Limited-Access Media

• US 20160088044A1
• Filed: 09/19/2014
• Published: 03/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Wolf, Brad, Smith, Ben
• Granted Patent: US 10,778,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• 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: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• 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 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• 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 21/8113 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

Abstract

An example method involves receiving, by a playback device in a media playback system, limited-access media, where the limited-access media corresponds to a limited-access playback device characteristic. The method may further involve determining, by the playback device, that a particular playback device having the limited-access playback device characteristic is active in the media playback system. Based on determining that the particular playback device having the limited-access playback device characteristic is active in the media playback system, the method may further involve causing the media playback system to play back the limited-access media.

Claims

1. A playback device comprising:

a processor;

a network interface;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the processor, cause the playback device to perform functions comprising;

receiving, by the playback device, limited-access media, wherein the limited-access media corresponds to a limited-playback device characteristic;

determining that a particular playback device having the limited-playback device characteristic is active in a media playback system, wherein the particular playback device is within the media playback system; and

based on determining that the particular playback device having the limited-playback device characteristic is active in the media playback system, causing the media playback system to play back the limited-access media.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:

before receiving the limited-access media, transmitting, by the playback device, an identification message comprising a device identifier of the particular playback device in the media playback system.

3. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:

before receiving the limited-access media, requesting, by the playback device, the limited-access media.

4. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device is the particular playback device.

5. The playback device of claim 1, wherein causing the media playback system to play back the limited-access media comprises causing one or more playback devices other than the particular playback device to play back the limited-access media.

6. The playback device of claim 1, wherein causing the media playback system to play back the limited-access media comprises at least the particular playback device to play back the limited-access media.

7. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:

before receiving the limited-access media, receiving a token, wherein the token represents a right to access the limited-access media; and

before receiving the limited-access media, transmitting the token.

8. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:

determining, by the playback device, that the limited-access media can only be played back by the particular playback device.

9. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:

determining, by the playback device, that the limited-access media can only be played back by (a) the particular playback device and (b) one or more playback devices that are bonded with the particular playback device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the limited-access media comprises a play back characteristic, and wherein the configuration of the particular playback device is based on the play back characteristic of the limited-access media.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing system, an identification message comprising a device identifier of a particular playback device in a media playback system;

determining, based on the received device identifier, that the media playback system is permitted to access limited-access media, wherein the limited-access media corresponds to a limited-access playback device characteristic of the particular playback device; and

based on the determination that the media playback system is permitted to access the limited-access media, causing the limited-access media to be available for play back by the media playback system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining that the media playback system is permitted to access limited-access media comprises:

comparing the received device identifier to a list of particular playback device identifiers; and

based on the comparison, determining that the received device identifier is on the list of particular playback device identifiers.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein causing the limited-access media to be available for play back by the media playback system comprises transmitting a token, wherein the token represents a right to access the limited-access media.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein causing the limited-access media to be available for play back by the media playback system comprises causing the limited-access media to be available for play back by only the particular playback device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein causing limited-access media to be available for play back by the media playback system comprises causing the limited-access media to be available for play back for a predetermined time period.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

after receiving the identification message comprising the device identifier, registering the particular playback device with the media playback system.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

after receiving the identification message comprising the device identifier, registering the particular playback device with a user account registered with the media playback system.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the media playback system is a first media playback system, the method further comprising:

after registering the particular playback device with the user account registered with the first media playback system, detecting, by the computing system, an indication of the user account in a second media playback system; and

based on the detected indication of the user account, causing the limited-access media to be available for play back by the second media playback system.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein detecting the indication of the user account comprises detecting an indication of a control device that is registered with the user account.

20. A method comprising:

receiving, by a playback device in a media playback system, limited-access media, wherein the limited-access media corresponds to a limited-access playback device characteristic;

determining, by the playback device, that a particular playback device having the limited-access playback device characteristic is active in the media playback system; and

based on determining that the particular playback device having the limited-access playback device characteristic is active in the media playback system, causing the media playback system to play back the limited-access media.