Abstract: Utterance-based user interfaces can include activation trigger processing techniques for detecting activation triggers and causing execution of certain commands associated with particular command pattern activation triggers without waiting for output from a separate speech processing engine. The activation trigger processing techniques can also detect speech analysis patterns and selectively activate a speech processing engine.

Abstract: Utterance-based user interfaces can include activation trigger processing techniques for detecting activation triggers and causing execution of certain commands associated with particular command pattern activation triggers without waiting for output from a separate speech processing engine. The activation trigger processing techniques can also detect speech analysis patterns and selectively activate a speech processing engine.

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: 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 media delivery system is configured to link a user media streaming account with a particular personal media streaming appliance to provide personalized media content to the appliance. Media contexts are assigned to multiple preset settings automatically so that the personal media streaming appliance system is configured to output personalized media content upon first use.

Abstract: An electronic device with one or more processors, memory and a display receives a first request to display a first video stream that corresponds to a first channel. In response to receiving the first request, the device starts to download the first video stream from a content source for the first video stream. After starting to download the first video stream, the device displays the first video stream and starts to preload one or more video streams including a second video stream that corresponds to a second channel that is adjacent to the first channel. While displaying the first video stream, the device receives a second request to display the second video stream. In response to receiving the second request, the device displays at least a portion of the second video stream using a preloaded portion of the second video stream.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for training and testing utterance based frameworks are disclosed. The training and testing can be conducting using synthetic utterance samples in addition to natural utterance samples. The synthetic utterance samples can be generated based on a vector space representation of natural utterances. In one method, a synthetic weight vector associated with a vector space is generated. An average representation of the vector space is added to the synthetic weight vector to form a synthetic feature vector. The synthetic feature vector is used to generate a synthetic voice sample. The synthetic voice sample is provided to the utterance-based framework as at least one of a testing or training sample.

Abstract: A source device being associated with an account uses playback of a media content item to cause a target device to become associated with the account. The target device enters an association mode and records a portion of the playing content. The target device provides the recording to a server that identifies the song (e.g., using a music fingerprint service) and uses the identification of the song to find the account that caused playback of the identified song. With the account identified, the server provides credentials of the account to target system. The target device accesses content or services using the account. As confirmation of receiving the credentials, the server causes playback of the content to transition to from the source device to the target device.

Abstract: Voice-based authentication can include methods, systems, devices, and computer program products for providing user-specific services or access based at least in part on an utterance. In one method, an audio clip having an utterance is obtained. The utterance has an activation trigger portion and a command portion. A first distance between a vector representation of the activation trigger portion and a registered activation trigger vector is determined; and a second distance between a vector representation of the command portion and a registered command vector is determined. Responsive to the first distance satisfying a first distance threshold, and the second distance satisfying a second distance threshold, access is provided to a service associated with a registered user.

Abstract: A method of remotely controlling an electronic device is disclosed. In some implementations, the method is performed on a server system. The server system receives, from a first electronic device, a first media control request, wherein the first electronic device provides a single user interface that allows a user to both select media content for presentation by the first electronic device and to generate media control requests for transmission to the server system; and the first electronic device also sends a second media control request to a second electronic device over a local area network to which both the first electronic device and the second electronic device are connected. The server system then sends the received first media control request to the second electronic device, distinct from the first electronic device, wherein the server system and the second electronic device are not on the same local area network.

Abstract: An electronic device accesses a listening history of a user of a media-providing service, and for each characteristic of a set of characteristics describing tracks provided by the media-providing service, determines a measure of divergence with respect to listening contexts for the listening history of the user. The electronic device identifies a characteristic that has a respective measure of divergence that satisfies a threshold indicative of a lack of uniformity in the listening history with respect to the listening contexts. The electronic device determines a representative value of the identified characteristic for a listening context corresponding to a current listening context of the user. The electronic device provides personalized content to a client device of the user based on the current listening context and representative value of the identified characteristic.

