IP Library Granted Patent US 11,431,836
Granted Patent B2
US 11,431,836 · App. 17/461,103 · Granted Aug 30, 2022

Methods and interfaces for initiating media playback

Inventors: Patrick L. Coffman (San Francisco, CA); Taylor Carrigan (San Francisco, CA); Matthew J. Cielak (San Francisco, CA); David Chance Graham (Columbus, OH)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
H04M1/72442G06F3/0414G06F3/0482G06F3/0488G06F3/04847G06F3/165G06F2203/04104H04M1/72412
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,431,836
App. No.
17/461,103
Filed
Aug 30, 2021
Granted
Aug 30, 2022
Kind
B2
Examiner
YOON, ERIC
Art Unit
2143
USPC
715/717
Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to interfaces and techniques for media playback on one or more devices. In accordance with some embodiments, an electronic device includes a display, one or more processors, and memory. The electronic device receives user input and, in response to receiving the user input, displays, on the display, a multi-device interface that includes: one or more indicators associated with a plurality of available playback devices that are connected to the device and available to initiate playback of media from the device, and a media playback status of the plurality of available playback devices.

Claims (93)

1. An electronic device, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:

receiving a request, from a third device, to initiate playback of a first media item on at least one device of a set of devices, wherein the first media item is detected as being played on the third device,

wherein the electronic device and a second device are members of the set of devices,

wherein the third device is not a member of the set of devices, and

wherein the third device is connected to the electronic device; and

in response to receiving the request and while the third device is detected to be playing the first media item:

in accordance with a determination that the third device has permission to initiate playback on the at least one device of the set of devices, initiating playback of the first media item on at least the electronic device of the set of devices; and

in accordance with a determination that the third device does not have permission to initiate playback of the first media item on the at least one device of the set of devices:

transmitting a request for permission to the second device; and

in response to receiving permission from the second device, initiating playback of the first media item on at least the electronic device of the set of devices.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

in accordance with a determination that a first user account associated with the third device has permission to initiate media playback on the set of devices, determining that the third device has permission, wherein the first user account is not associated with any device of the set of devices; and

in accordance with a determination that the first user account associated with the third device does not have permission to initiate media playback on the set of devices, forgoing determining that the third device has permission.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

in accordance with a determination that the third device does not have permission, transmitting the request for permission to a plurality of devices that includes the second device.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein initiating media playback on the at least one device of the set of devices comprises:

initiating playback on the electronic device; and

forgoing initiating playback on the second device.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for, subsequent to receiving permission from the second device:

receiving a second request, from the third device, to initiate playback on a fourth device,

wherein the set of devices comprises the fourth device, and

wherein the fourth device is not included in the at least one device of the set of devices; and

in response to receiving the second request to initiate playback on a fourth device, initiating playback on the fourth device.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for, subsequent to receiving permission from the second device:

receiving a third request, from the third device, to remove a media item from a playback queue on the at least one device of the set of devices; and

in response to receiving the third request:

in accordance with a determination that the media item was added to the playback queue by the third device, removing the media item from the playback queue; and

in accordance with a determination that the media item was not added to the playback queue by the third device, forgoing removing the media item from the playback queue.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is associated with a media preference profile, the one or more programs further include instructions for:

in response to receiving the request from the third device that is not a member of the set of devices, forgoing updating the media preference profile based on the request.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, wherein the electronic device is a first device, the one or more programs including instructions for:

receiving a request, from a third device, to initiate playback of a first media item on at least one device of a set of devices, wherein the first media item is detected as being played on the third device,

wherein the first device and a second device are members of the set of devices,

wherein the third device is not a member of the set of devices, and

wherein the third device is connected to the first device; and

in response to receiving the request and while the third device is detected to be playing the first media item:

in accordance with a determination that the third device has permission to initiate playback on the at least one device of the set of devices, initiating playback of the first media item on at least the first device of the set of devices; and

in accordance with a determination that the third device does not have permission to initiate playback of the first media item on the at least one device of the set of devices:

transmitting a request for permission to the second device; and

in response to receiving permission from the second device, initiating playback of the first media item on at least the first device of the set of devices.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

