Resolving Inconsistent Queues

• US 20160342605A1
• Filed: 08/03/2016
• Published: 11/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Coburn, Arthur L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,898,532 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/00 Accessing, addressing or allocating within memory systems or architectures digital input from, or digital output to record carriers, e.g. to disk storage units, G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/60 of audio data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• 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 21/4583 Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format

Abstract

Embodiments described herein may involve inconsistent queues. An example implementation may involve a computing device receiving a message indicating a playback queue corresponding to a playback zone of a media playback system. The playback queue may include first media items queued in a first order for playback by the playback zone. The computing device determines that a playlist at the computing device is to be queued for playback in the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone, the playlist including second media items in a second order. The computing device determines that the first media items in the first order is different from the second media items in the second order, and based on the determination, causes the first media items in the playback queue to be replaced with the second media items in the playlist.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device via a network interface, a message indicating a playback queue corresponding to a playback zone of a media playback system, wherein the playback zone comprises at least one playback device of the media playback system, and wherein the playback queue includes one or more first media items queued in a first order for playback at the at least one playback device;

determining, by the computing device, that a playlist at the computing device is to be queued for playback in the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone, wherein the playlist includes one or more second media items in a second order;

responsive to determining that the playlist is to be queued for playback in the playback queue, determining, by the computing device, that the one or more first media items in the first order is different from the one or more second media items in the second order; and

based on the determination that the one or more first media items is different from the one or more second media items, causing the one or more first media items in the playback queue to be replaced with the one or more second media items in the playlist.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the message indicating the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone comprises receiving, from the at least one playback device, a queue identification that indicates a version of the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, by the computing device, an input indicating an alteration of the playlist at the computing device, wherein the alteration of the playlist comprises one or more of (i) modifying the one or more second media items and (ii) modifying the second order of the one or more second media items;

based on the received input indicating an alteration of the playlist at the computing device, performing the alteration of the playlist at the computing device; and

after performing the alteration of the playlist at the computing device, sending a message to the at least one playback device indicating;

(i) the altered playlist at the computing device, and (ii) the received queue identification.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

before receiving the message indicating the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone of the media playback system, sending, by the computing device to the playback device, (i) data indicating the one or more second media items in the playback queue, and (ii) a queue identification indicating a version of the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the playback zone is a first playback zone, wherein the media playback system comprises a second playback zone, and wherein the method further comprises:

before causing the one or more first media items in the playback queue to be replaced with the one or more second media items in the playlist, updating a queue identification, wherein the updated queue identification indicates a version of the playback queue after the one or more second media items replaced the one or more first items; and

after updating the queue identification, causing the updated queue identification to be sent to at least one playback device in the second playback zone.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

before updating the queue identification, detecting by the computing device, an input indicating an alteration of the playlist at the computing device, wherein the alteration of the playlist comprises one or more of (i) modifying the one or more second media items and (ii) modifying the second order of the one or more second media items; and

deferring the alteration of the playlist at the computing device until after the queue identification is updated.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the message indicating the playback queue further indicates a first queue identification that specifies a first version of the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone, the method further comprising:

prior to receiving the message, storing in memory, by the computing device, a second queue identification that specifies a second version of the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone, and wherein determining that the one or more first media items in the first order is different from the one or more second media items in the second order comprises determining, by the computing device, that the first queue identification is different from the second queue identification.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

replacing in memory, by the computing device, the second queue identification with the first queue identification.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after causing the one or more first media items in the playback queue to be replaced with the one or more second media items in the playlist, receiving, by the computing device from the playback device, an indication that the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone matches the playlist at the computing device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the one or more first media items in the playback queue to be replaced with the one or more second media items in the playlist comprises:

determining that the at least one playback device in the playback zone is playing a particular media item in the one or more first media items queued in the first order; and

causing the at least one playback device in the playback zone to complete playback of the particular media item before causing the one or more first media items in the playback queue to be replaced with the one or more second media items in the playlist.

10. A computing device comprising:

one or more processors; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising;

receiving, via a network interface, a message indicating a playback queue corresponding to a playback zone of a media playback system, wherein the playback zone comprises at least one playback device of the media playback system, and wherein the playback queue includes one or more first media items queued in a first order for playback at the at least one playback device;

determining that a playlist at the computing device is to be queued for playback in the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone, wherein the playlist includes one or more second media items in a second order;

responsive to determining that the playlist is to be queued for playback in the playback queue, determining that the one or more first media items in the first order is different from the one or more second media items in the second order; and

based on the determination that the one or more first media items is different from the one or more second media items, causing the one or more first media items in the playback queue to be replaced with the one or more second media items in the playlist.

