;

receiving at the second media device and from the first media device, a command to wake the second media device, wherein the command to wake the second media device places the second media device in a standby mode to preload the media and to monitor for a wake event;

detecting, at the second media device, the wake event based on a user interaction with a remote control;

in response to the detecting, generating, by the second media device, a display prompting a user of the remote control to resume playback of the media on the second media device;

receiving, at the second media device, an indication from the remote control to resume playback of the media on the second media device; and

resuming playback of the media on the second media device according to the media playback state information.

14. A computer implemented method for transferring streaming media playback from a first media device to a second media device, comprising:

transmitting, from an application on a mobile device to the first media device, a command to transfer playback of media from the first media device to the second media device;

receiving, from the first media device at the application on the mobile device, media playback state information indicating a playback position to resume playback of the media on the second media device; and

transmitting, from the application on the mobile device to the second media device, the media playback state information to resume playback of the media at the playback position on the second media device by:

generating a prompt within the application requesting, identification of the second media device; and

receiving a selection within the prompt specifying the second media device.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the media playback state information further comprises a channel identification and a content identification.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the mobile device is a smartphone or a tablet.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the command to transfer playback of the media is non-specific to the second media device.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2024
From: ROKU, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 068982/0377 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 30, 2021
From: ALVAREZ, JAVIER; GULICK, ROBERT VAN; HEWITT, NICOLAS
To: ROKU, INC.
Reel/Frame 057038/0784 →
Continuity (1)
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