Media Preference Database

• US 20150310009A1
• Filed: 04/28/2014
• Published: 10/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: van der Heide, Maarten
• Granted Patent: US 10,129,599 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/437 Administration of user profiles, e.g. generation, initialisation, adaptation, distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• 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

Embodiments are provided for populating a preference database affiliated with a media playback system with preferences received for media items. A preference may be associated with a media item from a service provider account, and may be stored in the preference database in association with the service provider account. The service provider account may be associated with multiple user profiles used to access a media playback device, and the preference may be associated with one of the user profiles associated with the service provider account, and stored in association with the user profile. Further, the preference may be received from a user account different from a user account used to access the media item. In this case, the preference may be stored in association with the user account providing the preference. The stored preferences may be used to manage media content playback by the media playback system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a media playback system, a preference associated with a media item, wherein the media item is provided by a service provider; and

storing, in a preference database affiliated with the media playback system, (i) the preference in association with a user account and (ii) information associated with the media item.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the preference to the service provider.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the media item comprises a service-provider identification for the media item in association with the service provider.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the preference is received via a controller device associated with the media playback system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the preference database is stored on a remote server.

6. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

identifying, by the service provider, media content using the preference.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

converting the preference from a first preference type to a second preference type.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the preference is indicated by one or more of the following:

(a) a selection of an icon indicating a positive preference for the media item, (b) a selection of an icon indicating a negative preference for the media item, (c) a selection of the media item, (d) a skipping of the media item, and (e) a selection of a rating of the media item.

9. A computing device comprising:

a processor; and

memory having stored thereon instructions executable by the processor to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising;

receiving (i) data indicating a preference associated with a media item and (ii) data indicating a user profile associated with a user account for a service provider, wherein the user profile is one of a plurality of user profiles associated with the user account; and

storing, in a preference database, (i) the preference in association with the user profile and (ii) information associated with the media item.

10. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the functions further comprise:

sending to the service provider, a message indicating the preference and the user account.

11. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the functions further comprise:

converting the preference from a first preference type to a second preference type.

12. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the information associated the media item comprises a service-provider identification for the media item in association with the service provider.

13. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the preference is received via a controller device associated with the media playback system.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving (i) data indicating a preference associated with a media item provided to a first user account, and (ii) data indicating a second user account associated with the preference; and

storing in a preference database, (i) the preference in association with the second user account, and (ii) information associated with the media item.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the functions further comprise:

sending to a service provider that provided the media item to the first user account, a message indicating the preference.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the message further indicates the second user account.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the message further indicates that the preference is not associated with the first user account.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the functions further comprise:

converting the preference from a first format to a second format.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the information associated the media item comprises a service-provider identification for the media item in association with the service provider.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the preference is received via a controller device associated with the media playback system.