Remote creation of a playback queue for a future event

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10872194-B2
Application number	US-201916516767-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2019
Priority date	Feb 5, 2014
Publication date	Dec 22, 2020
Grant date	Dec 22, 2020

Abstract

Example embodiments involve remote creation of a playback queue for an event. An example implementation involves a computing device receiving, via a control interface, input data representing a request to create a playlist for an event at a particular future time and date and a designation of multiple invitees to the event and sending, via a network interface to a cloud computing system, instructions representing the request. The instructions cause the cloud server(s) to send, to multiple second mobile devices corresponding to the multiple invitees, one or more respective invitations to the event. Each invitation indicates: (i) a future time and date for the event and (ii) a link to a web interface including user interface controls to add audio tracks to the playlist for the event. During the event, the computing device causes the playlist to be queued in a queue of a media playback system for playback.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method to be performed by a computing device, the method comprising:
receiving, via a control interface displayed on a graphical display, input data representing a request to create a playlist for an event at a particular future time and date and a designation of multiple invitees to the event;
in response to receiving the input data, sending, via a network interface to a cloud computing system comprising one or more cloud servers, instructions representing the request to create the playlist for the event at the particular future time and date and the designation of multiple invitees to the event, wherein the instructions cause the one or more cloud servers to send, to multiple second mobile devices corresponding to the multiple invitees, one or more respective invitations to the event, wherein each invitation indicates: (i) a future time and date for the event and (ii) a link to a web interface, the web interface including user interface controls to add audio tracks from a media library of a streaming media service to the playlist for the event, wherein each second mobile device of the multiple second mobile devices comprises a display;
before the event, receiving, via the network interface from the cloud computing system, data indicating that at least one invitee added audio tracks from the media library of the streaming media service to the playlist for the event;
displaying, on the graphical display, a graphical indication of the at least one invitee that added audio tracks from the media library of the streaming media service to the playlist for the event; and
during the event, causing, via the network interface, the playlist to be queued in a queue of a media playback system for playback by one or more playback devices of the media playback system, wherein each playback device of the one or more playback devices (i) excludes a display and (ii) comprise a respective amplifier to drive one or more speakers.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the playlist to be queued in the queue of the media playback system for playback by one or more playback devices of the media playback system comprises:
sending, via the network interface to the cloud computing system, instructions to queue the playlist in the queue of the media playback system for playback by one or more playback devices of the media playback system.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, via the network interface from the cloud computing system, data representing the playlist, wherein causing the playlist to be queued in the queue of the media playback system for playback by one or more playback devices of the media playback system comprises:
sending, via the network interface to a given playback device of the one or more playback devices, instructions to queue the playlist in the queue of the media playback system for playback by one or more playback devices of the media playback system.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, via the network interface from the cloud computing system, a message including a link to the web interface including user interface controls to add audio tracks from the media library of the streaming media service to the playlist for the event;
receiving, via the web interface displayed on the graphical display, input data indicating one or more particular audio tracks selected via the web interface; and
sending, via the network interface to the cloud computing system, instructions to add the particular audio tracks selected via the web interface to the playlist for the event.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media playback system comprises multiple playback devices configured to play back the queue in synchrony in a party mode, wherein causing the playlist to be queued in the queue of the media playback system comprises causing the playlist to be queued in a local queue stored on at least one of the multiple playback devices for playback in synchrony by the multiple playback devices during the event, and wherein the multiple playback devices are interconnected via a local area network in a given household.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
during the event, displaying an updated web interface on the graphical display, the updated web interface including (i) an indication of the queue of the media playback system and (ii) an indication of a currently playing audio track of the queue.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
before sending the invitations to the event, receiving, via the control interface displayed on the graphical display, input data indicating one or more initial audio tracks selected via the control interface; and
in response to receiving the input data indicating one or more initial audio tracks selected via the control interface, sending, via the network interface to the cloud computing system, instructions to add the one or more initial audio tracks selected via the control interface to the playlist.

8. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by one or more processors to cause a computing device to perform functions comprising:
receiving, via a control interface displayed on a graphical display, input data representing a request to create a playlist for an event at a particular future time and date and a designation of multiple invitees to the event;
in response to receiving the input data, sending, via a network interface to a cloud computing system comprising one or more cloud servers, instructions representing the request to create the playlist for the event at the particular future time and date and the designation of multiple invitees to the event, wherein the instructions cause the one or more cloud servers to send, to multiple second mobile devices corresponding to the multiple invitees, one or more respective invitations to the event, wherein each invitation indicates: (i) a future time and date for the event and (ii) a link to a web interface, the web interface including user interface controls to add audio tracks from a media library of a streaming media service to the playlist for the event, wherein each second mobile device of the multiple second mobile devices comprises a display;
before the event, receiving, via the network interface from the cloud computing system, data indicating that at least one invitee added audio tracks from the media library of the streaming media service to the playlist for the event;
displaying, on the graphical display, a graphical indication of the at least one invitee that added audio tracks from the media library of the streaming media service to the playlist for the event; and
during the event, causing, via the network interface, the playlist to be queued in a queue of a media playback system for playback by one or more playback devices of the media playback system, wherein each playback device of the one or more playback devices (i) excludes a display and (ii) comprise a respective amplifier to drive one or more speakers.

9. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein causing the playlist to be queued in the queue of the media playback system for playback by one or more playback devices of the media playback system comprises:
sending, via the network interface to the cloud computing system, instructions to queue the playlist in the queue of the media playback system for playback by one or more playback devices of the media playback system.

10. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the functions further comprise:
receiving, via the network interface from the cloud computing system, data representing the playlist, wherein causing the playlist to

Assignees

• Sonos Inc

Inventors

• Munoz Jaime
• Garn Jonathan D
• Lemmon Michael
• Taylor Dave

Classifications

• G06F16/639

  using playlists · CPC title

• H04N21/4825

  using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists · CPC title

• H04N21/26258 Primary

  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 title

• G06F40/134 Primary

  Hyperlinking · CPC title

• H04N21/2668

  Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles {(information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063)} · CPC title