Transferring playback queues between devices

• US 10,349,120 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2018
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Graham, David C., Carrigan, Taylor G., Paulson, Nicholas J., Schmidt, Johannes P., Alsina, Thomas, Bradley, Bob, Ye, Haishan, Grandy, James C., De Lastic, Pierre, Lerouge, Julien
• Primary Examiner(s): Rabovianski, Jivka A
• Application Number:
  US15/970,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20180338177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 725 87, 725139
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25 Management operations performed by the server for facilitating the content distribution or administrating data related to end-users or client devices, e.g. end-user or client device authentication, learning user preferences for recommending movies maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• 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 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

In some implementations, a computing device can transfer a playback queue between the computing device and a playback device. For example, the computing device can detect when the computing device is within a threshold distance of a playback device. The computing device can establish a connection to the playback device and receive state information describing the media playback state of the playback device. The computing device can determine the media playback state of the computing device. The computing device can present graphical user interfaces for initiating a transfer of a playback queue between the computing device and the playback device based on the playback state of the devices. The computing device can initiate a transfer of the playback queue in response to user input to one of the graphical user interfaces or automatically based on the context of the computing device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, by a computing device, that the computing device is within a threshold distance of a playback device;

in response to determining that the computing device is within the threshold distance of the playback device;

determining, by the computing device, a first media playback state of the playback device; and

determining, by the computing device, a second media playback state of the computing device;

determining, by the computing device, a graphical user interface to present based on the first media playback state and the second media playback state, the graphical user interface being determined from a group of graphical user interfaces operable to initiate a transfer of a playback queue between the playback device and the computing device, wherein the group of graphical user interfaces comprises;

1) a first graphical user interface configured to initiate a transfer of a first playback queue from the computing device to the playback device,

2) a second graphical user interface configured to initiate a transfer of a second playback queue from the playback device to the computing device, and

3) a third graphical user interface configured to initiate a transfer of one or more of the first and second playback queues between the playback device and the computing device;

presenting, by the computing device, the determined graphical user interface;

receiving, by the computing device, user input to the determined graphical user interface indicating that the user wishes to transfer playback of a selected playback queue between the computing device and the playback device; and

in response to receiving the user input, transferring, by the computing device, playback of the selected playback queue between the computing device and the playback device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first media playback state is that the playback device is not currently playing a media item, wherein the second media playback state is that the computing device is currently playing a media item, and wherein the determined graphical user interface is the first graphical user interface configured to initiate the transfer of the first playback queue from the computing device to the playback device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first media playback state is that the playback device is currently playing a media item, wherein the second media playback state is that the computing device is not currently playing a media item, and wherein the determined graphical user interface is the second graphical user interface configured to initiate the transfer of the second playback queue from the playback device to the computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first media playback state is that the playback device is currently playing a media item, wherein the second media playback state is that the computing device is currently playing a media item, and wherein the determined graphical user interface is the third graphical user interface configured to initiate the transfer of one or more of the first and second playback queues between the playback device and the computing device.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

in response to receiving the user input, transferring, by the computing device, playback of the first playback queue from the computing device to the playback device.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

in response to receiving the user input, transferring, by the computing device, playback of the second playback queue from the playback device to the computing device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving the user input, obtaining, by the computing device, the second playback queue from the playback device;

determining a media item in the second playback queue to playback on the computing device;

determining a time offset for continuing playback of the media item; and

playing the media item starting at the time offset on the computing device.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

determining, by a computing device, that the computing device is within a threshold distance of a playback device;

in response to determining that the computing device is within the threshold distance of the playback device;

determining, by the computing device, a first media playback state of the playback device; and

determining, by the computing device, a second media playback state of the computing device;

determining, by the computing device, a graphical user interface to present based on the first media playback state and the second media playback state, the graphical user interface being determined from a group of graphical user interfaces operable to initiate a transfer of a playback queue between the playback device and the computing device, wherein the group of graphical user interfaces comprises;

1) a first graphical user interface configured to initiate a transfer of a first playback queue from the computing device to the playback device,

2) a second graphical user interface configured to initiate a transfer of a second playback queue from the playback device to the computing device, and

