Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for transitioning media playback between multiple electronic devices

• US 9,912,978 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2013
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Dudley, James Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Chea, Philip
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ma, Wing
• Application Number:
  US13/953,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20150032812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,681 Days
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4431 characterized by the use of Application Program Interface [API] libraries

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for transitioning media playback between multiple electronic devices are provided. A first electronic subsystem may be configured to playback first media with a first playback value of a first playback characteristic, determine a first relationship value of a first relationship characteristic between the first electronic subsystem and the second electronic subsystem, and transmit a first control instruction that is based on the determined first relationship value and the first playback value. The second electronic subsystem may be configured to receive the transmitted first control instruction and playback second media with a second playback value of the first playback characteristic, where the second playback value may be based on the received first control instruction. This may enable a consistent experience for a user proximate to the first subsystem as the playback of media is transitioned from the first subsystem to the second subsystem.

Claims

1. An electronic system comprising:

a sensor;

a processor;

a memory; and

a media playback component, wherein the memory comprises computer readable code which, when executed by the processor, causes the system to;

playback media, at a first moment in time and by the media playback component, with a first playback value of a playback characteristic, wherein the playback characteristic comprises at least one of the following;

volume level, spectral content, brightness level, or white point;

determine, at a second moment in time after the first moment in time, a relationship value of a relationship characteristic between the electronic system and a second electronic system, wherein the relationship characteristic comprises position information for the electronic system in relation to the second electronic system;

transition, at a third moment in time after the second moment in time, playback of the media to the second electronic system, wherein the transition comprises stopping the playback of the media by the media playback component and starting playback of the media by the second electronic system;

receive, at a fourth moment in time after the transition and from the sensor of the electronic system, a second playback value of the playback characteristic of the media, the sensor sensing the second playback value during playback of the media by the second electronic system after the transition;

generate an adjustment instruction based on the relationship value and a comparison of the first playback value and the second playback value; and

transmit the adjustment instruction to the second electronic system, the adjustment instruction dictating an adjusted value of the playback characteristic for the media played back by the second electronic system at a fifth moment in time after the transition.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the position information comprises one or more of:

a distance between the system and the second electronic system; and

an orientation between the system and the second electronic system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the relationship value is determined during playback of the media with the first playback value by the media playback component of the system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer readable code, when executed by the processor, further causes the system to:

determine, before the transition, an ambient value of the environment associated with the system, wherein the adjustment instruction is further based on the determined ambient value.

5. A method, comprising:

playing back media, at a first moment in time and by a media playback component of a first electronic system, with a first playback value of a playback characteristic, wherein the playback characteristic comprises at least one of the following;

volume level, spectral content, brightness level, or white point;

determining, at a second moment in time after the first moment in time, a relationship value of a relationship characteristic between the first electronic system and a second electronic system, wherein the relationship characteristic comprises position information for the first electronic system in relation to the second electronic system;

transitioning, at a third moment in time after the second moment in time, playback of the media to the second electronic system, wherein the transition comprises stopping the playback of the media by the media playback component of the first electronic system and starting playback of the media by a media playback component of the second electronic system;

receiving, at a fourth moment in time after the transition and from a sensor of the first electronic system, a second playback value of the playback characteristic of the media, the sensor sensing the second playback value during playback of the media by the media playback component of the second electronic system after the transition;

generating an adjustment instruction that is based, at least in part, on the relationship value and a comparison of the first playback value and the second playback value; and

transmitting the adjustment instruction to the second electronic system, the adjustment instruction dictating an adjusted value of the playback characteristic for the media played back by the second electronic system at a fifth moment in time after the transition.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the position information comprises one or more of:

a distance between the first and second electronic systems; and

an orientation between the first and second electronic systems.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the relationship value is determined, at least partially, during playback of the media with the first playback value by the media playback component of the first electronic system.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining, before the transition, an ambient value of the environment associated with the first electronic system, wherein the adjustment instruction is further based on the determined ambient value.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing data comprising instructions, the instructions executable by one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to:

cause, at a first moment in time, a media playback component of a first electronic system to playback media with a first playback value of a playback characteristic, wherein the playback characteristic comprises at least one of the following;

volume level, spectral content, brightness level, or white point;

determine, at a second moment in time after the first moment in time, a relationship value of a relationship characteristic between the first electronic system and a second electronic system, wherein the relationship characteristic comprises position information for the first electronic system in relation to the second electronic system;

cause, at a third moment in time after the second moment in time, the first electronic system to transition playback of the media to the second electronic system, wherein the transition comprises stopping the playback of the media by the media playback component of the first electronic system and starting playback of the media by a media playback component of the second electronic system;

receive, at a fourth moment in time after the transition and from a sensor of the first electronic system, a second playback value of the playback characteristic of the media, the sensor sensing the second playback value during playback of the media by the media playback component of the second electronic system after the transition;

generate an adjustment instruction that is based, at least in part, on the relationship value and a comparison of the first playback value and the second playback value; and

transmit the adjustment instruction to the second electronic system, the adjustment instruction dictating an adjusted value of the playback characteristic for the media played back by the second electronic system at a fifth moment in time after the transition.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the position information comprises one or more of:

a distance between the first electronic system and the second electronic system; and

an orientation between the first electronic system and the second electronic system.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the relationship value is determined, at least partially, during playback of the media with the first playback value by the media playback component of the first electronic system.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

determine, before the transition, an ambient value of the environment associated with the first electronic system, wherein the adjustment instruction is further based on the determined ambient value.

