Systems and methods for multi-context media control and playback

• US 9,942,283 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2017
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spotify AB (Spotify Technology SA)
• Original Assignee: Spotify AB (Spotify Technology SA)
• Inventors: Garmark, Sten, Roos, Karl, Oman, Andreas, Bengtsson, Per Gunnar Joachim, Vesterlund, Marcus Per
• Primary Examiner(s): DONAGHUE, LARRY D
• Application Number:
  US15/495,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20170230429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 351 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/90 Wireless transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1089 by adding media; by removing media
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1093 by adding participants; by removing participants
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• 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: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

In response to a request for a media-control operation to be implemented at a second electronic device distinct from a first electronic device, the first electronic device sends a first request to a server system to cause the media-control operation to be implemented at the second electronic device. The server system is distinct from the first electronic device. Also in response to the request for the media-control operation to be implemented at the second electronic device, the first electronic device sends a second request to the second electronic device. The second request is a request to implement the media-control operation at the second electronic device.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of a first electronic device, the one or more programs including instructions for:

in response to a request for a media-control operation to be implemented at a second electronic device distinct from the first electronic device;

sending a first request to a server system to cause the media-control operation to be implemented at the second electronic device, wherein the server system is distinct from the first electronic device; and

sending a second request to the second electronic device, wherein the second request is a request to implement the media-control operation at the second electronic device.

2. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, the one or more programs further comprising instructions for initiating the request for the media-control operation.

3. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein:

the one or more programs further comprise instructions for receiving a user input; and

the instructions for initiating the request for the media-control operation comprise instructions for initiating the request for the media-control operation in response to the user input.

4. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the request for the media-control operation corresponds to a request to change a destination device for presenting media content.

5. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein the instructions for initiating the request for the media-control operation comprise instructions for initiating the request for the media-control operation without user intervention in response to a predetermined condition having been met.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the predetermined condition having been met comprises the first electronic device having moved into a predefined proximity of the second electronic device.

7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the predetermined condition having been met comprises the first electronic device having moved into a predefined area.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the predetermined condition having been met comprises the first electronic device having moved out of a predefined area.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the predetermined condition having been met comprises the first electronic device having communicably paired with the second electronic device.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the predetermined condition having been met comprises the second electronic device having been determined not to be presenting media content.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein determining the second electronic device not to be presenting media content is based on the second electronic device being in an idle state.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the predetermined condition is based on the time of day.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein:

the first electronic device is associated with a first user; and

the predetermined condition having been met comprises the first user having a higher priority level than a second user if the second electronic device is presenting media content requested by a third electronic device associated with the second user when the first request and the second request are sent.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the predetermined condition is based on two or more factors selected from the group consisting of the first electronic device moving into a predefined proximity with the second electronic device, the first electronic device moving into a predefined area, the first electronic device moving out of a predefined area, the first electronic device communicably pairing with the second electronic device, the second electronic device not presenting media content, the time of day, and a first user having a higher priority level than a second user.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the second request is to be sent to the second electronic device through a local network to which the first electronic device and the second electronic device are connected.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the local network is a Personal Area Network.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the first request and the second request are identical requests.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for providing a single user interface that allows a user to select media content for presentation by the first electronic device and to generate media control requests to cause the media content to be presented by the second electronic device.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the second electronic device is selected from the group consisting of a television, a home media receiver, a computer, a home audio/visual system, and a speaker.

20. A method for controlling media presentation, comprising:

at a first electronic device having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors;

in response to a request for a media-control operation to be implemented at a second electronic device distinct from the first electronic device;

sending a first request to a server system to cause the media-control operation to be implemented at the second electronic device, wherein the server system is distinct from the first electronic device; and

sending a second request to the second electronic device, wherein the second request is a request to implement the media-control operation at the second electronic device.