US 11,706,729 B2
Synchronized playback and control of media
Thomas Alsina, Mountain View, CA (US); Taylor G. Carrigan, San Francisco, CA (US); Szu-Wen Huang, Union City, CA (US); Eric S. Lee, Mountain View, CA (US); William M. Bachman, San Jose, CA (US); Jeffrey L. Robbin, Los Altos, CA (US); Steve S. Gedikian, Redwood City, CA (US); Nicholas J. Paulson, San Francisco, CA (US); Gregory R. Chapman, San Jose, CA (US); David P. Saracino, San Francisco, CA (US); and Steven P. Bischoff, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to APPLE INC., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/707,576.
Application 16/449,988 is a division of application No. 15/425,068, filed on Feb. 6, 2017, abandoned.
Application 17/707,576 is a continuation of application No. 16/449,988, filed on Jun. 24, 2019, granted, now 11,304,160.
Application 15/425,068 is a continuation of application No. 14/871,839, filed on Sep. 30, 2015, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2022/0295436 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04W 56/00 (2009.01); H04L 67/104 (2022.01); G06F 3/16 (2006.01); H04N 21/4363 (2011.01); H04N 21/439 (2011.01); H04N 21/4788 (2011.01); H04N 21/482 (2011.01); H04N 21/43 (2011.01); H04L 65/60 (2022.01); H04W 4/08 (2009.01); H04W 84/18 (2009.01)
CPC H04W 56/0015 (2013.01) [G06F 3/165 (2013.01); H04L 65/60 (2013.01); H04L 67/104 (2013.01); H04N 21/4307 (2013.01); H04N 21/439 (2013.01); H04N 21/43076 (2020.08); H04N 21/43637 (2013.01); H04N 21/4788 (2013.01); H04N 21/4825 (2013.01); H04W 4/08 (2013.01); H04W 84/18 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for synchronizing a digital audio stream for member devices of a group, the method comprising, at a first one of the member devices that form the group:
maintaining a member list of the member devices of the group, wherein the group comprises devices that join an ad hoc group;
maintaining a queue of media content including at least one track for distribution to the member devices;
receiving a command from another one of the member devices;
updating the queue based on the command,
distributing updates to the queue to other member devices;
determining a master clock from amongst a plurality of clock sources available to the member devices; and
synchronizing performance of the received command at each member device based on the updates, the master clock, and an anchor time of the at least one track relative to the master clock.