Sharing access to a media service

• US 10,547,608 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2018
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Kuper, Ron, Liu, Sherwin, Arce, Emilio, Coburn, IV, Arthur L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Song, Hosuk
• Application Number:
  US16/142,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20190028458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• 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 21/43615 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 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/835 Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10

Abstract

Examples provided herein are directed to a computing device and media playback system sharing access to a media service corresponding to a media application installed on the computing device. In one example, a media playback system may be configured to (i) receive from the computing device an authorization code that corresponds to a media application installed on the computing device that is authorized to access media from a media service, (ii) transmit to the media service an authorization request with the authorization code, (iii) receive from the media service an authorization token that facilitates obtaining media from the media service, and (iv) transmit to the media service a request for media for playback by the media playback system, where the request for media includes the authorization token.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a network interface;

at least one processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to cause the computing device to;

obtain authorization to access a media service;

after obtaining the authorization to access the media service, transmit, to a media playback system, an authorization code that corresponds to the media service and thereby cause the media playback system to obtain, from the media service, (i) an authorization token that facilitates obtaining media from the media service and (ii) identification information related to an account of a user of the computing device, wherein the account is with the media service; and

transmit, to the media playback system, an instruction to cause the media playback system to request from the media service, using the authorization token, a media item for playback by the media playback system.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a mobile device that is configured to control the media playback system.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to cause the computing device to transmit the authorization code to the media playback system comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to cause the computing device to transmit the authorization code to the media playback system via a local area network.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to cause the computing device to:

transmit a media playback command to the media playback system to cause the media playback system to play back the media item based on the media playback command.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the instruction transmitted to the media playback system comprises a media playback command to cause the media playback system to play back the media item based on the media playback command.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to cause the computing device to obtain the authorization of the media service comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to cause the computing device to:

transmit an authorization request to the media service; and

as a result of transmitting the authorization request, receive the authorization code from the media service.

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to cause the computing device to:

determine that the computing device has connected to a local area network (LAN) to which the media playback system is also connected, and

wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to cause the computing device to transmit the authorization code to the media playback system comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to cause the computing device to transmit the authorization code to the media playback system in response to determining that the computing device has connected to the LAN.

8. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the authorization code comprises an expiration value that indicates a duration of time after which the authorization code is no longer valid.

9. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to cause the computing device to:

transmit, to the media playback system, a media-service identifier associated with authorization code that identifies the media service.

10. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to cause the computing device to:

determine that the computing device has connected to a local area network (LAN) to which the media playback system is also connected; and

based on determining that the computing device has connected to the LAN to which the media playback system is also connected, provide, via a display of the computing device, a graphical icon that, when selected, causes the authorization code to be transmitted to the media playback system.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is provisioned with program instructions that are executable to cause a computing device to:

obtain authorization to access a media service;

after obtaining the authorization to access the media service, transmit, to a media playback system, an authorization code that corresponds to the media service and thereby cause the media playback system to obtain, from the media service (i) an authorization token that facilitates obtaining media from the media service and (ii) identification information related to an account of a user of the computing device, wherein the account is with the media service; and

transmit, to the media playback system, an instruction to cause the media playback system to request from the media service, using the authorization token, a media item for playback by the media playback system.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is also provisioned with program instructions that are executable to cause the computing device to:

transmit a media playback command to the media playback system to cause the media playback system to play back the media item based on the media playback command.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the program instructions that are executable to cause the computing device to obtain the authorization of the media service comprise program instructions that are executable to cause the computing device to:

transmit an authorization request to the media service; and

as a result of transmitting the authorization request, receive the authorization code from the media service.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is also provisioned with program instructions that are executable to cause the computing device to:

determine that the computing device has connected to a local area network (LAN) to which the media playback system is also connected, and

wherein the program instructions that are executable to cause the computing device to transmit the authorization code to the media playback system comprise program instructions that are executable to cause the computing device to transmit the authorization code to the media playback system in response to determining that the computing device has connected to the LAN.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the authorization code comprises an expiration value that indicates a duration of time after which the authorization code is no longer valid.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is also provisioned with program instructions that are executable to cause the computing device to:

determine that the computing device has connected to a local area network (LAN) to which the media playback system is also connected; and

based on determining that the computing device has connected to the LAN to which the media playback system is also connected, provide, via a display of the computing device, a graphical icon that, when selected, causes the authorization code to be transmitted to the media playback system.

17. A method carried out by a computing device, the method comprising:

obtaining authorization to access a media service;

after obtaining the authorization to access the media service, transmitting, to a media playback system, an authorization code that corresponds to the media service and thereby causing the media playback system to obtain, from the media service, (i) an authorization token that facilitates obtaining media from the media service and (ii) identification information related to an account of a user of the computing device, wherein the account is with the media service; and

transmitting, to the media playback system, an instruction to cause the media playback system to request from the media service, using the authorization token, a media item for playback by the media playback system.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

transmitting a media playback command to the media playback system to cause the media playback system to play back the media item based on the media playback command.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein obtaining the authorization of the media service comprises:

transmitting an authorization request to the media service; and

as a result of transmitting the authorization request, receiving the authorization code from the media service.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining that the computing device has connected to a local area network (LAN) to which the media playback system is also connected; and

based on determining that the computing device has connected to the LAN to which the media playback system is also connected, providing, via a display of the computing device, a graphical icon that, when selected, causes the authorization code to be transmitted to the media playback system.