Cloud queue synchronization

• US 10,587,602 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2019
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Coburn, IV, Arthur L., Beckhardt, Steven, Schulert, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flanders, Andrew C
• Application Number:
  US16/372,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20190230074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 343 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/638 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• 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: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 : Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• 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 21/25816 : involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• 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 21/4325 : by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 21/4627 : Rights management associated to the content 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 21/4825 : using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 : directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/654 : Transmission by server directed to the client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 : Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 : comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 : involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 : involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• 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

Example techniques relate to cloud queue synchronization. An example implementation may involve a playback device receiving, from a cloud computing system, data representing a play message comprising: (i) a play pointer representing a particular media item; (ii) an indication of one or more media items, the one or more media items including the particular media item; and (iii) a universal resource identifier (URI) representing a location of the particular media item at one or more servers of a streaming audio service. The playback device queues the one or more media items in a local queue stored in data storage of the playback device, streams the particular media item, and plays back the particular media item. After beginning playback of the particular media item, the playback device sends a playback started message comprising the play pointer, the play pointer representing the particular media item as the currently playing media item.

Claims

1. A system comprising a playback device and a cloud computing system, the cloud computing system configured to perform operations comprising:

receiving, via a network interface of the cloud computing system from a mobile device, data representing a command to play back one or more media items on the playback device, the one or more media items including a particular media item;

sending, via the network interface of the cloud computing system, data representing a play message comprising;

(i) a play pointer representing the particular media item;

(ii) an indication of the one or more media items; and

(iii) a universal resource identifier (URI) representing a location of the particular media item at one or more servers of a streaming audio service;

the playback device configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving, via a network interface of the playback device, the data representing the play message;

after receiving the data representing the play message;

(i) queuing the one or more media items in a local queue stored in data storage of the playback device;

(ii) streaming, via the network interface of the playback device, the particular media item; and

(iii) playing back the particular media item on one or more speakers via an audio stage comprising an amplifier; and

after beginning playback of the particular media item, sending, via a network interface of the playback device, a playback started message comprising the play pointer, the play pointer representing the particular media item as the currently playing media item, wherein the playback started message causes the cloud computing system to update a representation of the local queue at the cloud computing system with the particular media item as the currently playing media item.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the particular media item is a second media item, wherein the playback device played back a first media item preceding the second media item such that a local pointer represents the first media item as the currently playing media item prior to beginning playback of the second media item, wherein the play message further comprises a previous pointer representing the second media item as a previously played media item, and wherein the playback device is configured to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether the previous pointer of the play message matches the local pointer; and

when the previous pointer of the play message matches the local pointer, queuing the second media item in the local queue stored in data storage of the playback device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the playback device is configured to perform operations further comprising:

while playing back a second media item of the local queue, receiving, via a network interface of the playback device from the cloud computing system, data representing a stop message;

in response to receiving the data representing the stop message, stopping playback of the second media item; and

after stopping playback of the second media item, sending, via a network interface of the playback device, a playback stopped message comprising the play pointer, the play pointer representing the second media item as the currently playing media item, wherein the playback stopped message causes the cloud computing system to update a representation of the local queue at the cloud computing system with the second media item as the currently playing media item.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the play message further comprises an instruction to replace all media items in the local queue, wherein receiving, via a network interface of the playback device, the data representing the play message comprises receiving the data representing the play message while playing back a given media item, wherein queuing the one or more media items in the local queue stored in data storage of the playback device comprises replacing all media items in the local queue with the one or more media items, and wherein the playback device is configured to perform operations further comprising:

in response to receiving the data representing the play message, stopping playback of the given media item; and

