Network-Assisted Remote Media Listening

• US 20090313369A1
• Filed: 06/12/2008
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Gedikian, Steve Saro, Hearst, Camille, Wormington, Catherine
• Granted Patent: US 7,886,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/636 by using biological or physiological data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/637 Administration of user profiles, e.g. generation, initialization, adaptation or distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

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.

Claims

1. A remote listening server, comprising:

a central media repository configured to store a plurality of digital media assets; and

a media listening server configured to maintain media playback information for each of a plurality of users, and configured to provide media playback information of a given user from said media listening server to at least one client device associated with other user, where the media playback information identifies a particular digital media asset that is being played at a client device of the given user.

2. A remote listening server as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of said media listening server and said central media repository are configured to facilitate playing of the particular digital media asset at a client device associated with the other user, whereby the other user can in effect hear the particular digital media asset that is playing at the client device of the given user.

3. A remote listening server as recited in claim 1, wherein prior to the client device of the other user playing the particular digital media asset, the given user must approve the other user to participate in remote media listening.

4. A remote listening server as recited in claim 1, wherein prior to the client device of the other user playing the particular digital media asset, said media listening server determines whether the other user is a member of a group authorize to participate in remote media listening.

5. A remote listening server as recited in claim 1, wherein the particular digital media asset is played on the client device of the at least one other user.

6. A remote listening server as recited in claim 1, wherein the particular digital media asset is played from at least one of said media listening server and said central media repository to the client device associated with the other user.

7. A remote listening server as recited in claim 1, wherein the particular digital media asset is located in said central media repository and streamed from at least one of said media listening server and said central media repository to the client device associated with the other user.

8. A remote listening server as recited in claim 1, wherein the client device associated with the other user does not store a complete playable copy of the particular digital media asset.

9. A remote listening server as recited in claim 8,

wherein prior to the client device of the other user receiving the media playback information of the given user, the given user must approve the other user to participate in remote media listening,

wherein the particular digital media asset pertains to a song, and wherein the client device of the other user plays the song, whereby the other user can in effect hear the media playback of the song that the given user is playing.

10. A method for sharing digital media playback information between different computing devices, said method comprising:

determining whether media information sharing is enabled for the first computing device;

determining whether media playback on a first computing device is active; and

sending media playback information from the first computing device to a media listening server if it is determined that (i) media information sharing is enabled for the first computing device, and (ii) media playback on the first computing device is active and.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein said method further comprises:

subsequently sending updated media playback information from the first computing device to the media listening server.

12. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein said method further comprises:

determining whether updated media playback information should be sent to the media listening server; and

subsequently sending the media updated playback information from the first computing device to the media listening server.

13. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the media playback information identifies a digital media asset being played on the first computing device.

14. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the media playback information identifies (i) a digital media asset being played on the first computing device, and (ii) a playback position reference for the playback of the digital media asset on the first computing device.

15. A computer-implemented method for receiving recommendations for digital media assets, said method comprising:

displaying, at a local client machine, one or more remote listening targets that are available to a user of a local client machine;

displaying, at the local client machine, an indication of whether and/or what one or more digital media assets the one or more remote listening targets are currently playing;

receiving a selection of one of the one or more remote listening targets;

requesting media content corresponding to a digital media asset currently playing at the selected one of the remote listening targets;

receiving, at the local client machine, the requested media content corresponding to the digital media asset currently playing at the selected one of the remote listening targets; and

presenting the requested media content at the local client machine.

16. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 15, wherein in order for the one or more remote listening targets to be available to the user of the local client machine, users associated with the one or more remote listening targets are required to authorize remote listening generally or with respect to the user of the local client machine.

17. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 15, wherein said receiving of the requested media content comprises receiving media content data over a network from a central media repository.

18. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 15, wherein said receiving of the requested media content comprises arranging a peer-to-peer network connection between the local client machine and the selected one of the remote listening targets.

19. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 15, wherein the digital media assets are songs.

20. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 15, wherein the digital media assets are videos.

21. A method for listening digital media assets, said method comprising:

receiving now playing information pertaining to a digital media asset being played by an acquaintance on a remote client device;

requesting to listen to the digital media asset being played on the remote client device;

receiving, at a local client device, media content for the digital media asset via a network from a central media storage; and

playing the media content for the digital media asset at the local client device.

22. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein said playing of the media content for the digital media asset at a local client device is substantially synchronized with play back of the digital media asset at the remote client device.

23. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the now playing information is received from a central server that stores now playing information for a plurality of remote client devices.

24. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein prior to receiving the media content for the digital media asset from the central media storage, said method comprises:

determining whether the local client device is authorized to listen to the digital media asset being played on the remote client device.

25. A computer readable storage medium including at least executable computer program code stored thereon for sharing digital media playback information between different computing devices, said computer readable storage medium comprising:

computer program code for determining whether remote media listening is enabled for the first computing device; and

computer program code for sending media playback information from the first computing device to a media listening server if it is determined that remote media listening is enabled for the first computing device.