Granted Patent B2

US 12,443,653 · App. 18/452,857 · Granted Oct 14, 2025

Inventors: Ted M. Lin (Ayer, MA); Eric M. Bass (Leominster, MA)

Assignee: Sonos, Inc.

G06F16/638G06F3/0481G06F3/0482G06F16/438G06F16/4393G06F16/639H04N21/43615

Abstract

Claims (65)

1. A system comprising:

a network interface;

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

cause, via a wide area network, a web browser on a user device to display a webpage comprising graphical representations of media items of a streaming audio service;

receive, via the web browser, first input data representing selection of at least one first media item from among the media items graphically represented on the webpage;

according to the received first input data representing the selection of the at least one first media item, cause the at least one first media item to be added to a first playback queue corresponding to one or more first playback devices for later playback, wherein a plurality of first playback devices are connected to a first local area network, wherein the plurality of first playback devices includes the one or more first playback devices, wherein the first playback devices send timing information via the first local area network when synchronizing playback, and wherein the user device is outside of the first local area network;

receive, via the web browser, second input data representing selection of at least one second media item from among the media items graphically represented on the webpage; and

according to the received second input data representing the selection of the at least one second media item, cause the at least one second media item to be added to a second playback queue corresponding to a group of second playback devices for later playback, wherein the plurality of second playback devices are connected to a second local area network, wherein the plurality of second playback devices includes the group of second playback devices, wherein the second playback devices send timing information via the second local area network when synchronizing playback, and wherein the user device is outside of the second local area network.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first media item comprises an Internet radio station, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause the at least one first media item to be added to the first playback queue comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

cause the Internet radio station to be queued for playback.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first media item comprises a playlist of audio tracks, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause the at least one first media item to be added to the first playback queue comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

cause the playlist of audio tracks to be queued for playback.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein a particular first playback of the one or more first playback devices comprises the first playback queue, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause the at least one first media item to be added to the first playback queue comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

cause the particular first playback device to add the at least one first media item to the first playback queue.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein a designated computing device other than the one or more first playback devices comprises the first playback queue, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause the at least one first media item to be added to the first playback queue comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

cause the designated computing device to add the at least one first media item to the first playback queue.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first local area network corresponds to a commercial location, wherein the one or more first playback devices include multiple first playback devices associated with a first room of the commercial location, wherein one or more third playback devices are associated with a second room of the commercial location; and wherein the one or more third playback devices are connected to the first local area network.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

cause the web browser to display a graphical representation of the first room in association with a graphical representation of the first playback queue.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

cause the web browser to display one or more elements configured to receive account credentials;

receive, via the web browser, data representing a particular set of account credentials for a cloud service;

identify a plurality of playback devices registered with a user account corresponding to the particular set of account credentials, wherein the plurality of playback devices comprises the one or more first playback devices and the group of second playback devices; and

cause the web browser to display a graphical representation of at least a portion of the plurality of playback devices; and

receive, via the web browser, input data representing selection of the one or more first playback devices from among the plurality of playback devices.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

after the at least one first media item to be added to the first playback queue, receive via the web browser, third input data representing a command to start playback of the first playback queue.

10. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by at least one processor such that a system is configured to:

cause, via a wide area network, a web browser on a user device to display a webpage comprising graphical representations of media items of a streaming audio service;

receive, via the web browser, first input data representing selection of at least one first media item from among the media items graphically represented on the webpage;

according to the received first input data representing the selection of the at least one first media item, cause the at least one first media item to be added to a first playback queue corresponding to one or more first playback devices for later playback, wherein a plurality of first playback devices are connected to a first local area network, wherein the plurality of first playback devices includes the one or more first playback devices, wherein the first playback devices send timing information via the first local area network when synchronizing playback, and wherein the user device is outside of the first local area network;

receive, via the web browser, second input data representing selection of at least one second media item from among the media items graphically represented on the webpage; and

according to the received second input data representing the selection of the at least one second media item, cause the at least one second media item to be added to a second playback queue corresponding to a group of second playback devices for later playback, wherein the plurality of second playback devices are connected to a second local area network, wherein the plurality of second playback devices includes the group of second playback devices, wherein the second playback devices send timing information via the second local area network when synchronizing playback, and wherein the user device is outside of the second local area network.

11. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the at least one first media item comprises an Internet radio station, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause the at least one first media item to be added to the first playback queue comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

cause the Internet radio station to be queued for playback.

12. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the at least one first media item comprises a playlist of audio tracks, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause the at least one first media item to be added to the first playback queue comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

cause the playlist of audio tracks to be queued for playback.

13. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein a particular first playback of the one or more first playback devices comprises the first playback queue, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause the at least one first media item to be added to the first playback queue comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

cause the particular first playback device to add the at least one first media item to the first playback queue.

14. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein a designated computing device other than the one or more first playback devices comprises the first playback queue, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause the at least one first media item to be added to the first playback queue comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

cause the designated computing device to add the at least one first media item to the first playback queue.

15. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the first local area network corresponds to a commercial location, wherein the one or more first playback devices include multiple first playback devices associated with a first room of the commercial location, wherein one or more third playback devices are associated with a second room of the commercial location; and wherein the one or more third playback devices are connected to the first local area network.

16. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

cause the web browser to display a graphical representation of the first room in association with a graphical representation of the first playback queue.

17. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

cause the web browser to display one or more elements configured to receive account credentials;

receive, via the web browser, data representing a particular set of account credentials for a cloud service;

identify a plurality of playback devices registered with a user account corresponding to the particular set of account credentials, wherein the plurality of playback devices comprises the one or more first playback devices and the group of second playback devices; and

cause the web browser to display a graphical representation of at least a portion of the plurality of playback devices; and

receive, via the web browser, input data representing selection of the one or more first playback devices from among the plurality of playback devices.

18. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

after the at least one first media item to be added to the first playback queue, receive via the web browser, third input data representing a command to start playback of the first playback queue.

19. A method comprising:

causing, via a wide area network, a web browser on a user device to display a webpage comprising graphical representations of media items of a streaming audio service;

receiving, via the web browser, first input data representing selection of at least one first media item from among the media items graphically represented on the webpage;

according to the received first input data representing the selection of the at least one first media item, causing the at least one first media item to be added to a first playback queue corresponding to one or more first playback devices for later playback, wherein a plurality of first playback devices are connected to a first local area network, wherein the plurality of first playback devices includes the one or more first playback devices, wherein the first playback devices send timing information via the first local area network when synchronizing playback, and wherein the user device is outside of the first local area network;

receiving, via the web browser, second input data representing selection of at least one second media item from among the media items graphically represented on the webpage; and

according to the received second input data representing the selection of the at least one second media item, causing the at least one second media item to be added to a second playback queue corresponding to a group of second playback devices for later playback, wherein the plurality of second playback devices are connected to a second local area network, wherein the plurality of second playback devices includes the group of second playback devices, wherein the second playback devices send timing information via the second local area network when synchronizing playback, and wherein the user device is outside of the second local area network.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

causing the web browser to display one or more elements configured to receive account credentials;

receiving, via the web browser, data representing a particular set of account credentials for a cloud service;

identifying a plurality of playback devices registered with a user account corresponding to the particular set of account credentials, wherein the plurality of playback devices comprises the one or more first playback devices and the group of second playback devices; and

causing the web browser to display a graphical representation of at least a portion of the plurality of playback devices; and

receiving, via the web browser, input data representing selection of the one or more first playback devices from among the plurality of playback devices.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (400)