Wireless speaker for receiving from a mobile phone directions to receive and render a playlist from a content server on the internet

摘要

An apparatus for playing media includes a network transceiver for communicating with a remote control device and a server. The apparatus provides a device identifier to the remote control device, receives a playlist from the device, sends a media item identifier to a server, and receives a media item from the server. In some embodiments the apparatus is a standalone speaker device, the remote control is a touchscreen cellular phone, and the media item is an audio item. In other embodiments the apparatus is a television. In some embodiments the server comprises a playlist server and a content server. After joining a local network, the remote control is operable to control the apparatus without direct input at the device. In some embodiments the apparatus receives the media item from the content server. In other embodiments the media item flows through the remote control.

主权项

1. A standalone speaker device comprising:
a network transceiver facilitating communication between the standalone speaker device and a touchscreen cellular phone over a wireless network, wherein the standalone speaker device is operable to:
provide to the touchscreen cellular phone a device identifier that identifies the standalone speaker device;receive from the touchscreen cellular phone a playlist received from a server over an Internet connection, the playlist comprising a plurality of audio item indicators, each audio item indicator indicating an audio item, the audio item indicators arranged in a predetermined sequence for audio items indicated by the audio item indicators to be played in the predetermined sequence;send to the server, over the Internet, an audio item indicator;receive from the server, over the Internet, without user input at the standalone speaker device, an audio item indicated by the audio item indicator;render, by the standalone speaker device, without user input at the standalone speaker device, the audio item from the server;send real-time activity information reflecting the audio item has been rendered,wherein the standalone speaker device, the touchscreen cellular phone, and the server are all separate devices, wherein the standalone speaker device is not directly connected to one of a stereo, television, and computer, and wherein the standalone speaker device is not one of a stereo, television, and computer.