Remote creation of a playback queue for an event

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12112121-B2
Application number	US-202318345031-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2023
Priority date	Feb 5, 2014
Publication date	Oct 8, 2024
Grant date	Oct 8, 2024

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

The invention claimed is:

1. A computing system comprising:
a communication interface configured to facilitate communication via at least one data network;
at least one processor; and
at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing system is configured to:
after receipt of an indication that a link that facilitates access to a playback queue associated with a first user and that is associated with a streaming audio service has been accessed by a second user of one or more other users that can access the link, cause transmission of one or more identifiers associated with the playback queue for display on a device associated with the second user;
receive, from the device associated with the second user, an indication of a selection of one or more audio tracks, wherein the device associated with the second user is configured to present one or more user interface controls that facilitate adding audio tracks from a media library to the playback queue;
add the one or more audio tracks selected to the playback queue; and
associate a graphical indication with the one or more audio tracks, the graphical indication indicating the second user, wherein the one or more identifiers associated with the playback queue and the graphical indication are displayable on a device associated with the first user and the device associated with the second user,
wherein one or more audio tracks specified in the playback queue are configured to be streamed to one or more playback devices for playback on the one or more playback devices.

2. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more playback devices comprises the device associated with first user.

3. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more playback devices comprises the device associated with the second user.

4. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing system is configured to communicate the link to one or more devices associated with the one or more other users.

5. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the link is communicated to the one or more playback devices via at least one of an email, text message, or social media communication.

6. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the link is communicated to the one or more playback devices in an invitation to an event.

7. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing system is configured to:
receive a second set of input data from the device associated with the second user, the second set of input data indicating one or more audio tracks selected by the second user to be removed from the playback queue, wherein the one or more user interface controls comprise one or more controls that facilitate removal of one or more audio tracks from the playback queue; and
remove the one or more audio tracks selected by the second user.

8. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the device associated with the first user is a mobile device, and the device associated with the second user is a mobile device.

9. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing system is configured to provide the playback queue to the one or more playback devices for playback of the playback queue.

10. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing system is configured to:
after receipt of data representing a request from the device associated with the second user to add the playback queue for playback on the device associated with the second user, add the playback queue for playback on the device associated with the second user.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable media comprising program instructions that are executable by one or more processors such that a computing device is configured to perform functions comprising:
after receipt of an indication that a link that facilitates access to a playback queue associated with a first user and that is associated with a streaming audio service has been accessed by a second user of one or more other users that can access the link, cause transmission of one or more identifiers associated with the playback queue for display on a device associated with the second user;
receive, from the device associated with the second user, an indication of a selection of one or more audio tracks, wherein the device associated with the second user is configured to present one or more user interface controls that facilitate adding audio tracks from a media library to the playback queue;
add the one or more audio tracks selected to the playback queue; and
associate a graphical indication with the one or more audio tracks, the graphical indication indicating the second user, wherein the one or more identifiers associated with the playback queue and the graphical indication are displayable on a device associated with the first user and the device associated with the second user,
wherein one or more audio tracks specified in the playback queue are configured to be streamed to one or more playback devices for playback on the one or more playback devices.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the one or more playback devices comprises the device associated with first user.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the one or more playback devices comprises the device associated with the second user.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , further comprising program instructions that are executable by the one or more processors such that the computing device is configured to perform functions comprising communicate the link to one or more devices associated with the one or more other users.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the link is communicated to the one or more playback devices via at least one of an email, text message, or social media communication.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the link is communicated to the one or more playback devices in an invitation to an event.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , further comprising program instructions that are executable by the one or more processors such that the computing device is configured to perform functions comprising:
receive a second set of input data from the device associated with the second user, the second set of input data indicating one or more audio tracks selected by the second user to be removed from the playback queue, wherein the one or more user interface controls comprises one or more controls that facilitate removal of one or more audio tracks from the playback queue; and
remove the one or more audio tracks selected by the second user.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the device associated with the first user is a mobile device, and the device associated w

Assignees

• Sonos Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G06F40/169

  Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes · 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

• 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

• H04N21/4825

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

• G06F16/639

  using playlists · CPC title