Systems and methods for providing a media playback in a networked environment

Abstract

Described herein are systems and methods for providing media playback in a networked environment. In one embodiment, a networked media playback device is configured to provide a web server for delivering data indicative of a browser-renderable control interface for the networked media playback device, or for a related networked media playback system. In overview, the user of a networked device, such as a wireless web enabled device, is able to render the control interface in a web browser, and in this manner control playback of digital media via the networked media playback device or networked media playback system.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method, in a first networked media playback device of a group comprising a plurality of networked media playback devices, for allowing a wireless web enabled device to provide media playback control signals for received by the first networked media playback deviceor a networked media playback system, for control of one or more of the group, the method including the steps of:
 (i) providing, via software instructions maintained by the first networked media playback device, a local web server that is configured to deliver data indicative of a browser-renderable control interface for the first networked media playback deviceor networked media playback system, wherein the browser-renderable control interface is renderable by the wireless web enabled device as a graphical user interface that provides objects for selection of media for playback by two or more of the group, and for control of media playback via by the first networked media playback deviceor networked media playback system; 
 (ii) being responsive to a predetermined request from the wireless web enabled device for delivering, to the wireless web enabled device, browser renderable code defining the graphical user interface that provides objects for the selection of media for playback and control and the control of media playback via by the first networked media playback deviceor the networked media playback system, thereby to enable loading of the browser renderable code by a web browser application of the wireless web enabled device, such that the loading of the browser renderable code renders the graphical user interface as a web page displayed by the web browser application; 
 (iii) being responsive to utilisation utilization of the control interface as rendered in the web browser application for defining one or more playback control commands; and 
 (iv) implementing the one or more playback control commands in the first networked media playback deviceor networked media playback system. 
 
     
     
       2. A method according to  claim 1  wherein step (ii) includes:
 (iia) receiving data indicative of a browser navigation request from the wireless web enabled device, the browser navigation request being indicative of a predetermined URI; and 
 (iib) being responsive to the browser navigation for resolving the URI to the local web server such that the data indicative of the control interface is delivered in response to the browser navigation request. 
 
     
     
       3. A method according to  claim 2  wherein the networked media playback device provides a local domain name server for allowing resolution of the predetermined URI. 
     
     
       4. A method according to  claim 1  wherein the predetermined request includes data indicative of an IP address supplied by a remote server, wherein the remote server correlates user data for the networked media playback device with an IP address for the first networked media playback device. 
     
     
       5. A method according to  claim 1  wherein the first networked media playback device or networked media playback system is controllable in accordance with the UPnP protocol. 
     
     
       6. A method according to  claim 1  wherein the wireless web enabled device includes a memory unit that maintains one or more media files, and the one or more playback commands includes an instruction to render a selected one or more of the media files via the networked media playback device or networked media playback system at least two of the group. 
     
     
       7. A method according to  claim 1  including the steps of: connecting to a wireless network; identifying one or more other networked media playback devices on the network in the group; determining whether or not to provide the local web server based on analysis of the one or more other networked media playback devices on the network, such that only a single control interface is provided on the network. 
     
     
       8. A method according to  claim 1  wherein the control interface is for a networked media playback system having a master networked playback system having a master networked the first network media playback device, which is a master, and the step of implementing the one or more playback control commands includes providing the one or more playback control commands to the masternetworked media playback device. 
     
     
       9. A non-transitive computer-readable medium encoded with a set of instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to carry out a method according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
       10. A media playback unit including The method of claim 1, wherein the first media playback device includes:
 a networking interface for connecting to a computer network; 
 a memory module that maintains the data indicative of a browser renderable playback control interface, wherein the browser-renderable control interface is renderable as a graphical user interface that provides objects for selection of media for playback and control of media playback via the networked media playback device or networked media playback system; and 
 a processor that is configured to provide a the web server, and thereby configured to deliver the data indicative of the browser renderable playback control interface to a the wireless web enabled device, thereby to allow the device to control the media playback unit and/or a media playback system including the media playback unit, wherein the data delivered to the wireless web enabled device includes browser renderable code defining the graphical user interface that provides objects for selection of media for playback and control of media playback via the networked media playback device or the networked media playback system, thereby to enable loading of the browser renderable code by a web browser application of the wireless web enabled device, such that the loading of the browser renderable code renders the graphical user interface as a web page displayed by the web browser application. 
 
     
     
       11. The multimedia playback unit as recited in method of  claim 10 , wherein the networking interface includes a radio interface and wherein the computer network is a wireless network. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
 allowing playback of rendered digital media via an output of the two or more of the group.    
     
     
       13. The method of claim 12, wherein the output includes one or more speaker cones.  
     
     
       14. A method, in a first networked media playback device of a group comprising a plurality of networked media playback devices, wherein the first networked media playback device receives media playback control signals from a wireless device that provides media playback control signals, for the first networked media playback device, the method including the steps of:
 (i) providing, via software instructions maintained by the first networked media playback device, a control interface for the first networked media playback device, wherein the control interface provides for selection of media for playback by two or more of the group, and for control of media playback by the first networked media playback device;   (ii) receiving a request from the wireless device for selection of media for playback by the two or more of the group, and/or control of media playback by the first networked media playback device, wherein the request is derived from an application of the wireless device; and   (iii) implementing the request by the first networked media playback device.    
     
