Systems and methods for multi-context media control and playback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11294544-B2
Application number	US-202017112820-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2020
Priority date	Jun 29, 2012
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

A method for controlling media presentation is disclosed. In some implementations, the method is performed at a first electronic device having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors. The first electronic device displays a webpage including a control element, such as a “play” button. The webpage originates from a webpage server. The first electronic device receives a user input, such as a mouse click, selecting the control element. In response to the user input, the first electronic device sends a media control request to a media server. The media control request is configured to cause the media server to control presentation of first media content at a second electronic device associated with the user, wherein the second electronic device is different from the first electronic device, and wherein the media server is different from the webpage server.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling media presentation, performed at a first electronic device associated with a user, the first electronic device having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the method comprising:
displaying a user interface including a control element provided by a media server associated with a first service provider, the user interface originating from a server associated with a second service provider distinct from the first service provider of the media server;
receiving a user input selecting the control element; and
in response to the user input:
sending a media control request to the media server, the media control request causing the media server to control playback of a second electronic device, including adding a first media content to a media queue of the second electronic device associated with the user, wherein the second electronic device is distinct from the first electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first media content is added to the media queue in accordance with a determination that the second electronic device associated with the user is currently playing second media content.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein adding the first media content to the media queue is performed while the second media content is being streamed to the second electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first media content is video.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising in response to the user input, sending, to the second electronic device, a local media control request via a local network, wherein the local media control request is al-se configured to add the first media content to the media queue of the second electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein adding the first media content to the media queue includes adding the first media content to the end of the media queue.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein adding the first media content to the media queue includes adding the first media content as a next media content item in the media queue.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control element is an affordance to cause playback of the first media content.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first media content is streamed to the second electronic device from the media server.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first media content is streamed to the second electronic device from a client device remote from the first electronic device.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the media control request includes an instruction that is modified by the media server before the instruction is forwarded to the second electronic device,
the media server is connected to the server associated with the second service provider through the Internet.

12. A first electronic device associated with a user, comprising:
one or more processors; and
memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for performing a set of operations, comprising:
displaying a user interface including a control element provided by a media server associated with a first service provider, the user interface originating from a server associated with a second service provider distinct from the first service provider of the media server;
receiving a user input selecting the control element; and
in response to the user input:
sending a media control request to the media server, the media control request causing the media server to control playback of a second electronic device, including adding a first media content to a media queue of the second electronic device associated with the user, wherein the second electronic device is distinct from the first electronic device.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, which when executed by a first electronic device associated with a user, cause the first electronic device to perform a set of operations, comprising:
displaying a user interface including a control element provided by a media server associated with a first service provider, the user interface originating from a server associated with a second service provider distinct from the first service provider of the media server;
receiving a user input selecting the control element; and
in response to the user input:
sending a media control request to the media server, the media control request causing the media server to control playback of a second electronic device, including adding a first media content to a media queue of the second electronic device associated with the user, wherein the second electronic device is distinct from the first electronic device.

14. The first electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the first media content is added to the media queue in accordance with a determination that the second electronic device associated with the user is currently playing second media content.

15. The first electronic device of claim 14 , wherein adding the first media content to the media queue is performed while the second media content is being streamed to the second electronic device.

16. The first electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the first media content is video.

17. The first electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for, in response to the user input, sending, to the second electronic device, a local media control request via a local network, wherein the local media control request is configured to add the first media content to the media queue of the second electronic device.

18. The first electronic device of claim 12 , wherein adding the first media content to the media queue includes adding the first media content to the end of the media queue.

19. The first electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the control element is an affordance to cause playback of the first media content.

20. The first electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the first media content is streamed to the second electronic device from the media server.

Assignees

• Spotify Ab

Inventors

• Garmark Sten
• Röös Karl Magnus
• Öman Andreas
• Bengtsson Per Gunnar Joachim
• Vesterlund Marcus Per

Classifications

• H04L65/1094 Primary

  Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing · CPC title

• H04L65/756

  adapting media to device capabilities · CPC title

• H04L65/612

  for unicast · CPC title

• G06F3/0484 Primary

  for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range · CPC title

• H04L65/4084

  Electricity · mapped topic