Synchronization with synthesized audio clock

Abstract

The invention provides a method for providing a synchronization in a computer network for synchronized playback of audio an/or video by a plurality of separate devices. Each separate device generates a virtual clock in response to a timing of the audio codec of a received audio stream. Especially, segmented time is used as reference time. Either the virtual clock is generated directly in response to the tick counter of the audio codec, or by a periodic measurement of the timing of the audio codec extrapolated by a monotonic clock. A sample rate converter may be used to slightly adjust the frequency of the virtual clock.

1 . A method performed by a device for synchronizing content playback from a source of a computer network to the device, comprising:
 receiving streamed data from the source via the computer network,   generating a virtual clock in response to a clock system that controls the content playback, wherein the clock system is different from a monotonic system clock of the device;   obtaining a reference time based on a segmented time including a sequence of two or more time intervals, wherein each time interval of the two or more time intervals has its own local epoch and a monotonic segment number to differentiate two time intervals from each other; and   synchronizing the content playback of the streamed data based on the virtual clock and the reference time.