IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,638,059

Granted Patent B2

US 11,638,059 · App. 16/367,829 · Granted Apr 25, 2023

Content playback on multiple devices

Inventors: Bryan Hansen (San Francisco, CA); Vince Lane (San Francisco, CA); Benjamin S. Phipps (San Francisco, CA); Karl Ferdinand Schramm (Monte Sereno, CA); Andrew J. Sinesio (Saratoga, CA); Jaireh Tecarro (Berkeley, CA)

Assignee: Apple Inc.

H04N21/4131 H04N21/41265 H04N21/42203 H04N21/4753

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 11,638,059
App. No.: 16/367,829
Granted: Apr 25, 2023
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

Systems and processes for operating an intelligent automated assistant are provided. In one example process, information associated with media playback is received from one or more user devices. A speech request for a media item is received from a user. At least the speech request and the information associated with media playback is transmitted to a second electronic device. Based on at least the speech request and the information associated with media playback, an instruction for media playback on a secondary user device is received. At least one task is performed based on the instruction for media playback.

Claims (196)

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the electronic device to:

receive, from one or more user devices, information associated with media playback, wherein the information associated with media playback includes at least a media playback history at a secondary user device of the one or more user devices;

receive, from a user, a speech input including a request for a media item;

transmit, to a second electronic device, a request including at least the speech input and the information associated with media playback;

receive, based on at least the speech input and the information associated with media playback, an instruction for media playback on the secondary user device, wherein the media playback history at the secondary user device indicates that a playback history of the requested media item at the secondary user device satisfies a minimum playback threshold; and

perform at least one task based on the instruction for media playback, wherein the at least one task includes playing the requested media item at the secondary user device.

2. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the information associated with media playback includes at least one identifier associated with at least one candidate secondary user device of the one or more user devices and media information corresponding to the at least one candidate secondary user device.

3. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 2 , wherein the media information corresponding to the at least one candidate secondary user device includes at least one of an identification of an owner of a candidate secondary user device, an identification of media content owned by an owner of a candidate secondary device, an identification of one or more authorized users of a candidate secondary user device, and media rendering capabilities of a candidate secondary user device.

4. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to:

determine whether the instruction for media playback includes an instruction to output, at the secondary user device, the requested media item currently playing on the electronic device; and

in accordance with a determination that the instruction for media playback includes an instruction to output, at the secondary user device, the requested media item currently playing on the electronic device:

transmit, to the secondary user device, a command to play the requested media item currently playing on the electronic device.

5. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to:

determine whether the instruction for media playback includes an instruction to output, at the secondary user device, the requested media item not currently playing on the electronic device; and

in accordance with a determination that the instruction for media playback includes an instruction to output, at the secondary user device, the requested media item not currently playing on the electronic device:

transmit, to the secondary user device, a command to play the requested media item at the secondary user device.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein the command to play the requested media item at the secondary user device includes a command to obtain the requested media item from a media server.

7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein the command to play the requested media item at the secondary user device includes a command to obtain the requested media item from a storage on the secondary user device.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to:

in accordance with transmitting, to the second electronic device, the request including at least the speech input and the information associated with media playback:

receive, from the second electronic device, a plurality of device identifiers corresponding to a plurality of candidate secondary user devices;

display a plurality of affordances corresponding to the plurality of candidate secondary user devices;

receive, from the user, a selection of an affordance from the plurality of affordances; and

transmit, to the second electronic device, a device identifier corresponding to the selected affordance.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to:

in accordance with transmitting, to the second electronic device, the request including at least the speech input and the information associated with media playback:

receive, from the second electronic device, a plurality of media identifiers corresponding to a plurality of media items;

display a plurality of affordances corresponding to the plurality of media items;

receive, from the user, a selection of an affordance from the plurality of affordances corresponding to the plurality of media items; and

transmit, to the second electronic device, a media identifier corresponding to the selected affordance.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein each of the displayed affordances include an indicator, and wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to:

receive, from the user, a selection of an indicator corresponding to a displayed affordance; and

in accordance with receiving the selection of the indicator corresponding to the displayed affordance, display a user interface associated with a media item corresponding to the selected indicator.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein performing at least one task based on the instruction for media playback comprises:

determine whether the user is authorized to establish a connection with the secondary user device; and

in accordance with a determination that the user is not authorized to establish a connection to the secondary user device, cause a first passcode to be generated at the secondary user device.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to:

receive, from the user, an input corresponding to a second passcode; and

in accordance with a determination that the first passcode and the second passcode are the same, transmit, to the secondary user device, at least one command based on the instruction for media playback.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the instruction for media playback on the secondary user device includes a media identifier, and wherein performing at least one task based on the instruction for media playback comprises:

