SYSTEM, METHOD AND DEVICES FOR BLUETOOTH PARTY-MODE

• US 20160156687A1
• Filed: 06/20/2014
• Published: 06/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shenzhen TCL Creative Cloud Technology Co., Ltd. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: LEUNG, Po Chun
• Granted Patent: US 10,205,762 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• 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

Abstract

A media system (100), a method, devices and software for managing playback of media content (112, 122) from multiple devices (110, 120) is disclosed. The media system comprises a coordinator device, a first content device (110), a second content device (120), and a playback device (150). The first and second content device being portable media devices that comprise and send a respective first and second playlist (115) and (125), based on a preference of a respective first and second user, to a coordinator device. The coordinator device determines a master playlist (135) based on the first and second playlist, selects a media content according to the master playlist, selects a content device corresponding to the selected media content, and sends a playback command to the selected content device. The selected content device retrieves the selected media content and plays the selected media content via the playback link on the playback device.

Claims

1. Media system for managing playback of media content, the media system comprising a coordinator device, a first content device, a second content device, and a single playback device different from the first content device and the second content device,

the first content device being a portable media device comprising a first playlist based on a preference of a first user, the first playlist listing a reference to a first media content,

the first content device being arranged for

(a) establishing a first link for communication with the coordinator device,

(b) sending the first playlist to the coordinator device,

the second content device being a portable media device comprising a second playlist based on a preference of a second user, the second playlist listing a reference to a second media content,

the second content device being arranged for

(a) establishing a second link for communication with the coordinator device,

(b) sending the second playlist to the coordinator device,

the coordinator device being arranged for coordinating playback of the first media content and the second media content from the first content device and the second content device at the single playback device by

(a) establishing the first and second link for communication

with the respective first and second content device,

(b) receiving the first and second playlist from the respective first and second content device,

(c) composing a master playlist based on the first and second playlist,

(d) selecting a media content listed by the master playlist,

(e) selecting a content device listing the selected media content,

the selected content device being one of the first and second content device, and

(f) sending a playback command to the selected content device

and

the selected content device being arranged for:

receiving the playback command from the coordinator device,

retrieving the selected media content,

establishing a playback link with the single playback device for playing the selected media content at the single playback device, and

the single playback device being arranged for receiving the playback link for playing back the selected media content from the selected content device.

2. Media coordinator device) for use in the media system of claim 1, arranged for

(a) establishing the first and second link for communication

with the respective first and second content device,

(b) receiving the first and second playlist from the respective first and second content device,

(c) determining a master playlist based on the first and second playlist,

(d) selecting a media content according to the master playlist,

(e) selecting a content device listing the selected media content,

the selected content device being one of the first and second content device, and

(f) sending a playback command to the selected content device

for playing the selected media content.

3. Media coordinator device of claim 2, wherein the coordinator device is arranged for determining the master playlist based on the first and second playlist by composing the master playlist according to an automated selection function that selects media content listed in the first and second playlist.

4. Media coordinator device of claim 3, wherein the coordinator device is arranged for composing the master playlist according to an automated selection function that selects media content in an alternating or random manner from the first and second playlist.

5. Media coordinator device of claim 2, wherein the coordinator device is arranged for determining a master playlist by

composing an intermediate playlist (235) using the first and second playlist,

sending the intermediate playlist to the first content device,

receiving from the first content device a selection of the media content selected from the intermediate playlist by the first user, and

listing the media content selected by the first user at the top of the master playlist.

6. Media coordinator device of claim 2, wherein the coordinator device is arranged for determining a master playlist by

composing an intermediate playlist using at least one of the first and second playlist,

sending the intermediate playlist to at least one of the first and second content device,

receiving a user vote from the at least one first and second content device, the user vote being related to media content listed by the intermediate playlist, and

composing the master playlist based on the intermediate playlist and the user vote.

7. Media coordinator device of claim 2, wherein the coordinator device is arranged for determining a master playlist based on a preference of a user of the coordinator device.

8. Media coordinator device of claim 2, further comprising the first playlist based on a preference of a first user, the first playlist listing first media content, the media coordinator device being arranged for

(a) establishing the first link for communication with the coordinator device,

(b) sending the first playlist to the coordinator device,

(c) receiving a playback command from the coordinator device

for playing the first media content,

(d) retrieving the first media content, and

(e) establishing a first playback link with the single playback device

for playing the first media content.

9. Media content device for use in the media system of claim 1, the media content device being a portable media device comprising the first playlist based on a preference of a first user, the first playlist listing first media content, the media content device being arranged for

(a) establishing the first link for communication with the coordinator device,

(b) sending the first playlist to the coordinator device,

(c) receiving a playback command from the coordinator device

for playing the first media content,

(d) retrieving the first media content, and

(e) establishing a first playback link with the single playback device

for playing the first media content.

10. Media content device of claim 9, wherein the media device is arranged for playing back the first media content by streaming the first media content via the playback link to the single playback device.

11. Media content device of claim 9, wherein the first playlist lists first media content comprising audio content.

12. Media content device of claim 9, wherein the first playlist lists first media content comprising video content.

13. Method for managing playback of media content, comprising a coordinator function,

a first content function, and a second content function and using a playback device,

the coordinator function, the first content function and a second content function being performed by a coordinator device, a first content device and a second content device respectively, the first content device and the second content device being portable media devices, the single playback device being different from the first content device and the second content device,

the first content function providing a first playlist based on a preference of a first user, the first playlist listing first media content, the first content function comprising

(a) establishing a first link for communication with the coordinator function,

(b) sending the first playlist to the coordinator function,

the second content function providing a second playlist based on a preference of a second user, the second playlist listing second media content, the second content function comprising

(a) establishing a second link for communication with the coordinator function,

(b) sending the second playlist to the coordinator function,

the coordinator device configured for coordinating playback of the first media content and the second media content from the first content device and the second content device at the single playback device by performing

the coordinator function, the coordinator function comprising:

(a) establishing the first and second link for communication

with the respective first and second content function,

(b) receiving the first and second playlist from the respective first and second content function,

(c) determining a master playlist based on the first and second playlist,

(d) selecting a media content according to the master playlist,

(e) selecting a content device listing the selected media content,

the selected content device being one of the first and second content device, and

(f) sending a playback command to the selected content device

the respective first or second content function performed by the selected content device further comprising;

receiving the playback command from the coordinator device,

retrieving the selected media content,

establishing a playback link with the single playback device for playing the selected media content at the single playback device, and

the single playback device receiving the playback link for playing back the selected media content from the selected content device.

14. A computer program product comprising instructions for causing a processor system to perform the coordinator function according to claim 13, comprising

(a) establishing the first and second link for communication

with the respective first and second content function,

(b) receiving the first and second playlist from the respective first and second content function,

(c) determining the master playlist based on the first and second playlist,

(d) selecting a media content according to the master playlist,

(e) selecting a content device listing the selected media content,

the selected content device being one of the first and second content device, and

(f) sending the playback command to the selected content device

for playing the selected media content.

15. A computer program product comprising instructions for causing a processor system to perform the first content function according to claim 13, the first content function providing a first playlist based on a preference of a first user, the first playlist listing first media content, the first content function comprising

(a) establishing the first link for communication with the coordinator function,

(b) sending the first playlist to the coordinator function,

(c) receiving the playback command from the coordinator function

for playing the first media content,

(d) retrieving the first media content, and

(e) establishing the first playback link with the single playback device

for playing the first media content.