Cloud queue playhead

• US 9,363,255 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2015
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Coburn, Arthur L. IV
• Primary Examiner(s): Flanders, Andrew C
• Application Number:
  US14/616,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20150358381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/638 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• 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: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 : Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 : Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; 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 21/25816 : involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• 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 21/4325 : by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 21/4627 : 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 21/4825 : using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 : directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/654 : Transmission by server directed to the client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 : Transmission by the client directed to the server
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 : involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• 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

An example implementation may involve a computing system receiving, from a media playback system, a request for an indication of a playhead pointer for a particular queue of media items. The implementation may also involve the computing system identifying a position of a playhead pointer within the particular queue of media items. Each position in the queue may correspond to a media item. The implementation may further involve the computing system sending, to the media playback system, an indication of the playhead pointer. The indication of the playhead pointer indicates the assigned position of the playhead pointer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, via a computing system from a given media playback system over a network interface, a request for an indication of a playhead pointer for a particular cloud queue of media items that is accessible to the given media playback system via a wide area network, wherein media items of the particular cloud queue are playable by one or more playback devices of the given media playback system;

identifying, via the computing system, a position of the playhead pointer within the particular cloud queue of media items, wherein each position in the particular cloud queue corresponds to a respective media item; and

sending, via the computing system to the given media playback system over the network interface, an indication of the playhead pointer, wherein the indication of the playhead pointer indicates the identified position of the playhead pointer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the position of the playhead pointer comprises:

generating a playhead pointer configured to indicate a position within the particular cloud queue; and

assigning the generated playhead pointer to a particular position in the particular cloud queue of media items.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a media item identifier that indicates a particular media item that the one or more playback devices of the given media playback system are to play back; and

wherein assigning the generated playhead pointer to a position in the particular cloud queue of media item comprises assigning the generated playhead pointer to a particular position in the particular cloud queue corresponding to the particular media item that the one or more playback devices of the given media playback system are to playback.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein assigning the playhead pointer to the position in the particular cloud queue of media item comprises

receiving, from the given media playback system over the network interface, a request to playback the particular cloud queue of media items at the beginning of the particular cloud queue;

and

assigning the playhead pointer to a particular position that is ordered first in the particular cloud queue.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the indication of the playhead pointer comprises sending a universal resource identifier that indicates the identified position of the playhead pointer in the particular cloud queue of media items.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the indication of the playhead pointer comprises sending an indication of the playhead pointer that causes at least one playback device of the given media playback system to initiate playback of the particular cloud queue at a media item corresponding to the identified position of the playhead pointer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a particular position of a local playhead pointer in a local copy of the particular cloud queue at the given media playback system;

determining that the particular position of the local playhead pointer in the local copy of the particular cloud queue is different from the identified position of the playhead pointer; and

re-assigning the playhead pointer to a position in the particular cloud queue corresponding to the particular position.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the given media playback system includes at least one zone of one or more playback devices configured to play back media items in synchrony, and wherein sending the indication of the playhead pointer comprises sending an indication of the playhead pointer that causes the one or more playback devices of the at least one zone to initiate playback of the particular cloud queue at the identified position of the playhead pointer.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning, to a particular device of the given media playback system, an owner status, wherein the owner status authorizes the particular device to perform a particular set of operations corresponding to manipulation of the playhead pointer.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning, to a first device of the given media playback system, an owner status, wherein the owner status authorizes the first device to perform a first set of operations on the playhead pointer; and

assigning, to one or more second devices of the given media playback system, a subscriber status, wherein the subscriber status authorizes the one or more second devices to perform a second set of operations on the playhead pointer, and wherein the second set of operations is different from the first set of operations.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning, to a particular device of the given media playback system, an owner status, wherein the owner status authorizes the particular device to perform a first set of operations on the playhead pointer; and

assigning, to one or more respective devices of one or more additional media playback systems, a subscriber status, wherein the subscriber status authorizes the one or more respective devices to perform a second set of operations on the playhead pointer, and wherein the second set of operations is different from the first set of operations.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first set of operations corresponds to control of the position of the playhead pointer, and wherein the second set of operations correspond to playback of the particular cloud queue in synchronization with the playhead pointer.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from a control device, an indication of a command to manipulate the position of the playhead pointer;

based on the request, sending to the given media playback system, an indication of the command to manipulate the position of the playhead pointer;

after sending the indication of the command to manipulate the position of the playhead pointer, receiving an indication of a new position of the playhead pointer;

re-assigning the playhead pointer to the new position; and

sending, to the control device, an indication that the position of the playhead pointer has been re-assigned.

14. A computing system comprising:

a network interface;

at least one processor;

a data storage; and

a program logic stored in the data storage and executable by the at least one processor to;

receive, from a given media playback system over the network interface, a request for an indication of a playhead pointer for a particular cloud queue of media items that is accessible to the given media playback system via a wide area network, wherein media items of the particular cloud queue are playable by one or more playback devices of the given media playback system;

identify a position of the playhead pointer within the particular cloud queue of media items, wherein each position in the particular cloud queue corresponds to a respective media item; and

send, to the given media playback system over the network interface, an indication of the playhead pointer, wherein the indication of the playhead pointer indicates the identified position of the playhead pointer.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, via a control device of a given media playback system, input data that associates a zone of the given media playback system with a particular cloud queue of media items, wherein the zone comprises a playback device, and wherein the media items of the particular cloud queue are playable by the playback device;

sending, via the control device to a computing system over a network interface, a request for an indication of a playhead pointer for the particular cloud queue of media items, wherein the particular cloud queue is accessible to the given media playback system over a wide area network; and

receiving, via the control device, the requested indication of the playhead pointer, wherein the indication of the playhead pointer indicates an assigned position of the playhead pointer in the particular cloud queue of media items, and wherein the assigned position corresponds to a media item at that position in the particular cloud queue.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

causing a graphical interface to display an indication of the assigned position of the playhead pointer.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein causing the graphical interface to display the indication of the assigned position of the playhead pointer comprises causing the graphical interface to display an indication of a media item that corresponds to the assigned position of the playhead pointer in the particular cloud queue of media items.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving one or more respective messages indicating respective positions of the playhead pointer in the particular cloud queue of media items; and

upon receiving each message, causing a graphical interface to display an indication of the respective position of the playhead pointer indicated by the respective message.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving input data indicating a command to manipulate the position of the playhead pointer within the particular cloud queue; and

sending, to the computing system over the network interface, a request to manipulate the position of the playhead pointer within the particular cloud queue according to the command.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, over the network interface, an indication of one or more cloud queues of media items at the computing system; and

causing a graphical interface to display an indication of the one or more cloud queues of media items; and

wherein receiving input data that associates a zone of one or more playback devices with a particular cloud queue of media items comprises receiving input data that associates the zone of one or more playback devices with a particular one of the one or more cloud queues of media items.