Cloud queue synchronization protocol

• US 9,654,459 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2015
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Coburn, IV, Arthur L., Beckhardt, Steven, Schulert, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flanders, Andrew C
• Application Number:
  US14/616,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20150358375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 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 playback device of a media playback system sending a request for an indication of at least one media item from a remote queue of media items and an indication of a particular media item that is being played by the playback device. The implementation may also involve the playback device receiving an indication of one or more media items from the remote queue of media items. The one or more media items may include the particular media item is being played by the playback device. The implementation may further involve the playback device incorporating an indication of the one or more media items into a local queue of media items.

Claims

1. A playback device 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;

while playing back a particular media item from a local queue of media items, send, to a remote server over the network interface, (i) a request for an indication of media items from a cloud queue of media items that is accessible to the playback device via a wide area network, and (ii) an indication of the particular media item that is being played by the playback device, wherein the local queue is stored in data storage of the playback device;

receive, over the network interface, an indication of two or more media items from the cloud queue of media items, wherein the two or more media items include the particular media item that is being played by the playback device; and

incorporate an indication of at least one of the two or more media items into the local queue of media items.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of two or more media items from the cloud queue of media items comprises receiving a sequence of two or more media items from the cloud queue, wherein the sequence includes the particular media item that is being played by the playback device.

3. The playback device of claim 2, wherein incorporating an indication of the at least one of the two or more media items into the local queue comprises adding an indication of the at least one of the two or more media items from the cloud queue into the local queue according to the sequence.

4. The playback device of claim 2, wherein sending the request for an indication of media items from the cloud queue of media items further comprises sending, to the remote server over the network interface, an indication of a number of media items to include in the sequence.

5. The playback device of claim 1, wherein sending the request for an indication of media items from the cloud queue of media items further comprises sending, to the remote server over the network interface, an identifier indicating the cloud queue from among one or more cloud queues.

6. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the program logic is further executable to:

after receiving the indication of two or more media items from the cloud queue of media items, send, to one or more additional playback devices over the network interface, an indication of the two or more media items from the cloud queue of media items.

7. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the program logic is further executable to:

receive, from a control device over the network interface, a request for an indication of at least one of the two or more media items from the cloud queue of media items for display, wherein the control device is configured to control playback by the playback device; and

responsively, send, to the control device over the network interface, an indication of at least one of the two or more media items from the cloud queue of media items.

8. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the program logic is further executable to:

receive a request for the playback device to send another request for an indication of media items from the cloud queue of media items;

detect that another media item of the local queue is being played by the playback device; and

responsively, send, to the remote server over the network interface, (i) another request for an indication of media items from the cloud queue of media items, and (ii) an indication of the detected media item of the local queue, wherein the detected media item is the media item that is being played by the playback device.

9. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the program logic is further executable to:

detect that playback of the particular media item has finished; and

send, to the remote server over the network interface, a message indicating that playback of the particular media item has finished.

10. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the cloud queue is an active cloud queue that is currently playing back at the playback device, and wherein the program logic is further executable to:

receive a message modifying the active queue of the playback device from the cloud queue to another queue; and

send, to the remote server over the network interface, a message indicating that the cloud queue is not the active queue at the playback device.

11. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the local queue is a local mirror of the cloud queue.

21. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the media items of the cloud queue are indicated within the cloud queue by respective identifiers.

12. A method comprising:

while playing back a particular media item from a local queue of media items, sending, by a playback device to a remote server over a network interface, (i) a request for an indication of media items from a cloud queue of media items that is accessible to the playback device via a wide area network, and (ii) an indication of the particular media item that is being played by the playback device, wherein the local queue is stored in data storage of the playback device;

receiving, by the playback device over the network interface, an indication of two or more media items from the cloud queue of media items, wherein the two or more media items include the particular media item that is being played by the playback device; and

incorporating, via the playback device, an indication of at least one of the two or more media items into the local queue of media items.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the media items of the cloud queue are indicated within the cloud queue by respective identifiers.

28. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving the indication of two or more media items from the cloud queue of media items comprises receiving a sequence of two or more media items from the cloud queue, wherein the sequence includes the particular media item that is being played by the playback device, and wherein incorporating the indication of the at least one of the two or more media items into the local queue comprises adding an indication of the at least one of the two or more media items from the cloud queue into the local queue according to the sequence.

29. The method of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

after receiving the indication of two or more media items from the cloud queue of media items, sending, to one or more additional playback devices over the network interface, an indication of the two or more media items from the cloud queue of media items.

