Providing aggregate playback information

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12089018-B2
Application number	US-202117460844-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2021
Priority date	Jun 25, 2012
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

System, method, and apparatus including receiving an identification of content played by a playback system and an identification of location of the playback system. A playlist of content is associated with the location. A request is received to retrieve the playlist of content and the requested playlist of content is sent to a playback system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cloud-based computing device comprising:
at least one processor;
at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium; and
program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing device is configured to:
receive, from each of a plurality of computing devices in a respective plurality of local media playback systems, respective configuration setting information used for an audio content item played back by respective playback devices in the local media playback systems, wherein each local media playback system is associated with a different user;
based on the respective configuration setting information received from the plurality of computing devices, generate aggregated configuration setting information for the audio content item;
based on the generated aggregated configuration setting information, determine a frequency of usage of certain configuration setting information by local media playback systems of the plurality of local media playback systems for the audio content item;
transmit the aggregated configuration setting information for the audio content item to a particular playback device; and
cause the particular playback device to update settings of the particular playback device for playback of the audio content item based on the determined frequency of usage of the certain configuration setting information.

2. The cloud-based computing device of claim 1 , further comprising program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing device is configured to:
cause an indication of the aggregated configuration setting information for the audio content item to be displayed via a controller device of the particular playback device.

3. The cloud-based computing device of claim 1 , wherein the respective configuration setting information for the audio content item comprises at least one of a volume setting or an EQ setting for the audio content item.

4. The cloud-based computing device of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing device is configured to generate the aggregated configuration setting information for the audio content item comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing device is configured to generate a graphical representation of the aggregated configuration setting information, wherein the graphical representation comprises at least one of a heat map, a fractal map, a tree map, or a choropleth map.

5. The cloud-based computing device of claim 4 , further comprising program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing device is configured to:
cause an indication of the graphical representation to be displayed via a controller device of the particular playback device.

6. The cloud-based computing device of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing device is configured to receive, from each of the plurality of computing devices in the respective plurality of local media playback systems, the respective configuration setting information used for the audio content item comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing device is configured to:
receive, from each of the plurality of computing devices in the respective plurality of local media playback systems, respective configuration setting information for the respective playback devices in the respective local media playback systems.

7. The cloud-based computing device of claim 6 , wherein the particular playback device is part of a particular local playback system, further comprising program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing device is configured to:
cause playback devices of the particular local playback system to be reconfigured based on the respective configuration setting information for the respective playback devices in the respective local media playback systems.

8. The cloud-based computing device of claim 1 , wherein the frequency of usage of the certain configuration setting information comprises a trend of usage of the certain configuration setting information.

9. The cloud-based computing device of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing device is configured to cause the particular playback device to update the settings of the particular playback device for playback of the audio content item based on the determined frequency of usage of the certain configuration setting information comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the cloud-based computing device is configured to cause the particular playback device to update the settings of the particular playback device to the certain configuration setting information for playback of the audio content item.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a cloud-based computing device to:
receive, from each of a plurality of computing devices in a respective plurality of local media playback systems, respective configuration setting information used for an audio content item played back by respective playback devices in the local media playback systems, wherein each local media playback system is associated with a different user;
based on the respective audio playback information received from the plurality of computing devices, generate aggregated configuration setting information for the audio content item;
based on the generated aggregated configuration setting information, determine a frequency of usage of certain configuration setting information by local media playback systems of the plurality of local media playback systems for the audio content item;
transmit the aggregated configuration setting information for the audio content item to a particular playback device; and
cause the particular playback device to update settings of the particular playback device for playback of the audio content item based on the determined frequency of usage of the certain configuration setting information.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is also provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the cloud-based computing device to:
cause an indication of the aggregated configuration setting information for the audio content item to be displayed via a controller device of the particular playback device.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the respective configuration setting information for the audio content item comprises at least one of a volume setting or an EQ setting for the audio content item.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the cloud-based computing device to generate the agg

Assignees

• Sonos Inc

Inventors

• Triplett Mark
• Lang Jonathan P
• Reilly Jonathon
• Taylor David

Classifications

• H04R2227/003

  Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet · CPC title

• H04R29/00

  Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements {(for hearing aids H04R25/30; detection of loudspeaker connection H04R5/04; sound-field adaptation dependent on speaker detection H04S7/308)} · CPC title

• H04R27/00

  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) · CPC title

• H04R2227/005

  Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use · CPC title

• H04N21/242

  Synchronisation processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Programme Clock References] {(arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18)} · CPC title