# US 2019/0318069 A1 · Association via audio > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0318069 A1 - Document ID: US20190318069A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/955,145 - Filed: 2018-04-17 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-16 - Assignees: Spotify AB - Applicants: Spotify AB - Inventors: Richard MITIC; Göran EDLING - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190318069A1 ## CPC - G06F 21/31: User authentication - H04W 12/04: Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA] - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A source device being associated with an account uses playback of a media content item to cause a target device to become associated with the account. The target device enters an association mode and records a portion of the playing content. The target device provides the recording to a server that identifies the song (e.g., using a music fingerprint service) and uses the identification of the song to find the account that caused playback of the identified song. With the account identified, the server provides credentials of the account to target system. The target device accesses content or services using the account. As confirmation of receiving the credentials, the server causes playback of the content to transition to from the source device to the target device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: receiving an association request from a target device, the association request having an ambient noise recording that includes at least a portion of a media content item; identifying an identifier of the media content item based on the ambient noise recording; selecting an account from an account data store based on the identifier of the media content item; and associating the target device with the account. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: prior to receiving the association request: receiving, from a source device, a media content item playback request for the media content item, wherein the source device is associated with the account; and causing playback of the media content item at the source device, thereby fulfilling the media content item playback request. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: responsive to associating the target device with the account, transferring the playback of the media content item from the source device to the target device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein associating the target device with the account includes providing credentials to the target device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: obtaining one or more signals from the target device, wherein selecting the account from the account data store is further based on the one or more signals. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the media content item includes music. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising estimating a playback start time of the media content item, wherein selecting the account from the account data store is further based on the playback start time. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the identifier is not based on audio steganography. ### Claim 9 A system comprising: a source device having one or more source device processing devices coupled to a source device memory device storing source device instructions which when executed cause the one or more source device processing devices to: play a media content item; a target device having one or more target device processing devices coupled to a target device memory device storing target device instructions which when executed cause the one or more target device processing devices to: record an ambient noise recording including at least a portion of the media content item; and provide the ambient noise recording for identification of the media content item; and a media-delivery system having one or more media-delivery system processing devices coupled to a media-delivery system memory device storing media-delivery system instructions which when executed cause the one or more media-delivery system processing devices to: receive the ambient noise recording from the target device; identify an identifier of the media content item based on the ambient noise recording; determine, based at least in part on the identifier, an account that played the media content item; and provide credentials associated with the account to the target device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the media-delivery system instructions when executed further cause the one or more media-delivery system processing devices to: transfer playback of the media content item from the source device to the target device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein transferring playback of the media content item from the source device to the target device includes sending a fade-out message to cause playback of the media content item to fade out at the source device and sending a fade-in message to cause playback of the media content item to fade-in at the target device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the source device instructions when executed further cause the one or more source device processing devices to: request playback of the media content item from the media-delivery system; and receive the media content item from the media-delivery system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the source device instructions when executed further cause the one or more source device processing devices to: responsive to playing the media content item, send a media playback receipt to the media-delivery system, wherein playing media content item includes playing the media content item locally from the source device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein identifying the identifier of the media content item includes audio fingerprinting. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein identifying the identifier is not based on audio steganography.