Media System Access via Cellular Network

• US 20150095459A1
• Filed: 09/30/2013
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: SCHULERT, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 9,241,355 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/00 Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD] real-time bi-directional transmission of motion video data H04N7/14 ; broadcast or conference over packet switching networks H04L12/18
• 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 21/43615 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 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6181 involving transmission via a mobile phone network arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/34 Selective release of ongoing connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Embodiments are provided for establishing a simple and secure way to allow a user using a mobile device to control a media playback system without having direct access to the secure local network that the playback system is using. The media playback system may include one or more playback devices synchronously rendering media content. A user of the mobile device may obtain a system identifier of the playback system that is then sent to a remote server via a cellular network. The remote server, which is in communication with one or more media playback systems, may use the system identifier to recognize the correct media playback system and provide the mobile device with configuration information of the media playback system. Subsequently, the mobile device may use the given information to join the media playback system and control one or more features of the media playback system via a cellular network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a mobile device, a system identifier of a media playback system, wherein the media playback system is in communication with a remote server, and wherein the media playback system comprises one or more playback devices in communication over a secure local network;

sending, by the mobile device to the remote server via a cellular network, a request to join the media playback system, the request including the system identifier of the media playback system;

receiving configuration information of the media playback system from the remote server, the configuration information including information to join the media playback system;

joining the mobile device to the media playback system via a cellular network; and

sending from the mobile device to the media playback system via a cellular network one or more commands to control the media playback system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a system identifier comprises one or more of the following:

(a) scanning a QR code using the mobile device, (b) manually entering a code via an interface of the mobile device, and (c) directly browsing to a link on an interface of the mobile device via the cellular network.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving by the mobile device a control application for controlling the media playback system via the remote server.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving a control application comprises:

downloading the control application via the cellular network.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

separating the mobile device and the media playback system; and

subsequently, maintaining the downloaded control application on the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

separating the mobile device from the media playback system after a predefined time period;

subsequently sending, by the mobile device to the remote server via a cellular network, a request to re-join the media playback system;

receiving configuration information of the media playback from the remote server, the configuration information including information to re-join the media playback system; and

re-joining the mobile device to the media playback system via the cellular network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information includes information that indicates a topological range of the media playback system, the method further comprising:

determining a geographical position of the mobile device; and

determining, based on the topological range of the media playback system and the geographical position of the mobile device, if the mobile device is within a physical proximity of the media playback system.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

separating the mobile device from the media playback system if the mobile device is not within the physical proximity of the media playback system.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, on the mobile device, information identifying one or more audio tracks in a playback queue associated with the media playback system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the information identifying one or more audio tracks is a playlist.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a mobile device to cause the mobile device to perform functions comprising:

receiving, by the mobile device, a system identifier of a media playback system, wherein the media playback system is in communication with a remote server, and wherein the media playback system comprises one or more playback devices in communication over a secure local network;

sending, by the mobile device to the remote server via a cellular network, a request to join the media playback system, the request including the system identifier of the media playback system;

receiving configuration information of the media playback system from the remote server, the configuration information including information to join the media playback system;

joining the mobile device to the media playback system via a cellular network; and

sending from the mobile device to the media playback system via a cellular network one or more commands to control the media playback system.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein instructions for receiving a system identifier comprises instructions to cause the mobile device to perform one or more of the following functions:

(a) scanning a QR code using the mobile device, (b) manually entering a code via an interface of the mobile device, and (c) directly browsing to a link on an interface of the mobile device via the cellular network.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions executable by the mobile device to perform functions comprising:

receiving by the mobile device a control application for controlling the media playback system via the remote server.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, further comprising instructions executable by the mobile device to perform functions comprising:

downloading the control application via the cellular network.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions executable by the mobile device to perform functions comprising:

separating the mobile device and the media playback system; and

subsequently, maintaining the downloaded control application on the mobile device.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions executable by the mobile device to perform functions comprising:

separating the mobile device from the media playback system after a predefined time period;

subsequently sending, by the mobile device to the remote server via a cellular network, a request to re-join the media playback system;

receiving configuration information of the media playback from the remote server, the configuration information including information to re-join the media playback system; and

re-joining the mobile device to the media playback system via the cellular network.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the configuration information includes information that indicates a topological range of the media playback system, the method further comprising:

determining a geographical position of the mobile device; and

determining, based on the topological range of the media playback system and the geographical position of the mobile device, if the mobile device is within a physical proximity of the media playback system.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions executable by the mobile device to perform functions comprising:

separating the mobile device from the media playback system if the mobile device is not within the physical proximity of the media playback system.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions executable by the mobile device to perform functions comprising:

receiving, on the mobile device, information identifying one or more audio tracks in a playback queue associated with the media playback system, wherein the information identifying one or more audio tracks is a playlist.

20. A system comprising:

a media playback system comprising one or more playback devices in communication over a secure local network;

a remote server in communication with the media playback system;

a cellular network; and

a mobile device configured to;

receive a system identifier of the media playback system;

send to the remote server via the cellular network, a request to join the media playback system, the request including the system identifier of the media playback system;

receive configuration information of the media playback system from the remote server, the configuration information including information to join the media playback system;

join the media playback system via the cellular network; and

send to the media playback system via the cellular network one or more commands to control the media playback system.