Google Inc.

Kenneth John Mackay

Tomer Shekel

Tavis A Maclellan

Richard Francis Lyon

Ryan Michael Rifkin

Pascal Tom Getreuer

Chien-Jung Kung

Byungchul Kim

Nikita Gupta

Chet N Gnegy

Christopher K Chan

James Carroll West

Chris Chan

Methods, systems, and media for providing dynamic media sessions are provided. In some embodiments, the method comprises: transmitting, from a leader device to follower devices that each belong to a group of media playback devices in a group media playback session, control instructions that cause a media content item to be synchronously presented with the leader device and the follower devices in the group of media playback devices; during the synchronous presentation of the media content item, receiving an indication to halt presentation of the media content item by the leader device; in response to receiving the indication and in response to determining that the leader device is to remain the leader device of the group of media playback devices, halting the presentation of the media content item on the leader device while continuing to transmit updated control instructions that cause the media content item in the group media playback session to continue being synchronously presented on the follower devices remaining in the group of media playback devices.

Methods, systems, and media for providing dynamic media sessions

A smart home device (e.g., a voice assistant device) includes an audio control system that determines a set of one or more audio devices to include nearby devices that are capable of providing audio streams that are audibly detected by a microphone of the smart home device. The audio control system initiates a voice-interaction mode for operating the smart home device to receive voice commands from a user and provide audio output in response to the voice commands. The audio control system transmits an audio control signal to nearby devices that configures each nearby device to implement one or more of: reducing a volume level associated with the audio streams generated by the nearby devices while the smart home device is operating in the voice-interaction mode; and transmitting, to the smart home device, audio stream data associated with a current audio stream generated for audible output by the nearby device.

Ducking and erasing audio from nearby devices

In a general aspect, a system for media playback can include a first media playback device configured to receive a media stream from a media casting device over a data network, the first media playback device being a member of the media playback group and a second media playback device configured to receive the media stream, the second media playback device being a member of the media playback group. The first media playback device and the second media playback device can be collectively configured to designate one of the first media playback device and the second media playback device as a leader playback device of the media playback group. The playback device not designated as the leader playback device can be designated as a follower playback device of the media playback group. The first media playback device and the second media playback device can be further collectively configured to determine a clock offset between the leader playback device and the follower playback device. The leader playback device can be configured to receive a broadcast of the media stream over the data network; play the media stream; and provide the media stream to the follower playback device. The follower playback device can be configured to play the media stream in synchronization with the leader playback device based on the clock offset.

Time-synchronized, multizone media streaming

Time-synchronized, multizone medial streaming

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Kenneth John Mackay