after stopping playback of the given media item, sending, via a network interface of the playback device, a playback stopped message comprising the play pointer, the play pointer representing the particular media item as the currently playing media item, wherein the playback stopped message causes the cloud computing system to update a representation of the local queue at the cloud computing system with the particular media item as the currently playing media item.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the play message further comprises an instruction to replace queued media items in the local queue, wherein receiving, via a network interface of the playback device, the data representing the play message comprises receiving the data representing the play message while playing back a given media item, and wherein queuing the one or more media items in the local queue stored in data storage of the playback device comprises queuing the one or more media items in the local queue after the given media item.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the play message indicates a playlist comprising the one or more media items, and wherein queuing the one or more media items in the local queue stored in data storage of the playback device comprises queuing the playlist of the one or more media items in the local queue after the given media item.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the local queue includes one or more previously-queued media items, and wherein queuing the one or more media items in the local queue stored in data storage of the playback device comprises queuing the one or more media items in the local queue after the one or more previously-queued media items.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the play message is a first play message, and wherein the playback device is configured to perform operations further comprising:

when playback of the particular media item is finishing, sending, via the network interface of the playback device to the cloud computing system, a playback finished message comprising the play pointer, the play pointer representing the particular media item as the currently playing media item; and

receiving, via the network interface of the playback device in response to the playback finished message, a second play message comprising;

(i) the play pointer, the play pointer representing a particular subsequent media item in the representation of the local queue at the cloud computing system;

(ii) an indication of one or more subsequent media items in the representation of the local queue; and

(iii) a universal resource identifier (URI) representing a location of the particular subsequent media item at one or more servers of the streaming audio service.

9. A playback device comprising:

a network interface;

an audio stage comprising an amplifier;

one or more processors;

a housing, the housing carrying at least the network interface, the audio stage, the one or more processors, and a data storage having stored therein instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the playback device to perform operations comprising;

receiving, via a network interface of the playback device from a cloud computing system, data representing a play message comprising;

(i) a play pointer representing a particular media item;

(ii) an indication of one or more media items, the one or more media items including the particular media item; and

(iii) a universal resource identifier (URI) representing a location of the particular media item at one or more servers of a streaming audio service;

after receiving the data representing the play message;

(i) queuing the one or more media items in a local queue stored in data storage of the playback device;

(ii) streaming, via the network interface of the playback device, the particular media item; and

(iii) playing back the particular media item on one or more speakers via the audio stage comprising the amplifier; and

after beginning playback of the particular media item, sending, via a network interface of the playback device, a playback started message comprising the play pointer, the play pointer representing the particular media item as the currently playing media item, wherein the playback started message causes the cloud computing system to update a representation of the local queue at the cloud computing system with the particular media item as the currently playing media item.

10. he playback device of claim 9, wherein the particular media item is a second media item, wherein the playback device played back a first media item preceding the second media item such that a local pointer represents the first media item as the currently playing media item prior to beginning playback of the second media item, wherein the play message further comprises a previous pointer representing the second media item as a previously played media item, and wherein the playback device is configured to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether the previous pointer of the play message matches the local pointer; and

when the previous pointer of the play message matches the local pointer, queuing the second media item in the local queue stored in data storage of the playback device.

11. The playback device of claim 9, wherein the playback device is configured to perform operations further comprising:

while playing back a second media item of the local queue, receiving, via a network interface of the playback device from the cloud computing system, data representing a stop message;

in response to receiving the data representing the stop message, stopping playback of the second media item; and

after stopping playback of the second media item, sending, via a network interface of the playback device, a playback stopped message comprising the play pointer, the play pointer representing the second media item as the currently playing media item, wherein the playback stopped message causes the cloud computing system to update a representation of the local queue at the cloud computing system with the second media item as the currently playing media item.

12. The playback device of claim 9, wherein the play message further comprises an instruction to replace all media items in the local queue, wherein receiving, via a network interface of the playback device, the data representing the play message comprises receiving the data representing the play message while playing back a given media item, wherein queuing the one or more media items in the local queue stored in data storage of the playback device comprises replacing all media items in the local queue with the one or more media items, and wherein the playback device is configured to perform operations further comprising:

in response to receiving the data representing the play message, stopping playback of the given media item; and

after stopping playback of the given media item, sending, via a network interface of the playback device, a playback stopped message comprising the play pointer, the play pointer representing the particular media item as the currently playing media item, wherein the playback stopped message causes the cloud computing system to update a representation of the local queue at the cloud computing system with the particular media item as the currently playing media item.

