Audio content playback management

• US 9,668,026 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2015
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Bates, Paul Andrew, Kumar, Abhishek
• Primary Examiner(s): Flanders, Andrew C
• Application Number:
  US14/729,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20150271227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/60 of audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/90 Buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/00 Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD] real-time bi-directional transmission of motion video data H04N7/14 ; broadcast or conference over packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists

Abstract

An example implementation involves a playback device receiving a request to add continuous automated streaming audio content to a playback queue, the request indicating a playback start time, and the playback queue indicating a plurality of audio content. The implementation further involves the playback device adding the continuous automated streaming audio content to the playback queue. The example implementation also involves the playback device determining that a duration until the playback start time is less than a duration of the given audio content before playing a given audio content in the playback queue. The example implementation involves the playback device responsively, playing the continuous automated streaming audio content.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a processor; and

memory having stored thereon instructions executable by the processor to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising;

receiving a request to add continuous automated streaming audio content to a playback queue, the request indicating a playback start time, and the playback queue indicating a plurality of audio content;

adding the continuous automated streaming audio content to the playback queue, wherein the continuous automated streaming audio content is added in a playback position subsequent to a given audio content;

before playing the given audio content in the playback queue, determining that a duration until the playback start time is less than a duration of the given audio content;

responsively, playing the continuous automated streaming audio content; and

after playing the continuous automated streaming audio content, playing the given audio content in the playback queue.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the given audio content is a first given audio content, and wherein the functions further comprise:

before playing the continuous automated streaming audio content in the playback queue, determining that a duration until the playback start time is greater than a duration of a second given audio content; and

responsively, playing the second given audio content before playing the continuous automated streaming audio content.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining a playback end time of the continuous automated streaming audio content; and

terminating playback of the continuous automated streaming audio content at the playback end time.

4. The computing device of claim 3, wherein the functions further comprise:

playing the given audio content at the playback end time of the continuous automated streaming audio content.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining a playback duration of the continuous automated streaming audio content; and

terminating playback of the continuous automated streaming audio content after playing the continuous automated streaming audio content for the playback duration.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein playing the continuous automated streaming audio content comprises:

prior to the playback start time, determining that a duration of a second given audio content in the playback queue is less than the duration until the playback start time;

responsively, playing the second given audio content; and

at the playback start time, playing the continuous automated streaming audio content.

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the continuous automated streaming audio content comprises live audio content.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, via a playback device, a request to add continuous automated streaming audio content to a playback queue, the request indicating a playback start time, and the playback queue indicating a plurality of audio content;

adding, via the playback device, the continuous automated streaming audio content to the playback queue, wherein the continuous automated streaming audio content is added in a playback position subsequent to a given audio content;

before playing the given audio content in the playback queue, determining, via the playback device, that a duration until playback start time is less than a duration of the given audio content;

responsively, playing, via the playback device, the continuous automated streaming audio content; and

after playing the continuous automated streaming audio content, playing the given audio content in the playback queue.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the given audio content is a first given audio content, and wherein the method further comprises:

before playing the continuous automated streaming audio content in the playback queue, determining, via the playback device, that a duration until the playback start time is greater than a duration of a second given audio content; and

responsively, playing the second given audio content before playing the continuous automated streaming audio content.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining, via the playback device, a playback end time of the continuous automated streaming audio content; and

terminating, via the playback device, playback of the continuous automated streaming audio content at the playback end time.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

playing, via the playback device, the given audio content at the playback end time.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining, via the playback device, a playback duration of the continuous automated streaming audio content; and

terminating, via the playback device, playback of the continuous automated streaming audio content after playing the continuous automated streaming audio content for the playback duration.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein playing the continuous automated streaming audio content comprises:

prior to the playback start time, determining, via the playback device, that a duration of a second given audio content in the playback queue is less than the duration until the playback start time;

responsively, playing the second given audio content; and

at the playback start time, playing, via the playback device, the continuous automated streaming audio content.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the continuous automated streaming audio content comprises live audio content.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving a request to add continuous automated streaming audio content to a playback queue, the request indicating a playback start time, and the playback queue indicating a plurality of audio content;

adding the continuous automated streaming audio content to the playback queue, wherein the continuous automated streaming audio content is added in a playback position subsequent to a given audio content;

before playing the given audio content in the playback queue, determining that a duration until the playback start time is less than a duration of the given audio content;

responsively, playing the continuous automated streaming audio content; and

after playing the continuous automated streaming audio content, playing the given audio content in the playback queue.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the functions further comprise:

before playing the continuous automated streaming audio content in the playback queue, determining that a duration until the playback start time is greater than a duration of a second given audio content; and

responsively, playing the second given audio content before playing the continuous automated streaming audio content.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining a playback end time of the continuous automated streaming audio content; and

terminating playback of the continuous automated streaming audio content at the playback end time.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the functions further comprise:

playing the given audio content at the playback end time.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining a playback duration of the continuous automated streaming audio content; and

terminating playback of the continuous automated streaming audio content after playing the continuous automated streaming audio content for the playback duration.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein playing the continuous automated streaming audio content comprises:

prior to the playback start time, determining that a duration of a second given audio content in the playback queue is less than the duration until the playback start time;

responsively, playing the second given audio content; and

at the playback start time, playing the continuous automated streaming audio content.