US-20260127220-A1 - Social Media Queue Across Multiple Streaming Services

US20260127220A1US 20260127220 A1US20260127220 A1US 20260127220A1US-20260127220-A1

Abstract

Embodiments described herein may involve a social queue for use by a group of two or more media playback systems. An example method involves receiving, from a first media playback system, a first message indicating a first set of media items and receiving, from a second media playback system, a second message indicating a second set of media items. The method also involves generating a playback queue (i.e., a social queue) that includes the first set of media items indicated in the first message and the second set of media items indicated in the second message. The method may then involve transmitting, to at least one of the first media playback system and the second media playback system, the generated playback queue.

Inventors

Margot Stephenson

Assignees

SONOS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20250811

Claims (20)

1 . A computing system comprising: 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 computing system is configured to: following reception of an indication of a plurality of media items available for streaming from a first streaming service, generate a playback queue for at least a portion of the plurality of media items, wherein each media item in the at least a portion of the plurality of media items is available for streaming from both the first streaming service and a second streaming service that is different from the first streaming service, wherein the playback queue comprises, for each respective media item of the at least a portion of the plurality of media items, a respective second streaming service media identifier for the respective media item; and transmit the playback queue for use by a first media playback device that has access to the second streaming service and does not have access to the first streaming service, wherein each of the second streaming service media identifiers is useable by the first media playback device to stream the respective media item from the second streaming service.
2 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing system is configured to generate a playback queue for at least a portion of the plurality of media items comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing system is configured to: cross-link each respective media item of the at least a portion of the plurality of media items between the first streaming service and the second streaming service to generate the playback queue for the at least a portion of the plurality of media items.
3 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein each media item in the at least a portion of the plurality of media items is available for streaming from the first streaming service using a respective first streaming service media identifier for the respective media item.
4 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the playback queue comprises, for each respective media item of the at least a portion of the plurality of media items, a respective first streaming service media identifier for the respective media item.
5 . The computing system of claim 4 , 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 computing system is configured to: transmit the playback queue for use by a second media playback device that has access to the first streaming service and does not have access to the second streaming service, wherein each of the first streaming service media identifiers is useable by the second media playback device to stream the respective media item from the first streaming service.
6 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the computing system is implemented by a social networking service operating on a cloud computing platform.
7 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the computing system is implemented by a third-party service provider operating on a cloud computing platform.
8 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein first media playback device comprises one or more speakers for playing the respective media item streamed from the second streaming service.
9 . Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media having program instructions stored therein, wherein the program instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a computing device to perform functions comprising: following reception of an indication of a plurality of media items available for streaming from a first streaming service, generating a playback queue for at least a portion of the plurality of media items, wherein each media item in the at least a portion of the plurality of media items is available for streaming from both the first streaming service and a second streaming service that is different from the first streaming service, wherein the playback queue comprises, for each respective media item of the at least a portion of the plurality of media items, a respective second streaming service media identifier for the respective media item; and transmitting the playback queue for use by a first media playback device that has access to the second streaming service and does not have access to the first streaming service, wherein each of the second streaming service media identifiers is useable by the first media playback device to stream the respective media item from the second streaming service.
10 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9 , wherein generating a playback queue for at least a portion of the plurality of media items comprises cross-linking each respective media item of the at least a portion of the plurality of media items between the first streaming service and the second streaming service to generate the playback queue for the at least a portion of the plurality of media items.
11 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9 , wherein each media item in the at least a portion of the plurality of media items is available for streaming from the first streaming service using a respective first streaming service media identifier for the respective media item.
12 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9 , wherein the playback queue comprises, for each respective media item of the at least a portion of the plurality of media items, a respective first streaming service media identifier for the respective media item.
13 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12 , wherein the functions further comprise: transmitting the playback queue for use by a second media playback device that has access to the first streaming service and does not have access to the second streaming service, wherein each of the first streaming service media identifiers is useable by the second media playback device to stream the respective media item from the first streaming service.
14 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9 , wherein the computing system is implemented by a social networking service operating on a cloud computing platform.
15 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9 , wherein the computing system is implemented by a third-party service provider operating on a cloud computing platform.