11. The computing device of claim 10, wherein receiving the message indicating the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone comprises receiving from the at least one playback device, a queue identification that indicates a version of the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone, and wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving an input indicating an alteration of the playlist at the computing device, wherein the alteration of the playlist comprises one or more of (i) modifying the one or more second media items and (ii) modifying the second order of the one or more second media items;

based on the received input indicating an alteration of the playlist at the computing device, performing the alteration of the playlist at the computing device; and

after performing the alteration of the playlist at the computing device, sending a message to the at least one playback device indicating;

(i) the altered playlist at the computing device, and (ii) the received queue identification.

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

before receiving the message indicating the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone of the media playback system, sending, by the computing device to the playback device, (i) data indicating the one or more second media items in the playback queue, and (ii) a queue identification indicating a version of the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone.

13. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the playback zone is a first playback zone, wherein the media playback system comprises a second playback zone, and wherein the functions further comprise:

before causing the one or more first media items in the playback queue to be replaced with the one or more second media items in the playlist, updating a queue identification, wherein the updated queue identification indicates a version of the playback queue after the one or more second media items replaced the one or more first items; and

after updating the queue identification, causing the updated queue identification to be sent to at least one playback device in the second playback zone.

14. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the message indicating the playback queue further indicates a first queue identification that specifies a first version of the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone, wherein the functions further comprise:

prior to receiving the message, storing, in memory, a second queue identification that specifies a second version of the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone; and

wherein determining that the one or more first media items in the first order is different from the one or more second media items in the second order comprises determining that the first queue identification is different from the second queue identification.

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

after causing the one or more first media items in the playback queue to be replaced with the one or more second media items in the playlist, receiving, from the playback device, an indication that the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone matches the playlist at the computing device.

16. The computing device of claim 10, wherein causing the one or more first media items in the playback queue to be replaced with the one or more second media items in the playlist comprises:

determining that the at least one playback device in the playback zone is playing a particular media item in the one or more first media items queued in the first order; and

causing the at least one playback device in the playback zone to complete playback of the particular media item before causing the one or more first media items in the playback queue to be replaced with the one or more second media items in the playlist.

17. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving, via a network interface, a message indicating a playback queue corresponding to a playback zone of a media playback system, wherein the playback zone comprises at least one playback device of the media playback system, and wherein the playback queue includes one or more first media items queued in a first order for playback at the at least one playback device;

determining that a playlist at the computing device is to be queued for playback in the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone, wherein the playlist includes one or more second media items in a second order;

responsive to determining that the playlist is to be queued for playback in the playback queue, determining that the one or more first media items in the first order is different from the one or more second media items in the second order; and

based on the determination that the one or more first media items is different from the one or more second media items, causing the one or more first media items in the playback queue to be replaced with the one or more second media items in the playlist.

18. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein receiving the message indicating the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone comprises receiving, from the at least one playback device, a queue identification that indicates a version of the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone, and wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving an input indicating an alteration of the playlist at the computing device, wherein the alteration of the playlist comprises one or more of (i) modifying the one or more second media items and (ii) modifying the second order of the one or more second media items;

based on the received input indicating an alteration of the playlist at the computing device, performing the alteration of the playlist at the computing device; and

after performing the alteration of the playlist at the computing device, sending a message to the at least one playback device indicating;

(i) the altered playlist at the computing device, and (ii) the received queue identification.

19. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the playback zone is a first playback zone, wherein the media playback system comprises a second playback zone, and wherein the functions further comprise:

before causing the one or more first media items in the playback queue to be replaced with the one or more second media items in the playlist, updating a queue identification, wherein the updated queue identification indicates a version of the playback queue after the one or more second media items replaced the one or more first items; and

after updating the queue identification, causing the updated queue identification to be sent to at least one playback device in the second playback zone.

20. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the message indicating the playback queue further indicates a first queue identification that specifies a first version of the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone, wherein the functions further comprise:

prior to receiving the message, storing, in memory, a second queue identification that specifies a second version of the playback queue corresponding to the playback zone, and wherein determining that the one or more first media items in the first order is different from the one or more second media items in the second order comprises determining that the first queue identification is different from the second queue identification.