Abstract: Systems, devices, apparatuses, components, methods, and techniques for repetitive-motion activity enhancement based upon media content selection are provided. An example media-playback device for enhancement of a repetitive-motion activity includes a media-output device that plays media content items, a plurality of media content selection engines, and a repetitive-activity enhancement mode selection engine. The plurality of media content selection engines includes a cadence-based media content selection engine and an enhancement program engine. The cadence-based media content selection engine is configured to select media content items based on a cadence associated with the repetitive-motion activity. The enhancement program engine is configured to select a media content items according to an enhancement program for the repetitive-motion activity.

Abstract: A target device is associated with a source device. A system includes a target device that enters an association mode, obtains an identification code, and broadcasts the identification code. A source device receives the broadcast, obtains authorization to associate with the target device, and provides a message to an association server. The association server receives the message and associates the target device and the source device in response thereto.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for human-machine interfaces for utterance-based playlist selection are disclosed. In one method, a list of playlists is traversed and a portion of each is audibly output until a playlist command is received. Based on the playlist command, the traversing is stopped and a playlist is selected for playback. In examples, the list of playlists is modified based on a modification input.

Abstract: A method is performed at a server system of a media-providing service. The server system has one or more processors and memory storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors. The method includes receiving a text sentence including a plurality of words from a device of a first user and extracting a plurality of audio snippets from one or more audio tracks. A respective audio snippet in the plurality of audio snippets corresponds to one or more words in the plurality of words of the text sentence. The method also includes assembling the plurality of audio snippets in a first order to produce an audible version of the text sentence. The method further includes providing, for playback at the device of the first user, the audible version of the text sentence including the plurality of audio snippets in the first order.

Abstract: Media content playback is based on an identified geographic location of a sound source. A geolocation of a target venue is determined. A first geolocation of a media playback device is determined. An indication that the media playback device is within a threshold distance of the target venue is received. Media content associated with the target venue is transferred to the media playback device, wherein one or more characteristics of the media content are dynamically modified to simulate audio originating from the target device. The one or more characteristics of the media content can include audio content characteristics associated with a timing filter, a loudness filter, and a timbre filter.

Abstract: In general, this disclosure concerns media streaming. Among other things, the present disclosure presents a first media item for streaming from a computer server system to a media device. The first media item has an audio format. Furthermore, the first media item comprises a number of media segments, wherein each one of the number of media segments is identifiable by a media segment identifier. Still further, one or several of the number of media segments is/are associated with a respective second media item corresponding to a respective media segment identifier. The second media item(s) typically has/have a media format other than audio.

Abstract: An electronic device associated with a media-providing service receives a first set of audio streams corresponding to a plurality of microphones. The electronic device generates a second set of audio streams from the first set of audio streams. The second set of audio streams corresponds to a plurality of independent voices and in some cases, ambient noise. The electronic device detects a beginning of a voice command to play media content from the media-providing service in a first audio stream. The electronic device also detects an end of the voice command in the first audio stream. The end of the voice command overlaps with speech in a second audio stream in the second set of audio streams. In response to detecting the voice command, the electronic device plays the media content from the media-providing service.

Abstract: Affinity scores are computed for a plurality of user accounts, each affinity score quantifies an affinity of a user account to a content creator of one or more digital objects hosted in a content hosting platform. Each affinity score is computed by collecting interaction data for the user account corresponding to the content creator, normalizing the collected interaction data using a total activity data of the user account on the content hosting platform and attribute data associated with the content creator, and generating the affinity score using the normalized interaction data.

Abstract: A computer receives a first audio content item and applies a process to generate a representation of first audio content item. A portion is extracted from the representation of the first audio content item. A first representative vector that corresponds to the first audio content item is determined by applying a variational autoencoder (VAE) to a first segment of the extracted portion the audio content item. The computer stores the first representative vector that corresponds to the first audio content item.

Abstract: Systems, devices, apparatuses, components, methods, and techniques for predicting user and media-playback device states are provided. Systems, devices, apparatuses, components, methods, and techniques for media content item caching on a media-playback device are also provided. Systems, devices, apparatuses, components, methods, and techniques for predicting a destination are also provided.

