Apple Inc.

Deepak R Iyer

Jonathan Anderson Bennett

Gregory R Chapman

Astrid Yi

Patrick L Coffman

Thomas M Alsina

Anthony Joseph Guetta

Edward T Schmidt

Adam A Sonnanstine

Eric Joseph Johnson

Meriko Borogove

Johannes P Schmidt

David P Saracino

Brian D Pietsch

Elena Leyfman

Aparna S Akella

Shreyas Nandagudi Sreesha

Cesar De Camargo Barscevicius

Taylor Gerard Carrigan

Craig Michael Federighi

Sriram Hariharan

Julien F Freudiger

Gregory B Novick

Nathan De Vries

Robert D Watson

Craig P Dooley

Jean-Pierre Ciudad

David John Shaw

Ganesha Adkasthala Ganapathi Batta

Jeffrey Chandler Moore

Albert Riley Howard

Jason C Conn

Todd R Fernandez

Christopher G Skogen

Cody D Jorgensen

Patrick Ian Bernhard

Joao Pedro De Almeida Forjaz De Lacerda

Cyrus Daboo

Chris Saari

Dana McLaughlin

Michael Jason Giles

William George Stewart

Andrew E Rostaing

Aarti Kumar

Natalia A Fornshell

Stephen Olivier Lemay

Eric Lance Wilson

Behkish J Manzari

Bob Bradley

Stephen J Rhee

Akshay Mangalam Srivatsa

Douglas S Wyatt

Andre M Boule

Sarang S Ranade

Charles Magahern

Kang Sun

Nahir A Khan

Cindy M Barrett

Jessica Aranda

Alexander Richter

Aurie Bendahan

Keith G Henrickson

Sanket S Dave

Eric Johnson

Alexander S Haas

Stefan Stuerke

Kevin M Miller

Ashraya Arya

Victor Gabriel Maraccini

Robert Doran Watson

Jonathan A Bennet

Dana Mclaughlin

Riley Howard

Patrick Lee Coffman

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

Embodiments described herein provide a software-based privacy indicator for a camera and microphone that focuses not purely on hardware status (e.g., on or off), but on whether potentially private data is flowing to the system or an application. If based purely on hardware status, the indicator for an electronic device may be shown in scenarios where no data actually flows to the system or applications. The privacy indicator will be enabled if any camera or microphone data is relayed to the operating system or an application that is executed via the operating system. When the device uses the microphone and camera to capture environmental metadata about the surroundings of the device without providing any audio samples, images, or video frames to the system or an application, the privacy indicator will not be enabled.

Software initiated camera and microphone indicator

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

Controlling the output of audio based on the mode of an electronic device having a sound mode, silent mode, and mute mode, along different audio output routes. In the sound mode, all audio can be output, while only registered or authorized audio can be output in the silent mode. In the mute mode, no audio can be output. The sound and silent modes can be enabled using an interface of the device, while the mute mode can be enabled using an accessory coupled to the device. To disengage the mute mode, a user can provide a corresponding instruction using the accessory or providing an instruction on the device related to volume control. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

Interaction of sound, silent and mute modes in an electronic device

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

Apparatus and methods to communicate audio data from either an active wireless device or a requesting wireless device to one or more audio reproduction devices that are simultaneously communicatively coupled to both the active wireless device and to the requesting wireless device are disclosed. Responsive to a request from the requesting wireless device to transmit audio data to the one or more audio reproduction devices, the active wireless device determines whether to transmit audio data from the requesting wireless device based at least in part on an audio status of the active wireless device and a set of predetermined arbitration criteria that prioritizes among applications and operating system processes that generate the audio data.

Audio data routing between multiple wirelessly connected devices

This is directed to controlling the output of audio based on the mode of an electronic device. In particular, this is directed to an electronic device having a sound mode, silent mode, and mute mode controlling the output of audio along different audio output routes. In the sound mode, all audio can be output, while only registered or authorized audio can be output in the silent mode. In the mute mode, no audio can be output. The sound and silent modes can be enabled using an interface of the device (e.g., a switch having two possible states), while the mute mode can be enabled using an accessory coupled to the device. To disengage the mute mode, a user can provide a corresponding instruction using the accessory, or providing an instruction on the device related to volume control. For example, a user can change the device volume using an on-device interface, or toggle a sound/silent switch to a sound mode.

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

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Deepak R Iyer