Back to results
US 11,153,368 B2Granted
Network-assisted remote media listening
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsCatherine Wormington, Camille Hearst, Steve Saro Gedikian
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Improved approaches for media listening amongst different users are disclosed. For example, methods, systems or computer program code can enable users to have a remote listening experience in real time. Advantageously, a remote user at a remote client device can in effect listen to a particular digital media asset that is being played at a local client device of a local user. Media information and/or user profiles can also be provided about themselves and shared with other users.
Claims20
A remote listening system, comprising:
- network interface circuitry;
- and
- one or more processors of a server, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
- maintain media playback information from a plurality of user devices associated with a plurality of users, wherein the media playback information comprises:
- currently playing information indicative of a digital media asset being played at each user device of the plurality of user devices;
- and
- historical playing information indicative of one or more digital media assets previously played at each user device of the plurality of user devices;
- receive, from a first user device, a request for more information regarding a particular user of the plurality of users, wherein the particular user is associated with a second user device;
- based on the request for more information, provide an indication of a portion of the historical playing information of the particular user, an indication of a currently playing playlist of the particular user, or both;
- receive, from the first user device, a request for media content corresponding to the digital media asset currently playing at the second user device;
- and
- based on a user of the first user device selecting for the playback of the requested media content to be synchronized with the playback of the digital media asset, provide the requested media content to the first user device such that playback of the requested media content at the first user device is substantially synchronized with playback of the digital media asset at the second user device.
9 more elements
A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising processor-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a first user device, cause the one or more processors to:
- display, at the first user device, a selectable option for each of a plurality of users to request more information regarding a corresponding user of the plurality of users;
- receive, at the first user device, a user input indicative of a selection of a selectable option to request for more information regarding a particular user of the plurality of users;
- display, at the first user device and based on the request for more information, an indication of a portion of historical playing information of the particular user, wherein the historical playing information is indicative of one or more digital media assets previously played at a second user device of the particular user that is different than the first user device;
- receive a user input of the first user indicative of a request to listen to a digital media asset currently playing at the user device of the particular user;
- send a request for media content corresponding to the digital media asset currently playing at the user device of the particular user;
- receive the requested media content;
- cause the requested media content to be played by the first user device;
- after playback of the digital media asset and playback of the requested media content becomes unsynchronized, receive a user input of the first user indicative of a request for synchronized playback of the requested media content;
- and
- cause, based on the user input indicative of the request for synchronized playback, playback of the requested media content to be synchronized with playback of the digital media asset.
7 more elements
An electronic device comprising:
- a display;
- one or more processors;
- and
- a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors of the electronic device, cause the one or more processors to:
- display, via the display, a selectable option for each of a plurality of users to request more information regarding a corresponding user of the plurality of users;
- receive, via the one or more processors, a user input of a first user indicative of a selection of a selectable option for request for more information regarding a particular user of the plurality of users, wherein the particular user is different than the first user;
- display, via the display and based on the request for more information, an indication of a portion of historical playing information of the particular user, wherein the historical playing information is indicative of one or more digital media assets previously played at a user device of the particular user, wherein the user device is different than the electronic device;
- receive a user input of the first user indicative of a request to listen to a digital media asset currently playing at the user device of the particular user;
- send a request for media content corresponding to the digital media asset currently playing at the user device of the particular user;
- receive the requested media content;
- cause the requested media content to be played;
- receive a user input of the first user indicative of a request for non-synchronized playback of the requested media asset after a playback position of the digital media asset at the user device of the particular user is altered;
- and
- cause, based on the user input indicative of the request for non-synchronized playback, playback of the requested media content in a non-synchronized manner with respect to playback of the digital media asset at the user device of the particular user.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.