Cloud queue access control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9648070-B2
Application number	US-201615099846-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2016
Priority date	Jun 4, 2014
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

An example implementation may involve a computing system receiving, from a media playback system, a request to initiate playback of a cloud queue. The cloud queue may currently have a first access status that authorizes a first set of queue operations, which may include playback of the cloud queue. After receiving the request to initiate playback, the computing system may cause audio tracks of the cloud queue to be queued in a local queue of the media playback system such that the media playback system may playback audio tracks of the cloud queue via the local queue. The computing system may modify the access status of the cloud queue to a second access status. This second access status may authorize a second set of queue operations on the cloud queue. The computing system may cause access to the local queue to be restricted to the second set of queue operations.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, via a computing system over a network interface from a media playback system, a request to initiate playback of a cloud queue at a given audio track, wherein an access status of the cloud queue is currently a first access status that authorizes a first set of queue operations, the first set of queue operations comprising playback of the cloud queue;
after receiving the request to initiate playback of the cloud queue, causing, via the computing system over the network interface, one or more audio tracks of the cloud queue to be queued in a local queue of the media playback system, wherein the one or more audio tracks include at least the given audio track, and wherein the audio tracks of the cloud queue are playable by one or more playback devices of the media playback system via the local queue;
modifying, via the computing system, the access status of the cloud queue from the first access status to a second access status, wherein the second access status authorizes a second set of queue operations on the cloud queue, wherein the second set of queue operations is different from the first set of queue operations; and
based on the second access status of the cloud queue, causing, via the computing system over the network interface, access to the local queue of the media playback system to be restricted to the second set of queue operations.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second set of queue operations excludes playback of the cloud queue, and wherein causing access to the local queue of the media playback system to be restricted to the second set of queue operations comprises sending, via the network interface, an instruction that causes playback of the local queue by one or more playback devices to be restricted.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the local queue is stored in a data storage of a given playback device, and wherein sending the instruction that causes playback of the local queue by one or more playback devices to be restricted comprises causing the local queue to be deleted from the data storage of the given playback device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second set of queue operations excludes modification of the cloud queue, and wherein causing access to the local queue of the media playback system to be restricted to the second set of queue operations comprises preventing the media playback system from modifying the one or more audio tracks of the cloud queue that are queued in the local queue of the media playback system.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the one or more audio tracks of the cloud queue to be queued in the local queue of the media playback system comprises:
causing the local queue to be established in a data storage of a given playback device; and
causing the local queue to indicate a subset of audio tracks from the cloud queue, the subset of audio tracks including the given audio track and one or more subsequent audio tracks.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media playback system is a first media playback system and the one or more playback devices are one or more first playback devices, and wherein the method further comprises:
while the first media playback system is playing back a particular audio track of the cloud queue, receiving, over the network interface from a second media playback system, a request to initiate playback of the cloud queue; and
causing, via the computing system over the network interface, one or more audio tracks of the cloud queue to be queued in a local queue of the second media playback system, wherein the one or more audio tracks include at least the particular audio track.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
based on the second access status of the cloud queue, causing, via the computing system over the network interface, access to the local queue of the second media playback system to be restricted to the second set of queue operations.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
as the one or more audio tracks that are queued in (i) the local queue of the first media playback system and (ii) the local queue of the second media playback system are played back, causing additional audio tracks of the cloud queue to be queued in the local queue of the first media playback system and the local queue of the second media playback system.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing system comprises a plurality of cloud computing devices interconnected via a network.

10. Tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a computing system to perform a method comprising:
receiving, over a network interface from a media playback system, a request to initiate playback of a cloud queue at a given audio track, wherein an access status of the cloud queue is currently a first access status that authorizes a first set of queue operations, the first set of queue operations comprising playback of the cloud queue;
after receiving the request to initiate playback of the cloud queue, causing, over the network interface, one or more audio tracks of the cloud queue to be queued in a local queue of the media playback system, wherein the one or more audio tracks include at least the given audio track, and wherein the audio tracks of the cloud queue are playable by one or more playback devices of the media playback system via the local queue;
modifying the access status of the cloud queue from the first access status to a second access status, wherein the second access status authorizes a second set of queue operations on the cloud queue, wherein the second set of queue operations is different from the first set of queue operations; and
based on the second access status of the cloud queue, causing, over the network interface, access to the local queue of the media playback system to be restricted to the second set of queue operations.

11. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the second set of queue operations excludes playback of the cloud queue, and wherein causing access to the local queue of the media playback system to be restricted to the second set of queue operations comprises sending, via the network interface, an instruction that causes playback of the local queue by one or more playback devices to be restricted.

12. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the local queue is stored in a data storage of a given playback device, and wherein sending the instruction that causes playback of the local queue by one or more playback devices to be restricted comprises causing the local queue to be deleted from the data storage of the given playback device.

13. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the second set of queue operations excludes modification of the cloud queue, and wherein causing access to the local queue of the media playback system to be restricted to the second set of queue operations comprises preventing the media playback system from modifying the one or more audio tracks of the cloud queue that are queued in the local queue of the media playback system.

14. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein causing the one or more audio tracks of the cloud queue to be queued in the local queue of the media playback system comprises:
causing the local queue to be established in a data storage of a given playback device; and
causing the local queue to indicate a subset of audio tracks from the cloud queue, the subset of audio tracks includ

Assignees

• Sonos Inc

Inventors

• Beckhardt Steven
• Schulert Andrew J
• Ramsperger Gregory

Classifications

• H04R2227/005

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

• H04N21/6377

  directed to server {(one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613)} · CPC title

• H04N21/4825

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

• G06F16/638

  Presentation of query results · CPC title

• H04N21/654

  Transmission by server directed to the client · CPC title