Management of media content playback

• US 10,026,439 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2016
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Yean-Nian W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Saunders, Jr., Joseph
• Application Number:
  US15/263,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20160379679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10 Digital recording or reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/00 Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F

Abstract

Example techniques may involve managing playback of media content by a playback device. In an example implementation, a playback device receives, from a media service provider, a first media item for playback. The playback device identifies one or more user accounts currently interfacing with the playback device. The playback device transmits, to a media system server, a first message indicating (i) the first media item and (ii) the identified one or more user accounts. After transmitting the first message, the playback device receives, from the media system server, a second message indicating that the first media item is not to be played by the playback device. Responsive to the second message, the playback device transmits, to the media service provider, a request for a second media item. The playback device plays the second media item via one or more speakers.

Claims

1. A playback device comprising:

a network interface;

one or more processors; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the playback device to perform functions comprising;

receiving, from a media service provider via the network interface, a first media item for playback;

identifying one or more user accounts currently interfacing with the playback device via the network interface;

transmitting, via the network interface to a media system server, a first message indicating (i) the first media item and (ii) the identified one or more user accounts;

after transmitting the first message, receiving, via the network interface from the media system server, a second message indicating that the first media item is not to be played by the playback device;

responsive to the second message, transmitting, via the network interface to the media service provider, a request for a second media item; and

playing the second media item.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device is a part of a media playback system comprising multiple playback devices, and wherein identifying one or more user accounts currently interfacing with the playback device comprises:

identifying one or more user accounts currently interfacing with the multiple playback devices of the media playback system.

3. The playback device of claim 1, wherein transmitting the request for the second media item comprises:

transmitting, via the network interface to the media service provider, data indicating the one or more user accounts.

4. The playback device of claim 1, wherein transmitting the request for second audio content comprises:

transmitting, via the network interface to the media service provider, preference data indicating that the first media item is not to be played.

5. The playback device of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the second message, transmitting, via the network interface to one or more control devices respectively configured to control media playback by the playback device, data indicating that the first media item is not to be played by the playback device.

6. The playback device of claim 1, wherein identifying one or more user accounts currently interfacing with the playback device comprises:

identifying the one or more user accounts in response to receiving the first media item.

7. The playback device of claim 1, wherein identifying one or more user accounts currently interfacing with the playback device comprises:

identifying the one or more user accounts periodically.

8. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the one or more user accounts are one or more first user accounts, and wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving, via the network interface from the media service provider, the second media item for playback;

identifying one or more second user accounts currently interfacing with the playback device via the network interface;

transmitting, via the network interface to the media system server, a third message indicating (i) the second media item and (ii) the identified one or more second user accounts;

after transmitting the third message, receiving, via the network interface from the media system server, a fourth message indicating that the second media item is to be played by the playback device; and

responsive to the fourth message, playing the second media item.

9. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a playback device, cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:

receiving, via a network interface from a media service provider, a first media item for playback;

identifying one or more user accounts currently interfacing with the playback device via the network interface;

transmitting, via the network interface to a media system server, a first message indicating (i) the first media item and (ii) the identified one or more user accounts;

after transmitting the first message, receiving, via the network interface from the media system server, a second message indicating that the first media item is not to be played by the playback device;

responsive to the second message, transmitting, via the network interface to the media service provider, a request for a second media item; and

playing the second media item via one or more speakers.

10. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the playback device is a part of a media playback system comprising multiple playback devices, and wherein identifying one or more user accounts currently interfacing with the playback device comprises:

identifying one or more user accounts currently interfacing with the multiple playback devices of the media playback system.

11. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein transmitting the request for the second media item comprises:

transmitting, via the network interface to the media service provider, data indicating the one or more user accounts.

12. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein transmitting the request for second audio content comprises:

transmitting, via the network interface to the media service provider, preference data indicating why the first media item is not to be played.

13. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising:

responsive to the second message, transmitting, via the network interface to one or more control devices respectively configured to control media playback by the playback device, data indicating that the first media item is not to be played by the playback device.

14. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein identifying one or more user accounts currently interfacing with the playback device comprises:

identifying the one or more user accounts in response to receiving the first media item.

15. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein identifying one or more user accounts currently interfacing with the playback device comprises:

identifying the one or more user accounts periodically.

16. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the one or more user accounts are one or more first user accounts, and wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving, via the network interface from the media service provider, the second media item for playback;

identifying one or more second user accounts currently interfacing with the playback device via the network interface;

transmitting, via the network interface to the media system server, a third message indicating (i) the second media item and (ii) the identified one or more second user accounts;

after transmitting the third message, receiving, via the network interface from the media system server, a fourth message indicating that the second media item is to be played by the playback device; and

responsive to the fourth message, playing the second media item.

17. A method comprising:

receiving, via a network interface of a playback device from a media service provider, a first media item for playback;

identifying, via the playback device, one or more user accounts currently interfacing with the playback device;

transmitting, via the network interface of the playback device to a media system server, a first message indicating (i) the first media item and (ii) the identified one or more user accounts;

after transmitting the first message, receiving, via the network interface of the playback device from the media system server, a second message indicating that the first media item is not to be played by the playback device;

responsive to the second message, transmitting, via the network interface of the playback device to the media service provider, a request for a second media item; and

playing the second media item.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

responsive to the second message, transmitting, via the network interface to one or more control devices configured to control media playback by the playback device, data indicating that the first media item is not to be played by the playback device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein identifying one or more user accounts currently interfacing with the playback device comprises:

identifying the one or more user accounts in response to receiving the first media item.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein identifying one or more user accounts currently interfacing with the playback device comprises:

identifying the one or more user accounts periodically.