Abstract: A system is provided for streaming media content in a vehicle. The system includes a personal media streaming appliance system configured to connect to a media delivery system and receive media content from the media delivery system at least via a cellular network. The personal media streaming appliance system operates to transmit a media signal representative to the received media content to a vehicle media playback system so that the vehicle media playback system operates to play the media content in the vehicle.

Abstract: A system and method for voice control of a media playback device is disclosed. The method includes receiving an instruction of a voice command, converting the voice command to text, transmitting the text command to the playback device, and having the playback device execute the command. An instruction may include a command to play a set of audio tracks, and the media playback device plays the set of audio tracks upon receiving the instruction.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for detecting wake words. An electronic device detects an audio signal; identifies two spatial zones as first and second sources of audio associated with the audio signal; processes the audio signal at two wake word detection engines, where each detection engine is associated with a respective spatial zone; determines, based on the processing at the wake word detection engines, whether the audio signal represents a wake word for the electronic device; and in accordance with a determination that the audio signal does represent a wake word, adjusts a wake word detection threshold for at least one of the wake word detection engines.

Abstract: A target device is associated with a source device. A system includes a target device that enters an association mode, obtains an identification code, and broadcasts the identification code. A source device receives the broadcast, obtains authorization to associate with the target device, and provides a message to an association server. The association server receives the message and associates the target device and the source device in response thereto.

Abstract: An electronic device receives audio data for a media item. The electronic device generates, from the audio data, a plurality of samples, each sample having a predefined maximum length. The electronic device, using a neural network trained to predict character probabilities, generates a probability matrix of characters for a first portion of a first sample of the plurality of samples. The probability matrix includes character information, timing information, and respective probabilities of respective characters at respective times. The electronic device identifies, for the first portion of the first sample, a first sequence of characters based on the generated probability matrix.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for accessing content based on an image. The method comprises comparing an image to a database of images, each of the images of the database being associated with at least one corresponding audio track, identifying those ones images of the database that correspond to the image, and identifying the at least one corresponding audio track that corresponds to the identified images. In one example aspect, the method also comprises presenting the audio track to a user. Corresponding metadata also can be presented. The images may be classified by, e.g., genre, musical album, concept, or the like, and, in cases where an input image is determined to belong to any such classes, audio content and/or metadata relating thereto are identified and presented to the user.

Abstract: A call to action processor receives an entity datapoint containing data related to an entity, a campaign objective datapoint containing data associated with a campaign objective, at least one definite script element based on the campaign objective, and entity metadata containing data associated with the entity. The call to action further performs generating at least one variable script element based on the entity metadata, presenting to a device the at least one definite script element the at least one variable script element.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products are provided personalizing recommendations of items with associated explanations. The example embodiments described herein use contextual bandits to personalize explainable recommendations (“recsplanations”) as treatments (“Bart”). Bart learns and predicts satisfaction (e.g., click-through rate, consumption probability) for any combination of item, explanation, and context and, through logging and contextual bandit retraining, can learn from its mistakes in an online setting.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, described herein is a system and method for providing access to digital media content within a conversational messaging environment, through the use of a conversational agent, generally referred to as a “bot”. A media content bot leverages a user's interaction with the bot, to access a media server, which in turn can determine one or more recommended items of media content that are appropriate for the user and/or their interaction. The recommended media content can be provided to the user, or to a media device, in the form of a link, playlist, or other type of reference by which the user can stream, download, access, or otherwise use the recommended media content. In accordance with various embodiments, the media content bot and media server can support atypical or other user inputs in addition to text inputs, for example the use of emojis, and respond accordingly.

Abstract: A method for controlling media presentation is disclosed. In some implementations, the method is performed at a first electronic device having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors. The first electronic device displays a webpage including a control element, such as a “play” button. The webpage originates from a webpage server. The first electronic device receives a user input, such as a mouse click, selecting the control element. In response to the user input, the first electronic device sends a media control request to a media server. The media control request is configured to cause the media server to control presentation of first media content at a second electronic device associated with the user, wherein the second electronic device is different from the first electronic device, and wherein the media server is different from the webpage server.