16 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9 , wherein first media playback device comprises one or more speakers for playing the respective media item streamed from the second streaming service.
17 . A method performed by a computing system, comprising: following reception of an indication of a plurality of media items available for streaming from a first streaming service, generating a playback queue for at least a portion of the plurality of media items, wherein each media item in the at least a portion of the plurality of media items is available for streaming from both the first streaming service and a second streaming service that is different from the first streaming service, wherein the playback queue comprises, for each respective media item of the at least a portion of the plurality of media items, a respective second streaming service media identifier for the respective media item; and transmitting the playback queue for use by a first media playback device that has access to the second streaming service and does not have access to the first streaming service, wherein each of the second streaming service media identifiers is useable by the first media playback device to stream the respective media item from the second streaming service.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein generating a playback queue for at least a portion of the plurality of media items comprises cross-linking each respective media item of the at least a portion of the plurality of media items between the first streaming service and the second streaming service to generate the playback queue for the at least a portion of the plurality of media items.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein each media item in the at least a portion of the plurality of media items is available for streaming from the first streaming service using a respective first streaming service media identifier for the respective media item.
20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein first media playback device comprises one or more speakers for playing the respective media item streamed from the second streaming service.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 18/403,175 titled “Social Media Queue Across Multiple Streaming Media Services,” filed Jan. 3, 2024, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 12,386,880 on Aug. 12, 2025; U.S. application Ser. No. 18/403,175 is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/536,408 titled “Multimedia Content Distribution System and Method,” filed Nov. 29, 2021, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,899,708 on Feb. 13, 2024; U.S. application Ser. No. 17/536,408 is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/952,217 titled “Multimedia Content Distribution System and Method,” filed Nov. 19, 2020, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,190,564 on Nov. 30, 2021; U.S. application Ser. No. 16/952,217 is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/297,193 titled “Social Queue,” filed Jun. 6, 2014, and now abandoned. The entire contents of U.S. application Ser. No. 18/403,175; Ser. No. 17/536,408; Ser. No. 16/952,217; and Ser. No. 14/297,193 are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure is related to consumer goods and, more particularly, to methods, systems, products, features, services, and other elements directed to media playback or some aspect thereof. BACKGROUND Options for accessing and listening to digital audio in an out-loud setting were limited until in 2003, when SONOS, Inc. filed for one of its first patent applications, entitled “Method for Synchronizing Audio Playback between Multiple Networked Devices,” and began offering a media playback system for sale in 2005. The Sonos Wireless HiFi System enables people to experience music from many sources via one or more networked playback devices. Through a software control application installed on a smartphone, tablet, or computer, one can play what he or she wants in any room that has a networked playback device. Additionally, using the controller, for example, different songs can be streamed to each room with a playback device, rooms can be grouped together for synchronous playback, or the same song can be heard in all rooms synchronously. Given the ever growing interest in digital media, there continues to be a need to develop consumer-accessible technologies to further enhance the listening experience. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Features, aspects, and advantages of the presently disclosed technology may be better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: FIG. 1 shows an example media playback system configuration in which certain embodiments may be practiced; FIG. 2 shows a functional block diagram of an example playback device; FIG. 3 shows a functional block diagram of an example control device; FIG. 4 shows an example controller interface; FIG. 5 shows a functional block diagram of an example computing device; FIG. 6 is a simplified representation of an example system for cloud computing; FIG. 7 shows an example environment in which the present methods may be implemented; FIG. 8 shows an example flow diagram for generating a social queue; FIG. 9 shows an example flow diagram to facilitate a social queue for use by a group of media playback systems; FIG. 10 shows a second example flow diagram to facilitate a social queue for use by a group of media playback systems; FIGS. 11A and 11B show example user interfaces to facilitate group formation; FIGS. 12A and 12B show example user interfaces to facilitate social queue interaction. The drawings are for the purpose of illustrating example embodiments, but it is understood that the inventions are not limited to the arrangements and instrumentality shown in the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION I. Overview In some arrangements, a device within a media playback system may generate a playback queue of media items. The media playback system may then perform various operations with respect to the playback queue. For instance, the media playback system may play back media items in the playback queue. Further, input received by the media playback system may modify the playback queue by adding media items to or removing media items from the playback queue. Some such uses of the playback queue might be limited to use by the media playback system itself. Examples described herein involve a “social” queue of media items for use by a group of two or more media playback systems. Media playback systems in the group may collaboratively interact with the social queue. For instance, each media playback system in the group may contribute media items to the social queue, such that the social queue includes media items contributed from multiple media playback system in the group. Further, each media playback system in the group may play back the media items in the social queue. In one example, a group of media playback systems may include a first media playback system and a second media playback system. The first media playback system and the second media playbac