Systems and methods for multi-context media control and playback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9942283-B2
Application number	US-201715495823-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2017
Priority date	Jun 29, 2012
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

In response to a request for a media-control operation to be implemented at a second electronic device distinct from a first electronic device, the first electronic device sends a first request to a server system to cause the media-control operation to be implemented at the second electronic device. The server system is distinct from the first electronic device. Also in response to the request for the media-control operation to be implemented at the second electronic device, the first electronic device sends a second request to the second electronic device. The second request is a request to implement the media-control operation at the second electronic device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of a first electronic device, the one or more programs including instructions for:
in response to a request for a media-control operation to be implemented at a second electronic device distinct from the first electronic device:
sending a first request to a server system to cause the media-control operation to be implemented at the second electronic device, wherein the server system is distinct from the first electronic device; and
sending a second request to the second electronic device, wherein the second request is a request to implement the media-control operation at the second electronic device.

2. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , the one or more programs further comprising instructions for initiating the request for the media-control operation.

3. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 2 , wherein:
the one or more programs further comprise instructions for receiving a user input; and
the instructions for initiating the request for the media-control operation comprise instructions for initiating the request for the media-control operation in response to the user input.

4. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 2 , wherein the request for the media-control operation corresponds to a request to change a destination device for presenting media content.

5. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 4 , wherein the instructions for initiating the request for the media-control operation comprise instructions for initiating the request for the media-control operation without user intervention in response to a predetermined condition having been met.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein the predetermined condition having been met comprises the first electronic device having moved into a predefined proximity of the second electronic device.

7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein the predetermined condition having been met comprises the first electronic device having moved into a predefined area.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein the predetermined condition having been met comprises the first electronic device having moved out of a predefined area.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein the predetermined condition having been met comprises the first electronic device having communicably paired with the second electronic device.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein the predetermined condition having been met comprises the second electronic device having been determined not to be presenting media content.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein determining the second electronic device not to be presenting media content is based on the second electronic device being in an idle state.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein the predetermined condition is based on the time of day.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein:
the first electronic device is associated with a first user; and
the predetermined condition having been met comprises the first user having a higher priority level than a second user if the second electronic device is presenting media content requested by a third electronic device associated with the second user when the first request and the second request are sent.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein the predetermined condition is based on two or more factors selected from the group consisting of the first electronic device moving into a predefined proximity with the second electronic device, the first electronic device moving into a predefined area, the first electronic device moving out of a predefined area, the first electronic device communicably pairing with the second electronic device, the second electronic device not presenting media content, the time of day, and a first user having a higher priority level than a second user.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the second request is to be sent to the second electronic device through a local network to which the first electronic device and the second electronic device are connected.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the local network is a Personal Area Network.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the first request and the second request are identical requests.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for providing a single user interface that allows a user to select media content for presentation by the first electronic device and to generate media control requests to cause the media content to be presented by the second electronic device.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the second electronic device is selected from the group consisting of a television, a home media receiver, a computer, a home audio/visual system, and a speaker.

20. A method for controlling media presentation, comprising:
at a first electronic device having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors:
in response to a request for a media-control operation to be implemented at a second electronic device distinct from the first electronic device:
sending a first request to a server system to cause the media-control operation to be implemented at the second electronic device, wherein the server system is distinct from the first electronic device; and
sending a second request to the second electronic device, wherein the second request is a request to implement the media-control operation at the second electronic device.

Assignees

• Spotify Ab

Inventors

• Garmark Sten
• Roos Karl
• Oman Andreas
• Bengtsson Per Gunnar Joachim
• Vesterlund Marcus Per

Classifications

• G06F3/04847

  Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials · CPC title

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06Q30/0267

  Wireless devices · CPC title

• H04H60/90

  Wireless transmission systems · CPC title

• H04L67/104

  Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks · CPC title