in accordance with a determination that a first user account associated with the third device has permission to initiate media playback on the set of devices, determining that the third device has permission, wherein the first user account is not associated with any device of the set of devices; and

in accordance with a determination that the first user account associated with the third device does not have permission to initiate media playback on the set of devices, forgoing determining that the third device has permission.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

in accordance with a determination that the third device does not have permission, transmitting the request for permission to a plurality of devices that includes the second device.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein initiating media playback on the at least one device of the set of devices comprises:

initiating playback on the first device; and

forgoing initiating playback on the second device.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for, subsequent to receiving permission from the second device:

receiving a second request, from the third device, to initiate playback on a fourth device,

wherein the set of devices comprises the fourth device, and

wherein the fourth device is not included in the at least one device of the set of devices; and

in response to receiving the second request to initiate playback on a fourth device, initiating playback on the fourth device.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for, subsequent to receiving permission from the second device:

receiving a third request, from the third device, to remove a media item from a playback queue on the at least one device of the set of devices; and

in response to receiving the third request:

in accordance with a determination that the media item was added to the playback queue by the third device, removing the media item from the playback queue; and

in accordance with a determination that the media item was not added to the playback queue by the third device, forgoing removing the media item from the playback queue.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the first device is associated with a media preference profile, the one or more programs further include instructions for:

in response to receiving the request from the third device that is not a member of the set of devices, forgoing updating the media preference profile based on the request.

15. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a first device:

receiving a request, from a third device, to initiate playback of a first media item on at least one device of a set of devices, wherein the first media item is detected as being played on the third device,

wherein the first device and a second device are members of the set of devices,

wherein the third device is not a member of the set of devices, and

wherein the third device is connected to the first device; and

in response to receiving the request and while the third device is detected to be playing the first media item:

in accordance with a determination that the third device has permission to initiate playback on the at least one device of the set of devices, initiating playback of the first media item on at least the first device of the set of devices; and

in accordance with a determination that the third device does not have permission to initiate playback of the first media item on the at least one device of the set of devices:

transmitting a request for permission to the second device; and

in response to receiving permission from the second device, initiating playback of the first media item on at least the first device of the set of devices.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

in accordance with a determination that a first user account associated with the third device has permission to initiate media playback on the set of devices, determining that the third device has permission, wherein the first user account is not associated with any device of the set of devices; and

in accordance with a determination that the first user account associated with the third device does not have permission to initiate media playback on the set of devices, forgoing determining that the third device has permission.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

in accordance with a determination that the third device does not have permission, transmitting the request for permission to a plurality of devices that includes the second device.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein initiating media playback on the at least one device of the set of devices comprises:

initiating playback on the first device; and

forgoing initiating playback on the second device.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising, subsequent to receiving permission from the second device:

receiving a second request, from the third device, to initiate playback on a fourth device,

wherein the set of devices comprises the fourth device, and

wherein the fourth device is not included in the at least one device of the set of devices; and

in response to receiving the second request to initiate playback on a fourth device, initiating playback on the fourth device.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising, subsequent to receiving permission from the second device:

receiving a third request, from the third device, to remove a media item from a playback queue on the at least one device of the set of devices; and

in response to receiving the third request:

in accordance with a determination that the media item was added to the playback queue by the third device, removing the media item from the playback queue; and

in accordance with a determination that the media item was not added to the playback queue by the third device, forgoing removing the media item from the playback queue.

21. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first device is associated with a media preference profile, further comprising:

in response to receiving the request from the third device that is not a member of the set of devices, forgoing updating the media preference profile based on the request.

Continuity (9)
Continuation 17031833 · Sep 24, 2020
Continuation 16807604 · Mar 3, 2020
Continuation 16702968 · Dec 4, 2019
Continuation 15910263 · Mar 2, 2018
Provisional Application 62622122 · Jan 25, 2018
Provisional Application 62514932 · Jun 4, 2017
Provisional Application 62507202 · May 16, 2017
Provisional Application 62507208 · May 16, 2017
Related Publication 20210392223A1 · Dec 16, 2021
Cited By (4)
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