Media-Item Database

• US 20150269200A1
• Filed: 03/21/2014
• Published: 09/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Beckhardt, Steven, Ramsperger, Gregory Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,331,736 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/632 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/683 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio

Abstract

Embodiments are described herein that allow for maintaining a media-item database. In one aspect, a method is provided that involves a computing system (a) receiving a first message from a first playback device, where the first message identifies at least a first service used by the first playback device to obtain a first media item for playback, a first service media-item identifier, and a first metadata, (b) receiving a second message from a second playback device, wherein the second message identifies at least a second service used by the second playback device to obtain a second media item for playback, a second service media-item identifier, and a second metadata, (c) determining that the first media item and the second media item are the same, and (d) responsively, storing association data that associates the first service media-item identifier and the second service media-item identifier.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving by a computing system a first message from a first playback device, wherein the first message identifies at least (i) a first service used by the first playback device to obtain a first media item for playback, (ii) a first service media-item identifier used by the first service to identify the first media item, and (iii) a first metadata;

receiving by the computing system a second message from a second playback device, wherein the second message identifies at least (i) a second service used by the second playback device to obtain a second media item for playback, (ii) a second service media-item identifier used by the second service to identify the second media item, and (iii) a second metadata;

determining by the computing system that the first media item and the second media item are the same; and

in response to the determination, storing by the computing system association data that associates the first service media item identifier and the second service media-item identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first metadata comprises at least one of a track name, an artist name, or an album name.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second metadata comprises at least one of a track name, an artist name, or an album name.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the first media item and the second media item are the same comprises determining that the first metadata is substantially the same as the second metadata.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the association data comprises storing the first service media-item identifier, the second service media-item identifier, and a common identifier, such that the first service media-item identifier and the second service media-item identifier are each associated with the common identifier.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein storing the association data further comprises storing the common identifier, the first service media-item identifier, and the second service media-item identifier in a table in a database.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing by the computing system at least a portion of the first metadata in the table, such that the first metadata is associated with the common identifier.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing by the computing system at least a portion of the second metadata in the table, such that the second metadata is associated with the common identifier.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving by the computing system a third message from a third playback device, wherein the third message identifies at least (i) a third service used by the third playback device to obtain a third media item for playback, (ii) a third service media item identifier used by the third service to identify the third media item, and (iii) a third metadata;

determining by the computing system that the first media item and the third media item are the same; and

in response to the determination, storing by the computing system second association data that associates the third service media item identifier with the first service media-item identifier and the second service media-item identifier.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein storing the second association data comprises storing the first service media-item identifier, the second service media-item identifier, the third service media-item identifier, and a common identifier, such that the first service media-item identifier, the second service media-item identifier, and the third service media-item identifier are each associated with the common identifier.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein storing the second association data further comprises storing the common identifier, the first service media-item identifier, the second service media-item identifier, and the third service media-item identifier in a table in a database.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that are executable by at least one processor, the instructions comprising:

instructions for receiving by a computing system a first message from a first playback device, wherein the first message identifies at least (i) a first service used by the first playback device to obtain a first media item for playback, (ii) a first service media-item identifier used by the first service to identify the first media item, and (iii) a first metadata;

instructions for receiving by the computing system a second message from a second playback device, wherein the second message identifies at least (i) a second service used by the second playback device to obtain a second media item for playback, (ii) a second service media-item identifier used by the second service to identify the second media item, and (iii) a second metadata;

instructions for determining by the computing system that the first media item and the second media item are the same; and

instructions for, in response to the determination, storing by the computing system association data that associates the first service media item identifier and the second service media-item identifier.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein determining that the first media item and the second media item are the same comprises determining that the first metadata is substantially the same as the second metadata.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein storing the association data comprises storing the first service media-item identifier, the second service media-item identifier, and a common identifier, such that the first service media-item identifier and the second service media-item identifier are each associated with the common identifier.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein storing the association data further comprises storing the common identifier, the first service media-item identifier, and the second service media-item identifier in a table in a database.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, the instructions further comprising:

instructions for storing by the computing system at least a portion of the first metadata in the table, such that the first metadata is associated with the common identifier.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, the instructions further comprising:

storing by the computing system at least a portion of the second metadata in the table, such that the second metadata is associated with the common identifier.

18. A computing system comprising:

a network interface, wherein the network interface communicatively couples the computing system to one or more playback devices;

a non-transitory computer readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium and executable by at least one processor to cause the computing system to;

receive a first message from a first playback device, wherein the first message identifies at least (i) a first service used by the first playback device to obtain a first media item for playback, (ii) a first service media-item identifier used by the first service to identify the first media item, and (iii) a first metadata;

receive a second message from a second playback device, wherein the second message identifies at least (i) a second service used by the second playback device to obtain a second media item for playback, (ii) a second service media-item identifier used by the second service to identify the second media item, and (iii) a second metadata;

determine that the first media item and the second media item are the same; and

in response to the determination, store association data that associates the first service media item identifier and the second service media-item identifier.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the program instructions are executable by the at least one processor to further cause the computing system to:

receive a third message from a third playback device, wherein the third message identifies at least (i) a third service used by the third playback device to obtain a third media item for playback, (ii) a third service media item identifier used by the third service to identify the third media item, and (iii) a third metadata;

determine that the first media item and the third media item are the same; and

in response to the determination, store second association data that associates the third service media item identifier with the first service media-item identifier and the second service media-item identifier.

20. The computer system of claim 19, wherein storing the second association data comprises storing the first service media-item identifier, the second service media-item identifier, the third service media-item identifier, and a common identifier, such that the first service media-item identifier, the second service media-item identifier, and the third service media-item identifier are each associated with the common identifier.