Audio content auditioning by playback device

• US 10,338,881 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2016
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Bates, Paul, Kumar, Abhishek, Lang, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Elbin, Jesse A
• Application Number:
  US15/006,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20160139874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• Field of Search: 700 94, 381119, 381 79, 381 80, 381 81, 715716, 715727, 709231
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5038 considering the execution order of a plurality of tasks, e.g. taking priority or time dependency constraints into consideration scheduling strategies G06F9/4881 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10972 Management of interruptions, e.g. due to editing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4396 by muting the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• 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

A processor and memory comprising instructions stored therein executable by the processor to display a first media item available for playback, wherein the first media item is associated at least with a preview option, a playback option, and a queue option. A first input associated with the first media item is received. The first input is determined to correspond only to the preview option. Responsive to determining that the first input corresponds only to the preview option, causing at least a portion of the first media item to be played.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

displaying, via a computing device that is configured to control a first playback device via a data network, a first media item available for playback while the first playback device is playing back a second media item, wherein the first media item is associated at least with a preview option, a playback option, and a queue option;

receiving, via the computing device, a first user input associated with the first media item;

determining, via the computing device, that the first user input corresponds only to the preview option;

responsive to determining that the first user input corresponds only to the preview option, the computing device causing (i) playback of a portion of the first media item to begin and continue for a predetermined amount of time at the first playback device and (ii) playback of the second media item at the first playback device to be paused; and

as or before the predetermined amount of time expires, the computing device automatically causing playback of the second media item at the first playback device to resume without a further user input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second media item is a portion of a media stream, and

wherein causing playback of the second media item at the first playback device to be paused comprises:

causing playback of the media stream to be suspended.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via the computing device, a second user input associated with the first media item;

determining, via the computing device, that the second user input corresponds only to the queue option; and

responsive to determining that the second user input corresponds only to the queue option, causing, via the computing device, the first media item to be added to a queue.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the queue is stored on the computing device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the queue is stored remote from the computing device.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions executable by a processor of a computing device to perform a method comprising:

displaying, via the computing device that is configured to control a first playback device via a data network, a first media item available for playback while the first playback device is playing back a second media item, wherein the first media item is associated at least with a preview option, a playback option, and a queue option;

receiving a first user input associated with the first media item;

determining that the first user input corresponds only to the preview option;

responsive to determining that the first user input corresponds only to the preview option, causing (i) playback of a portion of the first media item to begin and continue for a predetermined amount of time at the first playback device and (ii) playback of the second media item at the first playback device to be paused; and

as or before the predetermined amount of time expires, automatically causing playback of the second media item at the first playback device to resume without a further user input.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the second media item is a portion of a media stream, and

wherein causing playback of the second media item at the first playback device to be paused comprises:

causing playback of the media stream to be suspended.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a second user input associated with the first media item;

determining that the second user input corresponds only to the queue option; and

responsive to determining that the second user input corresponds only to the queue option, causing the first media item to be added to a queue.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the queue is stored on the computing device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the queue is stored remote from the computing device.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

memory comprising instructions stored therein executable by the processor to perform functions comprising;

displaying, via the apparatus that is configured to control a first playback device via a data network, a first media item available for playback while the first playback device is playing back a second media item, wherein the first media item is associated at least with a preview option, a playback option, and a queue option;

receiving a first user input associated with the first media item;

determining that the first user input corresponds only to the preview option;

responsive to determining that the first user input corresponds only to the preview option, causing (i) playback of a portion of the first media item to begin and continue for a predetermined amount of time at the first playback device and (ii) playback of the second media item at the first playback device to be paused; and

as or before the predetermined amount of time expires, automatically causing playback of the second media item at the first playback device to resume without a further user input.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second media item is a portion of a media stream, and

wherein causing playback of the second media item at the first playback device to be paused comprises:

causing playback of the media stream to be suspended.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving a second user input associated with the first media item;

determining that the second user input corresponds only to the queue option; and

responsive to determining that the second user input corresponds only to the queue option, causing the first media item to be added to a queue.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the queue is stored on the apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the queue is stored remote from the apparatus.