Abstract: A system, computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method for controlling a local utility are disclosed. A first request originating from an application and including a first token is received at a local utility. The application received a web page, including a plurality of links and the first token, from a first server. The plurality of links are received by the application from a second server. The first token is authenticated. Authentication includes sending the first token to a third server. In response to authenticating the first token, a second token is generated at the local utility. The second token is sent to the application for inclusion in subsequent requests from the application.

Abstract: A playlist preview is generated to provide a preview of media content items identified by a media playlist. The playlist preview can be created by selecting all or some of the media content items in the playlist, determining preview portions of the selected media content items, and arranging the preview portions with or without a transition effect. The playlist preview can be easily shared with other users through, for example, social media sites.

Abstract: An excerpt of a media object is extracted by computing, for each bar of an N-bar loop, one or more perceptual quality vectors. For each of the one or more perceptual quality vectors within a search zone (S), one or more distances between bar i and bar i+N is computed and sorted to generate a sorted list of bars.

Abstract: A media-playback device includes: a media-output device that plays media content items; a physiological measurement device programmed to measure at least one physiological measurement of a user of the media-output device; and a physiological control engine configured to: identify a current physiological measurement for the user; and cause the media-output device to modify playback of the media content items based upon the current physiological measurement.

Abstract: Systems, devices, apparatuses, components, methods, and techniques for cadence determination and media content selection are provided. An example media-playback device comprises a media-output device that plays media content items, a cadence-acquiring device, and a cadence-based media content selection engine. The cadence-acquiring device includes an accelerometer and a cadence-determination engine configured to determine a cadence based on acceleration data captured by the accelerometer. The cadence-based media content selection engine is configured to identify a media content item based on the cadence determined by the cadence-determining engine and cause the media-output device to playback the identified media content item.

Abstract: A system for multi-track playback of media content includes: a media device; a user interface, provided at the media device, which displays a visual array of media options, a playback logic, provided within the media device, which is configured so that, while a selected point or region is determined by the user interface as being moved in response to user input, within the visual array of media options, the system determines media options that are proximate to the selected point or region, and adjusts playback parameters for corresponding media content items, by crossfading or otherwise combining playback to reflect the media options relative distances from the selected point or region; and a tempo logic, provided within the media device, which is configured to provide or receive a selected tempo and provide the one or more media content items associated with the selected tempo.

Abstract: Systems, devices, apparatuses, components, methods, and techniques for building customized media programs for a specified duration are provided. An example media-playback device for generating customized media programs for a route to a specified duration includes a user preferences engine to determine a user's listening preferences, a duration engine to determine a duration of the route, and a duration-based media program engine for building a playlist of news and entertainment media content based on the duration of the route and the preferences of the user.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and/or devices for media context switching among electronic devices are described herein. In one aspect, a method is performed at a first electronic device. A first media item is played. While playing the first media item, a near-field-communication (NFC) channel is established with a second electronic device while the second electronic device is playing a second media item. First contextual data of the first electronic device is transferred via the NFC channel to the second electronic device, wherein the first contextual data corresponds to the first media item. A playback command for the second media item is received. In response to receiving the playback command for the second media item, the first electronic device plays the second media item.

Abstract: A method of providing voice feedback to a listener as part of a user interface of a media playback system may include: storing multiple different voice feedback recordings in at least one computer-readable storage device, where each of the multiple different voice feedback recordings is of a different voice artist; receiving a listener command corresponding to a musical selection; determining an identifying musical characteristic of the musical selection; selecting a first voice feedback recording from the multiple different voice feedback recordings, where the first voice feedback recording corresponds to the identifying musical characteristic; and playing the first voice feedback recording to the listener via the media playback system.

Abstract: A system operates to manage accessibility of media content items based on a user's performance of a repetitive motion activity. The system can generate rule data based on a rule designed to permit access to certain media content items. The rule data can include information about various conditions to be satisfied to make the media content items accessible for playback. Such conditions can be associated with a user's performance or status of a repetitive motion activity.