GB2527049A

GB2527049A - A method of providing media content at a mobile device

Info

Publication number: GB2527049A
Application number: GB1410219.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Luke Michael Kidney; Tomasz Wiktor Szarzynski; Richard Ashley Burgess; Alexander Denton Matthews
Original assignee: BBH PARTNERS LLP
Current assignee: BBH PARTNERS LLP
Priority date: 2014-06-09
Filing date: 2014-06-09
Publication date: 2015-12-16
Also published as: GB201410219D0; WO2015189592A1

Abstract

A method of providing media content at a mobile device 106 comprising deriving, at the mobile device, data related to an identifier 104 provided by a visual display 100, the visual display having visual content 102 associated therewith; providing the derived data to a remote content location; and obtaining, based on said derived data, related media content from the remote content location for execution at the mobile device, wherein the media content is time synchronised with the visual content. The mobile device may be a smart phone, tablet or laptop. The identifier may be an NFC signal, URL, barcode or QR code. The visual could be a large screen in a public or private location. The synchronized content is downloaded from a remote server 108.

Description

A METHOD OF PROVIDING MEDIA CONTENT AT A MOBILE DEVICE

The invention relates to a method of providing media content at a mobile device.

In known systems, large scale visual displays, for example outdoor digital screens such as LCD displays, carry live or time varying media content such as television content, film or animation.

However, generally in public locations it is difficult to include sound as well and so in many instances the video content is not accompanied by sound content, or includes sound broadcast by directional speakers which can be intrusive.

An invention is set out in the claims.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings of which: Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a method of providing media content at a mobile device; Fig. 2 is a flow diagram describing steps involved in providing media content at a mobile device; and Fig. 3 shows a synchronisation technique in more detail.

In overview, a mobile device such as a smart phone, tablet or laptop captures an identifier such as an NFC signal, or a URL or image of a 2D barcode or OR code which is displayed on a visual display.

Typically, the visual display also shows visual content including changing or moving images such as film or animation. The identifier can comprise a visual display identifier and/or a media content identifier. The mobile device can then obtain related media content, such as audio content or additional information or visual data, from a remote content location such as one or more remote media servers. This may be in the form of an app or website content executed at the mobile device.

In an embodiment, the identifier is transmitted in a short-range wireless signal, or alternatively by extracting a URL or other data regarding the location or nature of the visual display or of the desired media content from the identifier and accessing and executing the media content accordingly at the mobile device. In many instances it is desirable that the media content matches the display on the visual display and so the media content and visual display are time synchronised. Hence, the media content can be executed in synchronisation with the visual content of the display providing a complementary second screen.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 1. A visual display 100 such as an outdoor digital screen displays visual content 102 and includes an identifier or media content indicator 104 such as a OR code, URL or NFC signal. The visual content can) for example, be a film or animation or other live visual display. A mobile device 106 captures the media content indicator 104 from user input of the URL, receipt of an NFC signal or capture of the OR code via appropriate image capture means such as a camera, and decodes related information such as a URL or other indication of where media content can be obtained from. The mobile device 106 then communicates with a remote media server 108 via a network 110 such as a telecoms network, the internet, or a combination thereof to download the related media content. Alternatively the identifier identifies the visual display itself, as discussed below. This can be implemented for example by an application (app) loaded on the mobile device which automatically extracts the URL and accesses and retrieves the media, or by display at the mobile device of a website corresponding to the URL which can then be operated by the mobile device user to trigger execution of synchronised media content, or in any other appropriate manner.