13. A method comprising:

receiving, via a computing system over a network interface from a media playback system that comprises one or more playback devices, (i) a request for an indication of media items from a cloud queue of media items, and (ii) an indication of a particular media item that is being played back by a given playback device of the media playback system, wherein the cloud queue is accessible to the playback device via a wide area network;

identifying two or more media items from the cloud queue, wherein the two or more media items includes the particular media item; and

causing, via the computing system, an indication of at least one of the two or more media items to be incorporated into a local queue of media items, wherein the local queue is stored in a data storage of the media playback system, and wherein causing the indication of at least one of the two or more media items to be incorporated into the local queue of media items comprises sending, over the network interface, an indication of the identified two or more media items from the cloud queue to the media playback system.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein identifying the two or more media items from the cloud queue comprises

determining a sequence of two or more media items from the cloud queue, wherein the sequence includes the particular media item.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

detecting a modification to the cloud queue that affects that the identified two or more media items from the cloud queue; and

in response to detecting the modification to the cloud queue that affects that the identified two or more media items, sending, to the media playback system over the network interface, a message indicating that the identified two or more media items from the cloud queue have been modified.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein sending the message indicating that the identified two or more items from the cloud queue have been modified comprises:

sending, to the media playback system over the network interface, a request for the media playback system to send another request for an indication of items from the cloud queue of media items.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein sending the message indicating that the identified two or more items from the cloud queue have been modified comprises:

identifying two or more media items from the modified cloud queue, wherein the identified two or more items includes the particular media item; and

sending, via the computing system, the identified two or more media items from the modified cloud queue to the media playback system.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

after receiving the indication of the particular media item that is being played back by the playback device, storing data indicating the current track of the cloud queue, wherein the current track of the cloud queue is the particular media item that is being played by the given playback device.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving, from the media playback system over the network interface, a message indicating that playback of the particular media item has finished; and

based on receiving the message indicating that playback of the particular media item has finished, identifying a media item that is queued after the particular media item in the cloud queue and updating the stored data indicating the current track of the cloud queue to indicate the identified media item that is queued after the particular media item.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a message indicating that the cloud queue is not the active queue at the playback device; and

based on receiving the message indicating that the cloud queue is not the active queue at the playback device, removing the media playback system from a list of subscribers to the cloud queue, wherein each subscriber is configured to play back media items of the cloud queue.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the media items of the cloud queue are indicated within the cloud queue by respective identifiers.

24. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media having stored therein instructions executable by one or more processors to cause a playback device to perform a method comprising:

while playing back a particular media item from a local queue of media items, sending, to a remote server over a network interface, (i) a request for an indication of media items from a cloud queue of media items that is accessible to the playback device via a wide area network, and (ii) an indication of the particular media item that is being played by the playback device, wherein the local queue is stored in data storage of the playback device;

receiving, over the network interface, an indication of two or more media items from the cloud queue of media items, wherein the two or more media items include the particular media item that is being played by the playback device; and

incorporating an indication of at least one of the two or more media items into the local queue of media items.

25. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 24, wherein receiving the indication of two or more media items from the cloud queue of media items comprises receiving a sequence of two or more media items from the cloud queue, wherein the sequence includes the particular media item that is being played by the playback device, and wherein incorporating the indication of the at least one of the two or more media items into the local queue comprises adding an indication of the at least one of the two or more media items from the cloud queue into the local queue according to the sequence.

26. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 24, wherein the method further comprises:

after receiving the indication of two or more media items from the cloud queue of media items, sending, to one or more additional playback devices over the network interface, an indication of the two or more media items from the cloud queue of media items.

27. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 24, wherein the media items of the cloud queue are indicated within the cloud queue by respective identifiers.

30. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media having stored therein instructions executable by one or more processors to cause a computing system to perform a method comprising:

receiving, over a network interface from a media playback system that comprises one or more playback devices, (i) a request for an indication of media items from a cloud queue of media items, and (ii) an indication of a particular media item that is being played back by a given playback device of the media playback system, wherein the cloud queue is accessible to the playback device via a wide area network;

identifying two or more media items from the cloud queue, wherein the two or more media items includes the particular media item; and

causing an indication of at least one of the two or more media items to be incorporated into a local queue of media items, wherein the local queue is stored in a data storage of the media playback system, and wherein causing the indication of at least one of the two or more media items to be incorporated into the local queue of media items comprises sending, over the network interface, an indication of the identified two or more media items from the cloud queue to the media playback system.

31. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 30, wherein identifying the two or more media items from the cloud queue comprises

determining a sequence of two or more media items from the cloud queue, wherein the sequence includes the particular media item.

32. A computing system comprising:

a network interface;

one or more processors; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media having stored therein instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the computing system to perform a method comprising;

receiving, over the network interface from a media playback system that comprises one or more playback devices, (i) a request for an indication of media items from a cloud queue of media items, and (ii) an indication of a particular media item that is being played back by a given playback device of the media playback system, wherein the cloud queue is accessible to the playback device via a wide area network;

identifying two or more media items from the cloud queue, wherein the two or more media items includes the particular media item; and

causing an indication of at least one of the two or more media items to be incorporated into a local queue of media items, wherein the local queue is stored in a data storage of the media playback system, and wherein causing the indication of at least one of the two or more media items to be incorporated into the local queue of media items comprises sending, over the network interface, an indication of the identified two or more media items from the cloud queue to the media playback system.

33. The computing system of claim 32, wherein identifying the two or more media items from the cloud queue comprises

determining a sequence of two or more media items from the cloud queue, wherein the sequence includes the particular media item.