US 11,973,998 B2
Media content casting in network-connected television devices
Saleh Altayyar, Modesto, CA (US); and Sourav Basu, Fremont, CA (US)
Assigned to GOOGLE LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed by Google LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/670,929.
Application 17/670,929 is a continuation of application No. 16/919,984, filed on Jul. 2, 2020, granted, now 11,252,461.
Application 16/919,984 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2020/022789, filed on Mar. 13, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0167038 A1, May 26, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04N 21/258 (2011.01); H04N 21/254 (2011.01); H04N 21/262 (2011.01); H04N 21/2668 (2011.01)
CPC H04N 21/25891 (2013.01) [H04N 21/2542 (2013.01); H04N 21/25883 (2013.01); H04N 21/26258 (2013.01); H04N 21/2668 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
at a network-connected television (TV) device having one or more processors and memory storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors, wherein the network-connected TV device is linked to a user account in a virtual user domain hosted by a server system:
executing a unified TV application to enable display of a unified user interface on the network-connected TV device, the unified TV application being associated with media player applications and a local content casting application including a plurality of receiver modules, each receiver module corresponding to a media content source for a media player application;
displaying on the unified user interface a plurality of selectable information items that correspond to media content items;
receiving a user action on a first selectable information item corresponding to a first media content item; and
in response to the user action on the first selectable information item, and in accordance with a determination that the unified TV application is operating in a restricted mode and a determination that a first media player application associated with the first media content item does not operate in the restricted mode, requesting the local content casting application to play the first media content item on the network-connected TV device in the restricted mode, the local content casting application obtaining the first media content item from a first receiver module associated with a first media content source for the first media content item.