Receiving media content based on media preferences of additional users

• US 10,122,819 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2016
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• 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): Khan, Aftab N.
• Application Number:
  US15/204,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20160323412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 709218
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/435 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/00 Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD] real-time bi-directional transmission of motion video data H04N7/14 ; broadcast or conference over packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 Transmission by the client directed to the server

Abstract

Embodiments are provided for receiving media content based on the preferences of additional users. An example implementation includes a computing device transmitting, to a service provider, a first request for media items based on media preferences associated with first user profiles for a media playback system. After transmitting the first request, the computing device determines that media preferences associated with second user profiles are to be used for requesting media items. Thereafter, the computing device transmits, to the service provider, a second request for one or more media items based on media preferences associated with (i) the first user profiles and (ii) the second user profiles. After transmitting the second request, the computing device may receive data indicating at least one media item from the service provider and cause one or more playback devices in the media playback system to play the at least one media item.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a network interface;

one or more processors; and

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

transmitting, to a service provider via the network interface, a first request for media items based on media preferences associated with a one or more first user profiles for a media playback system;

after transmitting the first request, determining that media preferences associated with one or more second user profiles are to be used for requesting media items, wherein determining that media preferences associated with the one or more second user profiles are to be used for requesting media items comprises receiving, from at least one network device corresponding to the one or more second user profiles via the network interface over one or more of a local area network and a wide area network, data indicating that the at least one user corresponding to the one or more second user profiles has entered the physical proximity of one or more playback devices in the media playback system;

after determining that media preferences associated with the one or more second user profiles is to be used for requesting media items, transmitting, to the service provider via the network interface, a second request for one or more media items based on media preferences associated with (i) the one or more first user profiles and (ii) the one or more second user profiles;

after transmitting the second request, receiving, via the network interface, data indicating at least one media item from the service provider; and

causing one or more playback devices in the media playback system to play the at least one media item via one or more speakers connected to the one or more playback devices.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving data indicating the one or more second user profiles for the media playback system.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the one or more second user profiles comprises a user account for the service provider.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

before causing one or more playback devices in the media playback system to play the at least one media item, adding the at least one media item to a playback queue corresponding to the one or more playback devices.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

after determining that media preferences associated with a one or more second user profiles are to be used for requesting media items, causing a graphical display to display an indication that requests for media items will be based on media preferences associated with (i) the one or more first user profiles and (ii) the one or more second user profiles.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computing device is one of the one or more playback devices in the media playback system.

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a network device configured to control playback of media by the media playback system.

8. A method comprising:

transmitting, via a network interface of a computing device to a service provider, a first request for media items based on media preferences associated with a one or more first user profiles for a media playback system;

after transmitting the first request, determining, via the computing device, that media preferences associated with one or more second user profiles are to be used for requesting media items, wherein determining that media preferences associated with the one or more second user profiles are to be used for requesting media items comprises receiving, from at least one network device corresponding to the one or more second user profiles via the network interface over one or more of a local area network and a wide area network, data indicating that the at least one user corresponding to the one or more second user profiles has entered the physical proximity of one or more playback devices in the media playback system;

after determining that media preferences associated with the one or more second user profiles is to be used for requesting media items, transmitting, via the network interface of the computing device to the service provider, a second request for one or more media items based on media preferences associated with (i) the one or more first user profiles and (ii) the one or more second user profiles;

after transmitting the second request, receiving, via the network interface of the computing device, data indicating at least one media item from the service provider; and

causing, via the computing device, one or more playback devices in the media playback system to play the at least one media item via one or more speakers connected to the one or more playback devices.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving data indicating the one or more second user profiles for the media playback system.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

before causing one or more playback devices in the media playback system to play the at least one media item, adding the at least one media item to a playback queue corresponding to the one or more playback devices.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

after determining that media preferences associated with a one or more second user profiles are to be used for requesting media items, causing a graphical display to display an indication that requests for media items will be based on media preferences associated with (i) the one or more first user profiles and (ii) the one or more second user profiles.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the computing device is one of the one or more playback devices in the media playback system.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the computing device is a network device configured to control playback of media by the media playback system.

14. Tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable memory having stored thereon instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a computing device to perform a method comprising:

transmitting, to a service provider via a network interface, a first request for media items based on media preferences associated with a one or more first user profiles for a media playback system;

after transmitting the first request, determining that media preferences associated with one or more second user profiles are to be used for requesting media items, wherein determining that media preferences associated with the one or more second user profiles are to be used for requesting media items comprises receiving, from at least one network device corresponding to the one or more second user profiles via network interface over one or more of a local area network and a wide area network, data indicating that the at least one user corresponding to the one or more second user profiles has entered the physical proximity of one or more playback devices in the media playback system;

after determining that media preferences associated with the one or more second user profiles is to be used for requesting media items, transmitting, to the service provider via the network interface, a second request for one or more media items based on media preferences associated with (i) the one or more first user profiles and (ii) the one or more second user profiles;

after transmitting the second request, receiving, via the network interface, data indicating at least one media item from the service provider; and

causing one or more playback devices in the media playback system to play the at least one media item via one or more speakers connected to the one or more playback devices.

15. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable memory of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving data indicating the one or more second user profiles for the media playback system.

16. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable memory of claim 14, wherein the one or more second user profiles comprises a user account for the service provider.

17. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable memory of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

before causing one or more playback devices in the media playback system to play the at least one media item, adding the at least one media item to a playback queue corresponding to the one or more playback devices.

18. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable memory of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

after determining that media preferences associated with a one or more second user profiles are to be used for requesting media items, causing a graphical display to display an indication that requests for media items will be based on media preferences associated with (i) the one or more first user profiles and (ii) the one or more second user profiles.

19. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable memory of claim 14, wherein the computing device is one of the one or more playback devices in the media playback system.

20. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable memory of claim 14, wherein the computing device is a network device configured to control playback of media by the media playback system.