Audio Content Search in a Media Playback System

Abstract

Embodiments are described herein that provide searches, including a multi-dimensional search, a cross-source search, or both in a media playback system. The search can be initiated by way of a selection of a location on user interface of a controller. The location corresponds to one or more metadata that is used in the search. Results are sorted and displayed. In some embodiments, metadata is used to filter and/or sort the results.

1 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by at least one processor such that a mobile device is configured to:
 display, on a graphical display of the mobile device, a controller interface comprising selectable controls that are selectable to control one or more playback devices that are carried in respective housings that are different from a housing carrying the mobile device;   receive data representing a particular search input;   in response to receipt of the data representing the particular search input, perform a search of multiple streaming audio services across multiple search classification fields for audio tracks having metadata that matches the particular search input, the multiple search classification fields comprising artist name, track title, album name, and Internet radio stations, wherein each streaming audio service provides one or more of: (i) a library of on-demand streaming audio tracks or (ii) Internet radio stations;   receive, via a network interface of the mobile device, data representing search results to the search, the received search results comprising first search results from a first streaming audio service of the multiple streaming audio services and second search results from a second streaming audio service of the multiple streaming audio services;   display, via the controller interface on the graphical display of the mobile device, the search results in a tabbed control interface comprising multiple tabs corresponding to respective streaming audio services of the multiple streaming audio services, wherein a first tab of the tabbed control interface comprises at least a portion of the first search results divided into two or more first groups that correspond to respective first search classification fields of the multiple search classification fields, and wherein a second tab of the tabbed control interface comprises at least a portion of the second search results divided into two or more second groups that correspond to respective second search classification fields of the multiple search classification fields;   receive, via the tabbed control interface on the graphical display of the mobile device, input data representing a selection of one or more particular audio tracks from among the search results; and   send, via the network interface of the mobile device to one or more playback devices, one or more instructions to play back the one or more particular audio tracks from among the search results, wherein playing back the selected one or more particular audio tracks comprises at least one playback device of the one or more playback devices streaming the one or more particular audio tracks from at least one of the multiple streaming audio services and the one or more playback devices playing the streamed one or more particular audio tracks via one or more speakers.   
     
     
         2 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to:
 display a search control configured to receive search strings, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to receive data representing the particular search input comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to:
 receive the data representing the particular search input via the displayed search control. 
   
     
     
         3 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 2 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to display the search control comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to:
 display the search control in a first portion of the graphical display, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to display the search results comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to:
 after performance of the search, display the tabbed control interface in a second portion of the graphical display that does not overlap with the first portion concurrently with display of the search control in the first portion of the graphical display. 
   
     
     
         4 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to perform the search comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to:
 search a media library across the multiple search classification fields for additional audio tracks having metadata that matches the particular search input, wherein the media library comprises additional audio tracks that are represented by respective files stored in one or more local data storages on the mobile device, and wherein the files stored in the one or more local data storages are each different from files provided by the multiple streaming audio services.   
     
     
         5 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is connected to a local area network, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to perform the search comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to:
 search a media library across the multiple search classification fields for additional audio tracks having metadata that matches the particular search input, wherein the media library comprises additional audio tracks that are represented by respective files stored in one or more local data storages on one or more computing devices connected to the local area network, and wherein the files stored in the one or more local data storages are each different from files provided by the multiple streaming audio services.   
     
     
         6 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the search classification fields further comprise musical genres, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to display the search results in the tabbed control interface comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to:
 display, via the controller interface on the graphical display of the mobile device, particular search results having genre metadata that matches the particular search input in the first tab within a genre group of the two or more first groups.   
     
     
         7 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the search classification fields further comprise podcasts, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to display the search results in the tabbed control interface comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to:
 display, via the controller interface on the graphical display of the mobile device, particular search results of podcasts that have metadata matching the particular search input in the first tab within a podcast group of the two or more first groups.   
     
     
         8 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to perform the search comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to:
 send, via the network interface, search queries to respective servers of the multiple streaming audio services.   
     
     
         9 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to perform the search comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to:
 perform a search of the first streaming audio service of the multiple streaming audio services; and   perform a search of the second streaming audio service of the multiple streaming audio services.   
     
     
         10 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to perform the search comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to:
 perform searches of at least one additional streaming audio service of the multiple streaming audio services.   
     
