# US 10,871,941 B2 · Smart music services preferences > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,871,941 B2 - Document ID: US10871941B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/659,106 - Filed: 2019-10-21 - Published: 2020-02-13 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2015-09-30 - Assignees: Sonos, Inc. - Applicants: Sonos, Inc. - Inventors: Jonathan Lang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871941B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/165: {Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract In an example implementation, a computing device including at least one processor; a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to (i) begin transmission of playback preference tracking information to one or more media services registered with a media playback system; (ii) detect that a zone scene has been invoked such that at least two zone players are configured for synchronous playback of media; (iii) based on the detection that the zone scene has been invoked, suspend the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services; (iv) detect that the at least two zone players are no longer configured for synchronous playback of media; and (v) resume the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computing device comprising: at least one processor; a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to: begin transmission of playback preference tracking information to one or more media services registered with a media playback system, wherein the media playback system includes at least two zone players that have been selected for inclusion in a zone scene comprising a predefined grouping of zone players that are to be configured for synchronous playback of media when the zone scene is invoked; detect that the zone scene has been invoked such that the at least two zone players are configured for synchronous playback of media; based on the detection that the zone scene has been invoked, suspend the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services; after suspending the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services, detect that the at least two zone players are no longer configured for synchronous playback of media; and after detecting that the at least two zone players are no longer configured for synchronous playback of media, resume the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the playback preference tracking information comprises information indicating at least one of (a) one or more media items from the one or more media services that have previously been played by the media playback system, (b) one or more favorite media items, (c) one or more saved playlists, (d) one or more followed artists, (e) one or more favorite radio stations, or (f) one or more media item ratings. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to detect that the zone scene has been invoked comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to receive an indication from a zone player in the zone scene that the zone scene has been invoked. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to detect that the zone scene has been invoked comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to receive an input indicating a selection to invoke the zone scene. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to detect that the at least two zone players are no longer configured for synchronous playback of media comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to receive a request for a given one of the at least two zone players to play back media individually. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the at least two zone players that are selected for inclusion in the zone scene comprise all zone players of the media playback system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises a controller device for the media playback system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the zone scene is automatically invoked according to a schedule. ### Claim 9 A non-transitory computer-readable medium; and program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by at least one processor such that a computing device is configured to: begin transmission of playback preference tracking information to one or more media services registered with a media playback system, wherein the media playback system includes at least two zone players that have been selected for inclusion in a zone scene comprising a predefined grouping of zone players that are to be configured for synchronous playback of media when the zone scene is invoked; detect that the zone scene has been invoked such that the at least two zone players are configured for synchronous playback of media; based on the detection that the zone scene has been invoked, suspend the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services; after suspending the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services, detect that the at least two zone players are no longer configured for synchronous playback of media; and after detecting that the at least two zone players are no longer configured for synchronous playback of media, resume the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the playback preference tracking information comprises information indicating at least one of (a) one or more media items from the one or more media services that have previously been played by the media playback system, (b) one or more favorite media items, (c) one or more saved playlists, (d) one or more followed artists, (e) one or more favorite radio stations, or (f) one or more media item ratings. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to detect that the zone scene has been invoked comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to receive an indication from a zone player in the zone scene that the zone scene has been invoked. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to detect that the zone scene has been invoked comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to receive an input indicating a selection to invoke the zone scene. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to detect that the at least two zone players are no longer configured for synchronous playback of media comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to receive a request for a given one of the at least two zone players to play back media individually. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the computing device comprises a controller device for the media playback system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the zone scene is automatically invoked according to a schedule. ### Claim 16 A method comprising: beginning, by a computing device, transmission of playback preference tracking information to one or more media services registered with a media playback system, wherein the media playback system includes at least two zone players that have been selected for inclusion in a zone scene comprising a predefined grouping of zone players that are to be configured for synchronous playback of media when the zone scene is invoked; detecting, by the computing device, that the zone scene has been invoked such that the at least two zone players are configured for synchronous playback of media; based on the detection that the zone scene has been invoked, suspending, by the computing device, the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services; after suspending the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services, detecting, by the computing device, that the at least two zone players are no longer configured for synchronous playback of media; and after detecting that the at least two zone players are no longer configured for synchronous playback of media, resuming, by the computing device, the transmission of the playback preference tracking information to the one or more media services. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the playback preference tracking information comprises information indicating at least one of (a) one or more media items from the one or more media services that have previously been played by the media playback system, (b) one or more favorite media items, (c) one or more saved playlists, (d) one or more followed artists, (e) one or more favorite radio stations, or (f) one or more media item ratings. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein detecting, by the computing device, that the zone scene has been invoked comprises receiving, by the computing device, an indication from a zone player in the zone scene that the zone scene has been invoked. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein detecting, by the computing device, that the zone scene has been invoked comprises receiving, by the computing device, an input indicating a selection to invoke the zone scene. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein detecting, by the computing device, that the at least two zone players are no longer configured for synchronous playback of media comprises receiving, by the computing device, a request for a given one of the at least two zone players to play back media individually.