Apple wants to make it easier to access multiple user accounts from its various devices. The company has been granted a patent for “Associating Multiple User Accounts With A Content Output Device.”
About the patent
It relates generally to associating user accounts with content streaming devices, including associating multiple user accounts with a content streaming device. In the patent data, Apple notes that a user may have multiple devices for accessing content from the user’s online content library. For example, the devices may be configured to output content from the user’s library, such as music and/or video.
For example, in some cases, a user may use his/her personal device (say, an iPhone or an Apple Watch) in order to remotely control the output of content on a content output device (e.g., a content output device such a digital media player or a smart speaker in the user’s household). The mobile device and the content output device may be connected to a local area network within the user’s household, and/or may be connected via a peer-to-peer connection.
However, the user may also wish to invite another user (e.g., a household member such as a roommate and/or a family member) to access the content output device. Apple’s patent involves a system for authorizing the other user (or users) to access content, e.g. from their own content library, on the content output device.
Summary of the patent
Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent: “A device implementing a system to associate a user account with a content output device includes at least one processor configured to receive an invitation to access content associated with a first user account on another device associated with a second user account, the other device being connected to a local area network.
Then at least one processor is further configured to send, to a server, a request for authorization to access the content associated with the first user account on the other device associated with the second user account, the request comprising information included with the invitation, and to receive, from the server, the authorization to access the content. The at least one processor is further configured to access, based at least in part on the authorization, the content associated with the first user account on the other device associated with the second user account.”
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