Playback system join with base

• US 10,001,965 B1
• Filed: 09/03/2015
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Lang, Jonathan P., Butts, Christopher D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mundur, Padma
• Application Number:
  US14/844,253
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/021 Aspects relating to docking-station type assemblies to obtain an acoustical effect, e.g. the type of connection to external loudspeakers or housings, frequency improvement
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/01 Input selection or mixing for amplifiers or loudspeakers for hearing aids H04R25/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/05 Detection of connection of loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

An example implementation may involve a playback device detecting placement of the playback device onto a device base of a particular media playback system. The playback device may determine that it is configured to automatically join media playback systems. Based on such a determination, the playback device may send, to the particular media playback system, a request to join the particular media playback system. The playback device may receive, from the media playback system, one or more messages that enable the playback device to join the particular media playback system, which the playback device may use to join the particular media playback system.

Claims

1. A playback device comprising:

a network interface;

an audio stage comprising one or more amplifiers and one or more audio processing components;

one or more processors;

a tangible data storage having stored therein instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the playback device to perform operations comprising;

detecting placement of the playback device onto a device base of a particular media playback system, wherein the particular media playback system comprises one or more additional playback devices;

determining whether the playback device is configured to automatically join media playback systems;

in response to detecting placement of the playback device onto the device base of the particular media playback system and when the playback device is configured to automatically join media playback systems, sending, to the particular media playback system, a request to join the particular media playback system; and

receiving, from the media playback system in response to the request to join the particular media playback system, one or more messages that enable the playback device to join the particular media playback system for audio playback via the audio stage, wherein the playback device is controllable, via the network interface, by one or more control devices of the media playback system while the playback device is joined to the particular media playback system, and wherein the one or more control devices are incompatible with placement on the device base.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein determining whether the playback device is configured to automatically join media playback systems comprises determining that the playback device is not joined to any other media playback system.

3. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the one or more control devices and the one or more additional playback devices of the particular media playback system are interconnected via a network, and wherein receiving the one or more messages that enable the playback device to join the particular media playback system comprises receiving a message that enables the playback device to connect to the one or more control devices and the one or more additional playback devices of the particular media playback system via the network.

4. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the device base is assigned to a particular zone of the particular media playback system, and wherein receiving the one or more messages that enable the playback device to join the particular media playback system comprises receiving a message that enables the playback device to join the particular zone of the particular media playback system to which the device base is assigned.

5. The playback device of claim 4, wherein enabling the playback device to join the particular zone of the particular media playback system comprises causing the playback device to join a zone that consists of the playback device.

6. The playback device of claim 4, wherein enabling the playback device to join the particular zone of the particular media playback system comprises causing the playback device to join a zone as a first channel of a stereo pair that includes an additional playback device as a second channel of the stereo pair.

7. The playback device of claim 4, wherein the particular zone is a first zone of a zone group that includes a second zone of one or more given playback devices, and wherein receiving the one or more messages that enable the playback device to join the particular media playback system comprises receiving an instruction that causes the playback device to join the zone group such that the playback device and the one or more given playback devices are configured to playback media in synchrony.

8. The playback device of claim 4, wherein the particular zone is configured to play back media items from a pre-existing queue of media items, and wherein joining the particular zone of the particular media playback system comprises adopting the pre-existing queue of media items as the queue of the playback device.

9. The playback device of claim 1, wherein detecting placement of the playback device onto the device base of the particular media playback system comprises:

identifying the device base onto which the playback device is placed; and

determining that the identified device base is associated with the particular media playback system comprising the one or more additional playback devices.

10. The playback device of claim 9, wherein sending the request to join the particular media playback system comprises broadcasting a request indicating that the playback device is placed onto the identified device base which is assigned to the particular media playback system.

11. The playback device of claim 9, wherein identifying the device base onto which the playback device is placed comprises receiving, from the device base, a signal indicating an identifier that uniquely identifies the device base.

12. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise charging a battery of the playback device from current delivered through the device base while the playback device is placed on the device base.

13. The playback device of claim 1, wherein receiving the one or more messages that enable the playback device to join the particular media playback system comprises receiving an instruction that causes the playback device to join the particular media playback system while the playback device remains on the device base.

14. The playback device of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting removal of the playback device from the device base; and

responsively, disjoining the playback device from the particular media playback system.

15. The playback device of claim 1, wherein receiving the one or more messages that enable the playback device to join the particular media playback system comprises receiving a message that enables the playback device to join the particular media playback system for a pre-determined period of time, and wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that the pre-determined period of time has expired; and

responsively, disjoining the playback device from the particular media playback system.

16. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the particular media playback system is a first media playback system;

and wherein the operations further comprise;

detecting selection of a selectable control that, when selected, causes the playback device to play back a particular media item that has been stored as a favorite of a second media playback system, wherein the selectable control is configured to play back the particular media item from a given media source that is accessible to the second media playback system;

determining that the given media source is accessible by the first media playback system; and

based on determining that the given media source is accessible to the first media playback system, playing back the particular media item from the given media source.

17. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the particular media playback system is a first media playback system;

and wherein the operations further comprise;

detecting selection of a selectable control that, when selected, causes the playback device to play back a particular media item that has been stored as a favorite of a second media playback system, wherein the selectable control is configured to play back a first instance of the particular media item from a given media source that is accessible by the second media playback system;

determining that the given media source is inaccessible by the first media playback system; and

based on determining that the given media source is inaccessible by the first media playback system, identifying, among media sources that are accessible by the first media playback system, a second instance of the particular media item and playing back the second instance of the particular media item from a media source that is accessible by the first media playback system.

18. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the particular media playback system is a first media playback system;

and wherein the operations further comprise;

identifying a media item that has been stored on the playback device as a favorite of a second media playback system, wherein selection of a particular selectable control of the playback device causes the playback device to play a first instance of the media item from a given media source that is accessible to the second media playback system;

determining that the given media source is inaccessible to the first media playback system; and

based on determining that the given media source is inaccessible to the first media playback system, identifying, among media sources that are accessible by the first media playback system, a second instance of the media item and configuring the particular selectable control such that selection causes the playback device to play the second instance of the media item from a media source that is accessible to the first media playback system.

19. A method comprising:

detecting, by a playback device, placement of the playback device onto a device base of a particular media playback system, wherein the particular media playback system comprises one or more additional playback devices;

determining whether the playback device is configured to automatically join media playback systems;

in response to detecting placement of the playback device onto the device base of the particular media playback system and when the playback device is configured to automatically join media playback systems, sending, to the particular media playback system, a request to join the particular media playback system; and

receiving, from the media playback system in response to the request to join the particular media playback system, one or more messages that enable the playback device to join the particular media playback system for audio playback via an audio stage of the playback device, wherein the playback device is controllable, via a network interface of the playback device, by one or more control devices of the media playback system while the playback device is joined to the particular media playback system, and wherein the one or more control devices are incompatible with placement on the device base.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the device base is assigned to a particular zone of the particular media playback system, and wherein receiving the one or more messages that enable the playback device to join the particular media playback system comprises receiving a message that enables the playback device to join the particular zone of the particular media playback system to which the device base is assigned.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein enabling the playback device to join the particular zone of the particular media playback system comprises causing the playback device to join a zone that consists of the playback device.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the particular zone is a first zone of a zone group that includes a second zone of one or more given playback devices, and wherein receiving the one or more messages that enable the playback device to join the particular media playback system comprises receiving an instruction that causes the playback device to join the zone group such that the playback device and the one or more given playback devices are configured to playback media in synchrony.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the particular zone is configured to play back media items from a pre-existing queue of media items, and wherein joining the particular zone of the particular media playback system comprises adopting the pre-existing queue of media items as the queue of the playback device.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein detecting placement of the playback device onto the device base of the particular media playback system comprises:

identifying the device base onto which the playback device is placed; and

determining that the identified device base is associated with the particular media playback system comprising the one or more additional playback devices.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein receiving the one or more messages that enable the playback device to join the particular media playback system comprises receiving an instruction that causes the playback device to join the particular media playback system while the playback device remains on the device base.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

detecting removal of the playback device from the device base; and

responsively, disjoining the playback device from the particular media playback system.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the particular media playback system is a first media playback system;

and wherein the method further comprises;

identifying a media item that has been stored on the playback device as a favorite of a second media playback system, wherein selection of a particular selectable control of the playback device causes the playback device to play a first instance of the media item from a given media source that is accessible to the second media playback system;

determining that the given media source is inaccessible to the first media playback system; and

based on determining that the given media source is inaccessible to the first media playback system, identifying, among media sources that are accessible by the first media playback system, a second instance of the media item and configuring the particular selectable control such that selection causes the playback device to play the second instance of the media item from a media source that is accessible to the first media playback system.

28. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by one or more processors to cause a playback device to perform operations comprising:

detecting placement of the playback device onto a device base of a particular media playback system, wherein the particular media playback system comprises one or more additional playback devices;

determining whether the playback device is configured to automatically join media playback systems;

in response to detecting placement of the playback device onto the device base of the particular media playback system and when the playback device is configured to automatically join media playback systems, sending, to the particular media playback system, a request to join the particular media playback system; and

receiving, from the media playback system in response to the request to join the particular media playback system, one or more messages that enable the playback device to join the particular media playback system for audio playback via an audio stage of the playback device, wherein the playback device is controllable, via a network interface of the playback device, by one or more control devices of the media playback system while the playback device is joined to the particular media playback system, and wherein the one or more control devices are incompatible with placement on the device base.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the device base is assigned to a particular zone of the particular media playback system, and wherein receiving the one or more messages that enable the playback device to join the particular media playback system comprises receiving a message that enables the playback device to join the particular zone of the particular media playback system to which the device base is assigned.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein enabling the playback device to join the particular zone of the particular media playback system comprises causing the playback device to join a zone that consists of the playback device.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the particular zone is a first zone of a zone group that includes a second zone of one or more given playback devices, and wherein receiving the one or more messages that enable the playback device to join the particular media playback system comprises receiving an instruction that causes the playback device to join the zone group such that the playback device and the one or more given playback devices are configured to playback media in synchrony.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein receiving the one or more messages that enable the playback device to join the particular media playback system comprises receiving an instruction that causes the playback device to join the particular media playback system while the playback device remains on the device base.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting removal of the playback device from the device base; and

responsively, disjoining the playback device from the particular media playback system.