13. An electronic system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory; and

a media playback component, wherein the memory comprises computer readable code which, when executed by the processor, causes the system to;

playback, by the media playback component, media at a first moment in time using a first playback value of a playback characteristic of the media in response to the playback of the media being transitioned to the electronic system from a second electronic system at a second moment in time that is earlier than the first moment in time, wherein the playback characteristic comprises at least one of the following;

volume level, spectral content, brightness level, or white point, and wherein the transition comprises stopping the playback of the media by a media playback component of the second electronic system and starting playback of the media by the media playback component of the electronic system;

receive, by the system, an adjustment instruction at a third moment in time after the transition and during the playback of the media by the media playback component of the electronic system, the adjustment instruction being generated based, at least in part, on a relationship value of a relationship characteristic between the electronic system and the second electronic system and on a comparison of the first playback value of the playback characteristic and a second playback value of the playback characteristic that is associated with the second electronic system, wherein the relationship characteristic comprises position information for the electronic system in relation to the second electronic system; and

adjust, during the playback of the media, the first playback value of the playback characteristic based on the adjustment instruction, wherein the adjustment instruction dictates an adjusted value of the playback characteristic for the media played back by the media playback component of the electronic system at a fourth moment in time after the transition.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the position information comprises one or more of:

a distance between the system and the second electronic system.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the position information comprises an orientation between the system and the second electronic system.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the first playback value of the playback characteristic is sensed by a sensor of the second electronic system after the transition.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first playback value is sensed based, at least in part, on instructing a user to maintain the sensor in a particular fashion with respect to the media playback component.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the first playback value of the playback characteristic is sensed by the sensor after the transition.

19. A method, comprising:

playing back, by a media playback component of a first electronic system, media at a first moment in time using a first playback value of a playback characteristic of the media in response to the playback of the media being transitioned to the first electronic system from a second electronic system at a second moment in time that is earlier than the first moment in time, wherein the playback characteristic comprises at least one of the following;

volume level, spectral content, brightness level, or white point, and wherein the transition comprises stopping the playback of the media by a media playback component of the second electronic system and starting playback of the media by the media playback component of the first electronic system;

receiving, by the first electronic system, an adjustment instruction at a third moment in time after the transition and during the playback of the media by the media playback component of the first electronic system, the adjustment instruction being generated based, at least in part, on a relationship value of a relationship characteristic between the first and second electronic systems and on a comparison of the first playback value of the playback characteristic and a second playback value of the playback characteristic that is associated with the second electronic system, wherein the relationship characteristic comprises position information for the first electronic system in relation to the second electronic system; and

adjusting, during the playback of the media, the first playback value of the playback characteristic based on the adjustment instruction, wherein the adjustment instruction dictates an adjusted value of the playback characteristic for the media played back by the media playback component of the first electronic system at a fourth moment in time after the transition.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the position information comprises a distance between the media playback component and the second electronic system.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the position information comprises an orientation between the first electronic system and the second electronic system.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the first playback value of the playback characteristic is sensed by a sensor of the second electronic system.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first playback value is sensed based, at least in part, on instructing a user to maintain the sensor in a particular fashion with respect to the media playback component of the first electronic system.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the first playback value of the playback characteristic is sensed by the sensor after the transition.

25. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing data comprising instructions, the instructions executable by one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to:

cause a media playback component of a first electronic system to playback media at a first moment in time using a first playback value of a playback characteristic of the media in response to the playback of the media being transitioned to the first electronic system from a second electronic system at a second moment in time that is earlier than the first moment, wherein the playback characteristic comprises at least one of the following;

volume level, spectral content, brightness level, or white point, and wherein the transition comprises stopping the playback of the media by a media playback component of the second electronic system and starting playback of the media by the media playback component of the first electronic system;

receive an adjustment instruction at a third moment in time after the transition and during the playback of the media by the media playback component of the first electronic system, the adjustment instruction being generated based, at least in part, on a relationship value of a relationship characteristic between the first and second electronic systems and on a comparison of the first playback value of the playback characteristic and a second playback value of the playback characteristic that is associated with the second electronic system, wherein the relationship characteristic comprises position information for the first electronic system in relation to the second electronic system; and

adjust, during the playback of the media, the first playback value of the playback characteristic based on the adjustment instruction, wherein the adjustment instruction dictates an adjusted value of the playback characteristic for the media played back by the media playback component of the first electronic system at a fourth moment in time after the transition.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the position information comprises a distance between the media playback component and the second electronic system.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the position information comprises an orientation between the first electronic system and the second electronic system.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the first playback value of the playback characteristic is sensed by a sensor of the second electronic system.

29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein the first playback value is sensed based, at least in part, on instructing a user to maintain the sensor in a particular fashion with respect to the media playback component of the first electronic system.

30. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein the first playback value of the playback characteristic is sensed by the sensor after the transition.