Patent ID: 8469816
Filing Date: 2013-06-25
Classification: A63F,H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method implemented by one or more computing devices of a service provider that implement a network service, the method comprising: associating by the network service a plurality of user devices with a user account of the network service; maintaining data at the network service that describes characteristics of the plurality of user devices that are associated with the user account of the network service; forming a communication to be received by one of the plurality of user devices that includes a portion of the data maintained at the network service that pertains to another one of the plurality of user devices, the portion of the data enabling the receiving user device to discover the other one of the plurality of user devices to initiate a local network connection between the user devices that facilitates a companion experience between the user devices in which one of the receiving user device or the other one of the plurality of user devices is used to control content output at a different one of the receiving user device or the other one of the plurality of user devices; and communicating the formed communication to the receiving user device.