Systems and methods for configuring and profiling a digital media device

• US 10,459,739 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2008
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Lang, Jonathan, Fowler, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Van Bramer, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mandel, Monica A
• Application Number:
  US12/217,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20100010852A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,129 Days
• Field of Search: 705 59
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program for configuring and profiling digital media devices is provided. The digital media device is monitored for user interaction. Profile data is generated based on the user interaction. The digital media device is automatically configured based on the profile data.

Claims

1. A method, carried out by a communication device, for configuring and profiling a digital media device, the method comprising:

receiving from the digital media device, via a network, an indication of user interaction with the digital media device by a plurality of unidentified users, wherein the digital media device is configured to play music in one or more demonstrations at a retail location and control audible output of the music by one or more other digital media devices comprising audio playback devices wirelessly connected to the digital media device at the retail location, and wherein the digital media device is offered for sale to the plurality of unidentified users;

generating a digital media device profile based, at least in part, on the received indication of the user interaction with the digital media device by the plurality of unidentified users associated with demonstration of music playback via the digital media device, the digital media device profile including information regarding (i) a music download service accessed by the plurality of unidentified users (ii) one or more control settings for controlling the audible output of the music by the one or more other audio playback devices and (iii) one or more music settings set by the plurality of unidentified users for playing the music on the digital media device, the digital media device profile corresponding to a configuration of the digital media device that facilitates use of the digital media device by the plurality of unidentified users;

sending to the digital media device, via the network, configuration data to automatically re-configure the digital media device at the retail location with the configuration that facilitates the use of the digital media device by the plurality of unidentified users, the digital media device being reconfigured based on the configuration data provided from the generated digital media device profile, the automatic reconfiguration of the digital media device triggered in response to the generating of the digital media device profile and not triggered in response to a user request, wherein the reconfiguration changes one or more of the music download service, control settings, and music settings of the digital media device;

re-configuring three different groups of digital media devices at the retail location based on three different sets of profile data;

determining that a given group of the three different groups receives more sales at the retail location; and

based on determining that the given group received more sales at the retail location, automatically sending to the digital media device, via the network, other configuration data based on the profile data of the given group, wherein the other configuration data causes the digital media device to change one or more of the music download service, control settings, and music settings of the digital media device such that the digital media device plays back audio based on the other configuration data.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein sending to the digital media device, via the network, configuration data to automatically re-configure the digital media device comprises sending the configuration data from a remote location.

3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein automatically re-configuring the digital media device further comprises automatically populating subscription accounts associated with the digital media device.

4. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising generating account information for the retail location associated with the digital media device based on the digital media device profile.

5. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the indication of user interaction is received according to a schedule.

6. The method recited in claim 1, where the digital media device profile is generated further based on demographic information associated with at least one of the plurality of unidentified users and the retail location.

7. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the method comprises configuring and profiling a plurality of digital media devices located at the retail location, the plurality of digital media devices divided into a first group and a second group, the first group to be monitored at a first frequency and be provided with a first data, and the second group to be monitored at a second frequency and be provided with a second data.

8. The method recited in claim 7, wherein at least one of the first group and the second group is to be reconfigured based on the profile.

9. A system for configuring and profiling a digital media device comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause a communication device to perform functions comprising;

receiving from the digital media device, via a network, an indication of user interaction with the digital media device by a plurality of unidentified users, wherein the digital media device is configured to play music in one or more demonstrations at a retail location and control audible output of the music by one or more other digital media devices comprising audio playback devices wirelessly connected to the digital media device at the retail location, and wherein the digital media device is offered for sale to the plurality of unidentified users;

generating a digital media device profile based, at least in part, on the received indication of the user interaction with the digital media device by the plurality of unidentified users associated with demonstration of music playback via the digital media device, the digital media device profile including information regarding (i) a music download service accessed by the plurality of unidentified users (ii) one or more control settings for controlling the audible output of the music by the one or more other audio playback devices and (iii) one or more music settings set by the plurality of unidentified users for playing the music on the digital media device, the digital media device profile corresponding to a configuration of the digital media device that facilitates use of the digital media device by the plurality of unidentified users;

