IP Library Granted Patent US 10,986,148
Granted Patent B2
US 10,986,148 · App. 16/256,535 · Granted Apr 20, 2021

Network media device

Inventors: Jeffrey L. Robbin (Los Altos, CA); David Heller (Los Altos, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
H04L65/4084G06F3/048H04L12/66H04L49/604H04L65/1069H04L65/4092H04L67/06G06F3/0484
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,986,148
App. No.
16/256,535
Granted
Apr 20, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A network media device is described that pulls multimedia data from one or more sources (e.g., a multimedia website or a multimedia server computer) at a first time, stores it to long-term storage within the device and transmits the stored multimedia data to one or more designated multimedia playback devices at a second time.

Claims (46)

1. A method of retrieving multimedia content from a content source, the method comprising:

receiving, via a first playback device, an indication of content to be sent to a second playback device;

receiving, via the first playback device, an indication of one or more services provided by a content source, wherein the indication facilitates discovery of the one or more services by the first playback device;

establishing a paired relationship between the first playback device and the content source;

configuring the first playback device to receive the content from the content source, based at least in part upon the one or more services;

accessing, via the first playback device, the content from the content source based on the indication; and

sending, via the first playback device, the content to the second playback device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication facilitates discovery of the content source by the first playback device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the indication of one or more services provided by the content source is provided via at least one network.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the indication of one or more services provided by the content source is provided using a predetermined protocol for discovery of electronic devices on the at least one network.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising initiating playback of the content at the second playback device via the first playback device.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising initiating playback of the content at the first playback device.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising receiving user input to cause the first playback device to obtain the content from the content source.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the content source comprises a multimedia website or a multimedia server computer.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein accessing the content comprises retrieving the content via the content source, from a remote source.

10. A playback device, comprising:

one or more processors configured to:

receive an indication of content to be sent to a second playback device;

receive, via the first playback device, an indication of one or more services provided by a content source, wherein the indication facilitates discovery of the one or more services by the playback device;

establish a paired relationship between the playback device and the content source;

configure the playback device to receive the content from the content source based at least in part upon the one or more services;

access the content from the content source based on the indication; and

send the content to the second playback device.

11. The playback device of claim 10 , comprising communications circuitry configured to communicatively couple the playback device to the content source.

12. The playback device of claim 10 , wherein the playback device is configured to receive user input to cause the playback device to obtain the content from the content source.

13. The playback device of claim 12 , wherein the playback device is configured to receive user input to cause the playback device to play back the content.

14. The playback device of claim 12 , wherein the playback device is configured to receive user input to cause the second playback device to play back the content.

15. The playback device of claim 10 , wherein

the indication facilitates discovery of the content source by the playback device.

16. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, are configured to cause one or more processors to perform a method for receiving content from a content source by a first playback device, the method comprising:

receiving, via the first playback device, an indication of content to be sent to a second playback device;

receiving, via the first playback device, an indication of one or more services provided by a content source, wherein the indication facilitates discovery of the one or more services by the first playback device;

establishing, via the first playback device, a paired relationship between the first playback device and the content source;

configuring the first playback device to receive the content from the content source, based at least in part upon the one or more services;

accessing, via the first playback device, the content from the content source; and

sending, via the first playback device, the content to the second playback device.

17. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the method comprises:

accessing, via the first playback device, one or more multimedia libraries each comprising one or more multimedia files of the content that may be transferred to the first playback device;

accepting, via the first playback device, user input specifying which of the one or more multimedia files are to be transferred to the one or more processors; and

retrieving, via the first playback device, the specified one or more multimedia files from the content source.

18. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein:

the indication facilitates discovery of the content source by the first playback device;

the method comprises accepting, via the first playback device, user input to establish the paired relationship between the first playback device and the content source; and

establishing the paired relationship comprises establishing, via the first playback device, the paired relationship based upon the user input.

19. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the paired relationship between the first playback device and the content source is exclusive.

20. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein accessing the content comprises retrieving the content via the content source, from a remote source.