Apple wants you to be able to select a ‘leader’ device in a network of user devices

A newly filed patent patent (number 20220303888) shows that Apple wants you to be able to select a “leader” device in a network of user devices.

About the patent filing

Many network environments include multiple devices capable of performing various processing tasks. For example, a network environment can include a combination of computing devices, mobile devices, sensors, internet of things (IoT) devices, etc. 

In some instances, the devices in a network environment can be separated into clusters of devices within the network environment and assigned to a leader within each cluster. One or more of the clusters can work together to manage an automated environment within the network. However, in the patent filing, Apple notes that, given the many various types of devices and processing tasks, many challenges exist in managing the automated environment. The tech giant’s goal is to have a user be able to determine which Apple device is the “leader,” or primary, device for controlling other devices. 

Summary of the patent filing

Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent filing: “Techniques are disclosed for selecting a leader device from a cluster of user devices. In one example, a user device determines a series of metrics specifying capabilities of the user device. The user device can obtain a number of user identifiers (UIDs) from other user devices in the cluster providing respective series of metrics specifying capabilities of the other user devices in the cluster. 

“The user device can select a leader device based on a comparison of metrics for each user device as provided in the UIDs for the user devices. The user device can then notify the other user devices in the cluster of the selected leader device.”