Playlist server

Abstract

A method for playing music includes displaying a list of playlists names, selecting one of the displayed playlists names, sending at least one attribute of a playlist corresponding to the selected playlist name to a playlist server, receiving a playlist from the playlist server wherein the received playlist corresponds to the attribute(s), selecting at least one song from the received playlist, sending information representative of the selected song to a content server, receiving the selected song from the content server, and playing the selected song(s). Requesting a playlist on the first device based on attributes, sending the same attributes to a second device having the second device request the playlist and start playing.

1 . A server device, comprising:
 a network transceiver for facilitating communication with a first device and a second device; and   a processor coupled to the network transceiver and configured to:
 receive a request from the first device; 
 in response to the request, communicate, to the first device, a device identifier that identifies the second device; 
 receive a message from the first device that identifies the second device; 
 receive a media item identifier that identifies a media item for rendering on the second device; and 
 direct the second device to render the media item. 
   
     
     
         2 . The server device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive a request for a playlist from the first device; and   provide the playlist to the first device.   
     
     
         3 . The server device of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 obtain the playlist from another server device.   
     
     
         4 . The server device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 provide a list of playlists to the first device;   receive, from the first device, an attribute that identifies a first playlist; and   provide the first playlist to the first device.   
     
     
         5 . The server device of  claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 obtain the list of playlists from another server device.   
     
     
         6 . The server device of  claim 1 , wherein to communicate, to the first device, the device identifier that identifies the second device, the processor is further configured to communicate, to the first device, a list of device identifiers, the list of device identifiers including the device identifier that identifies the second device. 
     
     
         7 . The server device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive a request for a playlist from the first device, the request including a criterion;   based on the criterion, identify a particular playlist of a plurality of playlists; and   provide the particular playlist of the plurality of playlists to the first device.   
     
     
         8 . The server device of  claim 7 , wherein the criterion comprises one of a type of music, an artist, an instrument, a record company, a region, a country, a state, a city, or an ethnicity. 
     
     
         9 . The server device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive a request for a playlist from the first device, the request including a criterion;   based on the criterion, generate a generated playlist in accordance with the criterion; and   provide the generated playlist to the first device.   
     
     
         10 . The server device of  claim 1 , wherein to communicate, to the first device, the device identifier that identifies the second device, the processor is further configured to communicate, to the first device, via a network, the device identifier that identifies the second device. 
     
     
         11 . The server device of  claim 10 , wherein the network is a local area network. 
     
     
         12 . The server device of  claim 10 , wherein the network is a wide area network. 
     
     
         13 . The server device of  claim 1 , wherein the media item identifier that identifies a media item for rendering on the second device is received from the first device. 
     
     
         14 . The server device of  claim 1 , wherein the media item identifier that identifies a media item for rendering on the second device is received from the second device. 
     
     
         15 . A server device, comprising:
 a network transceiver for facilitating communication with a first device and a second device; and   a processor coupled to the network transceiver and configured to:
 receive a request from the first device; 
 in response to the request, communicate, to the first device, a device identifier that identifies the second device; 
 receive a message from the first device that identifies the second device; 
 provide a list of playlists to the first device; 
 receive, from the first device, an attribute that identifies a first playlist; and 
 direct the second device to render the first playlist. 
   
     
     
         16 . The server device of  claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 obtain the list of playlists from another server device.   
     
     
         17 . A server device, comprising:
 a network transceiver for facilitating communication with a first device and a second device; and   a processor coupled to the network transceiver and configured to:
 receive a request from the first device; 
 communicate, to the first device, a device identifier that identifies the second device; 
 receive a message from the first device that identifies the second device and a media item identifier that identifies a media item for rendering on the second device; and 
 direct the second device to render the media item. 
   
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 receiving, via a server device, a request from a first device;   in response to the request, communicating, to the first device, a device identifier that identifies a second device;   receiving a message from the first device that identifies the second device;   receiving a media item identifier that identifies a media item for rendering on the second device; and   directing the second device to render the media item.   
     
     
         19 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a server comprising a processor, a request from a first device;   communicating, by the server to the first device, a device identifier that identifies a second device;   receiving, by the server, a message from the first device that identifies the second device and a media item identifier that identifies a media item for rendering on the second device; and   directing, by the server, the second device to render the media item.