Cloud queue access control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9729599-B2
Application number	US-201514616319-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2015
Priority date	Jun 4, 2014
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

An example implementation may involve a computing system receiving a request from a first media playback system for access to a queue of media items, and a request from a second media playback system for access to the queue of media items. The computing system may grant a first type of access to the first media playback system and a second type of access to the second media playback system. The first type of access and the second type of access may authorize a first set of operations and a second set of operations on the queue of media items, respectively. The computing system may provide an indication that the first media playback system may access the queue as authorized by the first type of access, and an indication that the second media playback system may access the queue as authorized by the second type of access.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, via a computing system over a network interface, (i) a request from a first media playback system for access to a cloud queue of media items, and (ii) a request from a second media playback system for access to the cloud queue of media items, wherein the cloud queue is accessible to the first media playback system and the second media playback system via a wide area network, and wherein the first media playback system comprises a first playback device that is connected to the wide area network via a first local area network and the second media playback system comprises a second playback device that is connected to the wide area network via a second local area network;
granting, via the computing system, (i) to the first media playback system, a first type of access to the cloud queue authorizing the first media playback system to perform a first set of operations, wherein the first type of access to the cloud queue causes the first media playback system to restrict a first local queue that is stored on the first playback device to the first set of operations, and wherein the first local queue includes at least one media item of the cloud queue of media items, and wherein performing a given first operation on the first local queue causes the computing system to perform a corresponding first operation on the cloud queue, and (ii) to the second media playback system, a second type of access to the cloud queue authorizing the second media playback system to perform a second set of operations, wherein the second type of access to the cloud queue causes the second media playback system to restrict a second local queue that is stored on the second playback device to the second set of operations, and wherein the second local queue includes at least one media item of the cloud queue of media items, wherein the performing a given second operation on the second local queue causes the computing system to perform a corresponding second operation on the cloud queue, and wherein the second set of operations is different from the first set of operations; and
providing, via the computing system over the network interface, (i) an indication that the first media playback system is granted the first type of access to the cloud queue, and (ii) an indication that the second media playback system is granted the second type of access to the cloud queue.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of operations corresponds to control of playback of the cloud queue, and wherein the second set of operations corresponds to manipulation of the cloud queue.

3. The method of claim 1 :
wherein the first set of operations comprises initiating playback of the cloud queue on the first media playback system; and
wherein the second set of operations comprise one or more of: inserting media items into the cloud queue, removing media items from the cloud queue, and re-ordering media items of the cloud queue.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the first media playback system over the network interface, a request to play back the cloud queue;
determining that the first type of access granted to the first media playback system authorizes the first media playback system to play back the cloud queue; and
sending, to the first media playback system over the network interface, data indicating (i) one or more media items of the cloud queue, and (ii) respective sources of the one or more media items, wherein the one or more media items are playable from the respective sources by the first media playback system.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the second media playback system over the network interface, a request to change a playhead from a first position in the cloud queue to a second position within the cloud queue, wherein the playhead indicates a given position in the cloud queue corresponding to a particular media item that is currently playing;
determining that the second type of access granted to the second media playback system authorizes the second media playback system to change position of the playhead; and
based on determining that second type of access rights granted to the second media playback system authorizes the second media playback system to change the position of the playhead, changing the playhead from the first position to the second position within the cloud queue.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting that a playhead has moved to one or more respective positions within the cloud queue, wherein the playhead indicates a given position in the cloud queue corresponding to a particular media item that is currently playing; and
sending, to the first media playback system over the network interface, respective indications of the one or more respective positions.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, over the network interface, a request to grant the second type of access to the first media playback system;
determining that granting the second type of access to the first media playback system would exceed a threshold number of media playback systems that are granted the second type of access; and
based on determining that granting the second type of access to the first media playback system would exceed the threshold number of media playback systems, denying the request to grant the second type of access to the first media playback system.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the request from the second media playback system for access to the cloud queue of media items comprises receiving a request from the second media playback system to establish the cloud queue; and wherein granting the second type of access to the second media playback system comprises:
determining that the second media playback system established the cloud queue; and
based on determining that the second media playback system established the cloud queue, granting the second media playback system the second type of access.

9. A computing system comprising:
a network interface;
at least one processor;
a data storage; and
a program logic stored in the data storage and executable by the at least one processor to:
receive, via the network interface, (i) respective requests from multiple first media playback systems for respective access to a cloud queue of media items and (ii) a request from a second media playback system for access to the cloud queue of media items, wherein the cloud queue is accessible to the multiple first media playback systems and the second media playback system via a wide area network, and wherein each first media playback system of the multiple first media playback systems comprises a respective first playback device that is connected to the wide area network via a first local area network and the second media playback system comprises a second playback device that is connected to the wide area network via a second local area network;
grant (i) to the multiple first media playback systems, a first type of access to the cloud queue authorizing the multiple first media playback systems to perform a first set of operations, wherein the first type of access to the cloud queue causes the respective first media playback systems to restrict respective first local queues that are stored on the first playback devices to the first set of operations and wherein the first local queues include at least one media item of the cloud queue of media items, and wherein performing a given first operation on the first local queues causes the computing system to perform a corresponding first operation on the cloud queue and (ii) to the second media playback system, a second type of access to the cloud queue authorizing the seco

Assignees

• Sonos Inc

Inventors

• Beckhardt Steven
• Schulert Andrew J
• Ramsperger Gregory

Classifications

• H04N21/25816

  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

• H04L41/22

  comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI] · 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

• H04H60/80

  characterised by transmission among terminal devices · CPC title

• H04N21/8113

  comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format · CPC title