Abstract: A device receives a time-based restriction for usage by a first user with respect to an application, a website or a device-level function. The device receives encrypted data indicating a usage by the first user on a second device with respect to the application, website or device-level function. The device determines that at least one of the usage by the first user on the second device or a usage by the first user on the device with respect to the application, website or device-level function violates the time-based restriction. The device provides, in response to the determining, a notification that the time-based restriction has been violated by the first user.

Abstract: Methods and systems provide for coordinated control between multiple devices of playback of a media track or playlist. The multiple devices may form an ad-hoc network for sharing control of media. A control device may coordinate control of the playlist and facilitate playback of the media at a playback device. Then when the control device leaves the group, a second device in the group will seamlessly become the control device and control playback and playlist coordination. The playback device may also be the control device. The playback advice may be a network-enabled speaker. Where the playback device is separate from the control device, the playback device may maintain sufficient information to operate without a control device until a new control device is selected.

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.

Abstract: The techniques utilize a user's recommendation data to choose a presentation template. Each presentation template includes a plurality of media asset slots, each of which is associated with a certain type of media asset. For example, each media asset slot generally may be assigned to a playlist, album, composer, or music video. Further, each of these general assignments may further specify that the playlist, album, composer, or music video be from a known artist, familiar artist, recommended artist, or unknown artist, for example. Once the appropriate presentation template has been chosen along with the recommended media content for each of the plurality of media asset slots, the media asset slots are associated with the selected media content.

Abstract: Methods and systems provide for coordinated control between multiple devices of playback of a media track or playlist. The multiple devices may form an ad-hoc network for sharing control of media. A control device may coordinate control of the playlist and facilitate playback of the media at a playback device. Then when the control device leaves the group, a second device in the group will seamlessly become the control device and control playback and playlist coordination. The playback device may also be the control device. The playback advice may be a network-enabled speaker. Where the playback device is separate from the control device, the playback device may maintain sufficient information to operate without a control device until a new control device is selected.

Abstract: A device receives a time-based restriction for usage by a first user with respect to an application, a website or a device-level function. The device receives encrypted data indicating a usage by the first user on a second device with respect to the application, website or device-level function. The device determines that at least one of the usage by the first user on the second device or a usage by the first user on the device with respect to the application, website or device-level function violates the time-based restriction. The device provides, in response to the determining, a notification that the time-based restriction has been violated by the first user.

Abstract: The embodiments set forth a technique for enabling a computing device to securely configure a peripheral computing device. According to some embodiments, the method can include the steps of (1) approving a request received from the peripheral computing device to engage in a setup procedure for the peripheral computing device, (2) receiving, from the peripheral computing device: (i) an audio signal that encodes a password and timing information, and (ii) a light signal. Additionally, the method can involve, in response to identifying that the timing information correlates with the light signal: (3) extracting the password from the audio signal, and (4) establishing a communication link with the peripheral computing device based on the password. In turn, the method can involve (5) providing configuration information to the peripheral computing device over the communication link.

Abstract: Generating a customized playlist may include identifying a user account for which a playlist is to be generated, where the user account is associated with a user listening history, a taste profile, and a social profile, identifying one or more friend accounts linked to the user account based on the social profile, obtaining an indication of a plurality of songs associated with one or more of the friend accounts, determining a listening history for the one or more plurality of songs based on the friend accounts, obtaining a subset of the plurality of songs based on the listening history of the plurality of songs, and generating a playlist from the subset of the plurality of songs.

Abstract: A device receives a time-based restriction for usage by a first user with respect to an application, a website or a device-level function. The device receives encrypted data indicating a usage by the first user on a second device with respect to the application, website or device-level function. The device determines that at least one of the usage by the first user on the second device or a usage by the first user on the device with respect to the application, website or device-level function violates the time-based restriction. The device provides, in response to the determining, a notification that the time-based restriction has been violated by the first user.

Abstract: This application relates to a client-server architecture that enables user accounts registered with a service to be discoverable to other users of the service. A discovery protocol includes accessing personal information data stored in an address book of a client device, obfuscating the personal information data, transmitting a request to a service to determine if the obfuscated personal information data matches any potential contacts that have registered as discoverable with the service, and comparing information related to the potential contacts with the contacts included in the address book to determine if the contacts in the address book match any of the potential contacts.

Abstract: Server-side authentication of user accounts by using multiple authentication tokens and transmission of update statement to users for updates to applications installed on their devices. Prompting users that updates are available upon determining that a threshold event has occurred and if requisite network and situational conditions exist. Batching and sending notifications or requests for authentications that are required for each application update that is currently ready for download.

