Associating playback devices with playback queues

• US 9,521,454 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2015
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Vega-Zayas, Luis R., Johansen, Kristen, Bates, Paul, Kumar, Abhishek
• Primary Examiner(s): Flanders, Andrew C
• Application Number:
  US14/856,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20160007079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/4307 Synchronising the rendering of multiple content streams or additional data on devices, e.g. synchronisation of audio on a mobile phone with the video output on the TV screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43076 of the same content streams on multiple devices, e.g. when family members are watching the same movie on different devices
• 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 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• 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 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• 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

Abstract

In an example implementation, a first playback device associates with a first playback queue that identifies items for playback by the first playback device. The first playback device receives an instruction to enter a playback group with a second playback device which is associated with a second playback queue that identifies one or more items for playback by the second playback device. The first playback device enters the playback group with the second playback device. The first playback device is configured to play items from the second playback queue in synchrony with the second playback device while in the playback group. The first playback device receives an instruction to leave the playback group and leaves the playback group. Leaving the playback group involves automatically associating the first playback device with a third playback queue that identifies items for playback by the first playback device.

Claims

1. A first playback device comprising:

one or more processors; and

tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first playback device to perform a method comprising;

associating the first playback device with a first playback queue that identifies one or more items for playback by the first playback device;

receiving an instruction to enter a playback group with a second playback device, wherein the second playback device is associated with a second playback queue that identifies one or more items for playback by the second playback device;

entering the playback group with the second playback device, wherein the playback group is associated with the second playback queue, wherein the first playback device is configured to play items from the second playback queue in synchrony with the second playback device while the first playback device and the second playback device are in the playback group;

receiving an instruction to leave the playback group; and

leaving the playback group, wherein leaving the playback group comprises automatically associating the first playback device with a third playback queue that identifies one or more items for playback by the first playback device, wherein the third playback queue persisted without association with a playback device from a time prior to being automatically associated with the first playback device.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the third playback queue is the first playback queue and automatically associating the first playback device with the third playback queue further comprises automatically reinstating the first playback queue for playback by the first playback device.

3. The playback device of claim 2, wherein the first playback queue persists without association with a playback device for a time after the grouping and prior to the reinstating.

4. The playback device of claim 1, the method further comprising:

cause the association of the first playback device with the first playback queue to be maintained upon the entering the playback group.

5. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the third playback queue is the first playback queue.

6. The playback device of claim 5, wherein automatically associating the first playback device with the first playback queue comprises remotely accessing the first playback queue.

7. The playback device of claim 1, the method further comprising:

cause the first playback device to automatically play the third playback queue after automatically associating the first playback device with the first playback queue.

8. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the first playback queue resides on the second playback device, and wherein the second playback queue resides on the first playback device.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including a computer program which, when executed by a processor, implements a method, the method comprising:

associating a first playback device with a first playback queue, the first playback queue identifying one or more items for playback by the first playback device;

receiving an instruction to enter a playback group with a second playback device, wherein the second playback device is associated with a second playback queue that identifies one or more items for playback by the second playback device;

entering the playback group with the second playback device, wherein the playback group is associated with the second playback queue, wherein the first playback device is configured to play items from the second playback queue in synchrony with the second playback device while the first playback device and the second playback device are in the playback group;

receiving an instruction to leave the playback group; and

leaving the playback group, wherein leaving the playback group comprises automatically associating the first playback device with a third playback queue that identifies one or more items for playback by the first playback device, wherein the third playback queue persisted without association with a playback device from a time prior to being automatically associated with the first playback device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the third playback queue is the first playback queue and automatically associating the first playback device with the third playback queue further comprises automatically reinstating the first playback queue for playback by the first playback device.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the first playback queue persists without association with a playback device for a time after the grouping and prior to the reinstating.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, the method further comprising:

cause the association of the first playback device with the first playback queue to be maintained upon the entering the playback group.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the third playback queue is the first playback queue.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein automatically associating the first playback device with the first playback queue comprises remotely accessing the first playback queue.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, the method further comprising:

cause the first playback device to automatically play the third playback queue after automatically associating the first playback device with the first playback queue.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the first playback queue resides on the second playback device, and wherein the second playback queue resides on the first playback device.

17. A method comprising:

associating a first playback device with a first playback queue that identifies one or more items for playback by the first playback device;

receiving an instruction to enter a playback group with a second playback device, wherein the second playback device is associated with a second playback queue that identifies one or more items for playback by the second playback device;

entering the playback group with the second playback device, wherein the playback group is associated with the second playback queue, wherein the first playback device is configured to play items from the second playback queue in synchrony with the second playback device while the first playback device and the second playback device are in the playback group;

receiving an instruction to leave the playback group; and

leaving the playback group, wherein leaving the playback group comprises automatically associating the first playback device with a third playback queue that identifies one or more items for playback by the first playback device, wherein the third playback queue persisted without association with a playback device from a time prior to being automatically associated with the first playback device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the third playback queue is the first playback queue and automatically associating the first playback device with the third playback queue further comprises automatically reinstating the first playback queue for playback by the first playback device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the third playback queue is the first playback queue.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the first playback queue resides on the second playback device, and wherein the second playback queue resides on the first playback device.