IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,359,990

Granted Patent B2

US 10,359,990 · App. 15/205,479 · Granted Jul 23, 2019

Audio track selection and playback

Inventors: Robert Reimann (Cambridge, MA); David Taylor (Santa Barbara, CA); Abhishek Kumar (Hayward, CA)

Assignee: Sonos, Inc.

G06F3/165 G06F3/0484 G06F16/635 G06F16/60 G06F16/683

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 10,359,990
App. No.: 15/205,479
Granted: Jul 23, 2019
Kind: B2

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USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

A computing device detects a first playback condition indicating a presence of a user in a zone in a media playback system. The computing device determines a second playback condition that corresponds to the detected presence of the user in the zone. Characteristics of at least one audio track are compared to (i) the indication of the presence of the user in the zone and (ii) the second playback condition. Audio content is identified based on the comparison and the identified audio content is played in the zone.

Claims (50)

1. A computing device comprising:

one or more processors; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

identifying a particular user of a media playback system comprising at least (1) a first playback device located at a first location of a given household and (2) a second playback device located at a second location of the given household;

detecting a presence of a first location-based playback condition and a first non-location-based playback condition that are each related to the particular user, the first location-based playback condition indicating that the particular user wishes to listen to audio in the first location of the given household;

identifying a first audio track having one or more characteristics that are associated with (i) the first location-based playback condition and (ii) the first non-location-based playback condition; and

causing the identified first audio track to be played by the first playback device;

detecting a presence of a second location-based playback condition and a second non-location-based playback condition that are each related to the particular user, the second location-based playback condition indicating that the particular user wishes to listen to audio in the second location of the given household;

identifying a second audio track having one or more characteristics that are associated with (i) the second location-based playback condition and (ii) the second non-location-based playback condition; and

causing the identified second audio track to be played by the second playback device.

2. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein identifying the particular user of the media playback system comprises identifying the particular user of the media playback system based on an operation history of the media playback system.

3. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first non-location-based playback condition or the second non-location-based playback condition related to the particular user comprises a certain time of day at which the particular user requests playback by a corresponding one of the first playback device or the second playback device, and wherein the characteristics of a corresponding one of the first audio track or the second audio track comprise an indication that the corresponding one of the first audio track or the second audio track has previously been played back at the certain time of day.

4. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first non-location-based playback condition or the second non-location-based playback condition related to the particular user comprises a listening preference of the particular user, and wherein the characteristics of a corresponding one of the first audio track or the second audio track comprise at least one characteristic that matches the listening preference of the particular user.

5. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first non-location-based playback condition or the second non-location-based playback condition related to the particular user comprises a weather condition at the location of the particular user, and wherein the characteristics of a corresponding one of the first audio track or the second audio track comprise an indication that the corresponding one of the first audio track or the second audio track has previously been played back during the presence of the weather condition.

6. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first non-location-based playback condition or the second non-location-based playback condition comprises a certain day of the week at which the particular user requests playback by a corresponding one of the first playback device or the second playback device, and wherein the characteristics of a corresponding one of the first audio track or the second audio track comprise an indication that the corresponding one of the first audio track or the second audio track has previously been played back at the certain day of the week.

7. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first non-location-based playback condition or the second non-location-based playback condition comprises a certain time of year at which the particular user requests playback by a corresponding one of the first playback device or the second playback device, and wherein the characteristics of a corresponding one of the first audio track or the second audio track comprise an indication that the corresponding one of the first audio track or the second audio track has previously been played back at the certain time of year.

8. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the functions further comprise:

after identifying the first audio track, displaying on a graphical display of the first playback device, a graphical representation of the identified first audio track;

before causing the first audio track to be played by the first playback device, receiving a command to play the first audio track;

after identifying the second audio track, displaying on a graphical display of the second playback device, a graphical representation of the identified second audio track; and

before causing the second audio track to be played by the second playback device, receiving a command to play the second audio track.

9. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein identifying the particular user of the media playback system comprises identifying the particular user of the media playback system based on a profile associated with the media playback system.

10. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the computing device comprises the first playback device or the second playback device.

11. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the first non-location-based playback condition and the second non-location-based playback condition each comprise one of: a time related playback condition, a user related playback condition, a social network connection, or a weather-related condition.

12. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein one of the first location-based playback condition or the second location-based playback condition related to the particular user comprises a location of the particular user when requesting playback by a corresponding one of the first playback device or the second playback device, and wherein the characteristics of a corresponding one of the first audio track or the second audio track comprise an indication that the corresponding one of the first audio track or the second audio track has previously been played back at a corresponding one of the first location of the given household or the second location of the given household.

13. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the second non-location-based playback condition is the same as the first non-location-based playback condition.

14. A method comprising:

causing the identified first audio track to be played by the first playback device;

causing the identified second audio track to be played by the second playback device.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein identifying the particular user of the media playback system comprises identifying the particular user of the media playback system based on an operation history of the media playback system.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the computing device comprises the first playback device or the second playback device.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first non-location-based playback condition and the second non-location-based playback condition each comprise one of: a time related playback condition, a user related playback condition, a social network connection, or a weather-related condition.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein one of the first location-based playback condition or the second location-based playback condition related to the particular user comprises a location of the particular user when requesting playback by a corresponding one of the first playback device or the second playback device, and wherein the characteristics of a corresponding one of the first audio track or the second audio track comprise an indication that the corresponding one of the first audio track or the second audio track has previously been played back at a corresponding one of the first location of the given household or the second location of the given household.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second non-location-based playback condition is the same as the first non-location-based playback condition.

20. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

detecting a presence of a first location-based playback condition and a second first non-location-based playback condition that are each related to the particular user, the first location-based playback condition indicating that the particular user wishes to listen to audio in the first location of the given household;

causing the identified first audio track to be played by the first playback device;

causing the identified second audio track to be played by the second playback device.

21. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 20 , wherein the computing device comprises the first playback device or the second playback device.

22. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 20 , wherein the first non-location-based playback condition and the second non-location-based playback condition each comprise one of: a time related playback condition, a user related playback condition, a social network connection, or a weather-related condition.

23. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 20 , wherein the second non-location-based playback condition is the same as the first non-location-based playback condition.

Assignments (4)

RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 18, 2021

From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

To: SONOS, INC.

Reel/Frame 058213/0597 →

SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 15, 2021

From: SONOS, INC.

To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

Reel/Frame 058123/0206 →

SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 30, 2018

From: SONOS, INC.

To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.