Information display regarding playback queue subscriptions

• US 9,891,880 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2015
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Bierbower, Chris, Vossel, Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): Flanders, Andrew C
• Application Number:
  US14/674,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20160291924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10546 specifically adapted for audio data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/22 Arrangements for preventing the taking of data from a data transmission channel without authorisation means for verifying the identity or the authority of a user of a secure or secret communication system H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• 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 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• 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 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format

Abstract

An example non-transitory computer-readable medium stores instructions that, when executed by a control device, cause the control device to perform functions. The functions comprise configuring a first playback device associated with a first user-account to (i) play media content from a playback queue comprising one or more audio tracks stored at a network location and (ii) enable one or more other user-accounts associated with other playback devices to subscribe to the playback queue. The functions further comprise receiving an indication that a second user-account associated with a second playback device has subscribed to the playback queue. The functions further comprise in response to receiving the indication, displaying a subscriber indicator on the control device showing that the second user-account has subscribed to the playback queue. An example control device and an example method, both related to the example non-transitory computer-readable medium, are also disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a first control device corresponding to a first playback device of a first media playback system, cause the first control device to perform functions comprising:

configuring, via a network interface of the first control device, the first playback device to play media content from a playback queue associated with the first playback device and comprising one or more audio tracks stored at a network location, wherein the first playback device is associated with a first user-account, and wherein the first playback device is connected to the first control device via a first local area network;

enabling, via the network interface of the first control device, one or more other user-accounts associated with one or more other playback devices to subscribe to the playback queue via one or more wide area networks;

receiving, via the network interface of the first control device, a subscription indication from a second control device that a second user-account associated with a second playback device of a second media playback system has subscribed to the playback queue, wherein the second control device is connected to the second playback device via a second local area network, and wherein the second control device is connected to the first control device via the one or more wide area networks; and

in response to receiving the subscription indication, displaying a subscriber indicator on the first control device showing that the second user-account has subscribed to the playback queue.

2. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, the functions further comprising:

receiving a command to play a particular audio track from the playback queue; and

in response to receiving the command, configuring the first playback device to play the particular audio track, wherein playback of the particular audio track by the first playback device causes the second playback device to also play the particular audio track at the substantially same time as the first playback device.

3. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, the functions further comprising:

prior to configuring the first playback device to enable the one or more other user-accounts to subscribe to the playback queue, receiving a command to enable the one or more other user-accounts to subscribe to the playback queue; and

in response to receiving the command, configuring the first playback device to enable the one or more other user-accounts to subscribe to the playback queue.

4. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, the functions further comprising, prior to receiving the subscription indication, sending a message to the second control device indicating that the second user-account is enabled to subscribe to the playback queue.

5. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, the functions further comprising, prior to receiving the subscription indication, causing the first control device to send a message to the second control device indicating that the second user-account is enabled to subscribe to the playback queue.

6. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, the functions further comprising:

receiving an inactivity indication that the second user-account is subscribed to the playback queue but the second playback device is not currently playing an audio track from the playback queue; and

displaying a subscriber indicator on the first control device showing that the second user-account has subscribed to the playback queue but the second playback device is not currently playing an audio track from the playback queue.

7. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, the functions further comprising:

receiving data representing feedback from the second user-account, wherein the feedback is associated with an audio track of the playback queue; and

displaying an indicator that represents the feedback.

8. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise displaying a global indicator that indicates a quantity of user-accounts that are subscribed to the playback queue.

9. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the functions further comprise displaying an active account indicator that indicates a quantity of user-accounts that are subscribed to the playback queue and are currently accessing an audio track of the playback queue.

10. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, the functions further comprising:

receiving an input representing a selection of the subscriber indicator; and

in response to receiving the input, providing a user-interface for sending a message to the second user-account.

11. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, the functions further comprising:

displaying an emoticon via the user-interface;

receiving, via the user-interface, an input representing a selection of the emoticon; and

sending, to the second control device, data representing the emoticon.

12. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, the functions further comprising displaying a playback queue indicator that identifies the playback queue.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first media playback system is connected to the second media playback system via the one or more e wide area networks and an intermediary server.

13. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a first control device configured to control a first playback system that comprises (i) a first group of one or more playback devices and (ii) a second group of one or more playback devices, cause the first control device to perform functions comprising:

receiving, via a network interface of the first control device, a notification from a second control device that a second playback system associated with a second user-account is accessing a first playback queue of the first group of playback devices, wherein the first playback system and the first control device are associated with a first user-account, wherein the first control device is connected to the first playback system via a first local area network, wherein the second control device is connected to the second playback system via a second local area network, and wherein the second playback system accesses the first playback queue via one or more wide area networks;

displaying a first indication that the second playback system is accessing the first playback queue;

receiving a command for the second group of playback devices to access a second playback queue of a third playback system, wherein the third playback system is associated with a third user-account;

based on receiving the command, configuring, via the network interface, the second group of playback devices to access the second playback queue via the one or more wide area networks; and

displaying a second indication that the second group of playback devices is accessing the second playback queue.

14. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, the functions further comprising:

prior to receiving the notification, receiving a command to allow the second playback system to access the first playback queue; and

sending a message indicating that the second playback system is allowed to access the first playback queue.

15. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, the functions further comprising:

based on receiving the command, sending a request for the second group of playback devices to access the second playback queue;

receiving a message indicating that the second group of playback devices are allowed to access the second playback queue; and

configuring the second group of playback devices to access the second playback queue.

16. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, the functions further comprising:

receiving a notification that the second playback system is no longer accessing the first playback queue; and

displaying an indication that the second playback system is allowed to access the first playback queue but is no longer accessing the first playback queue.

17. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, the functions further comprising:

receiving, via the network interface, data representing feedback from the second user-account, wherein the feedback is associated with the first playback queue; and

displaying an indication of the feedback.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein configuring the second group of playback devices to access the second playback queue comprises sending, via the network interface to an intermediary server, an instruction that causes the intermediary server to connect the first media playback system to the second media playback system via the one or more wide area networks and the intermediary server.

18. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a first control device configured to control a first playback system that comprises (i) a first group of one or more playback devices and (ii) a second group of one or more playback devices, cause the first control device to perform functions comprising:

receiving, via a network interface of the first control device, a first notification from a second control device that a second playback system associated with a second user-account is accessing a first playback queue of the first group of playback devices, wherein the first playback system and the first control device are associated with a first user-account, wherein the first control device is connected to the first playback system via a first local area network, wherein the second control device is connected to the second playback system via a second local area network, and wherein the second playback system accesses the first playback queue via one or more wide area networks;

displaying a first indication that the second playback system is accessing the first playback queue;

receiving, via the network interface, a second notification indicating that a third media playback system associated with a third user-account is accessing a second playback queue of the second group of playback devices, wherein the third media playback system access the second playback queue via the one or more wide area networks; and

displaying a second indication that the third media playback system is accessing the second playback queue.

19. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, the functions further comprising:

prior to receiving the first notification, receiving a command to allow the second playback system to access the first playback queue; and

sending a message indicating that the second playback system is allowed to access the first playback queue.

20. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, the functions further comprising:

receiving a notification that the second playback system is no longer accessing the first playback queue; and

displaying an indication that the second playback system is allowed to access the first playback queue but is no longer accessing the first playback queue.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the second playback system accesses the first playback queue via the one or more wide area networks and one or more intermediary servers, wherein the third playback system access the second playback queue via the one or more wide area networks and the one or more intermediary servers.