determining whether user authorization is required to view a requested media item associated with the media identifier;

in accordance with a determination that user authorization is required to view a requested media item associated with the media identifier, prompting the user for authentication information;

receiving, from the user, authorization information in order to commence media playback of the requested media item; and

causing playback of the requested media item to commence at the secondary user device based on the authorization information.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the instruction for media playback on the secondary user device includes a media identifier, and wherein performing at least one task based on the instruction for media playback further comprises:

transmitting, to the secondary user device, the media identifier;

receiving, from the secondary user device, information corresponding to media currently playing at the secondary user device, wherein the media currently playing at the secondary user device corresponds to the media identifier; and

displaying a plurality of affordances based on the information corresponding to media currently playing at the secondary user device.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the instruction for media playback on the secondary user device includes a media identifier, and wherein performing at least one task based on the instruction for media playback further comprises:

determining, based on the media identifier, whether the user is required to obtain a requested media item in order to commence playback of the requested media item;

in accordance with a determination that the user is required to obtain a requested media item in order to commence playback of the requested media item:

receiving, from the user, authorization information in order to commence media playback of the requested media item; and

causing playback of the requested media item to commence at the secondary user device based on the authorization information.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein receiving, from the user, authorization information in order to commence media playback of the requested media item further comprises:

displaying a user interface associated with obtaining the requested media item; and

receiving, from a user, a plurality of inputs including the authorization information.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein receiving, from the user, authorization information in order to commence media playback of the requested media item further comprises:

causing display, on the secondary user device, of a user interface associated with obtaining the requested media item;

receiving, from a user, a plurality of inputs including the authorization information; and

causing display, on the secondary user device, of at least a portion of the plurality of inputs.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein performing at least one task based on the instruction for media playback comprises:

adjusting a brightness level of at least one light source associated with the secondary user device.

19. An electronic device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:

receiving, from one or more user devices, information associated with media playback, wherein the information associated with media playback includes at least a media playback history at a secondary user device of the one or more user devices;

receiving, from a user, a speech input including a request for a media item;

transmitting, to a second electronic device, a request including at least the speech input and the information associated with media playback;

receiving, based on at least the speech input and the information associated with media playback, an instruction for media playback on the secondary user device, wherein the media playback history at the secondary user device indicates that a playback history of the requested media item at the secondary user device satisfies a minimum playback threshold; and

performing at least one task based on the instruction for media playback, wherein the at least one task includes playing the requested media item at the secondary user device.

20. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device with one or more processors and memory:

receiving, from a user, a speech input including a request for a media item;

transmitting, to a second electronic device, a request including at least the speech input and the information associated with media playback;

performing at least one task based on the instruction for media playback, wherein the at least one task includes playing the requested media item at the secondary user device.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein receiving, from one or more user devices, the information associated with media playback comprises:

receiving, from a respective device of the one or more user devices, an identification of at least one media item previously played on the respective device.

22. The electronic device of claim 19 , wherein receiving, from one or more user devices, the information associated with media playback comprises:

receiving, from a respective device of the one or more user devices, an identification of at least one media item previously played on the respective device.

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein receiving, from one or more user devices, the information associated with media playback comprises:

receiving, from a respective device of the one or more user devices, an identification of at least one media item previously played on the respective device.

24. The device of claim 19 , wherein the information associated with media playback includes at least one identifier associated with at least one candidate secondary user device of the one or more user devices and media information corresponding to the at least one candidate secondary user device.

25. The device of claim 24 , wherein the media information corresponding to the at least one candidate secondary user device includes at least one of an identification of an owner of a candidate secondary user device, an identification of media content owned by an owner of a candidate secondary device, an identification of one or more authorized users of a candidate secondary user device, and media rendering capabilities of a candidate secondary user device.

26. The device of claim 19 , the one or more programs including instructions for:

determining whether the instruction for media playback includes an instruction to output, at the secondary user device, the requested media item currently playing on the electronic device; and

transmitting, to the secondary user device, a command to play the requested media item currently playing on the electronic device.

27. The device of claim 19 , the one or more programs including instructions for:

determining whether the instruction for media playback includes an instruction to output, at the secondary user device, the requested media item not currently playing on the electronic device; and

transmitting, to the secondary user device, a command to play the requested media item at the secondary user device.

28. The device of claim 27 , wherein the command to play the requested media item at the secondary user device includes a command to obtain the requested media item from a media server.

29. The device of claim 27 , wherein the command to play the requested media item at the secondary user device includes a command to obtain the requested media item from a storage on the secondary user device.

