Media playback system with guest access

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9374607-B2
Application number	US-201213533105-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2012
Priority date	Jun 26, 2012
Publication date	Jun 21, 2016
Grant date	Jun 21, 2016

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided to offer a restricted playback mode playlist mode to allow one or more participating users to access a host's media playback system and interact with a reduced subset of functions in that system. An example method includes providing, via a local media playback system, a restricted playback mode open to a plurality of participating users, the restricted playback mode providing a subset of playback functions from the local media playback system to the participating users, the subset including addition of content to a playlist for playback via the local media playback system. The example method includes facilitating addition of content to the playlist by at least one participating user. The example method includes facilitating playback of content from the playlist in the restricted playback mode.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a media playback system including a plurality of playback zones that comprise at least one respective playback device, a request by a first control device to reconfigure one or more of the plurality of playback zones by changing a specific configuration of the playback devices, wherein the specific configuration comprises playback zones that include respective playback devices and a zone group that includes at least two of the playback zones;
determining whether the first control device is associated with one of a first playback mode or a second playback mode, wherein
(i) the first playback mode provides functions of the media playback system, the functions including reconfiguration of the specific configuration of the playback devices;
(ii) the second playback mode provides a subset of the functions, the subset (a) including at least addition of content for playback by at least one of the plurality of playback zones, and volume adjustment of the at least one of the plurality of playback zones and (b) excluding reconfiguration of the specific configuration of the playback devices;
based on a determination that the first control device is associated with the first playback mode, causing the one or more of the plurality of playback zones to be reconfigured;
receiving a request by a second control device to add one or more media items to a playback queue of the zone group for playback by the at least two playback zones of the zone group in synchrony;
determining whether the second control device is associated with one of the first playback mode or the second playback mode;
based on a determination that the second control device is associated with the second playback mode that includes at least addition of content for playback by the at least one of the plurality of playback zones, causing the one or more media items to be added to the playback queue of the zone group;
receiving a request by the second control device to adjust volume of the zone group to a given volume level; and
based on a determination that the second control device is associated with the second playback mode that includes at least volume adjustment of the at least one of the plurality of playback zones, adjusting volume of the at least two playback zones to the given volume level.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising authenticating a user account associated with the second control device to enable the second control device to enter the second playback mode.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the request by a first control device to reconfigure one or more of the plurality of playback zones comprises receiving a request to link to the media playback system in one of (i) the first playback mode, or (ii) the second playback mode.

4. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the media playback system is registered with a set of streaming media services, wherein the second control device is registered with a subset of the streaming media services, and wherein the subset of functions provided by the second playback mode includes playback of audio tracks from the subset of the streaming media services.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subset further includes transport control of playback by the at least one of the plurality of playback zones, and
wherein the method further comprises:
receiving a request by the second control device to initiate playback of the playback queue; and
based on a determination that the second control device is associated with the second playback mode that includes at least transport control of playback by the at least one of the playback zones, causing the at least two playback zones of the zone group to initiate playback of the playback queue in synchrony.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein initiating playback of the playback queue comprises a given playback device of the zone group retrieving the one or more media items via a network interface.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a request from the first control device that is in the first playback mode to place the second control device in the second playback mode.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second control device is associated with the second playback mode for a limited period of time.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second playback mode provides access to the subset of functions for a limited physical location comprising the at least one of the plurality of playback zones.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subset of functions excludes adjustment of an equalization of the plurality of playback zones.

11. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein receiving the request by the first control device to reconfigure one or more of the plurality of playback zones by changing a specific configuration of the playback devices comprises the first control device receiving input indicating a request to reconfigure one or more of the plurality of playback zones by changing a specific configuration of the playback devices;
wherein causing the one or more of the plurality of playback zones to be reconfigured comprises the first control device sending, via network interface, an instruction that causes the one or more of the plurality of playback zones to be reconfigured;
wherein receiving the request by the second control device to add one or more media items to the playback queue of the zone group for playback by the at least two playback zones of the zone group in synchrony comprises the second control device receiving input indicating a request to add one or more media items to the playback queue of the zone group for playback by the at least two playback zones of the zone group in synchrony; and
wherein causing the one or more media items to be added to the playback queue of the zone group comprises the second control device sending, via a network interface, an instruction that causes the one or more media items to be added to the playback queue of the zone group;
wherein receiving a request by the second control device to adjust volume of the zone group to a given volume level comprises the second control device receiving input indicating a request by the second control device to adjust volume of the zone group to the given volume level; and
wherein adjusting volume of the at least two playback zones to the given volume level comprises the second control device sending, via a network interface, an instruction that causes the at least two playback zones of the zone group to adjust volume of the zone group to the given volume level.

12. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein receiving the request by the first control device to reconfigure one or more of the plurality of playback zones by changing a specific configuration of the playback devices comprises a given playback device receiving, via a network interface from the first control device, a request to reconfigure one or more of the plurality of playback zones by changing a specific configuration of the playback devices;
wherein causing the one or more of the plurality of playback zones to be reconfigured comprises the given playback device reconfiguring the one or more of the plurality of playback zones;
wherein receiving the request by the second control device to add one or more media items to the playback queue of the zone group for playback by the at least two playback zones of the zone group in synchrony comprises the zone group receiving, via a network interface from the second control device, the request to add one or more media items to the playback queue of the zone group for playback by the at least two playback zones of the zone group in synchrony;
wherein causing the one or m

Assignees

• Bates Paul
• Keyser-Allen Lee
• Roberts Diane
• Lang Jonathan P
• Sonos Inc

Inventors

• Bates Paul
• Keyser-Allen Lee
• Roberts Diane
• Lang Jonathan P

Classifications

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F17/30053

  Physics · mapped topic

• H04N21/25816 Primary

  involving client authentication (restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06) · CPC title

• G06F17/30772

  Physics · mapped topic

• H04R2227/005

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