IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,261,908
Granted Patent B2
US 12,261,908 · App. 18/229,113 · Granted Mar 25, 2025

Synchronization of multimedia content presentation across multiple devices in a watch party

Inventors: Timothy Raul Huertas (San Jose, CA); Viktor Sergiienko (San Jose, CA); Jeffrey Paul Anderson (Cottonwood Heights, UT)
Assignee: Roku, Inc.
H04L67/1095H04L69/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,261,908
App. No.
18/229,113
Granted
Mar 25, 2025
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 synchronizing the simultaneous presentation of multimedia content across multiple devices. An example embodiment operates by generating a multimedia content synchronization request configured to instruct a second media device to synchronize a presentation of multimedia content on the second media device with a first media device. The multimedia content synchronization request can include, for example, a deep link indicative of a channel of the multimedia content, a position of the multimedia content, and a state of the multimedia content to start the presentation of the multimedia content. Subsequently, the example embodiment operates by transmitting the multimedia content synchronization request to the second media device.

Claims (43)

1. A computer-implemented method for synchronizing a simultaneous presentation of multimedia content across multiple media devices, comprising:

generating, by at least one computer processor, a multimedia content synchronization request configured to instruct a second media device to synchronize a presentation of multimedia content on the second media device with a presentation of the multimedia content on a first media device, wherein the multimedia content is presented on a different channel or sub-channel on the second media device than it is on the first media device, and wherein the second media device is configured to identify the multimedia content based on a fuzzy match of a metadata fingerprint of metadata associated with the multimedia content;

transmitting the multimedia content synchronization request to the second media device;

periodically synchronizing the presentation of the multimedia content on the first media device with the presentation of the multimedia content on the second media device; and

based on at least one periodic synchronization, pausing or modifying a playback speed of the presentation of the multimedia content on the first media device while concurrently playing back the presentation of the multimedia content on the second media device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein pausing the presentation of the multimedia content on the first media device comprises pausing the presentation of the multimedia content on the first media device until the presentation of the multimedia content on the first media device is synchronized with the presentation of the multimedia content on the second media device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the multimedia content synchronization request comprises a deep link indicative of a channel of the multimedia content, a position of the multimedia content, and a state of the multimedia content to start the presentation of the multimedia content.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting the multimedia content synchronization request to the second media device comprises:

transmitting the multimedia content synchronization request from the first media device to the second media device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting the multimedia content synchronization request to the second media device comprises:

transmitting the multimedia content synchronization request from the first media device to a multimedia content synchronization server; and

transmitting, by the multimedia content synchronization server, the multimedia content synchronization request to the second media device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the pausing the presentation of the multimedia content on the first media device is performed based on receipt of a user command.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the pausing the presentation of the multimedia content on the first media device is performed based on a pre-scheduled intermission.

8. A system, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to perform operations comprising:

generating a multimedia content synchronization request configured to instruct a second media device to synchronize a presentation of multimedia content on the second media device with a presentation of the multimedia content on a first media device, wherein the multimedia content is presented on a different channel or sub-channel on the second media device than it is on the first media device, and wherein the second media device is configured to identify the multimedia content based on a fuzzy match of a metadata fingerprint of metadata associated with the multimedia content;

transmitting the multimedia content synchronization request to the second media device;

periodically synchronizing the presentation of the multimedia content on the first media device with the presentation of the multimedia content on the second media device; and

based on at least one periodic synchronization, pausing or modifying a playback speed of the presentation of the multimedia content on the first media device while concurrently playing back the presentation of the multimedia content on the second media device.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein pausing the presentation of the multimedia content on the first media device comprises pausing the presentation of the multimedia content on the first media device until the presentation of the multimedia content on the first media device is synchronized with the presentation of the multimedia content on the second media device.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the multimedia content synchronization request comprises a deep link indicative of a channel of the multimedia content, a position of the multimedia content, and a state of the multimedia content to start the presentation of the multimedia content.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the transmitting the multimedia content synchronization request to the second media device comprises:

transmitting the multimedia content synchronization request from the first media device to the second media device.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the transmitting the multimedia content synchronization request to the second media device comprises:

transmitting the multimedia content synchronization request from the first media device to a multimedia content synchronization server; and

transmitting, by the multimedia content synchronization server, the multimedia content synchronization request to the second media device.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the pausing the presentation of the multimedia content on the first media device is performed based on receipt of a user command.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the pausing the presentation of the multimedia content on the first media device is performed based on a pre-scheduled intermission.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one computing device, cause the at least one computing device to perform operations comprising:

generating a multimedia content synchronization request configured to instruct a second media device to synchronize a presentation of multimedia content on the second media device with a presentation of the multimedia content on a first media device, wherein the multimedia content is presented on a different channel or sub-channel on the second media device than it is on the first media device, and wherein the second media device is configured to identify the multimedia content based on a fuzzy match of a metadata fingerprint of metadata associated with the multimedia content;

transmitting the multimedia content synchronization request to the second media device;

periodically synchronizing the presentation of the multimedia content on the first media device with the presentation of the multimedia content on the second media device; and

based on at least one periodic synchronization, pausing or modifying a playback speed of the presentation of the multimedia content on the first media device while concurrently playing back the presentation of the multimedia content on the second media device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein pausing the presentation of the multimedia content on the first media device comprises pausing the presentation of the multimedia content on the first media device until the presentation of the multimedia content on the first media device is synchronized with the presentation of the multimedia content on the second media device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the transmitting the multimedia content synchronization request to the second media device comprises:

transmitting the multimedia content synchronization request from the first media device to the second media device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the transmitting the multimedia content synchronization request to the second media device comprises:

transmitting the multimedia content synchronization request from the first media device to a multimedia content synchronization server; and

transmitting, by the multimedia content synchronization server, the multimedia content synchronization request to the second media device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the pausing the presentation of the multimedia content on the first media device is performed based on receipt of a user command.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the pausing the presentation of the multimedia content on the first media device is performed based on a pre-scheduled intermission.

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 Aug 2, 2023
From: HUERTAS, TIMOTHY RAUL; SERGIIENKO, VIKTOR; ANDERSON, JEFFREY PAUL
To: ROKU, INC.
Reel/Frame 064466/0965 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 17520431 · Nov 5, 2021
Related Publication 20240031433A1 · Jan 25, 2024
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