Abstract: In some implementations, a computing device can transfer a playback queue between the computing device and a playback device. For example, the computing device can detect when the computing device is within a threshold distance of a playback device. The computing device can establish a connection to the playback device and receive state information describing the media playback state of the playback device. The computing device can determine the media playback state of the computing device. The computing device can present graphical user interfaces for initiating a transfer of a playback queue between the computing device and the playback device based on the playback state of the devices. The computing device can initiate a transfer of the playback queue in response to user input to one of the graphical user interfaces or automatically based on the context of the computing device.

Abstract: Methods and systems provide synchronized sharing of multimedia between multiple devices. The multiple devices may form an ad-hoc network for sharing of multimedia. In an embodiment, group members may have playlist manipulation privileges such as pausing, rewinding, fast forwarding, or adding tracks to the playlist. A system may stream or distribute content according to the shared playlist. Playback may be synchronized for group members so that everyone is exposed to a same part of the content as the same time.

Abstract: Some implementations allow users to create and share data including playlists. Such playlists may be subscribed to by other users. Changes to such playlists, such as updates by the curator of the playlist, must be propagated to subscribers in a timely manner while efficiently utilizing resources. Some implementations allow updates to be propagated using a push notification to cause client devices to request the update (push). Alternatively, updates may be made when the client devices of the subscribers next accesses the system (pull). An aggregator system may be used to make decisions on which users to send push notifications, and which users to wait to pull updates on their own. Additionally, the aggregator may determine that certain playlist updates should be distributed using push notifications. The aggregator may determine that only certain playlist subscribers should receive push notifications regarding playlist updates.

Abstract: In some implementations, a system can be configured to manage groups of playback devices. For example, playback devices can be dynamically grouped in a variety of ways. Each playback device can store attributes that define the group to which the playback device belongs. Each playback device can send its group attributes to remote control devices and the remote control devices can determine groups of playback devices based on the group attributes. The remote control devices can then configure and present graphical user interfaces that represent the various groups of playback devices. In some implementations, a group of playback devices can be configured as a persistent group. For example, a pair of playback devices (e.g., wireless speakers) can store and send attribute data indicating that the pair of playback devices is a persistent group so that remote control devices can present and control the persistent group as a single device.

Abstract: In some implementations, a system can be configured to route media data to playback devices based on a context associated with the media data. For example, the media data can include audio and/or video data associated with media items, such as music, movies, television shows, etc. The media data can include audio and/or video data generated by software, such as audio/video output from gaming applications and/or an operating system. The context can be determined based on the source of the media data and the media data can be routed to playback devices based on the determined context. For example, when the context is a media context associated with a media item source, the media data can be routed to remote playback devices for presentation. When the context is a system context associated with a software source, the media data can be presented by a local device.

Abstract: In some implementations a system can be configured to reduce the burden of pairing user devices with playback devices. For example, all users (or user devices) who commonly operate within a particular environment (e.g., a home) can be configured as authorized users of playback devices within the particular environment. When one of the authorized users pairs a user device with a playback device, all of the user devices for all authorized users can be automatically paired with the playback device as a result of the single pairing. Thus, only a single authorized user is burdened with the pairing process in order to pair all authorized users with the playback device.

Abstract: In some implementations, a system can be configured to allow remote control devices to quietly obtain status information related to various audio/video playback devices. For example, a streaming device (e.g., a user device, phone, etc.) can establish a streaming connection to a playback device. The playback device can be configured to only accept a single streaming connection (i.e., master connection). A remote control device (e.g., a user device, phone, etc.) can quietly connect (i.e., control connection) to the playback device without interrupting the master connection to obtain status information related to the playback device and or the media being streamed to the playback device. The remote control device can provide commands through the control connection to adjust the playback of the streamed media at the playback device.

Abstract: The embodiments set forth a technique for enabling a computing device to securely configure a peripheral computing device. According to some embodiments, the method can include the steps of (1) approving a request received from the peripheral computing device to engage in a setup procedure for the peripheral computing device, (2) receiving, from the peripheral computing device: (i) an audio signal that encodes a password and timing information, and (ii) a light signal. Additionally, the method can involve, in response to identifying that the timing information correlates with the light signal: (3) extracting the password from the audio signal, and (4) establishing a communication link with the peripheral computing device based on the password. In turn, the method can involve (5) providing configuration information to the peripheral computing device over the communication link.

Abstract: Users can share a content stream and can create and/or edit playlists that include content items of the content stream. Each user device, or a subset of the user devices, can edit the playback commands of the content stream once it is being shared. Playback of the content items is synchronized between the sharing devices. If one device is associated with a content restriction, an alternate version may be provided to that device. The two versions can still be played synchronously with one another.