Audio Content Search in a Media Playback System

• US 20150095323A1
• Filed: 09/30/2013
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: BATES, Paul Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 10,095,785 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/723
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/638 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/686 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, title or artist information, time, location or usage information, user ratings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/687 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets

Abstract

Embodiments are described herein that provide searches, including a multi-dimensional search, a cross-source search, or both in a media playback system. The search can be initiated by way of a selection of a location on user interface of a controller. The location corresponds to one or more metadata that is used in the search. Results are sorted and displayed. In some embodiments, the one or more metadata is used to filter and/or sort the results.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying an area on a user interface of a controller, the area associated with an artist name, an album name, and a track name associated with an audio track that is being played by one or more playback devices, wherein the one or more playback devices is controlled via the controller;

receiving a selection of a location in the area of the user interface;

responsive to receiving the selection of the location, identifying by the controller at least one audio source that is accessible for searching from the controller;

searching the at least one audio source based on at least one search classification field supported by the at least one audio source for any of the artist name, the album name, and the track name;

retrieving information by the controller from the at least one audio source based on the search, wherein the information includes any one or more of the following;

information related to the artist name, information related to the album name, and information related to the track name;

sorting the information based on the at least one search classification field and the at least one audio source; and

displaying the sorted information on the user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the at least one search classification field that is supported by the at least one audio source; and

modifying search criteria based on the at least one search classification field.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the searching the at least one audio source comprises searching a plurality of audio sources, wherein each of the plurality of audio sources is different.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

identifying an audio source of the plurality of audio sources where the controller has unrestricted access to audio content at the audio source.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

identifying an audio source of the plurality of audio sources where the controller has restricted access to the audio content at the audio source.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein sorting the information comprises displaying information for the artist name, the album name, and the track name in separate areas of the user interface.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prioritizing the sorting of retrieved information according to similarity to the artist name, the album name, or the track name.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

using the location selected on the user interface to determine the prioritizing.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prioritizing the sorting of retrieved information according to the at least one audio sources.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one audio source is different from a source used to play the audio track on the one or more playback devices.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one audio source supports a plurality of search classification fields.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

displaying an area on a user interface of a controller, the area associated with an artist name, an album name, and a track name associated with an audio track that is being played by one or more playback devices, wherein the one or more playback devices is controlled via the controller;

receiving a selection of a location in the area of the user interface;

responsive to receiving the selection of the location, identifying by the controller at least one audio source that is accessible for searching from the controller;

searching the at least one audio source based on at least one search classification field supported by the at least one audio source for any of the artist name, the album name, and the track name;

retrieving information by the controller from the at least one audio source based on the search, wherein the information includes any one or more of the following;

information related to the artist name, information related to the album name, and information related to the track name;

sorting the information based on the at least one search classification field and the at least one audio source; and

displaying the sorted information on the user interface.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions are executable by the computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions further comprising:

determining the at least one search classification field that is supported by the at least one audio source; and

modifying search criteria based on the at least one search classification field.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions for searching the at least one audio source further comprises instructions executable by the computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions further comprising:

searching a plurality of audio sources, wherein each of the plurality of audio sources is different.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions are executable by the computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions further comprising:

identifying an audio source of the plurality of audio sources where the controller has unrestricted access to audio content at the audio source.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions are executable by the computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions further comprising:

identifying an audio source of the plurality of audio sources where the controller has restricted access to the audio content at the audio source.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions for sorting the information based on the at least one search classification field and the at least one audio source comprises instructions executable by the computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions further comprising:

displaying information for the artist name, the album name, and the track name in separate areas of the user interface.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions are executable by the computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions further comprising:

prioritizing the sorting of retrieved information according to similarity to the artist name, the album name, or the track name.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions are executable by the computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions further comprising:

using the location selected on the user interface to determine the prioritizing.

20. (canceled)

21. A controller device comprising:

a network interface configured to communicatively couple the controller device to one or more audio sources;

a user interface;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by at least one processor to cause the controller device to;

display an area on the user interface, the area associated with an artist name, an album name, and a track name associated with an audio track that is being played by one or more playback devices, wherein the one or more playback devices is controlled via the controller device;

receive a selection of a location in the area of the user interface;

responsive to receiving the selection of the location, identify at least one audio source that is accessible for searching from the controller;

search the at least one audio source based on at least one search classification field supported by the at least one audio source for any of the artist name, the album name, and the track name;

retrieve information from the at least one audio source based on the search, wherein the information includes any one or more of the following;

information related to the artist name, information related to the album name, and information related to the track name;

sort the information based on the at least one search classification field and the at least one audio source; and

display the sorted information on the user interface.