Audio content auditioning

• US 8,908,879 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2012
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Bates, Paul Andrew, Kumar, Abhishek, Lang, Jonathan Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): ELBIN, JESSE A
• Application Number:
  US13/478,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20130317635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94, 381/119, 381/79, 381/80, 381/81, 715/716, 715/727, 709/231
• US Class Current: 381/81
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5038 considering the execution order of a plurality of tasks, e.g. taking priority or time dependency constraints into consideration scheduling strategies G06F9/4881 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10972 Management of interruptions, e.g. due to editing
• 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 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• 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 21/4396 by muting the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• 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

Systems and methods are provided for playback of audio content in an “audition mode.” A system may be providing audio content to be rendered by a group of playback devices, when receiving a request to audition a second audio content with at least one playback device from the group of playback devices. The system may then suspend rendering of the first audio content at the at least one playback device, and provide the second audio content to be rendered by the at least one playback device for a duration of time. Upon exiting audition mode, either by completion of the second audio content, expiration of the duration of time, or request to exit audition mode, the system may resume rendering of the first audio content by the at least one playback device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a first audio content to be rendered by a first group of one or more playback devices;

receiving input data indicating (a) a request for a second audio content to be played for a duration of time by at least one playback device from the first group of one or more playback devices and (b) the at east one playback device for playing the second audio content;

suspending rendering of the first audio content by the at least one playback device;

providing the second audio content to be rendered by the at least one playback device for the duration of time; and

resuming rendering of the first audio content by the at least one playback device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein suspending rendering of the first audio content by the at least one playback device further comprises determining whether the first audio content can be paused.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein suspending rendering of the first audio content by the at least one playback device comprises pausing rendering by the first group of one or more playback devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein suspending rendering of the first audio content by the at least one playback device comprises muting the rendering of the first audio content by the at least one playback device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein playback devices in the first group of one or more playback devices other than the at least one playback device continue to render the first audio content.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein resuming rendering of the first audio content by the at least one playback device comprises synchronizing the first audio content rendered by the at least one playback device with the first audio content rendered by the playback devices in the first group of one or more playback devices other than the at least one playback device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first audio content comprises a queue of multiple audio files.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a first audio content to be rendered by a first group of one or more playback devices comprises receiving a stream of audio.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the duration of time is a predetermined duration.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the duration of time is the duration of the second audio content.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the input data further comprises data indicating the duration of time.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second audio content is presently rendered by a second group of one or more playback devices, and wherein providing the second audio content to be rendered by the at least one playback device for the duration of time comprises synchronizing the rendering of the second audio content by the at least one playback device with the second audio content rendered by the second group of one or more playback devices.

13. A device comprising:

a processor; and

memory including instructions stored therein executable by the processor to perform functions comprising;

providing a first audio content to be rendered by a first group of one or more playback devices;

receiving input data indicating (a) a request for a second audio content to be played for a duration of time by at least one playback device from the first group of one or more playback devices and (b) the at least one playback device for playing the second audio content;

suspending rendering of the first audio content by the at least one playback device;

providing the second audio content to be rendered by the at least one playback device for the duration of time; and

resuming rendering of the first audio content by the at least one playback device.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein playback devices in the first group of one or more playback devices other than the at least one playback device continue to render the first audio content.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the second audio content is presently rendered by a second group of one or more playback devices, and wherein providing the second audio content to be rendered by the at least one playback device for the duration of time comprises synchronizing the rendering of the second audio content by the at least one playback device with the second audio content rendered by the second group of one or more playback devices.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein providing a first audio content to be rendered by a first group of one or more playback devices comprises receiving a stream of audio.

17. A system comprising:

one or more audio content sources;

one or more audio playback devices;

a controller; and

a processing unit in communication with the one or more audio content sources, the one or more audio playback devices, and the controller, wherein the processing unit is configured to;

cause a first group of one or more playback devices to render a first audio content from the one or more audio content sources;

receive from the controller input data indicating (a) a request for a second audio content from the one or more audio content sources to be played for a duration of time by at least one playback device from the first group of one or more playback devices and (b) the at least one playback device for playing the second audio content;

cause one or more of the playback devices from the first group of one or more playback devices to suspend rendering of the first audio content;

cause the at least one playback device to render the second audio content for the duration of time; and

cause the one or more of the playback devices from the first group of one or more playback devices to resume rendering of the first audio content.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first audio content is from a first audio content source of the one or more audio content sources and the second audio content is from a second audio content source of the one or more audio content sources.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein one of the one or more audio playback devices is also the controller.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

receive from the controller new input data indicating a request to terminate rendering of the second audio content;

cause the at least one playback device to terminate rendering of the second audio content; and

cause the one or more of the playback devices from the first group of one or more playback devices to resume rendering of the first audio content.