# US 2021/0344379 A1 · Controlling a media device using a mobile device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0344379 A1 - Document ID: US20210344379A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/326,303 - Filed: 2021-05-20 - Published: 2021-11-04 - Earliest claimed: 2013-06-07 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Andy BELK; Augustin PRATS; Joakim LINDE; Lucas NEWMAN; Nicholas J. PAULSON; Thomas Matthieu ALSINA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210344379A1 ## CPC - H04N 21/4367: Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card - H04B 5/24: Inductive coupling - H04B 5/70: specially adapted for specific purposes - H04N 21/41265: {having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device (unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204)} - H04N 21/441: Acquiring end-user identification {, e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card} - H04N 21/44218: {Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV programme (methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45)} - H04N 21/4753: {for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password (cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08)} - H04N 21/6547: comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup - H04W 4/00: Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor - H04W 4/021: Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences - H04W 12/06: Authentication - H04W 12/64: using geofenced areas - H04W 12/08: Access security - H04W 12/68: Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Techniques for automatically configuring and controlling a digital media device are described. A digital media device can be configured or controlled by a mobile device, e.g., a smart mobile phone. When the digital media device is being configured, the digital media device can broadcast a signal, indicating that the digital media device is requesting configuration information from a mobile device. A mobile device located in proximity of the digital media device, upon detecting the signal, can perform various security checks to determine that the request is legitimate, and then open a communication channel with the digital media device. The mobile device can provide user preferences of the mobile device, as well as credentials for accessing and downloading remote content, to the digital media device through the communication channel. Upon receiving the configuration information, the digital media device can use parameters in the configuration information as its settings. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for enabling communication between a multi-user device and other computing devices, the method comprising, at the multi-user device: identifying a condition under which at least one input parameter is required at the multi-user device; wirelessly transmitting at least one request for the at least one input parameter; receiving, from a computing device responding to the at least one request, at least one value for the at least one input parameter, wherein the at least one value is locally gathered at the computing device; and assigning the at least one value to the at least one input parameter at the multi-user device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, subsequent to assigning the at least one value to the at least one input parameter at the multi-user device: ceasing wireless transmission of any additional requests. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one request causes a prompt to be displayed at the computing device to provide the at least one value for the at least one input parameter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one request includes: an identifier associated with the multi-user device; and device type information associated with the multi-user device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the computing device determines that the multi-user device is known by matching the identifier against a previously-stored identifier included in a list of identifiers associated with multi-user devices that are known to the computing device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one value for the at least one input parameter is provided at the computing device in the form of: a text-based input received through a virtual keyboard on the computing device; or a voice-based input received through a microphone that is communicably coupled to the computing device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is within a threshold distance from the multi-user device. ### Claim 8 A multi-user device configured to communicate with other computing devices, the multi-user device comprising a processor configured to cause the multi-user device to carry out steps that include: identifying a condition under which at least one input parameter is required at the multi-user device; wirelessly transmitting at least one request for the at least one input parameter; receiving, from a computing device responding to the at least one request, at least one value for the at least one input parameter, wherein the at least one value is locally gathered at the computing device; and assigning the at least one value to the at least one input parameter at the multi-user device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The multi-user device of claim 8, wherein the steps further include, subsequent to assigning the at least one value to the at least one input parameter at the multi-user device: ceasing wireless transmission of any additional requests. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The multi-user device of claim 8, wherein the at least one request causes a prompt to be displayed at the computing device to provide the at least one value for the at least one input parameter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The multi-user device of claim 8, wherein the at least one request includes: an identifier associated with the multi-user device; and device type information associated with the multi-user device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The multi-user device of claim 11, wherein the computing device determines that the multi-user device is known by matching the identifier against a previously-stored identifier included in a list of identifiers associated with multi-user devices that are known to the computing device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The multi-user device of claim 8, wherein the at least one value for the at least one input parameter is locally gathered at the computing device in the form of: a text-based input received through a virtual keyboard on the computing device; or a voice-based input received through a microphone that is communicably coupled to the computing device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The multi-user device of claim 8, wherein the computing device is within a threshold distance from the multi-user device. ### Claim 15 A method for enabling communication between a computing device and a multi-user device, the method comprising, at the computing device: receiving, from the multi-user device, at least one request for at least one input parameter, wherein the at least one request is issued by the multi-user device in response to identifying a condition under which the at least one input parameter is required at the multi-user device; locally gathering at least one value for the at least one input parameter; and providing the at least one value to the multi-user device, wherein, upon receipt of the at least one value, the multi-user device assigns the at least one value to the at least one input parameter. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising, prior to locally gathering the at least one value for the at least one input parameter: displaying a prompt at the computing device to provide the at least one value for the at least one input parameter. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one request includes: an identifier associated with the multi-user device; and device type information associated with the multi-user device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising, prior to locally gathering the at least one value for the at least one input parameter: determining that the multi-user device is known by matching the identifier against a previously-stored identifier included in a list of identifiers associated with multi-user devices that are known to the computing device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one value for the at least one input parameter is locally gathered at the computing device in the form of: a text-based input received through a virtual keyboard on the computing device; or a voice-based input received through a microphone that is communicably coupled to the computing device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the computing device is within a threshold distance from the multi-user device.