In order for the media content to be correctly matched with the visual display content, time synchronisation is implemented. Referring to Fig. 3, in an embodiment, the visual display 100 is in communication with the remote media server 108 via the network 110 or any other appropriate means. In particular, the visual display 100 is able to send a signal to the remote media server 108 indicating its identity, for example its location or some other identification code, the visual content currently showing, and a temporal point of the visual content. The temporal point defines a specific moment in time during the play-through of the visual content. The visual content may be divided into display segments that define time sections of the visual content. For example, one display segment may start at the beginning of the visual content, and terminate 10 or 20 seconds later. Any appropriate number of display sections and time division of the visual content may be used. The visual display 100 is able to send a signal to the server 108 indicating the temporal point by sending repeated synchronisation signals or by sending a signal at the beginning of each display segment indicating when it commenced, thereby permitting the remote media server 108 to derive, at any subsequent point, how much of the visual content has already played and hence the temporal point of the visual content. The temporal point therefore allows the remote media server 108 to synchronise with the visual content.

The manner in which the communication between the visual display 100 and the remote media server 108 takes place can be in any appropriate form, but in one embodiment can be an embedded add-on to the visual content software of the visual display. The add-on is configured with the identification code of the visual display 100 and a media file for display on the visual display 100. An associated media content file) for example an audio file, to be synchronised with the media file of the visual display 100 is provided by the remote media server 108, and a mobile site (or an app on the mobile device) containing embedded synchronising code is accessible on the mobile device 106 for "playing" the associated media content file on the mobile device 106.

Communication between the visual display 100 and the network 110 is shown at 300. Additionally, the mobile device 106 communicates with the network 110 at 302. The mobile device 10 can obtain the identifier, such as media content indicator 104, in any of the manners described above and then provide the information through their common network 110 to the remote media server 108. This may be an identification of the specific media playing or it may simply be common identification information related to the location of the visual display 100. In this instance, the remote media server 108 is then able to match a device location code, provided by the mobile device 106, with the identification code of the visual display 100 and hence provide synchronised media based on the synchronisation information provided from the visual display 100.

In other embodiments, synchronisation is achieved by synchronised clocks at or accessed by the visual display 100 and remote media server 108. The media content indicator can contain information indicating the visual content and the specific visual display showing it. Hence, information received at the remote media server 108 is able to identify not only the visual content but also the synchronised time at the visual display 100, allowing it to provide media content synchronised thereto for download and execution at the mobile device 106.

Referring once again to Fig. 3, a further embodiment according to which the mobile device 106 can capture the identifier is described in more detail. In particular, the mobile device 106 and visual display 100 each include short range communications capability 304 and 306 respectively. This can be implemented in any appropriate manner such as near-field communications (NFC), radio frequency ID (RFID), Bluetooth, or other appropriate short range functionality. Accordingly, when the mobile device 106 is in range of the visual display 100, relevant information can be exchanged automatically. For example, the visual display 100 can communicate its location or other identification, together with optional additional information regarding the remote media server 108 location, allowing the mobile device 106 to access the remote location and provide suitable information permitting download of synchronised media content. In a variation (not shown), the communications network 110 can comprise a Wi-H network which can connect to the remote media server 108 or indeed retain the server locally with the relevant media content. In that case, logging on of the mobile device 106 and visual display 100 to the Wi-Fi can automatically provide additional identification and linking information allowing automatic identification of the nature and timing of media content to be provided to the mobile device 106.

In a further preferred embodiment, the mobile device 106 can be equipped with functionality for automatically searching for short range communications such as NFC. One known package is the iBeacon package available from Estimote (http://estimotecorn). In those circumstances, the mobile device 106 will automatically present to the user the option of accessing remote media content corresponding to the visual content of the visual display 100 when the mobile device 106 is in proximity to the visual display 100.

Referring to Fig. 2, one embodiment of a method of providing media content is shown.

At step 200, the visual display and remote media server are synched in any appropriate manner, as previously described. At step 202, visual content is displayed on the visual display. At step 204 a user mobile device captures data related to the visual display, or the visual content on the visual display. At step 206 the mobile device retrieves related synchronised media content from the remote media server, for example via the internet or other communications network. At step 208 the media content is executed on the mobile device in synchronisation with the visual content of the visual display.