30. The device of claim 19 , the one or more programs including instructions for:

in accordance with transmitting, to the second electronic device, the request including at least the speech input and the information associated with media playback:

receiving, from the second electronic device, a plurality of device identifiers corresponding to a plurality of candidate secondary user devices;

displaying a plurality of affordances corresponding to the plurality of candidate secondary user devices;

receiving, from the user, a selection of an affordance from the plurality of affordances; and

transmitting, to the second electronic device, a device identifier corresponding to the selected affordance.

31. The device of claim 19 , the one or more programs including instructions for:

in accordance with transmitting, to the second electronic device, the request including at least the speech input and the information associated with media playback:

receiving, from the second electronic device, a plurality of media identifiers corresponding to a plurality of media items;

displaying a plurality of affordances corresponding to the plurality of media items;

receiving, from the user, a selection of an affordance from the plurality of affordances corresponding to the plurality of media items; and

transmitting, to the second electronic device, a media identifier corresponding to the selected affordance.

32. The device of claim 31 , wherein each of the displayed affordances include an indicator, the one or more programs including instructions for:

receiving, from the user, a selection of an indicator corresponding to a displayed affordance; and

in accordance with receiving the selection of the indicator corresponding to the displayed affordance, displaying a user interface associated with a media item corresponding to the selected indicator.

33. The device of claim 19 , wherein performing at least one task based on the instruction for media playback comprises:

determining whether the user is authorized to establish a connection with the secondary user device; and

in accordance with a determination that the user is not authorized to establish a connection to the secondary user device, causing a first passcode to be generated at the secondary user device.

34. The device of claim 33 , the one or more programs including instructions for:

receive, from the user, an input corresponding to a second passcode; and

35. The device of claim 19 , wherein the instruction for media playback on the secondary user device includes a media identifier, and wherein performing at least one task based on the instruction for media playback comprises:

determining whether user authorization is required to view a requested media item associated with the media identifier;

in accordance with a determination that user authorization is required to view a requested media item associated with the media identifier, prompting the user for authentication information;

receiving, from the user, authorization information in order to commence media playback of the requested media item; and

causing playback of the requested media item to commence at the secondary user device based on the authorization information.

36. The device of claim 19 , wherein the instruction for media playback on the secondary user device includes a media identifier, and wherein performing at least one task based on the instruction for media playback further comprises:

transmitting, to the secondary user device, the media identifier;

displaying a plurality of affordances based on the information corresponding to media currently playing at the secondary user device.

37. The device of claim 19 , wherein the instruction for media playback on the secondary user device includes a media identifier, and wherein performing at least one task based on the instruction for media playback further comprises:

determining, based on the media identifier, whether the user is required to obtain a requested media item in order to commence playback of the requested media item;

in accordance with a determination that the user is required to obtain a requested media item in order to commence playback of the requested media item:

receiving, from the user, authorization information in order to commence media playback of the requested media item; and

causing playback of the requested media item to commence at the secondary user device based on the authorization information.

38. The device of claim 37 , wherein receiving, from the user, authorization information in order to commence media playback of the requested media item further comprises:

displaying a user interface associated with obtaining the requested media item; and

receiving, from a user, a plurality of inputs including the authorization information.

39. The device of claim 37 , wherein receiving, from the user, authorization information in order to commence media playback of the requested media item further comprises:

causing display, on the secondary user device, of a user interface associated with obtaining the requested media item;

receiving, from a user, a plurality of inputs including the authorization information; and

causing display, on the secondary user device, of at least a portion of the plurality of inputs.

40. The device of claim 19 , wherein performing at least one task based on the instruction for media playback comprises:

adjusting a brightness level of at least one light source associated with the secondary user device.

41. The method of claim 20 , wherein the information associated with media playback includes at least one identifier associated with at least one candidate secondary user device of the one or more user devices and media information corresponding to the at least one candidate secondary user device.

42. The method of claim 41 , wherein the media information corresponding to the at least one candidate secondary user device includes at least one of an identification of an owner of a candidate secondary user device, an identification of media content owned by an owner of a candidate secondary device, an identification of one or more authorized users of a candidate secondary user device, and media rendering capabilities of a candidate secondary user device.

43. The method of claim 20 , comprising:

determining whether the instruction for media playback includes an instruction to output, at the secondary user device, the requested media item currently playing on the electronic device; and

transmitting, to the secondary user device, a command to play the requested media item currently playing on the electronic device.

44. The method of claim 20 , comprising:

determining whether the instruction for media playback includes an instruction to output, at the secondary user device, the requested media item not currently playing on the electronic device; and

transmitting, to the secondary user device, a command to play the requested media item at the secondary user device.