     
         11 . A method to be performed by a mobile device, the method comprising:
 displaying, on a graphical display of the mobile device, a controller interface comprising selectable controls that are selectable to control one or more playback devices that are carried in respective housings that are different from a housing carrying the mobile device;   receiving data representing a particular search input;   in response to receiving the data representing the particular search input, performing a search of multiple streaming audio services across multiple search classification fields for audio tracks having metadata that matches the particular search input, the multiple search classification fields comprising artist name, track title, album name, and Internet radio stations, wherein each streaming audio service provides one or more of: (i) a library of on-demand streaming audio tracks or (ii) Internet radio stations;   receiving, via a network interface of the mobile device, data representing search results to the search, the received search results comprising first search results from a first streaming audio service of the multiple streaming audio services and second search results from a second streaming audio service of the multiple streaming audio services;   displaying, via the controller interface on the graphical display of the mobile device, the search results in a tabbed control interface comprising multiple tabs corresponding to respective streaming audio services of the multiple streaming audio services, wherein a first tab of the tabbed control interface comprises at least a portion of the first search results divided into two or more first groups that correspond to respective first search classification fields of the multiple search classification fields, and wherein a second tab of the tabbed control interface comprises at least a portion of the second search results divided into two or more second groups that correspond to respective second search classification fields of the multiple search classification fields;   receiving, via the tabbed control interface on the graphical display of the mobile device, input data representing a selection of one or more particular audio tracks from among the search results; and   sending, via the network interface of the mobile device to one or more playback devices, one or more instructions to play back the one or more particular audio tracks from among the search results, wherein playing back the selected one or more particular audio tracks comprises at least one playback device of the one or more playback devices streaming the one or more particular audio tracks from at least one of the multiple streaming audio services and the one or more playback devices playing the streamed one or more particular audio tracks via one or more speakers.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 displaying a search control configured to receive search strings, wherein receiving data representing the particular search input comprises:
 receiving the data representing the particular search input via the displayed search control. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein displaying the search control comprises:
 displaying the search control in a first portion of the graphical display, wherein displaying the search results comprises:
 after performing the search, displaying the tabbed control interface in a second portion of the graphical display that does not overlap with the first portion concurrently with display of the search control in the first portion of the graphical display. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein performing the search comprises:
 searching a media library across the multiple search classification fields for additional audio tracks having metadata that matches the particular search input, wherein the media library comprises additional audio tracks that are represented by respective files stored in one or more local data storages on the mobile device, and wherein the files stored in the one or more local data storages are each different from files provided by the multiple streaming audio services.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the mobile device is connected to a local area network, and wherein performing the search comprises:
 searching a media library across the multiple search classification fields for additional audio tracks having metadata that matches the particular search input, wherein the media library comprises additional audio tracks that are represented by respective files stored in one or more local data storages on one or more computing devices connected to the local area network, and wherein the files stored in the one or more local data storages are each different from files provided by the multiple streaming audio services.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the search classification fields further comprise musical genres, and wherein displaying the search results in the tabbed control interface comprises:
 displaying, via the controller interface on the graphical display of the mobile device, particular search results having genre metadata that matches the particular search input in the first tab within a genre group of the two or more first groups.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the search classification fields further comprise podcasts, and wherein displaying the search results in the tabbed control interface comprises:
 displaying, via the controller interface on the graphical display of the mobile device, particular search results of podcasts that have metadata matching the particular search input in the first tab within a podcast group of the two or more first groups.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein performing the search comprises:
 sending, via the network interface, search queries to respective servers of the multiple streaming audio services.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein performing the search comprises:
 performing a search of the first streaming audio service of the multiple streaming audio services; and   performing a search of the second streaming audio service of the multiple streaming audio services.   
     
     
         20 . A mobile device comprising:
 a graphical display;   a network interface;   at least one processor; and   at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the mobile device is configured to:
 display, on a graphical display of the mobile device, a controller interface comprising selectable controls that are selectable to control one or more playback devices that are carried in respective housings that are different from a housing carrying the mobile device; 
 receive data representing a particular search input; 
 in response to receipt of the data representing the particular search input, perform a search of multiple streaming audio services across multiple search classification fields for audio tracks having metadata that matches the particular search input, the multiple search classification fields comprising artist name, track title, album name, and Internet radio stations, wherein each streaming audio service provides one or more of: (i) a library of on-demand streaming audio tracks or (ii) Internet radio stations; 
 receive, via a network interface of the mobile device, data representing search results to the search, the received search results comprising first search results from a first streaming audio service of the multiple streaming audio services and second search results from a second streaming audio service of the multiple streaming audio services; 
 display, via the controller interface on the graphical display of the mobile device, the search results in a tabbed control interface comprising multiple tabs corresponding to respective streaming audio services of the multiple streaming audio services, wherein a first tab of the tabbed control interface comprises at least a portion of the first search results divided into two or more first groups that correspond to respective first search classification fields of the multiple search classification fields, and wherein a second tab of the tabbed control interface comprises at least a portion of the second search results divided into two or more second groups that correspond to respective second search classification fields of the multiple search classification fields; 
 receive, via the tabbed control interface on the graphical display of the mobile device, input data representing a selection of one or more particular audio tracks from among the search results; and 
 send, via the network interface of the mobile device to one or more playback devices, one or more instructions to play back the one or more particular audio tracks from among the search results, wherein playing back the selected one or more particular audio tracks comprises at least one playback device of the one or more playback devices streaming the one or more particular audio tracks from at least one of the multiple streaming audio services and the one or more playback devices playing the streamed one or more particular audio tracks via one or more speakers.