IP Library Granted Patent US 10,871,941
Granted Patent B2
US 10,871,941 · App. 16/659,106 · Granted Dec 22, 2020

Smart music services preferences

Inventor: Jonathan Lang (Santa Barbara, CA)
Assignee: Sonos, inc.
G06F3/165
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,871,941
App. No.
16/659,106
Granted
Dec 22, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

In an example implementation, a computing device including at least one processor; a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to (i) begin transmission of playback preference tracking information to one or more media services registered with a media playback system; (ii) detect that a zone scene has been invoked such that at least two zone players are configured for synchronous playback of media; (iii) based on the detection that the zone scene has been invoked, suspend the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services; (iv) detect that the at least two zone players are no longer configured for synchronous playback of media; and (v) resume the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services.

Claims (39)

1. A computing device comprising:

at least one processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to:

begin transmission of playback preference tracking information to one or more media services registered with a media playback system, wherein the media playback system includes at least two zone players that have been selected for inclusion in a zone scene comprising a predefined grouping of zone players that are to be configured for synchronous playback of media when the zone scene is invoked;

detect that the zone scene has been invoked such that the at least two zone players are configured for synchronous playback of media;

based on the detection that the zone scene has been invoked, suspend the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services;

after suspending the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services, detect that the at least two zone players are no longer configured for synchronous playback of media; and

after detecting that the at least two zone players are no longer configured for synchronous playback of media, resume the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services.

2. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the playback preference tracking information comprises information indicating at least one of (a) one or more media items from the one or more media services that have previously been played by the media playback system, (b) one or more favorite media items, (c) one or more saved playlists, (d) one or more followed artists, (e) one or more favorite radio stations, or (f) one or more media item ratings.

3. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to detect that the zone scene has been invoked comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to receive an indication from a zone player in the zone scene that the zone scene has been invoked.

4. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to detect that the zone scene has been invoked comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to receive an input indicating a selection to invoke the zone scene.

5. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to detect that the at least two zone players are no longer configured for synchronous playback of media comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to receive a request for a given one of the at least two zone players to play back media individually.

6. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the at least two zone players that are selected for inclusion in the zone scene comprise all zone players of the media playback system.

7. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the computing device comprises a controller device for the media playback system.

8. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the zone scene is automatically invoked according to a schedule.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by at least one processor such that a computing device is configured to:

begin transmission of playback preference tracking information to one or more media services registered with a media playback system, wherein the media playback system includes at least two zone players that have been selected for inclusion in a zone scene comprising a predefined grouping of zone players that are to be configured for synchronous playback of media when the zone scene is invoked;

detect that the zone scene has been invoked such that the at least two zone players are configured for synchronous playback of media;

based on the detection that the zone scene has been invoked, suspend the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services;

after suspending the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services, detect that the at least two zone players are no longer configured for synchronous playback of media; and

after detecting that the at least two zone players are no longer configured for synchronous playback of media, resume the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the playback preference tracking information comprises information indicating at least one of (a) one or more media items from the one or more media services that have previously been played by the media playback system, (b) one or more favorite media items, (c) one or more saved playlists, (d) one or more followed artists, (e) one or more favorite radio stations, or (f) one or more media item ratings.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to detect that the zone scene has been invoked comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to receive an indication from a zone player in the zone scene that the zone scene has been invoked.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to detect that the zone scene has been invoked comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to receive an input indicating a selection to invoke the zone scene.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to detect that the at least two zone players are no longer configured for synchronous playback of media comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to receive a request for a given one of the at least two zone players to play back media individually.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the computing device comprises a controller device for the media playback system.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the zone scene is automatically invoked according to a schedule.

16. A method comprising:

beginning, by a computing device, transmission of playback preference tracking information to one or more media services registered with a media playback system, wherein the media playback system includes at least two zone players that have been selected for inclusion in a zone scene comprising a predefined grouping of zone players that are to be configured for synchronous playback of media when the zone scene is invoked;

detecting, by the computing device, that the zone scene has been invoked such that the at least two zone players are configured for synchronous playback of media;

based on the detection that the zone scene has been invoked, suspending, by the computing device, the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services;

after suspending the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services, detecting, by the computing device, that the at least two zone players are no longer configured for synchronous playback of media; and

after detecting that the at least two zone players are no longer configured for synchronous playback of media, resuming, by the computing device, the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the playback preference tracking information comprises information indicating at least one of (a) one or more media items from the one or more media services that have previously been played by the media playback system, (b) one or more favorite media items, (c) one or more saved playlists, (d) one or more followed artists, (e) one or more favorite radio stations, or (f) one or more media item ratings.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein detecting, by the computing device, that the zone scene has been invoked comprises receiving, by the computing device, an indication from a zone player in the zone scene that the zone scene has been invoked.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein detecting, by the computing device, that the zone scene has been invoked comprises receiving, by the computing device, an input indicating a selection to invoke the zone scene.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein detecting, by the computing device, that the at least two zone players are no longer configured for synchronous playback of media comprises receiving, by the computing device, a request for a given one of the at least two zone players to play back media individually.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 15, 2021
From: SONOS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 058123/0206 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 21, 2019
From: LANG, JONATHAN
To: SONOS, INC.
Reel/Frame 051074/0080 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 15953683 · Apr 16, 2018
Continuation 14871609 · Sep 30, 2015
Related Publication 20200050425A1 · Feb 13, 2020