3) a third graphical user interface configured to initiate a transfer of one or more of the first and second playback queues between the playback device and the computing device;

presenting, by the computing device, the determined graphical user interface;

receiving, by the computing device, user input to the determined graphical user interface indicating that the user wishes to transfer playback of a selected playback queue between the computing device and the playback device; and

in response to receiving the user input, transferring, by the computing device, playback of the selected playback queue between the computing device and the playback device.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the first media playback state is that the playback device is not currently playing a media item, wherein the second media playback state is that the computing device is currently playing a media item, and wherein the determined graphical user interface is the first graphical user interface configured to initiate the transfer of the first playback queue from the computing device to the playback device.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the first media playback state is that the playback device is currently playing a media item, wherein the second media playback state is that the computing device is not currently playing a media item, and wherein the determined graphical user interface is the second graphical user interface configured to initiate the transfer of the second playback queue from the playback device to the computing device.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the first media playback state is that the playback device is currently playing a media item, wherein the second media playback state is that the computing device is currently playing a media item, and wherein the determined graphical user interface is the third graphical user interface configured to initiate the transfer of one or more of the first and second playback queues between the playback device and the computing device.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions cause to processors to perform operations comprising:

in response to receiving the user input, transferring, by the computing device, playback of the first playback queue from the computing device to the playback device.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions cause to processors to perform operations comprising:

in response to receiving the user input, transferring, by the computing device, playback of the second playback queue from the playback device to the computing device.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions cause to processors to perform operations comprising:

in response to receiving the user input, obtaining, by the computing device, the second playback queue from the playback device;

determining a media item in the second playback queue to playback on the computing device;

determining a time offset for continuing playback of the media item; and

playing the media item starting at the time offset on the computing device.

15. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

determining, by a computing device, that the computing device is within a threshold distance of a playback device;

in response to determining that the computing device is within the threshold distance of the playback device;

determining, by the computing device, a first media playback state of the playback device; and

determining, by the computing device, a second media playback state of the computing device;

determining, by the computing device, a graphical user interface to present based on the first media playback state and the second media playback state, the graphical user interface being determined from a group of graphical user interfaces operable to initiate a transfer of a playback queue between the playback device and the computing device, wherein the group of graphical user interfaces comprises;

1) a first graphical user interface configured to initiate a transfer of a first playback queue from the computing device to the playback device,

2) a second graphical user interface configured to initiate a transfer of a second playback queue from the playback device to the computing device, and

3) a third graphical user interface configured to initiate a transfer of one or more of the first and second playback queues between the playback device and the computing device;

presenting, by the computing device, the determined graphical user interface;

receiving, by the computing device, user input to the determined graphical user interface indicating that the user wishes to transfer playback of a selected playback queue between the computing device and the playback device; and

in response to receiving the user input, transferring, by the computing device, playback of the selected playback queue between the computing device and the playback device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first media playback state is that the playback device is not currently playing a media item, wherein the second media playback state is that the computing device is currently playing a media item, and wherein the determined graphical user interface is the first graphical user interface configured to initiate the transfer of the first playback queue from the computing device to the playback device.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the first media playback state is that the playback device is currently playing a media item, wherein the second media playback state is that the computing device is not currently playing a media item, and wherein the determined graphical user interface is the second graphical user interface configured to initiate the transfer of the second playback queue from the playback device to the computing device.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the first media playback state is that the playback device is currently playing a media item, wherein the second media playback state is that the computing device is currently playing a media item, and wherein the determined graphical user interface is the third graphical user interface configured to initiate the transfer of one or more of the first and second playback queues between the playback device and the computing device.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions cause to processors to perform operations comprising:

in response to receiving the user input, transferring, by the computing device, playback of the first playback queue from the computing device to the playback device.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the instructions cause to processors to perform operations comprising:

in response to receiving the user input, transferring, by the computing device, playback of the second playback queue from the playback device to the computing device.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause to processors to perform operations comprising:

in response to receiving the user input, obtaining, by the computing device, the second playback queue from the playback device;

determining a media item in the second playback queue to playback on the computing device;

determining a time offset for continuing playback of the media item; and

playing the media item starting at the time offset on the computing device.