13. The playback device of claim 9, wherein the play message further comprises an instruction to replace queued media items in the local queue, wherein receiving, via a network interface of the playback device, the data representing the play message comprises receiving the data representing the play message while playing back a given media item, and wherein queuing the one or more media items in the local queue stored in data storage of the playback device comprises queuing the one or more media items in the local queue after the given media item.

14. The playback device of claim 13, wherein the play message indicates a playlist comprising the one or more media items, and wherein queuing the one or more media items in the local queue stored in data storage of the playback device comprises queuing the playlist of the one or more media items in the local queue after the given media item.

15. The playback device of claim 9, wherein the local queue includes one or more previously-queued media items, and wherein queuing the one or more media items in the local queue stored in data storage of the playback device comprises queuing the one or more media items in the local queue after the one or more previously-queued media items.

16. The playback device of claim 9, wherein the play message is a first play message, and wherein the playback device is configured to perform operations further comprising:

when playback of the particular media item is finishing, sending, via the network interface of the playback device to the cloud computing system, a playback finished message comprising the play pointer, the play pointer representing the particular media item as the currently playing media item; and

receiving, via the network interface of the playback device in response to the playback finished message, a second play message comprising;

(i) the play pointer, the play pointer representing a particular subsequent media item in the representation of the local queue at the cloud computing system;

(ii) an indication of one or more subsequent media items in the representation of the local queue; and

(iii) a universal resource identifier (URI) representing a location of the particular subsequent media item at one or more servers of the streaming audio service.

17. A method comprising:

receiving, via a network interface of a playback device from a cloud computing system, data representing a play message comprising;

(i) a play pointer representing a particular media item;

(ii) an indication of one or more media items, the one or more media items including the particular media item; and

(iii) a universal resource identifier (URI) representing a location of the particular media item at one or more servers of a streaming audio service;

after receiving the data representing the play message;

(i) queuing the one or more media items in a local queue stored in data storage of the playback device;

(ii) streaming, via the network interface of the playback device, the particular media item; and

(iii) playing back the particular media item on one or more speakers via an audio stage comprising an amplifier; and

after beginning playback of the particular media item, sending, via a network interface of the playback device, a playback started message comprising the play pointer, the play pointer representing the particular media item as the currently playing media item, wherein the playback started message causes the cloud computing system to update a representation of the local queue at the cloud computing system with the particular media item as the currently playing media item.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the particular media item is a second media item, wherein the playback device played back a first media item preceding the second media item such that a local pointer represents the first media item as the currently playing media item prior to beginning playback of the second media item, wherein the play message further comprises a previous pointer representing the second media item as a previously played media item, and wherein the playback device is configured to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether the previous pointer of the play message matches the local pointer; and

when the previous pointer of the play message matches the local pointer, queuing the second media item in the local queue stored in data storage of the playback device.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

while playing back a second media item of the local queue, receiving, via a network interface of the playback device from the cloud computing system, data representing a stop message;

in response to receiving the data representing the stop message, stopping playback of the second media item; and

after stopping playback of the second media item, sending, via a network interface of the playback device, a playback stopped message comprising the play pointer, the play pointer representing the second media item as the currently playing media item, wherein the playback stopped message causes the cloud computing system to update a representation of the local queue at the cloud computing system with the second media item as the currently playing media item.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the play message further comprises an instruction to replace all media items in the local queue, wherein receiving, via a network interface of the playback device, the data representing the play message comprises receiving the data representing the play message while playing back a given media item, wherein queuing the one or more media items in the local queue stored in data storage of the playback device comprises replacing all media items in the local queue with the one or more media items, and wherein the method further comprises:

in response to receiving the data representing the play message, stopping playback of the given media item; and

after stopping playback of the given media item, sending, via a network interface of the playback device, a playback stopped message comprising the play pointer, the play pointer representing the particular media item as the currently playing media item, wherein the playback stopped message causes the cloud computing system to update a representation of the local queue at the cloud computing system with the particular media item as the currently playing media item.