Cloud queue playhead

• US 9,648,071 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2016
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Coburn, IV, Arthur L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flanders, Andrew C
• Application Number:
  US15/130,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20160231985A1
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• 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 over the network interface, a request to initiate playback of the particular cloud queue at a first media item. The computing system assigns a playhead pointer to a position within the particular cloud queue that corresponds to the first media item and transmits, to the media playback system over the network interface, an instruction that causes one or more playback devices of the media playback system to initiate playback of the particular cloud queue at the first media item. While the one or more playback devices play back the particular cloud queue, the computing system updates the assigned position of the playhead pointer to indicate the currently playing media item of the particular cloud queue.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, via a computing system from a media playback system over a network interface, a request to initiate playback of a particular cloud queue at a first media item, wherein the particular cloud queue is accessible to the media playback system over a wide area network;

wherein media items of the particular cloud queue are playable by one or more playback devices of the media playback system;

assigning, via the computing system, a playhead pointer to a position within the particular cloud queue that corresponds to the first media item;

transmitting, via the computing system to the media playback system over the network interface, an instruction that causes the one or more playback devices of the media playback system to initiate playback of the particular cloud queue at the first media item;

receiving, via the computing system over the network interface, an indication that a local playhead pointer of the media playback system is assigned to a position that corresponds to a second media item; and

updating, via the computing system, the assigned position of the playhead pointer to indicate the position with the particular cloud queue that corresponds to the second media item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the media playback system comprises a local queue that is stored on a given playback device of the media playback system, the local queue indicating one or more media items of the particular cloud queue including the first media item, and wherein transmitting the instruction that causes the one or more playback devices of the media playback system to initiate playback of the particular cloud queue at the first media item comprises transmitting an instruction that causes the media playback system to assign the local playhead pointer to a position within the local queue that corresponds to the assigned position of the playhead pointer within the particular cloud queue.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the instruction that causes the one or more playback devices of the media playback system to initiate playback of the particular cloud queue at the first media item comprises causing the one or more playback device to initiate playback of the first media item of the particular cloud queue via the local queue.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, over the network interface, a request to subscribe the media playback system to the particular cloud queue; and

based on receiving the request to subscribe the media playback system to the particular cloud queue, causing the media playback system to establish the local queue in a data storage of a given playback device, wherein the local queue corresponds to the particular cloud queue.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the media playback system is a first media playback system that is associated with a first user account and the one or more playback devices are one or more first playback devices, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, over the network interface, a request to subscribe a second media playback system to the particular cloud queue, wherein the second media playback system is associated with a second user account and comprises one or more second playback devices; and

based on receiving the request to subscribe the media playback system to the particular cloud queue, causing the second media playback system to establish a local queue in a data storage of a given second playback device, wherein the local queue corresponds to the particular cloud queue.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first media playback system is associated with an owner status that authorizes the first media playback system perform a first set of operations comprising (i) playback of the particular cloud queue via the local queue of the first media playback system and (ii) manipulation of the assigned position of the playhead pointer, wherein the second media playback system is associated with a subscriber status that authorizes the second media playback system perform a second set of operations comprising playback of the particular cloud queue via the local queue of the second media playback system and excluding manipulation of the assigned position of the playhead pointer, and wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting, over the network interface, (i) an instruction that restricts the first media playback system to the first set of operations and (ii) an instruction that restricts the second media playback system to the first set of operations.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

while the particular cloud queue is being played back, updating the assigned position of the playhead pointer to indicate the currently playing media item.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein updating the assigned position of the playhead pointer to indicate the currently playing media item comprises:

when updating the assigned position of the playhead pointer, transmitting an indication of the assigned position of the playhead pointer to the media playback system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular cloud queue is one of a plurality of cloud queues stored in data storage accessible to the computing system, and wherein receiving the request to initiate playback of the particular cloud queue at the first media item comprises receiving an identifier that identifies the particular cloud queue from among the plurality of cloud queues stored in data storage accessible to the computing system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting, to the media playback system over the network interface, the instruction that causes the one or more playback devices of the media playback system to initiate playback of the particular cloud queue at the first media item comprises transmitting an universal resource identifier that cause the one or more playback devices to play the first media item from a network source indicated by the universal resource identifier.

