Cloud assisted accessory pairing

A portable electronic device to share program content over a communication link with an accessory device capable of rendering an audio stream, comprising:

• a communication interface configured to transmit and receive information, and to receive the program content;
• and
• a processor and a memory coupled to the communication interface, the memory including instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
• receiving, from the accessory device, prior to the portable electronic device being paired with the accessory device, an identifier associated with the accessory device;
• transmitting, from the portable electronic device to a remote server, the identifier associated with the accessory device and a request for a security key for the accessory device to be retrieved from a database by the remote server;
• querying a user whether to establish a communication link with the accessory device;
• responsive to the identifier being known to the remote server and the user requesting that the communication link be established:
• receiving the security key, by the portable electronic device, from the remote server;
• and
• sending, by the portable electronic device, a command to an audio streaming device paired to the portable electronic device, the command including the identifier and the security key and instructions to establish a communications link between the audio streaming device and the accessory device, the command causing:
• the audio streaming device to send a communication request to establish the communications link to the accessory device, the communication request including the identifier and security key, and
• the accessory device to send an acceptance to the audio streaming device responsive to receiving the communication request.

A communication method comprising:

• receiving, from an accessory device capable of rendering an audio stream, by a portable electronic device with which the accessory device is not paired, an identifier associated with the accessory device;
• transmitting, from the portable electronic device to a remote server, the identifier associated with the accessory device and a request for a security key for the accessory device to be retrieved from a database by the remote server;
• receiving, by the portable electronic device, from the remote server an indication of whether the identifier is known to the remote server;
• querying a user whether to establish a communication link with the accessory device;
• responsive to the identifier being known to the remote server and the user requesting that the communication link be established:
• receiving the security key, by the portable electronic device, from the remote server;
• and
• sending, by the portable electronic device, a command to an audio streaming device paired to the portable electronic device, the command including the identifier and the security key and instructions to establish a communications link between the audio streaming device and the accessory device, the command causing:
• the audio streaming device to send a communication request to establish the communication link to the accessory device, the communication request including the identifier and security key, and
• the accessory device to send an acceptance to the audio streaming device responsive to receiving the communication request.