45. The method of claim 44 , wherein the command to play the requested media item at the secondary user device includes a command to obtain the requested media item from a media server.

46. The method of claim 44 , wherein the command to play the requested media item at the secondary user device includes a command to obtain the requested media item from a storage on the secondary user device.

47. The method of claim 20 , comprising:

in accordance with transmitting, to the second electronic device, the request including at least the speech input and the information associated with media playback:

receiving, from the second electronic device, a plurality of device identifiers corresponding to a plurality of candidate secondary user devices;

displaying a plurality of affordances corresponding to the plurality of candidate secondary user devices;

receiving, from the user, a selection of an affordance from the plurality of affordances; and

transmitting, to the second electronic device, a device identifier corresponding to the selected affordance.

48. The method of claim 20 , comprising:

in accordance with transmitting, to the second electronic device, the request including at least the speech input and the information associated with media playback:

receiving, from the second electronic device, a plurality of media identifiers corresponding to a plurality of media items;

displaying a plurality of affordances corresponding to the plurality of media items;

receiving, from the user, a selection of an affordance from the plurality of affordances corresponding to the plurality of media items; and

transmitting, to the second electronic device, a media identifier corresponding to the selected affordance.

49. The method of claim 48 , wherein each of the displayed affordances include an indicator, and wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to:

receive, from the user, a selection of an indicator corresponding to a displayed affordance; and

in accordance with receiving the selection of the indicator corresponding to the displayed affordance, display a user interface associated with a media item corresponding to the selected indicator.

50. The method of claim 20 , wherein performing at least one task based on the instruction for media playback comprises:

determining whether the user is authorized to establish a connection with the secondary user device; and

in accordance with a determination that the user is not authorized to establish a connection to the secondary user device, causing a first passcode to be generated at the secondary user device.

51. The method of claim 50 , comprising:

receiving, from the user, an input corresponding to a second passcode; and

in accordance with a determination that the first passcode and the second passcode are the same, transmitting, to the secondary user device, at least one command based on the instruction for media playback.

52. The method of claim 20 , wherein the instruction for media playback on the secondary user device includes a media identifier, and wherein performing at least one task based on the instruction for media playback comprises:

determining whether user authorization is required to view a requested media item associated with the media identifier;

in accordance with a determination that user authorization is required to view a requested media item associated with the media identifier, prompting the user for authentication information;

receiving, from the user, authorization information in order to commence media playback of the requested media item; and

causing playback of the requested media item to commence at the secondary user device based on the authorization information.

53. The method of claim 20 , wherein the instruction for media playback on the secondary user device includes a media identifier, and wherein performing at least one task based on the instruction for media playback further comprises:

transmitting, to the secondary user device, the media identifier;

displaying a plurality of affordances based on the information corresponding to media currently playing at the secondary user device.

54. The method of claim 20 , wherein the instruction for media playback on the secondary user device includes a media identifier, and wherein performing at least one task based on the instruction for media playback further comprises:

determining, based on the media identifier, whether the user is required to obtain a requested media item in order to commence playback of the requested media item;

in accordance with a determination that the user is required to obtain a requested media item in order to commence playback of the requested media item:

receiving, from the user, authorization information in order to commence media playback of the requested media item; and

causing playback of the requested media item to commence at the secondary user device based on the authorization information.

55. The method of claim 54 , wherein receiving, from the user, authorization information in order to commence media playback of the requested media item further comprises:

displaying a user interface associated with obtaining the requested media item; and

receiving, from a user, a plurality of inputs including the authorization information.

56. The method of claim 54 , wherein receiving, from the user, authorization information in order to commence media playback of the requested media item further comprises:

causing display, on the secondary user device, of a user interface associated with obtaining the requested media item;

receiving, from a user, a plurality of inputs including the authorization information; and

causing display, on the secondary user device, of at least a portion of the plurality of inputs.

57. The method of claim 20 , wherein performing at least one task based on the instruction for media playback comprises:

adjusting a brightness level of at least one light source associated with the secondary user device.

Assignments (1)

ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 24, 2019

From: HANSEN, BRYAN; LANE, VINCE; PHIPPS, BENJAMIN S.; SCHRAMM, KARL FERDINAND; SINESIO, ANDREW J.; TECARRO, JAIREH

To: APPLE INC.

Reel/Frame 049853/0117 →

Continuity (2)

Provisional Application 62788655 · Jan 4, 2019

Related Publication 20200221155A1 · Jul 9, 2020

Cited By (2)

US 12,216,963 US 12,500,975