Mobile Playlist Synchronization Across Multi-Zone Playback Queues
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies for accessing and listening to digital audio in an out-loud setting are limited, and there is a need for improved consumer technology to revolutionize how people access and consume digital media.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for establishing a connected state between a mobile device and a network media system, allowing actions on a playlist on the mobile device to be synchronized with a playback queue on one or more playback devices, with indicators and controls for managing this connection and transitioning control between devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If digital audio is accessed on personal audio devices or mobile devices, then portability and accessibility are improved, but the ability to play audio out loud in synchronized multi-zone settings deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device serves multiple functions: it acts as both a portable personal audio player and a controller for networked multi-zone playback systems. The system allows the mobile device to maintain its portability while also enabling it to control zone players for synchronized audio playback across multiple locations, thus achieving both ease of operation and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The networked zone players act as intermediaries between the mobile device and the audio output. The mobile device sends control signals and audio data through the network to the zone players, which then handle the actual audio playback in multiple zones. This intermediary approach allows the mobile device to maintain portability while achieving multi-zone synchronized playback capability.
2Ease of operation
If control of playback queue is transferred between devices, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability of maintaining playback state deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the mobile device receives status information from the zone players about current playback state, queue contents, and playback position. This feedback allows the mobile device to maintain an accurate representation of the playback state even when control is transferred between devices, ensuring reliability while enabling easy control transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
Before transferring control between devices, the system performs preliminary actions to ensure seamless transition. The outgoing device sends its current playback state information to the incoming device, and the system prepares the playback queue for smooth handoff. This preliminary action ensures that playback state is maintained reliably during control transfer.
3Adaptability or versatility
If actions on playlist are synchronized with playback queue, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a simplified copy or representation of the playback queue on the mobile device that mirrors the actual queue on the zone players. When the user interacts with this local copy (adding, removing, or reordering items), the changes are automatically synchronized with the actual playback queue. This copying approach enables playlist-playback queue synchronization while keeping the user interface simple and manageable.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C~3
AI summary
Embodiments provided herein involve connected states between a mobile device and one or more zones in a network media system and different interactions between the mobile device and the network media system involving the connected states. The connected states may be established between the mobile device and the one or more zones such that further actions taken on media items identified in the playlist on the mobile device may also be taken on corresponding media items in a playback queue associated with the one or more zones. The interface on the mobile device may display various graphical representations to indicate the different interactions involving the connected states, including when a connected state is established, when a connected state is lost, and when a reconnected state is reestablished. The interface may further provide selectable icons to allow a user to navigate among the different media playback options involving the connected states.