BACKGROUND

Many people enjoy consuming media content while travelling or during other activities. For example, many drivers and passengers listen to audio content, such as songs, albums, podcasts, audiobooks, and other types of audible content, in vehicles. Typical sources of such audio content in vehicles include radios and fixed media players, such as devices that can play media content from CDs, USB drives, or SD cards. Media content from such typical sources is not flexible or personalized for the listeners in vehicles.

Alternatively, mobile devices, such as mobile phones or tablets running audio streaming applications, can offer a personalized and flexible music-consuming experience using large catalogs of media content available from a media content server. However, mobile devices are not well suited for a vehicle environment for various reasons, such as legal restrictions and sophisticated user interfaces that are not convenient for use in a vehicle.

There exists a need for a media playback system that is easy to use and control for media content playback while providing personalized user experience of consuming media content in a vehicle.

SUMMARY

In general terms, the present disclosure relates to playing media content with a media playback device in a vehicle. In one possible configuration and by non-limiting example, a sound level in the vehicle can be measured. Based on that sound level, the playback of the media content can be modified (e.g., paused). Various aspects are described in this disclosure, which include, but are not limited to, the following aspects.

One aspect is an example method for playing media content with a media playback device (110) in a vehicle (102), the method including: obtaining (810) a sound measurement indicative of a sound level associated with playback of the media content by the media playback device (110) in the vehicle (102); determining (830) a deviation in an expected sound level based upon the sound measurement; and modifying (840) playback of the media content by the media playback device (110) based upon the deviation.

Another aspect is an example system for playing media content with a media playback device (110) in a vehicle (102), the system including: at least one processor (148); and memory (150) encoding instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to: obtain a sound measurement indicative of a sound level associated with playback of the media content by the media playback device (110) in the vehicle (102); determine a deviation in an expected sound level based upon the sound measurement; and modify playback of the media content by the media playback device (110) based upon the deviation.

