Apple Inc.

Astrid Yi

Deepak R Iyer

Thomas M Alsina

Jonathan Anderson Bennett

Edward T Schmidt

Adam A Sonnanstine

Gregory R Chapman

Johannes P Schmidt

David P Saracino

Elena Leyfman

Aparna S Akella

Shreyas Nandagudi Sreesha

Brian D Pietsch

Cesar De Camargo Barscevicius

Taylor Gerard Carrigan

Patrick L Coffman

Craig Michael Federighi

Jean-Pierre Ciudad

Julien F Freudiger

Todd R Fernandez

Christopher G Skogen

Cody D Jorgensen

Joao Pedro De Almeida Forjaz De Lacerda

Cyrus Daboo

Michael Jason Giles

Aarti Kumar

Natalia A Fornshell

Bob Bradley

Sriram Hariharan

Anthony Joseph Guetta

Akshay Mangalam Srivatsa

Sarang S Ranade

Kang Sun

Alexander Richter

Aurie Bendahan

Keith G Henrickson

Ashraya Arya

Victor Gabriel Maraccini

Sanket S Dave

Deepak C Iyer

In some implementations a system can be configured to reduce the burden of pairing user devices with playback devices. For example, all users (or user devices) who commonly operate within a particular environment (e.g., a home) can be configured as authorized users of playback devices within the particular environment. When one of the authorized users pairs a user device with a playback device, all of the user devices for all authorized users can be automatically paired with the playback device as a result of the single pairing. Thus, only a single authorized user is burdened with the pairing process in order to pair all authorized users with the playback device.

Pairing devices by proxy

The subject technology provides for concurrent streaming of media content to multiple media devices. A host device may receive, from a first accessory device, a first request for first media content, the first request corresponding to a first voice input, and receive, from a second accessory device, a second request for second media content, the second request corresponding to a second voice input to the second accessory device. The host device may store a first context record including identification information for the first accessory device and the first media content, and store, while storing the first context record, a second context record including identification information for the second accessory device and the second media content. The host device may stream the first media content to the first accessory device, and stream, to second accessory device and concurrently with the streaming of the first media content, the second media content.

Concurrent streaming of content to multiple devices

In some implementations, a user device can predictively route media content to a remote playback device based on playback context information obtained by the user device. The playback context can include local playback context information related to the state and/or context of the user device. The playback context can include remote playback context information related to the state and/or context of available remote playback devices. Based on the playback context information obtained by the user device, the user device can generate a predictive score for each available playback device that indicates or predicts the likelihood that the user will want to send media content to the corresponding playback device. The user device can generate and present a graphical user interface that can identify the playback devices having predictive scores over a threshold score. In some instances, the user device can automatically route selected media content to a predicted playback device.

Predictive media routing

A system and method for routing communication to a common audio output device connected to each of two or more audio signal source devices. For each of the two or more audio signal source devices, a set of inputs are assessed. The set of inputs include: an operational state of the audio signal source device, an activity the audio signal source device, an audio-producing application being executed by the audio signal source device, and a degree of user activity with the audio-producing application being executed by the audio signal source. At a point in time, an audio routing score is generated for each of the two or more audio signal source devices according to a weighted calculation of the set of inputs based on the assessing. Finally, an audio signal routing decision is made, to route an audio signal from one of the two or more audio signal source devices to the audio output device, based on the audio routing score for each of the two or more audio signal source devices.

Smart routing for audio output devices

In some implementations, a system can be configured to allow remote control devices to quietly obtain status information related to various audio/video playback devices. For example, a streaming device (e.g., a user device, phone, etc.) can establish a streaming connection to a playback device. The playback device can be configured to only accept a single streaming connection (i.e., master connection). A remote control device (e.g., a user device, phone, etc.) can quietly connect (i.e., control connection) to the playback device without interrupting the master connection to obtain status information related to the playback device and or the media being streamed to the playback device. The remote control device can provide commands through the control connection to adjust the playback of the streamed media at the playback device.

Remotely controlling playback devices

Predictive media routing based on interrupt criteria

A device receives a time-based restriction for usage by a first user with respect to an application, a website or a device-level function. The device receives encrypted data indicating a usage by the first user on a second device with respect to the application, website or device-level function. The device determines that at least one of the usage by the first user on the second device or a usage by the first user on the device with respect to the application, website or device-level function violates the time-based restriction. The device provides, in response to the determining, a notification that the time-based restriction has been violated by the first user.

Managing device usage

A device providing concurrent audio streaming to multiple wireless audio output devices may include at least one processor configured to receive a user selection of at least two paired audio output devices. The at least one processor may be further configured to connect to each of the at least two of the paired audio output devices. The at least one processor may be further configured to synchronize at least one audio output synchronization parameter across each of the at least two of the paired audio output devices. The at least one processor may be further configured to concurrently stream a respective audio stream to each of the at least two of the paired audio output devices.

Concurrent audio streaming to multiple wireless audio output devices

In some implementations, a system can be configured to manage groups of playback devices. For example, playback devices can be dynamically grouped in a variety of ways. Each playback device can store attributes that define the group to which the playback device belongs. Each playback device can send its group attributes to remote control devices and the remote control devices can determine groups of playback devices based on the group attributes. The remote control devices can then configure and present graphical user interfaces that represent the various groups of playback devices. In some implementations, a group of playback devices can be configured as a persistent group. For example, a pair of playback devices (e.g., wireless speakers) can store and send attribute data indicating that the pair of playback devices is a persistent group so that remote control devices can present and control the persistent group as a single device.

Managing playback groups

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Astrid Yi