Audio Content Auditioning

• US 20150220301A1
• Filed: 04/09/2015
• Published: 08/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Bates, Paul Andrew, Kumar, Abhishek, Lang, Jonathan Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,395,951 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5038 considering the execution order of a plurality of tasks, e.g. taking priority or time dependency constraints into consideration scheduling strategies G06F9/4881 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10972 Management of interruptions, e.g. due to editing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• 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 21/4396 by muting the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F

Abstract

An example implementation may include causing a group of one or more playback devices to render first audio content. The example implementation may also include displaying an indication of second audio content, the second audio content comprising two or more songs. The example implementation may further include receiving first input data indicating a request to audition the second audio content; and in response to the request to audition the second audio content, rendering at least one of the two or more songs while the group of one or more playback devices is rendering the first audio content.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions executable by a processor to cause a network device to perform operations comprising:

causing a group of one or more playback devices to render first audio content;

displaying an indication of second audio content, the second audio content comprising two or more songs;

receiving first input data indicating a request to audition the second audio content; and

in response to the request to audition the second audio content, rendering at least one of the two or more songs while the group of one or more playback devices is rendering the first audio content.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the group of one or more playback devices comprises a group of two or more playback devices.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

after receiving the first input data, receiving second input data indicating a request for the second audio content to be played by the group of one or more playback devices; and

causing the group of one or more playback devices to render at least one of the two or more songs.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

after receiving the first input data, receiving second input data indicating a request for the second audio content to be played by another group of one or more playback devices; and

causing the another group of one or more playback devices to render at least one of the two or more songs.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein rendering the at least one of the two or more songs comprises rendering the at least one of the two or more songs for a predetermined duration of time.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein rendering the at least one of the two or more songs comprises rendering the at least one of the two or more songs until receiving third input data, wherein the third input data indicates a request to stop auditioning the at least one of the two or more songs.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

before receiving the first input data, receiving, by the network device, second input data identifying the group of one or more playback devices.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the second audio content comprises a playlist of audio content.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the second audio content comprises an album of audio content.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein rendering at least one of the two or more songs comprises rendering each of the two or more songs.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein rendering at least one of the two or more songs comprises rendering a portion of the at least one of the two or more songs.

12. A method comprising:

causing, by a network device, a group of one or more playback devices to render first audio content;

displaying, by the network device, an indication of second audio content, the second audio content comprising two or more songs;

receiving, by the network device, first input data indicating a request to audition the second audio content; and

in response to the request to audition the second audio content, rendering, by the network device, at least one of the two or more songs while the group of one or more playback devices is rendering the first audio content.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the group of one or more playback devices comprises a group of two or more playback devices.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

after receiving the first input data, receiving, by the network device, second input data indicating a request for the second audio content to be played by the group of one or more playback devices; and

causing, by the network device, the group of one or more playback devices to render at least one of the two or more songs.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

after receiving the first input data, receiving, by the network device, second input data indicating a request for the second audio content to be played by another group of one or more playback devices; and

causing, by the network device, the another group of one or more playback devices to render at least one of the two or more songs.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein rendering the at least one of the two or more songs comprises rendering the at least one of the two or more songs until receiving, by the network device, third input data, wherein the third input data indicates a request to stop auditioning the at least one of the two or more songs.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

before receiving the first input data, receiving, by the network device, second input data identifying the group of one or more playback devices.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the second audio content comprises a playlist of audio content.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein rendering at least one of the two or more songs comprises rendering each of the two or more songs.

20. A network device comprising:

a processor; and

memory including instructions stored therein executable by the processor to perform functions comprising;

causing a group of one or more playback devices to render first audio content;

displaying an indication of second audio content, the second audio content comprising two or more songs;

receiving first input data indicating a request to audition the second audio content; and

in response to the request to audition the second audio content, rendering at least one of the two or more songs while the group of one or more playback devices is rendering the first audio content.