METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING A PLAYLIST BY METADATA

• US 20130191749A1
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Millington, Nicholas A.J., Lambourne, Robert A., Lang, Jonathan P., Coburn, Arthur L. IV, Wren, Paul, Schulert, Andrew J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,275,135 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists

Abstract

Techniques for managing a playlist in a multimedia system are disclosed. According to one aspect of the techniques, the playlist is structured to be able to include as many items as desired. To facilitate the manageability of such playlist, the playlist is built with a plurality of items. Each of the items is associated with metadata that includes information related to, for example, artist, album, genre, composer, and track number. The metadata for each item may be parsed, updated or logically operated upon to facilitate the management of the playlist. In another embodiment, each of the items is either a single item or a group item. A single item contains metadata of a corresponding source. A group item contains metadata of accessing other constituent items, which again may be single items or group items. As a result, the playlist can accommodate as many items as desired in a limited memory space without compromising the manageability of the playlist. Each of the items can be removed from, added to, or moved around in the playlist without concerning that an item may further include many items therein.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a computing device displaying a play queue for one or more playback devices, wherein the play queue includes a plurality of items, including at least a single item and a container item, the single item comprising an individual track playable by the one or more playback devices, and the container item comprising a plurality of tracks playable by the one or more playback devices; and

the computing device displaying an indicator associated with either the single item or the container item, wherein the indicator identifies a currently playing item in the play queue being played by the one or more playback devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device further displays information identifying how at least one the plurality of items in the play queue was added to the play queue.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein displaying information identifying how at least one the plurality of items in the play queue was added to the play queue comprises displaying an indication that the least one the plurality of items in the play queue was added as an album.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the container item comprises an album, and wherein the plurality of tracks within the container comprises tracks associated with the album.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one of the plurality of items displayed in the play queue comprises an internet radio broadcast.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the currently playing item in the play queue is within the container item, the computing device expanding the container item to display the plurality of tracks within the container item.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the computing device displaying a number corresponding to the number of tracks within the container item.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the computing device displaying an image associated the currently playing item.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including a computer program which, when executed by a processor, implements a method, the method comprising:

displaying a play queue for one or more playback devices, wherein the play queue includes a plurality of items, including at least a single item and a container item, the single item comprising an individual track playable by the one or more playback devices, and the container item comprising a plurality of tracks playable by the one or more playback devices; and

displaying an indicator associated with either the single item or the container item, wherein the indicator identifies a currently playing item in the play queue being played by the one or more playback devices.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, further comprising:

displaying information identifying how at least one the plurality of items in the play queue was added to the play queue.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein displaying information identifying how at least one the plurality of items in the play queue was added to the play queue comprises displaying an indication that the least one the plurality of items in the play queue was added as an album.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the container item comprises an album, and wherein the plurality of tracks within the container comprises tracks associated with the album.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the one of the plurality of items displayed in the play queue comprises an internet radio broadcast.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, further comprising:

when the currently playing item in the play queue is within the container item, expanding the container item to display the plurality of tracks within the container item.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, further comprising:

displaying a number corresponding to the number of tracks within the container item.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, further comprising:

displaying an image associated the currently playing item.

17. A controller device comprising:

a user interface configured to;

display a play queue for one or more playback devices, wherein the play queue includes a plurality of items, including at least a single item and a container item, the single item comprising an individual track playable by the one or more playback devices, and the container item comprising a plurality of tracks playable by the one or more playback devices, and

display an indicator associated with either the single item or the container item, wherein the indicator identifies a currently playing item in the play queue being played by the one or more playback devices;

a network interface configured to connect the controller device to a network and to transmit the play queue via the network to the one or more playback devices.

18. The controller device of claim 17, wherein the user interface is further configured to display information identifying how at least one the plurality of items in the play queue was added to the play queue.

19. The controller device of claim 17, wherein the container item comprises an album, and wherein the plurality of tracks within the container comprises tracks associated with the album.

20. The controller device of claim 17, wherein the one of the plurality of items displayed in the play queue comprises an internet radio broadcast.