Access control techniques for media playback systems

1. A computing device comprising:

one or more network interfaces;

one or more processors coupled to the one or more network interfaces;

data storage having stored therein instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:

receiving a request to control a media playback system comprising a playback device;

after receiving the request to control the media playback system, obtaining access to the media playback system, wherein obtaining access to the media playback system comprises:

a) obtaining a first identifier associated with the media playback system, wherein obtaining the first identifier comprises: (i) transmitting a request for the first identifier to the playback device and (ii) receiving the first identifier from the playback device;

b) obtaining a second identifier using the first identifier, wherein obtaining the second identifier comprises: (i) transmitting, over a wide area network (WAN), the first identifier to a computing system and (ii) receiving, over the WAN, the second identifier from the computing system;

c) obtaining a token using the second identifier, wherein obtaining the token comprises communicating over the WAN with the computing system;

receiving a request for the media playback system to perform an operation; and

causing the media playback system to perform the operation using the token.

2. The computing device of claim 1 , further comprising a display coupled to the one or more processors and wherein obtaining the second identifier further comprises:

displaying, via the display, a graphical user interface that comprises at least one input field;

receiving one or more credentials associated with a user in the at least one input field; and

transmitting the one or more credentials associated with the user to the computing system.

3. The computing device of claim 2 , wherein the one or more credentials associated with the user include at least one member selected from the group consisting of: a username, a password, and a biometric.

4. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the token comprises:

obtaining the token using the first identifier and the second identifier.

5. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the token comprises:

transmitting the second identifier to the computing system; and

receiving the token from the computing system.

6. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein causing the media playback system to perform the operation comprises:

transmitting an indication of the operation and the token to the playback device.

7. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the operation comprises an operation selected from the group consisting of: playing media, pausing media, increasing volume, decreasing volume, adding media to a playlist, removing media from a playlist, reordering media in a playlist, and skipping media in a playlist.

8. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein at least one member of the group consisting of: the first identifier, the second identifier, and the token comprises a sequence of characters and wherein the sequence of characters comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of: a number, a letter, and a symbol.

9. A method performed by a computing device, the method comprising:

receiving a request to control a media playback system comprising a playback device;

after receiving the request to control the media playback system, obtaining access to the media playback system, wherein obtaining access to the media playback system comprises:

a) obtaining a first identifier associated with the media playback system, wherein obtaining the first identifier comprises: (i) transmitting a request for the first identifier to the playback device and (ii) receiving the first identifier from the playback device;

b) obtaining a second identifier using the first identifier, wherein obtaining the second identifier comprises: (i) transmitting, over a wide area network (WAN), the first identifier to a computing system and (ii) receiving, over the WAN, the second identifier from the computing system; and

c) obtaining a token using the second identifier, wherein obtaining the token comprises communicating over the WAN with the computing system;

receiving a request for the media playback system to perform an operation; and

causing the media playback system to perform the operation using the token.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein obtaining the second identifier further comprises:

displaying, via a display in the computing device, a graphical user interface that comprises at least one input field;

receiving one or more credentials associated with a user in the at least one input field; and

transmitting the one or more credentials associated with the user to the computing system.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein obtaining the token comprises:

obtaining the token using the first identifier and the second identifier.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein obtaining the token comprises:

transmitting the second identifier to the computing system; and

receiving the token from the computing system.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein causing the media playback system to perform the operation comprises:

transmitting an indication of the operation and the token to the playback device.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by one or more processors of a computing device to cause the one or more processors to perform functions comprising:

receiving a request to control a media playback system comprising a playback device;

after receiving the request to control the media playback system, obtaining access to the media playback system, wherein obtaining access to the media playback system comprises:

a) obtaining a first identifier associated with the media playback system, wherein obtaining the first identifier associated with the media playback system comprises: (i) displaying, via a display in the computing device, a graphical user interface that comprises at least one input field, and (ii) receiving the first identifier in the at least one input field;

b) obtaining a second identifier using the first identifier, wherein obtaining the second identifier comprises: (i) transmitting, over a wide area network (WAN), the first identifier to a computing system and (ii) receiving, over the WAN, the second identifier from the computing system;

c) obtaining a token using the second identifier, wherein obtaining the token comprises communicating over the WAN with the computing system;

receiving a request for the media playback system to perform an operation; and

causing the media playback system to perform the operation using the token.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the computing device comprises a display coupled to the one or more processors and wherein obtaining the second identifier further comprises:

displaying, via the display, a graphical user interface that comprises at least one input field; and

receiving one or more credentials associated with a user in the at least one input field; and

transmitting the one or more credentials associated with the user to the computing system.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more credentials associated with the user include at least one member selected from the group consisting of: a username, a password, and a biometric.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein obtaining the token comprises:

transmitting the second identifier to the computing system; and

receiving the token from the computing system.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein causing the media playback system to perform the operation comprises:

transmitting an indication of the operation and the token to the playback device.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the operation comprises an operation selected from the group consisting of: playing media, pausing media, increasing volume, decreasing volume, adding media to a playlist, removing media from a playlist, reordering media in a playlist, and skipping media in a playlist.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein at least one member of the group consisting of: the first identifier, the second identifier, and the token comprises a sequence of characters and wherein the sequence of characters comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of: a number, a letter, and a symbol.