11. A playback device comprising:

a network interface;

a data storage;

one or more processors; and

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

transmitting, to a computing system over the network interface, a request to initiate playback of a particular cloud queue at a first media item, wherein the particular cloud queue is accessible to the playback device over a wide area network;

assigning a local playhead pointer to a position within a local queue that corresponds to the first media item, wherein each position within the local queue corresponds to a respective media item, and wherein the local queue is stored in the data storage;

initiating playback of the particular cloud queue at the first media item via the local queue; and

when a second media item of the particular cloud queue is played back, updating the assigned position of the local playhead pointer to indicate the second media item.

12. The playback device of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an instruction to play back a particular media item of the particular cloud queue that is different from the first media item or second media item; and

based on receiving the instruction to playback the particular media item of the particular cloud queue, updating the assigned position of the local playhead pointer within the local queue to indicate the particular media item of the particular cloud queue and transmitting, over the network interface, an indication of the assigned position of the local playhead pointer within the local queue to cause the computing system to update a position of a playhead pointer associated with the particular cloud queue.

13. The playback device of claim 11, wherein receiving the instruction to play back the particular media item of the particular cloud queue comprises one of:

receiving input data indicating a skip forward or skip backward request or receiving input data indicating a selection of the particular media item.

14. The playback device of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting, over the network interface to the computing system, a request to subscribe the playback device to the particular cloud queue; and

after transmitting the request to subscribe the playback device to the particular cloud queue, receiving, over the network interface;

an indication of one or more media items from the particular cloud queue; and

causing the one or more media items to be queued in the local queue.

15. The playback device of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

establishing the local queue in the data storage in response to receiving the indication of one or more media items from the particular cloud queue.

16. Tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a computing system to perform a method comprising:

receiving, from a media playback system over a network interface, a request to initiate playback of a particular cloud queue at a first media item, wherein the particular cloud queue is accessible to the media playback system over a wide area network;

wherein the media playback system comprises one or more playback devices;

assigning a playhead pointer to a position within the particular cloud queue that corresponds to the first media item, wherein each position within the particular cloud queue corresponds to a respective media item;

transmitting, to the media playback system over the network interface, an instruction that causes the one or more playback devices of the media playback system to initiate playback of the particular cloud queue at the first media item;

receiving, over the network interface, an indication that a local playhead pointer of the media playback system is assigned to a position that corresponds to a second media item; and

updating the assigned position of the playhead pointer to indicate the position with the particular cloud queue that corresponds to the second media item.

17. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the media playback system comprises a local queue that is stored on a given playback device of the media playback system, the local queue indicating one or more media items of the particular cloud queue including the first media item, and wherein transmitting the instruction that causes the one or more playback devices of the media playback system to initiate playback of the particular cloud queue at the first media item comprises transmitting an instruction that causes the media playback system to assign the local playhead pointer to a position within the local queue that corresponds to the assigned position of the playhead pointer within the particular cloud queue.

18. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein transmitting the instruction that causes the one or more playback devices of the media playback system to initiate playback of the particular cloud queue at the first media item comprises causing the one or more playback device to initiate playback of the first media item of the particular cloud queue via the local queue.

19. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein the media playback system is a first media playback system that is associated with a first user account and the one or more playback devices are one or more first playback devices, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, over the network interface, a request to subscribe a second media playback system to the particular cloud queue, wherein the second media playback system is associated with a second user account and comprises one or more second playback devices; and

based on receiving the request to subscribe the media playback system to the particular cloud queue, causing the second media playback system to establish a local queue in a data storage of a given second playback device, wherein the local queue corresponds to the particular cloud queue.

20. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

while the particular cloud queue is being played back, updating the assigned position of the playhead pointer to indicate the currently playing media item.