Smart audio playback when connecting to an audio output system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016357509-A1
Application number	US-201514918429-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 20, 2015
Priority date	Jun 5, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method performed in a portable computing device for intelligently performing audio playback, upon connecting with an audio output system. The portable computing device detects that a connection is made with an audio output system. The portable computing device determines a first audio playback application that last played audio and when the first audio playback application last played audio. If the first audio playback application played audio within a specified amount of time in the past, then the portable computing device signals that audio playback be performed from the first audio playback application (through the connection made with the audio output system.) If the first audio playback application did not play audio within the specified amount of time in the past, then the portable computing device determines a second audio playback application that last played audio when the portable computing device was previously connected to the audio output system and signals audio playback from the second audio playback application (through the connection made with the audio output system.) Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

First claim

1 . A method by a portable computing device for intelligently signaling audio playback, comprising:
detecting that a connection is made with an audio output system; determining a first audio playback application that last played audio and when the first audio playback application last played audio; determining whether the first audio playback application played audio within a specified amount of time in the past; and in response to determining that the first audio playback application played audio within the specified amount of time in the past, signaling audio playback from the first audio playback application to the audio output system, through the connection made with the audio output system.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a user interface for a user to indicate a change in audio playback, from the first audio playback application to a second audio playback application, while signaling audio playback from the first audio playback application.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the second audio playback application is an audio playback application that last played audio when the portable computing device was previously connected to the audio output system.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a second audio playback application that last played audio when the portable computing device was previously connected to the audio output system; and in response to determining that the first audio playback application did not play audio within the specified amount of time in the past, signaling audio playback from the second audio playback application to the audio output system, through the connection made with the audio output system.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
providing a user interface for a user to indicate a change in audio playback, from the second audio playback application to the first audio playback application, while signaling audio playback from the second audio playback application.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the audio output system is a vehicle head unit.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a recommended content to be played back using the first audio playback application based on an analysis of at least one of: a history of content played, a playback count of the content played, or contextual information, and generating a playback queue including the recommended content.

8 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
determining a recommended content to be played back using the second audio playback application based on an analysis of at least one of: a history of content played, a playback count of the content played, or contextual information, and generating a playback queue including the recommended content.

9 .- 15 . (canceled)

16 . A portable computing device comprising:
a processor; and memory in which are stored instructions that when executed by the processor, detect when a connection is made with an audio output system, and then determine a first audio playback application that last played audio and when the first audio playback application last played audio, and determine whether the first audio playback application played audio within a specified amount of time in the past, and wherein in response to determining that the first audio playback application did not play audio within the specified amount of time in the past, the processor is to determine a second audio playback application that last played audio when the portable computing device was previously connected to the audio output system, that is prior to said connection, and signal audio playback to be performed from the second audio playback application, rather than from the first application, to the audio output system, through said connection.

17 . The portable computing device in claim 16 , further comprising:
a user interface to receive a user input indicating a change in audio playback.

18 . A portable computing device for intelligently performing audio playback, comprising:
a processor; and memory in which are stored instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
detect that a connection is made with an audio output system;
retrieve contextual information;
identify, using a prediction model, a first audio playback application that has a highest probability of being accessed by a user of the portable computing device based on the contextual information, wherein the prediction model is based on historical interactions of the user with the portable computing device, and
begin audio playback from the first audio playback application through the audio output system.

19 . The portable computing device of claim 18 , wherein the instructions stored in the memory, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:
provide a user interface for the user to select a second audio playback application from which to begin audio playback from, while beginning audio playback from the first audio playback application.

20 . The portable computing device of claim 19 , wherein the second audio playback application is an audio playback application that has a second highest probability of being accessed by the user of the portable computing device as identified by the prediction model based on the contextual information.

21 . The portable computing device of claim 18 , wherein the contextual information includes at least one of:
information about a current audio output system that the portable computing device is connected with, information about a current location of the portable computing device, or information includes information about a current time of day.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Alsina Thomas
• Boule Andre M
• Federighi Craig M
• Chapman Gregory R
• Iyer Deepak R
• Bennett Jonathan A
• Lemay Stephen O
• Schmidt Edward T
• Magahern Charles

Classifications

• H04M1/6083

  by interfacing with the vehicle audio system · CPC title

• G11B20/10 Primary

  Digital recording or reproducing · CPC title

• G11B27/11

  by using information not detectable on the record carrier · CPC title

• G06F9/44

  Arrangements for executing specific programs · CPC title

• G11B27/105 Primary

  of operating discs · CPC title