Playback Queue Control Via a Playlist on a Computing Device

• US 20170293688A1
• Filed: 06/19/2017
• Published: 10/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Kumar, Abhishek, Schulert, Andrew, Lambourne, Robert Andrew, Coburn, IV, Arthur L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,191,980 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/282 Hierarchical databases, e.g. IMS, LDAP data stores or Lotus Notes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/64 Browsing; Visualisation therefor generation of a list or set of audio data G06F16/638
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2812 describing content present in a home automation network, e.g. audio video content retrieval from the Internet G06F16/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2829 involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• 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 21/41407 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 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format

Abstract

A first connection state may be entered on a computing device. While the computing device is in the first connection state, actions taken on a playlist on the computing device may be applied to the playlist and not applied to a playback queue associated with a zone. An input may be received via the computing device, indicating a selection of the zone. In response to receiving the input, a second connection state may be entered. Entering the second connection state may comprise establishing a connected state between the computing device and the one or more playback devices. While the connected state is established, one or more actions taken on the playlist on the computing device may be applied to the playlist and transmitted, in a message to the zone over a network. The one or more actions may be one or more corresponding actions applied to the playback queue.

Claims

1. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a computing device to perform functions comprising:

entering a first connection state on the computing device, wherein while the computing device is in the first connection state, actions taken on a playlist on the computing device i) are applied to the playlist and ii) are not applied to a playback queue associated with a zone, wherein the zone comprising one or more playback devices is configured to play back media items according to the playback queue;

receiving an input indicating a selection of the zone; and

in response to receiving the input, entering a second connection state, wherein entering the second connection state comprises;

establishing a connected state between the computing device and the one or more playback devices, wherein while the connected state is established, one or more actions taken on the playlist on the computing device are i) applied to the playlist and ii) transmitted, in a message to the zone over a network, the one or more actions as one or more corresponding actions to be applied to the playback queue.

2. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the playlist comprises one or more media items, and wherein entering the second connection state further comprises:

causing the zone to queue for playback in the playback queue at least one media item of the one or more media items.

3. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein causing the zone to queue for playback in the playback queue at least one media item of the one or more media items comprises:

causing the zone to add an identifier for each of the at least one media item, wherein the at least one media item is obtainable by the zone over the network using the respective identifier.

4. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more actions taken on the playlist comprises a modification to the playlist.

5. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

while in the second connection state, causing the zone to play back the playlist by transmitting, to the zone over the network, a command to play back the playback queue.

6. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the zone comprises two or more playback devices configured to play back the at least one media items synchronously, and wherein the functions further comprise:

while in the second connection state, causing the two or more playback devices of the zone to play back the playlist by transmitting, to the zone over the network, a command to play back the playback queue.

7. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the network comprises a local area network.

8. A method, comprising:

entering a first connection state on a computing device, wherein while the computing device is in the first connection state, actions taken on a playlist on the computing device i) are applied to the playlist and ii) are not applied to a playback queue associated with a zone, wherein the zone comprising one or more playback devices is configured to play back media items according to the playback queue;

receiving, via the computing device, an input indicating a selection of the zone; and

in response to receiving the input, entering a second connection state, wherein entering the second connection state comprises;

establishing a connected state between the computing device and the one or more playback devices, wherein while the connected state is established, one or more actions taken on the playlist on the computing device are i) applied to the playlist and ii) transmitted, in a message to the zone over a network, the one or more actions as one or more corresponding actions to be applied to the playback queue.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the playlist comprises one or more media items, and wherein entering the second connection state further comprises:

causing the zone to queue for playback in the playback queue at least one media item of the one or more media items.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein causing the zone to queue for playback in the playback queue at least one media item of the one or more media items comprises:

causing the zone to add an identifier for each of the at least one media item, wherein the at least one media item is obtainable by the zone over the network using the respective identifier.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more actions taken on the playlist comprises a modification to the playlist.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

while in the second connection state, causing the zone to play back the playlist by transmitting, to the zone over the network, a command to play back the playback queue.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the zone comprises two or more playback devices configured to play back the at least one media items synchronously, and wherein the functions further comprise:

while in the second connection state, causing the two or more playback devices of the zone to play back the playlist by transmitting, to the zone over the network, a command to play back the playback queue.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the network comprises a local area network.

15. A computing device, comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising;

entering a first connection state on the computing device, wherein while the computing device is in the first connection state, actions taken on a playlist on the computing device i) are applied to the playlist and ii) are not applied to a playback queue associated with a zone, wherein the zone comprising one or more playback devices is configured to play back media items according to the playback queue;

receiving an input indicating a selection of the zone; and

in response to receiving the input, entering a second connection state, wherein entering the second connection state comprises;

establishing a connected state between the computing device and the one or more playback devices, wherein while the connected state is established, one or more actions taken on the playlist on the computing device are i) applied to the playlist and ii) transmitted, in a message to the zone over a network, the one or more actions as one or more corresponding actions to be applied to the playback queue.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the playlist comprises one or more media items, and wherein entering the second connection state further comprises:

causing the zone to queue for playback in the playback queue at least one media item of the one or more media items.

17. The computing device of claim 16, wherein causing the zone to queue for playback in the playback queue at least one media item of the one or more media items comprises:

causing the zone to add an identifier for each of the at least one media item, wherein the at least one media item is obtainable by the zone over the network using the respective identifier.

18. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the one or more actions taken on the playlist comprises a modification to the playlist.

19. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the functions further comprise:

while in the second connection state, causing the zone to play back the playlist by transmitting, to the zone over the network, a command to play back the playback queue.

20. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the zone comprises two or more playback devices configured to play back the at least one media items synchronously, and wherein the functions further comprise:

while in the second connection state, causing the two or more playback devices of the zone to play back the playlist by transmitting, to the zone over the network, a command to play back the playback queue.