sending to the digital media device, via the network, configuration data to automatically re-configure the digital media device at the retail location with the configuration that facilitates the use of the digital media device by the plurality of unidentified users, the digital media device being reconfigured based on the configuration data provided from the generated digital media device profile, the automatic reconfiguration of the digital media device triggered in response to the generating of the digital media device profile and not triggered in response to a user request, wherein the reconfiguration changes one or more of the music download service, control settings, and music settings of the digital media device

re-configuring three different groups of digital media devices at the retail location based on three different sets of profile data;

determining that a given group of the three different groups receives more sales at the retail location; and

based on determining that the given group received more sales at the retail location, automatically sending to the digital media device, via the network, other configuration data based on the profile data of the given group, wherein the other configuration data causes the digital media device to change one or more of the music download service, control settings, and music settings of the digital media device such that the digital media device plays back audio based on the other configuration data.

10. The system recited in claim 9, wherein sending to the digital media device, via the network, configuration data to automatically re-configure the digital media device comprises sending the configuration data from a remote location.

11. The system recited in claim 9, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the communication device to perform functions comprising:

automatically populating accounts associated with the digital media device.

12. The system recited in claim 9, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the communication device to perform functions comprising:

generating account information for the retail location based on the profile.

13. The system recited in claim 9, wherein the indication of user interaction is received according to a schedule.

14. The system recited in claim 9, where the digital media device profile is generated further based on demographic information associated with at least one of the plurality of unidentified users and the retail location.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions for configuring and profiling a digital media device, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause a communication device to perform functions comprising:

receiving from the digital media device, via a network, an indication of user interaction with the digital media device by a plurality of unidentified users, wherein the digital media device is configured to play music in one or more demonstrations at the retail location and control audible output of the music by one or more other digital media devices comprising audio playback devices wirelessly connected to the digital media device at the retail location, and wherein the digital media device is offered for sale to the plurality of unidentified users;

generating a digital media device profile based, at least in part, on the received indication of the user interaction with the digital media device by the plurality of unidentified users associated with demonstration of music playback via the digital media device, the digital media device profile including information regarding (i) a music download service accessed by the plurality of unidentified users (ii) one or more control settings for controlling the audible output of the music by the one or more other audio playback devices and (iii) one or more music settings set by the plurality of unidentified users for playing the music on the digital media device, the digital media device profile corresponding to a configuration of the digital media device that facilitates use of the digital media device by the plurality of unidentified users; and

sending to the digital media device, via the network, configuration data to automatically re-configure the digital media device at the retail location with the configuration that facilitates the use of the digital media device by the plurality of unidentified users, the digital media device being reconfigured based on the configuration data provided from the generated digital media device profile, the automatic reconfiguration of the digital media device triggered in response to the generating of the digital media device profile and not triggered in response to a user request, wherein the reconfiguration changes one or more of the music download service, control settings, and music settings of the digital media device

re-configuring three different groups of digital media devices at the retail location based on three different sets of profile data;

determining that a given group of the three different groups receives more sales at the retail location; and

based on determining that the given group received more sales at the retail location, automatically sending to the digital media device, via the network, other configuration data based on the profile data of the given group, wherein the other configuration data causes the digital media device to change one or more of the music download service, control settings, and music settings of the digital media device such that the digital media device plays back audio based on the other configuration data.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium recited in claim 15, wherein sending to the digital media device, via the network, configuration data to automatically re-configure the digital media device comprises sending the configuration data from a remote location.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium recited in claim 15, wherein automatically re-configuring the digital media device further comprises automatically populating subscription accounts associated with the digital media device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium recited in claim 15, further comprising generating account information for the retail location based on the profile.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium recited in claim 15, wherein the indication of user interaction is received according to a schedule.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium recited in claim 15, where the digital media device profile is generated further based on demographic information associated with at least one of the plurality of unidentified users and the retail location.