A system is described for maintaining synchrony of operations among a plurality of devices that have independent clocking arrangements. The system includes a task distribution device that distributes tasks to a synchrony group comprising a plurality of devices that are to perform the tasks distributed by the task distribution device in synchrony. The task distribution device distributes each task to the members of the synchrony group over a network. Each task is associated with a time stamp that indicates a time, relative to a clock maintained by the task distribution device, at which the members of the synchrony group are to execute the task. Each member of the synchrony group periodically obtains from the task distribution device an indication of the current time indicated by its clock, determines a time differential between the task distribution device's clock and its respective clock and determines therefrom a time at which, according to its respective clock, the time stamp indicates that it is to execute the task.

Examples described herein relate to music discovery. In one aspect, a method is provided that involves (a) receiving by a computing device an indication of a search tool from among a plurality of search tools, where each search tool of the plurality of search tools is associated with at least one respective media service, (b) receiving by the computing device an indication of a media characteristic, where the computing device receives the media characteristic via the indicated search tool, (c) selecting by the computing device one or more of the at least one respective media service that maintains media associated with the indicated media characteristic, and (d) sending by the computing device an indication of the selected one or more of the at least one respective media service.

Organizing and publishing content in a content management system wherein content, including text, images and video, is received and segmented into content atoms. One or more tags are associated with the content atoms to allow device specific presentation of the content atoms.

A process for recognizing and responding to a detected audio inquiry by gathering information distributed amongst users and providing a calculated result includes monitoring audio communications and detecting an audio inquiry from a first electronic communication device. It is determined then the audio inquiry is of a distributed information gathering and mathematical operation type and, in response, a plurality of target electronic communication devices that are capable of providing partial answers to the audio inquiry are identified and a request for a partial answer transmitted to each. Corresponding partial answers are received and a mathematical operation performed on the partial answers to generate a final answer to the audio inquiry different from the corresponding partial answers. The final answer is then provided to the first electronic communication device.

A process for recognizing and responding to a detected audio inquiry by gathering information distributed amongst users and providing a calculated result includes monitoring audio communications and detecting an audio inquiry from a first electronic communication device. It is determined then the audio inquiry is of a distributed information gathering and mathematical operation type and, in response, a plurality of target electronic communication devices that are capable of providing partial answers to the audio inquiry are identified and a request for a partial answer transmitted to each. Corresponding partial answers are received and a mathematical operation performed on the partial answers to generate a final answer to the audio inquiry different from the corresponding partial answers. The final answer is then provided to the first electronic communication device.

Methods, systems, and apparatus for monitoring a sound are described. An audio signal is obtained and the audio signal is analyzed to generate an audio signature. An object type is identified based on the audio signature and an action corresponding to the object type is identified.

Methods, systems, and apparatus for monitoring a sound are described. An audio signal is obtained and the audio signal is analyzed to generate an audio signature. An object type is identified based on the audio signature and an action corresponding to the object type is identified.

An example electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device includes a communication circuit for communicating with a server storing information on a plurality of clips and storing keywords by the plurality of clips; an output device; an input device; and a processor which, when a voice uttered by a user is received via the input device, transmits a clip request signal to the server, based on a keyword included in the received uttered voice and information on content outputted by the output device, and outputs a short clip via the output device, based on information on the short clip received from the server in response to the request signal.

An example electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device includes a communication circuit for communicating with a server storing information on a plurality of clips and storing keywords by the plurality of clips; an output device; an input device; and a processor which, when a voice uttered by a user is received via the input device, transmits a clip request signal to the server, based on a keyword included in the received uttered voice and information on content outputted by the output device, and outputs a short clip via the output device, based on information on the short clip received from the server in response to the request signal.

A matching machine accordingly accesses a query fingerprint that includes query sub-fingerprints that have been generated from query segments of a portion of query audio. After selecting reference sub-fingerprints for comparison to the query sub-fingerprints, the matching machine identifies a best-matching subset of the reference sub-fingerprints by evaluating total matches between the query sub-fingerprints and different subsets of the reference sub-fingerprints. The match machine then generates a count vector that stores the total counts mapped to respective offsets from a reference point in the reference sub-fingerprints. The matching machine determines a maximum count among the total counts and classifies the reference sub-fingerprints as a match with the query sub-fingerprints based on the maximum count.