Systems and Methods for Networked Music Playback

• US 20150040168A1
• Filed: 10/22/2014
• Published: 02/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Coburn, Arthur IV, Hoadley, Joni Rafalski
• Granted Patent: US 9,883,234 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 playback device comprising:

a processor; and

data storage comprising program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the playback device to implement a method comprising;

receiving, from a first network device via a wireless communication link, an identification of (1) a multimedia content available at a second network device and (2) a play position associated with the multimedia content;

obtaining, from the second network device, the multimedia content; and

playing the multimedia content according to the identified play position associated with the multimedia content.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the identification of the multimedia content comprises one or more of an identifier of a single track, a playlist, a streaming radio station, or a programmed radio station.

3. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the identification of the multimedia content comprises a uniform resource locator (URL).

4. The playback device of claim 3, wherein the wireless communication link comprises a local area network (LAN), and wherein obtaining the multimedia content comprises obtaining the multimedia content from outside of the LAN using the URL.

5. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the identified play position of the multimedia content comprises a play position after the beginning of the multimedia content.

6. The playback device of claim 1, wherein playing the multimedia content according to the identified play position associated with the multimedia content comprises playing the multimedia content beginning at the identified play position associated with the multimedia content.

7. The playback device of claim 1, the method further comprising:

after obtaining the multimedia content, sending, to the first network device, playback parameter information.

8. The playback device of claim 7, wherein the playback parameter information comprises one or more of a current play position or a volume level.

9. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device is a first playback device, the method further comprising:

after obtaining the multimedia content, sending, to a second playback device, the multimedia content.

10. The first playback device of claim 9, the method further comprising:

sending, to the second playback device, the identified play position of the multimedia content.

11. The first playback device of claim 9, the method further comprising:

generating timing information based on the multimedia content; and

sending, to the second playback device, the timing information.

12. The first playback device of claim 11, wherein playing the multimedia content according to the identified play position associated with the multimedia content comprises playing the multimedia content based on the generated timing information.

13. The first playback device of claim 9, the method further comprising:

receiving, from the first network device, a direction to form a synchrony group with the second playback device.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, by a playback device from a first network device via a wireless communication link, an identification of (1) a multimedia content available at a second network device and (2) a play position associated with the multimedia content;

obtaining, by the playback device from the second network device, the multimedia content; and

playing, by the playback device, the multimedia content according to the identified play position associated with the multimedia content.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the identification of the multimedia content comprises a uniform resource locator (URL), wherein the wireless communication link comprises a local area network (LAN), and wherein obtaining the multimedia content comprises obtaining the multimedia content from outside of the LAN using the URL.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the wireless communication link comprises a local area network (LAN), and wherein obtaining the multimedia content comprises obtaining the multimedia content from outside of the LAN using the URL.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the playback device is a first playback device, the method further comprising:

after obtaining the multimedia content, sending, to a second playback device, the multimedia content.

18. The method of claim 17, the method further comprising:

generating timing information based on the multimedia content; and

sending, to the second playback device, the timing information.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein playing the multimedia content according to the identified play position associated with the multimedia content comprises playing the multimedia content based on the generated timing information.

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

receiving, from a first network device via a wireless communication link, an identification of (1) a multimedia content available at a second network device and (2) a play position associated with the multimedia content;

obtaining, from the second network device, the multimedia content; and

playing the multimedia content according to the identified play position associated with the multimedia content.