Predictive media routing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12149790-B2
Application number	US-202318343638-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2023
Priority date	Jan 4, 2019
Publication date	Nov 19, 2024
Grant date	Nov 19, 2024

Abstract

In some implementations, a user device can predictively route media content to a remote playback device based on playback context information obtained by the user device. The playback context can include local playback context information related to the state and/or context of the user device. The playback context can include remote playback context information related to the state and/or context of available remote playback devices. Based on the playback context information obtained by the user device, the user device can generate a predictive score for each available playback device that indicates or predicts the likelihood that the user will want to send media content to the corresponding playback device. The user device can generate and present a graphical user interface that can identify the playback devices having predictive scores over a threshold score. In some instances, the user device can automatically route selected media content to a predicted playback device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a computing device, a first user input indicating selection of a first media item;
obtaining, by the computing device, playback context information, the playback context information comprising at least one of:
(a) state and/or context of the computing device; or
(b) state and/or context of available playback devices;

generating, for each particular available playback device of the available playback devices, a predictive score indicating a likelihood of a user selecting the particular available playback device for playback of the first media item;
determining whether any of the available playback devices have a predictive score above a predetermined level; and
responsive to determining that none of the available playback devices has a predictive score above the predetermined level:
ordering, by the computing device, the available playback devices based on the playback context information to generate an ordered collection of available playback devices;
presenting, by the computing device via a graphical user interface (GUI), the ordered collection of available playback devices;
receiving, by the computing device, a second user input selecting a first playback device from the ordered collection of available playback devices; and
responsive to receiving selection of the first playback device from the ordered collection of available playback devices: routing, by the computing device, the first-media item to the first playback device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the ordered collection of available playback devices is based on the predictive score generated for each of the available playback devices.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the predictive score generated for each of the available playback devices is based on: a) the playback context information and b) patterns of behavior based on historical playback data for the available playback devices.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising separating the ordered collection of available playback devices into at least two groups when displayed via the GUI, wherein a first group of the ordered collection is ordered based on the predictive score generated for each of the available playback devices in the first group, and wherein a second group of the ordered collection is ordered alphabetically based on identifiers of respective available playback devices in the second group.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the predictive scores are generated in response to receiving the first user input indicating selection of the first media item.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the ordered collection of available playback devices is presented via the GUI in response to receiving selection of a graphical element representing a current playback device.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by one or more hardware processors, causes the one or more hardware processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving, by a computing device, a first user input indicating selection of a first media item;
obtaining, by the computing device, playback context information, the playback context information comprising at least one of:
(a) state and/or context of the computing device; or
(b) state and/or context of available playback devices;
generating, for each particular available playback device of the available playback devices, a predictive score indicating a likelihood of a user selecting the particular available playback device for playback of the first media item;
determining whether any of the available playback devices have a predictive score above a predetermined level; and
responsive to determining that none of the available playback devices has a predictive score above the predetermined level:
ordering, by the computing device, the available playback devices based on the playback context information to generate an ordered collection of available playback devices;
presenting, by the computing device via a graphical user interface (GUI), the ordered collection of available playback devices;
receiving, by the computing device, a second user input selecting a first playback device from the ordered collection of available playback devices; and
responsive to receiving selection of the first playback device from the ordered collection of available playback devices: routing, by the computing device, the first-media item to the first playback device.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 7 , wherein the ordered collection of available playback devices is based on the predictive score generated for each of the available playback devices.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 7 , wherein the predictive score generated for each of the available playback devices is based on: a) the playback context information and b) patterns of behavior based on historical playback data for the available playback devices.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise separating the ordered collection of available playback devices into at least two groups when displayed via the GUI, wherein a first group of the ordered collection is ordered based on the predictive score generated for each of the available playback devices in the first group, and wherein a second group of the ordered collection is ordered alphabetically based on identifiers of respective available playback devices in the second group.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 7 , wherein the predictive scores are generated in response to receiving the first user input indicating selection of the first media item.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 7 , wherein the ordered collection of available playback devices is presented via the GUI in response to receiving selection of a graphical element representing a current playback device.

13. A system comprising:
a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by one or more hardware processors, causes the one or more hardware processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving, by a computing device, a first user input indicating selection of a first media item;
obtaining, by the computing device, playback context information, the playback context information comprising at least one of:
(a) state and/or context of the computing device; or
(b) state and/or context of available playback devices;
generating, for each particular available playback device of the available playback devices, a predictive score indicating a likelihood of a user selecting the particular available playback device for playback of the first media item;
determining whether any of the available playback devices have a predictive score above a predetermined level; and
responsive to determining that none of the available playback devices has a predictive score above the predetermined level:
ordering, by the computing device, the available playback devices based on the playback context information to generate an ordered collection of available playback devices;
presenting, by the computing device via a graphical user interface (GUI), the ordered collection of available playback devices;
receiving, by the computing device, a second user input selecting a first playback device from the ordered collection of available playback devices; and
responsive to receiving selection of the first playback device from the ordered collection of ava

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Pietsch Brian D
• Federighi Craig M
• Sonnanstine Adam A
• Carrigan Taylor G
• Schmidt Johannes P
• Yi Astrid
• Iyer Deepak
• Alsina Thomas
• Bennett Jonathan A
• Coffman Patrick L
• De Camargo Barscevicius Cesar

Classifications

• H04N21/43615

  Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals (home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805) · CPC title

• H04N21/44227

  Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network (configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811) · CPC title

• H04N21/4661

  Deriving a combined profile for a plurality of end-users of the same client, e.g. for family members within a home (user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306) · CPC title

• H04L2012/2849

  Audio/video appliances · CPC title

• H04L12/2812

  describing content present in a home automation network, e.g. audio video content (retrieval from the Internet G06F16/95) · CPC title