     
       15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the request includes data indicative of an IP address supplied by a remote server, wherein the remote server correlates user data for the first networked media playback device with an IP address for the first networked media playback device.  
     
     
       16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first networked media playback device is controllable in accordance with the UPnP protocol.  
     
     
       17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the wireless device includes a memory unit that maintains one or more media files, and the one or more playback commands includes an instruction to render a selected one or more of the media files via the first networked media playback device.  
     
     
       18. The method according to claim 14 including the steps of:
 connecting to a wireless network;   identifying one or more networked media playback devices of the group; and   determining whether or not to provide the local server based on analysis of the one or more other networked media playback devices of the group, such that only a single control interface is provided on the network.    
     
     
       19. The method according to claim 14 wherein the first networked media playback device is a master, and the step of implementing the one or more playback control commands includes providing the one or more playback control commands to the master networked media playback device.  
     
     
       20. The method of claim 14, wherein the request from the wireless device is a received via the control signals.  
     
     
       21. The method of claim 14, wherein wireless device is connected to the Internet.  
     
     
       22. The method of claim 14, wherein the selection of media further comprises selection of locally stored media.  
     
     
       23. The method of claim 14, wherein the selection of media further comprises selection of media stored in a media server.  
     
     
       24. The method of claim 14, wherein the selection of media for playback comprises selecting a received digital audio stream.  
     
     
       25. A first media playback unit, comprising:
 a networking interface for connecting to a computer network;   a memory module that maintains data, wherein the data is indicative of a control interface configured for access via an application remote from the first media playback unit that provides for selection of media for playback by the first media playback unit and a second media playback unit, and control of media playback via the first media playback unit; and   a processor that is configured to:
 control the first media playback unit, 
 provide the data indicative of the control interface to a wireless device via the computer network; and 
 receive a request via the computer network from the wireless device for selection of media for playback by the first and second media playback unit and for control of media playback via the first media playback unit, wherein the received request is derived from the wireless device based on the provided data indicative of the control interface; and 
 implement the request in the first media playback unit.  
   
     
     
       26. The first media playback unit according to claim 25, wherein the request includes data indicative of an IP address supplied by a remote server, wherein the remote server correlates user data for the media playback unit with an IP address for the first media playback unit.  
     
     
       27. The first media playback unit according to claim 25, wherein the first media playback unit is controllable in accordance with the UPnP protocol.  
     
     
       28. The first media playback unit according to claim 25, wherein the wireless device includes a memory unit that maintains one or more media files, and the one or more playback commands includes an instruction to render a selected one or more of the media files via the media playback unit.  
     
     
       29. The first media playback unit according to claim 25, wherein the processor is configured to: connect to a wireless network: and determine whether or not to provide the local server based on analysis of the first or second media playback units, such that only a single control interface is provided on the computer network.  
     
     
       30. The first media playback unit according to claim 25, wherein the control interface is for the first media playback unit with is a master media playback unit, and the step of implementing the one or more playback control commands includes providing the one or more playback control commands to the master media playback unit.  
     
     
       31. The first media playback unit according to claim 25, wherein the request from the wireless device is a received via a control signal.  
     
     
       32. The first media playback unit according to claim 25, wherein the wireless device is connected to the Internet.  
     
     
       33. The first media playback unit according to claim 25, wherein the selection of media further comprises selection of locally stored media.  
     
     
       34. The first media playback unit according to claim 25, wherein the selection of media further comprises selection of media stored in a media server.  
     
     
       35. The first media playback unit according to claim 25, wherein the selection of media for playback comprises selecting a received digital audio stream.  
     
     
       36. The first media playback unit as recited in claim 25, wherein the networking interface includes a radio interface and wherein the computer network is a wireless network.  
     
     
       37. A networked media playback system, comprising at least two media playback units, referred to herein as a first media playback unit and a second media playback unit, wherein the first media playback unit and the second media playback unit operate as a stereo pair, where the first media playback unit renders and plays back a left channel signal, and the second media playback unit renders and plays back a right channel signal,
 wherein each of the first media playback unit and the second media playback unit comprises:
 a networking interface for connecting to a computer network; 
 a memory module that maintains data indicative of a control interface, wherein the control interface provides for selection of media for playback and/or control of media playback via the respective media playback unit; and 
 a processor that is configured to: 
 control the respective media playback unit, 
 provide the data indicative of the control interface to a wireless device via the computer network; and 
 receive a request via the computer network from the wireless device for selection of media for playback and/or for control of media playback via the respective media playback unit, wherein the received request is derived from the wireless device based on the provided data indicative of the control interface; and 
 implement the request in the respective media playback unit.