It will be appreciated that the various components can be executed in any appropriate manner. The visual display can be of any appropriate type, for example a large scale video display using any appropriate display technology and in any appropriate location, whether public or private. The mobile device can be any appropriate form of data capture and communications device, such as a smart phone or tablet. It can communicate with a remote media server via any appropriate network including a telecoms network, the internet, Wi-Fi or a short distance link such as RFID, Bluetooth or NFC, for example iBeacon. The remote media server may be remote from the mobile device in any manner including physical separation, for example within the same locality and reachable via short distance communications, or reachable via longer distance networks such as the internet. The remote media server can take any appropriate form.

The related media content obtained by the mobile device can be in any appropriate form. For example) it can just comprise audio content or can comprise synchronised images or additional information relating to the visual content, and synchronised therewith.

In one embodiment, an app is loaded onto the mobile device, which obtains the relevant information such as location or identification code and, if necessary, and/or a resource location, invites the user to download content and then extracts and executes in synchronisation as appropriate. In another embodiment, the mobile device loads a website, which may be a mobile-optimised web page including any branding or brand related content. The website is appropriately synchronised and hence can execute the media content in synchronisation via the web interface.

This may take the form of a "play" button displayed on the website, or, in the app embodiment, in the app, which allows a user of the mobile device to initiate the media content. This allows a user of the mobile device to access the synchronised media content at any point after initiation of the visual content of the visual display, while still ensuring that the correctly synchronised media content is provided on the mobile device.

Examples of related media content on the mobile device include audio for a news report, the playing of exclusive N/film clips including audio, audio descriptions or sounds relating to a travel destination, and the display of additional text or images that are complementary to the visual content of the visual display. The complementary images may be in the form of video or still image content which is different to, but synchronised with, the visual content. For example, the video or still image content may provide further information on the items shown in the visual content of the visual display.

The related media content may allow a user of the mobile device to choose from a list of different audio tracks to be synchronised with the visual display, or may instead be a random audio track. The audio track(s), whether selectable or random, may be tailored to the environment of the visual content. For example, busier areas may offer, or randomise to, calmer audio tracks. Further, the synchronisation between the visual display and the mobile device may allow for the collection of user data or content from the mobile device. For example, the synchronised mobile device may prompt a user to input information relating to the visual content, which is then sent to the remote media server.

It will be noted that the method can be implemented in any appropriate manner, for example by way of an app loaded onto the mobile device or by access to a remote website, or by hardcoded functionality within the mobile device as appropriate.

Claims

Claims: 1. A method of providing media content at a mobile device comprising deriving) at the mobile device, data related to an identifier provided by a visual display and obtaining, based on said derived data, related media content from a remote content location for execution at the mobile device, wherein the media content is time synchronised with the visual content.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising receiving said identifier via short-range communication, for example NFC or iBeacon.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the media content comprises at least one of sound content, additional visual content and informational content.
4. A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which the mobile device comprises at least one of a mobile telephone, a laptop, and a tablet.
5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which the identifier comprises at least one of a 2D barcode, a URL or a decodeable indicia displayed on the visual display, and preferably comprising capturing an image of the identifier at the mobile device.
6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which the identifier comprises at least one of a visual display identifier or a media content identifier.
7. A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which the remote content location comprises a remote media server or website.
8. A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which time synchronisation is based on a synchronisation signal from the visual display to the remote content location.
9. A method as claimed in any of claims ito 8 implemented by an app executed at, or website displayed by, the mobile device.
10. A mobile telecommunications device arranged to: derive data related to an identifier provided by a visual display; obtain related media content from a remote content location; and execute said related media content, in which the media content is time synchronised with the visual display.
11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 further arranged to implement the method of any claims 1-9.
12. A computer readable medium configured to store instructions for implementing the method of any of claims 1-9.
13. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 12 comprising at least one of an app or a website.
14. A method, apparatus or computer readable medium substantially described herein.