Location-based playlist

• US 9,788,115 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2015
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Triplett, Mark, Lang, Jonathan P., Reilly, Jonathon, Taylor, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhang, Leshui
• Application Number:
  US14/862,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20160014514A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 700 94, 381 77, 381 80, 381 81, 381 82, 381 86, 381332, 381334, 381306, 381302, 381303, 381311, 381 56, 381 61, 381124, 455 201, 455 301, 455 303, 455 304, 455 305, 455 306, 709204, 709205, 709217, 709218, 709219, 709220, 709221, 707803, 707722, 707E17032
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23406 involving management of server-side video buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/236 Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream multiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/00 Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements for hearing aids H04R25/30; detection of loudspeaker connection H04R5/04; sound-field adaptation dependent on speaker detection H04S7/308
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

System, method, and apparatus including receiving an identification of content played a playback system and an identification of location of the playback system. A playlist of content is associated with the location. A request is received to retrieve the playlist of content and the requested playlist of content is sent to a playback system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, via a network device over a wide area network (WAN) from a first playback system,

(1) an identification of first content currently played by the first playback system and

(2) an identification of a first location where the first content is currently played by the first playback system, wherein the first playback system comprises at least one first playback device;

receiving, via the network device over the WAN from a second playback system,

(1) an identification of second content currently played by the second playback system and

(2) an identification of a second location where the second content is currently played by the second playback system, wherein the second playback system comprises at least one second playback device;

generating, via the network device,

(1) a first playlist of content played at the first location based on at least the identification of the first content currently played by the first playback system, the identification of the first location where the first content is currently played by the first playback system, identification of additional first content currently played by first other playback systems, and identification of the first location where the additional first content is currently played by the first other playback systems, and

(2) a second playlist of content played at the second location based on at least the identification of the second content currently played by the second playback system, the identification of the second location where the second content is currently played by the second playback system, identification of additional second content currently played by second other playback systems, and identification of the second location where the additional second content is currently played by the second other playback systems;

receiving, via the network device over the WAN from a third playback system, a request to retrieve the first playlist of content for the first location or the second playlist of content for the second location, wherein the third playback system comprises at least one third playback device; and

sending, via the network device over the WAN to the third playback system, the requested first playlist of content or second playlist of content.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via the network device over the WAN from the third playback system, a request for content from the requested at least one of the first playlist of content or second playlist of content.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

sending, via the network device over the WAN to the third playback system, the requested content.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via the network device over the WAN from a fourth playback system,

(1) an identification of third content currently played by the fourth playback system and

(2) an identification of a third location where the third content is currently played by the fourth playback system, wherein the fourth playback system comprises at least one fourth playback device; and

determining, via the network device, that the first location of the first playback system and the third location of the fourth playback system are a part of a same geographic region.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein generating the first playlist of content played at the first location comprises generating a playlist of content associated with the geographic region based on at least (a) the identification of the first content currently played by the first playback system and (b) the identification of the third content currently played by the fourth playback system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the fourth playback system is the third playback system.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining, via the network device, that a given song is indicated by both (a) the identification of the first content currently played by the first playback system and (b) the identification of the third content currently played by the fourth playback system.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining, via the network device, that the given song was played by the first playback system and the fourth playback system with a given frequency.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, via the network device over the WAN to the third playback system, data for display based on the first location and the second location.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first playback system comprises a plurality of playback devices;

wherein the identification of the first content currently played by the first playback system comprises an identification of respective content currently played by each of the plurality of playback devices based on a first playback device of the first playback system collecting the identification of respective content currently played by each of the plurality of playback devices and sending the identification of the respective content currently played by each of the plurality of playback devices over the WAN for receipt via the network device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location and second location are identified by a respective zone.

12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions for execution by a processor, the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to implement a method comprising:

receiving, via a network device over a wide area network (WAN) from a first playback system,

(1) an identification of first content currently played by the first playback system and

(2) an identification of a first location where the first content is currently played by the first playback system, wherein the first playback system comprises at least one first playback device;

receiving, via the network device over the WAN from a second playback system,

(1) an identification of second content currently played by the second playback system and

(2) an identification of a second location where the second content is currently played by the second playback system, wherein the second playback system comprises at least one second playback device;

generating, via the network device,

(1) a first playlist of content played at the first location based on at least the identification of the first content currently played by the first playback system, the identification of the first location where the first content is currently played by the first playback system, identification of additional first content currently played by first other playback systems, and identification of the first location where the additional first content is currently played by the first other playback systems, and

(2) a second playlist of content played at the second location based on at least the identification of the second content currently played by the second playback system, the identification of the second location where the second content is currently played by the second playback system, identification of additional second content currently played by second other playback systems, and identification of the second location where the additional second content is currently played by the second other playback systems;

receiving, via the network device over the WAN from a third playback system, a request to retrieve the first playlist of content for the first location or the second playlist of content for the second location, wherein the third playback system comprises at least one third playback device; and

sending, via the network device over the WAN to the third playback system, the requested first playlist of content or second playlist of content.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, via the network device over the WAN from the third playback system, a request for content from the requested at least one of the first playlist of content and the second playlist of content.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises:

sending, via the network device over the WAN to the third playback system, the requested content.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, via the network device over the WAN from a fourth playback system,

(1) an identification of third content currently played by the fourth playback system and

(2) an identification of a third location where the third content is currently played by the fourth playback system, wherein the fourth playback system comprises at least one fourth playback device; and

determining, via the network device, that the first location of the first playback system and the third location of the fourth playback system are a part of a same geographic region.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein generating the first playlist of content played at the first location comprises generating a playlist of content associated with the geographic region based on at least (a) the identification of the first content currently played by the first playback system and (b) the identification of the third content currently played by the fourth playback system.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the fourth playback system is the third playback system.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

determining, via the network device, that a given song is indicated by both (a) the identification of the first content currently played by the first playback system and (b) the identification of the third content currently played by the fourth playback system.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:

determining, via the network device, that the given song was played by the first playback system and the fourth playback system with a given frequency.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

sending, via the network device over the WAN to the third playback system, data for display based on the first location and the second location.

21. A device comprising:

a network interface to communicate over a wide area network (WAN);

a memory; and

a processor to;

receive, via a network device over a wide area network (WAN) from a first playback system,

(1) an identification of first content currently played by the first playback system and

(2) an identification of a first location where the first content is currently played by the first playback system, wherein the first playback system comprises at least one first playback device;

receive, via the network device over the WAN from a second playback system,

(1) an identification of second content currently played by the second playback system and

(2) an identification of a second location where the second content is currently played by the second playback system, wherein the second playback system comprises at least one second playback device;

generate, via the network device,

(1) a first playlist of content played at the first location based on at least the identification of the first content currently played by the first playback system, the identification of the first location where the first content is currently played by the first playback system, identification of additional first content currently played by first other playback systems, and identification of the first location where the additional first content is currently played by the first other playback systems, and

(2) a second playlist of content played at the second location based on at least the identification of the second content currently played by the second playback system, the identification of the second location where the second content is currently played by the second playback system, identification of additional second content currently played by second other playback systems, and identification of the second location where the additional second content is currently played by the second other playback systems;

receive, via the network device over the WAN from a third playback system, a request to retrieve the first playlist of content for the first location or the second playlist of content for the second location, wherein the third playback system comprises at least one third playback device; and

send, via the network device over the WAN to the third playback system, the requested first playlist of content or second playlist of content.

22. The device of claim 21, further comprising receiving over the WAN from the third playback system, a request for content from the requested at least one of the first playlist of content and the second playlist of content.