Music streaming using supported services

• US 9,646,085 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2014
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Kuper, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): Saunders, Jr., Joseph
• Application Number:
  US14/318,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20150379021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/60 of audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/61 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path

Abstract

An example method includes sending a first message from a media playback system to a curating service server where the first message includes an indication of a service provider that is accessible to the media playback system. The example method further includes the media playback system receiving a message from the curating service server, where the message includes a media item identifier. The example method further includes the media playback system sending a request for a media item including the media item identifier to a service provider server.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining, by a media playback system, a service provider access identifier based on a user account of the media playback system registered with at least one service provider;

sending, by the media playback system to a curating service server of a media curating service, a first message comprising (i) the service provider access identifier, wherein the media curating service aggregates media item identifiers of curated media items associated with one or more service providers, and wherein the curated media items corresponding to the media item identifiers are stored in a service provider server of a given service provider,and (ii) a request for media item identifiers of curated media items that are associated with the at least one service provider that the user account of the media playback system is registered;

receiving, by the media playback system from the curating service server of the media curating service, a second message, the second message comprising media item identifiers of curated media items that are associated with the at least one service provider that the user account of the media playback system is registered;

sending, by the media playback system to the service provider server of the given service provider, a third message comprising (i) the received media item identifiers of curated media items, wherein the user account of the media playback system is registered with the given service provider, and (ii) a request for media items associated with the received media item identifiers of curated media items;

receiving, by the media playback system from the service provider server of the given service provider, a fourth message comprising the media items associated with the received media item identifiers of curated media items; and

causing, via the media playback system, a playback device to play back one or more of the received media items associated with the received media item identifiers of curated media items.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the media item identifiers of curated media items comprise (i) a track identifier and (ii) a service provider identifier.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the track identifier and the service provider identifier are associated with the at least one service provider.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the first message comprising the service provider access identifier further comprises:

generating a message header, wherein the message header comprises an identification of the at least one service provider that the user account of the media playback system is registered; and

sending, from the media playback system to the curating service server, the generated message header.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the media playback system comprises a controller device, the method further comprising:

storing, by a controller application installed on the controller device, the service provider access identifier; and

wherein the request for media items associated with the received media item identifiers of curated media items indicates that the media items is to be sent to a playback device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the second message further comprises:

receiving the media item identifiers of curated media items that are associated with the at least one service provider in a particular order of preference based at least on a business relationship between a manufacturer of the media playback system and the at least one service provider.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable memory having instructions stored thereon that when executed cause a media playback system to:

determine a service provider access identifier based on a user account of the media playback system registered with at least one service provider;

send, to a curating service server of a media curating service, a first message comprising (i) the service provider access identifier, wherein the media curating service aggregates media item identifiers of curated media items associated with one or more service providers, and wherein the curated media items corresponding to the media item identifiers are stored in a service provider server of a given service provider, and (ii) a request for media item identifiers of curated media items that are associated with the at least one service provider that the user account of the media playback system is registered;

receive a second message from the curating service server, wherein receiving the second message comprises receiving media item identifiers of curated media items that are associated with the at least one service provider that the user account of the media playback system is registered;

send, to the service provider server of the given service provider, a third message comprising the received media item identifiers of curated media items, wherein the user account of the media playback system is registered with the given service provider, and wherein sending the third message comprises sending a request for media items associated with the received media item identifiers of curated media items;

receive, from the service provider server of the given service provider, a fourth message comprising the media items associated with the received media item identifiers of curated media items; and

cause a playback device to playback one or more of the received media items associated with the received media item identifiers of curated media items.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 7, wherein the at least one service provider comprises a media provision service that provides audio content for play back by the playback device.

9. A method, comprising:

storing, at a curating service server of a media curating service, media item identifiers of curated media items associated with one or more service providers, wherein the media curating service aggregates the media item identifiers of curated media items, and wherein the curated media items corresponding to the media item identifiers are stored in a service provider server of a given service provider;

receiving, at the curating service server from a media playback system, a first message, wherein the first message comprises a service provider access identifier, wherein the service provider access identifier is based on a user account of the media playback system registered with at least one service provider;

based on receiving the first message, determining, by the curating service, media item identifiers of curated media items that are associated with the at least one service provider that the user account of the media playback system is registered; and

transmitting a second message from the curating service server to the media playback system, wherein the second message comprises the media item identifiers of curated media items associated with the at least one service provider that the user account of the media playback system is registered.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the media item identifiers of curated media items comprise (i) a track identifier and (ii) a service provider identifier.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the track identifier and the service provider access identifier are associated with the at least one service provider.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable memory having instructions stored thereon that when executed cause a curating service server of a media curating service to:

store media item identifiers of curated media items associated with one or more service providers, wherein the media curating service aggregates the media item identifiers of curated media items, and wherein the curated media items corresponding to the media item identifiers are stored in a service provider server of a given service provider;

receive a first message from a media playback system, wherein the first message comprises a service provider access identifier, wherein the service provider access identifier is based on a user account of the media playback system registered with at least one service provider;

based on receiving the first message, determine media item identifiers of curated media items that are associated with the at least one service provider that the user account of the media playback system is registered; and

transmit a second message to the media playback system, wherein the second message comprises the media item identifiers of curated media items associated with the at least one service provider that the user account of the media playback system is registered.

13. A media playback 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;

determine a service provider access identifier based on a user account of the media playback system registered with at least one service provider;

send, to a curating service server of a media curating service, a first message comprising (i) the service provider access identifier, wherein the media curating service aggregates media item identifiers of curated media items associated with one or more service providers, and wherein the curated media items corresponding to the media item identifiers are stored in a service provider server of a given service provider, and (ii) a request for media item identifiers of curated media items that are associated with the at least one service provider that the user account of the media playback system is registered;

receive a second message from the curating service server, the second message comprising media item identifiers of curated media items that are associated with the at least one service provider that the user account of the media playback system is registered;

send, to the service provider server of the given service provider, a third message comprising (i) the received media item identifiers of curated media items, wherein the user account of the media playback system is registered with the given service provider, and (ii) a request for media items associated with the received media item identifiers of curated media items;

receive, from the service provider server of the given service provider, a fourth message comprising the media items associated with the received media item identifiers of curated media items; and

cause a playback device to playback one or more of the received media items associated with the received media item identifiers of curated media items.

14. The media playback system of claim 13, wherein the media item identifiers of curated media items comprise (i) a track identifier and (ii) a service provider identifier.

15. The media playback system of claim 14, wherein the track identifier and the service provider identifier are associated with the at least one service provider.

16. The media playback system of claim 13, wherein sending the first message comprising the service provider access identifier further comprises:

generating a message header, wherein the message header comprises an identification of the at least one service provider that the user account of the media playback system is registered; and

sending, from the media playback system to the curating service server, the generated message header.

17. The media playback system of claim 13, wherein receiving the second message further comprises:

receiving the media item identifiers of curated media items that are associated with the at least one service provider that the user account of the media playback system is registered in a particular order of preference based at least on a business relationship between a manufacturer of the media playback system and the at least one service provider.

18. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a service provider server of a given service provider from a media playback system, a first message comprising (i) media item identifiers of curated media items for a media curating service that are associated with at least one service provider that a user account of the media playback system is registered, and (ii) a request for media items associated with the media item identifiers of curated media items; and

sending, by the service provider server of the given service provider to the media playback system, a second message comprising the media items associated with the media item identifiers of curated media items that are associated with the at least one service provider that the user account of the media playback system is registered, thereby causing the media playback system to play back one or more of the media items associated with the media item identifiers of curated media items.