Systems and Methods for Networked Music Playback

• US 20130174204A1
• Filed: 12/30/2011
• Published: 07/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Arthur Coburn IV
• Inventors: Hoadley, Joni, Coburn, Arthur IV
• Granted Patent: US 9,654,821 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/81
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• 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: G11B 19/025 'Virtual' control panels, e.g. Graphical User Interface [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4307 Synchronising the rendering of multiple content streams or additional data on devices, e.g. synchronisation of audio on a mobile phone with the video output on the TV screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43076 of the same content streams on multiple devices, e.g. when family members are watching the same movie on different devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• 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 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 : comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 : by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 : Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 : Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 : for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to facilitate connection to a multimedia playback network are disclosed. An example method provides content to a local playback network. The example method includes identifying multimedia content from a content provider. The example method includes passing information regarding the multimedia content to a local playback system including one or more multimedia playback devices in response to a trigger. The example method includes facilitating play of the multimedia content via a local playback network associated with the local playback system.

Claims

1. A method to provide content to a local playback network, the method comprising:

identifying an item on a controller based on user input, wherein multimedia content associated with the item is retrievable from a content provider with a user access right on the controller; and

passing information regarding the multimedia content from the controller to a local playback system including one or more multimedia playback devices in response to a trigger, wherein the information includes an identification of the multimedia content and the user access right, and wherein the information enables the local playback system to independently retrieve the multimedia content from the content provider for playback by the local playback system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia content is streamed to one or more playback devices of the local playback system based on a trigger in an application providing the streaming multimedia content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more multimedia playback devices add timing information to the streaming multimedia content to enable synchronous playback of the multimedia content via the local playback system on the local playback network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger includes a selection of a link in an application associated with the content provider and wherein selection of the link launches a controller local to the local playback network to stream the multimedia content to the local playback system via a resource locator.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger includes a selection of a link in an application associated with the content provider and wherein selection of the link provides information to a server to begin multimedia content playback via the local playback network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one multimedia playback device communicates with the source via a proxy server and cloud.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the source and the local playback system engage in two-way communication to synchronize a playback queue.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transitioning playback of multimedia content between the content provider and the local playback network.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises an application running on a first device to provide the information regarding the multimedia content to at least one multimedia playback device in the local playback system to facilitate retrieval of the multimedia content by the at least one multimedia playback device and playback of the multimedia content via the local playback network.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first device is to play the multimedia content and provide information regarding the multimedia content and a status of playback of the multimedia content to the at least one multimedia playback device on the local playback network to facilitate retrieval of the multimedia content by the at least one multimedia playback device and continued playback of the multimedia content based on the status of playback from the first device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first device resides on a first network separate from the local playback network.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the item is associated with a plurality of multimedia content from the content provider.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the controller is of the content provider.

6. (canceled)

10. A tangible computer readable storage medium including instructions for execution by a processor, the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to implement a method to provide content to a local playback network, the method comprising:

identifying an item on a controller based on user input, wherein multimedia content associated with the item is retrievable from a content provider with a user access right on the controller; and

passing information regarding the multimedia content from the controller to a local playback system including one or more multimedia playback devices in response to a trigger, wherein the information includes an identification of the multimedia content and the user access right, and wherein the information enables the local playback system to independently retrieve the multimedia content from the content provider for playback by the local playback system.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the multimedia content is streamed to one or more playback devices of the local playback system based on a trigger in an application providing the streaming multimedia content.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the one or more multimedia playback devices add timing information to the streaming multimedia content to enable synchronous playback of the multimedia content via the local playback system on the local playback network.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the trigger includes a selection of a link in an application associated with the content provider and wherein selection of the link launches a controller local to the local playback network to stream the multimedia content to the local playback system via a resource locator.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the trigger includes a selection of a link in an application associated with the content provider and wherein selection of the link provides information to a server to begin multimedia content playback via the local playback network.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the at least one multimedia playback device communicates with the source via a proxy server and cloud.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the source and the local playback system engage in two-way communication to synchronize a playback queue.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 10, further comprising transitioning playback of multimedia content between the content provider and the local playback network.

15. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

20. A multimedia playback device comprising:

a wireless communication interface to communicate with a local playback network and a multimedia content source;

a processor to;

identify an item on a controller based on user input, wherein multimedia content associated with the item is retrievable from a content provider with a user access right on the controller; and

pass information regarding the multimedia content from the controller to a local playback system including one or more multimedia playback devices in response to a trigger, wherein the information includes an identification of the multimedia content and the user access right, and wherein the information enables the local playback system to independently retrieve the multimedia content from the content provider for playback by the local playback system.