Activity reset

• US 10,042,602 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2015
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Hoadley, Joni R., Roberts, Diane, Lambourne, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELJAIEK, ALEXANDER L
• Application Number:
  US14/871,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20170090859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 37910101, 37910203, 381 77, 381 81, 381 85, 381107, 381 56, 381 58, 381104, 381119, 381123, 381300, 381303, 381 80, 455 306, 455519, 700 94, 709231, 709218, 713 1, 715716, 725141, 725 45, 725 61
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/633 Control signals issued by server directed to the network components or client management of faults, events, alarms in data networks H04L41/06

Abstract

In an example implementation, a method may involve sending a message that arranges a media playback system into a pre-defined state, wherein a first playback device is in a first zone having a first zone name, a second playback device is in a second zone having a second zone name, and a queue has a particular set of media items. The method may also involve detecting a trigger indicating a request to reset the media playback system. The method may further involve causing the media playback system to revert to the pre-defined state, wherein reverting may include assigning the first zone name to the first zone and joining the first playback device to the first zone, assigning the second zone name to the second zone and joining the second playback device to the second zone, and configuring the queue with the particular set of media items.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling a plurality of media playback systems within a place of accommodation, each media playback system comprising at least one playback device, and a particular media playback system within a given room of the place of accommodation comprising a first playback device and a second playback device, the control system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a tangible non-transitory computer-readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the control system to perform operations comprising;

sending, via a network interface of the control system to at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device, a message that configures the particular media playback system to operate a pre-defined first state in which;

a first zone of the particular media playback system includes the first playback device and is assigned a first zone name,

a second zone of the particular media playback system includes the second playback device and is assigned a second zone name, and

a queue includes a first set of one or more media items, wherein at least one of the first zone and the second zone is configured to play back media items from the queue;

operating the particular media playback system in a second state, wherein operating the particular media playback system in the second state comprises;

receiving, via a guest control device of the particular media playback system, input indicative of credentials associated with a first account of a streaming media service, wherein the guest control device is configured to control only the particular media playback system;

populating the queue with a second set of one or more media items, wherein the second set of media items includes one or more media items associated with the first account of the streaming media service; and

causing one of the first zone and the second zone to play back at least one of the one or more media items associated with the first account of the streaming media service;

after causing one of the first zone and the second zone to play back at least one of the one or more media items associated with the first account of the streaming media service, receiving, via a network interface from one or more servers of a booking system configured to manage room reservations for the place of accommodation, a message indicating that a new guest is checking into a given room that contains the particular media playback system, wherein the message is a trigger that causes the media playback system to revert to the pre-defined first state; and

responsive to receiving the message indicating that the new guest is checking into the given room, causing the particular media playback system to revert to the pre-defined first state, wherein reverting the particular media playback system to the pre-defined first state comprises;

responsive to the trigger, populating the queue with the first set of media items, wherein populating the queue with the first set of media items comprises removing, from the queue, the one or more media items associated with the first account of the streaming media service; and

responsive to the trigger, resetting the streaming media service, wherein resetting the streaming media service comprises removing the first account of the streaming media service from the particular media playback system.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein operating the control system in the pre-defined first state further comprises arranging the first zone and the second zone into a zone group configured to play back media items from a shared queue;

and wherein reverting the particular media playback system to the pre-defined first state further comprises;

responsive to the trigger, joining the first zone and the second zone into the zone group.

3. The control system of claim 2, wherein operating the control system in the pre-defined first state further comprises configuring the shared queue of the zone group with the first set of one or more media items.

4. The control system of claim 1, wherein operating the control system in the second state further comprises clearing the queue of media items.

5. The control system of claim 1, wherein reverting the particular media playback system to the pre-defined first state further comprises:

responsive to the trigger, sending a message that resets the first zone and the second zone to respective pre-defined volume levels such that the first playback device and the second playback device are configured to play back media at the respective pre-defined volume levels.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein reverting the particular media playback system to the pre-defined first state further comprises:

responsive to the trigger, sending a message that resets the first zone and the second zone to respective pre-defined equalizations such that the first playback device and the second playback device are configured to playback media with the respective pre-defined equalizations.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein the first playback device and the second playback device are positioned in respective locations in an environment, and wherein reverting the particular media playback system to the pre-defined first state further comprises:

responsive to the trigger, applying, to the first playback device and the second playback device, respective calibrations that correspond to their respective locations in the environment.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein reverting the particular media playback system to the pre-defined first state comprises:

transmitting, via the network interface to at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device, a message that instructs the first playback device and the second playback device to revert to the pre-defined first state.

9. A method of operating a control system for controlling a plurality of media playback systems within a place of accommodation, each media playback system comprising at least one playback device, a particular media playback system within a given room of the place of accommodation comprising a first playback device and a second playback device, the method comprising:

sending, via a network interface of the control system to at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device, a message that configures the particular media playback system to operate a pre-defined first state in which;

a first zone of the particular media playback system includes the first playback device and is assigned a first zone name,

a second zone of the particular media playback system includes the second playback device and is assigned a second zone name, and

a queue includes a first set of one or more media items, wherein at least one of the first zone and the second zone is configured to play back media items from the queue;

operating the particular media playback system in a second state, wherein operating the particular media playback system in the second state comprises;

receiving, via a guest control device of the particular media playback system, input indicative of credentials associated with a first account of a streaming media service, wherein the guest control device is configured to control only the particular media playback system;

populating the queue with a second set of one or more media items, wherein the second set of media items includes one or more media items associated with the first account of the streaming media service; and

causing one of the first zone and the second zone to play back at least one of the one or more media items associated with the first account of the streaming media service;

after causing one of the first zone and the second zone to play back at least one of the one or more media items associated with the first account of the streaming media service, receiving, via a network interface from one or more servers of a booking system configured to manage room reservations for the place of accommodation, a message indicating that a new guest is checking into a given room that contains the particular media playback system, wherein the message is a trigger that causes the media playback system to revert to the pre-defined first state; and

responsive to receiving the message indicating that the new guest is checking into the given room, causing the particular media playback system to revert to the pre-defined first state, wherein reverting the particular media playback system to the pre-defined first state comprises;

responsive to the trigger, populating the queue with the first set of media items, wherein populating the queue with the first set of media items comprises removing, from the queue, the one or more media items associated with the first account of the streaming media service; and

responsive to the trigger, resetting the streaming media service, wherein resetting the streaming media service comprises removing the first account of the streaming media service from the particular media playback system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first playback device and the second playback device are positioned in respective locations in an environment, and wherein reverting the particular media playback system to the pre-defined first state further comprises:

responsive to the trigger, applying, to the first playback device and the second playback device, respective calibrations that correspond to their respective locations in the environment.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein operating the control system in the pre-defined first state further comprises arranging the first zone and the second zone into a zone group configured to play back media items from a shared queue;

and wherein reverting the particular media playback system to the pre-defined first state further comprises;

responsive to the trigger, joining the first zone and the second zone into the zone group.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein operating the control system in the pre-defined first state further comprises configuring the shared queue of the zone group with the first set of one or more media items.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein reverting the particular media playback system to the pre-defined first state further comprises:

responsive to the trigger, sending a message that resets the first zone and the second zone to respective pre-defined volume levels such that the first playback device and the second playback device are configured to play back media at the respective pre-defined volume levels.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein reverting the particular media playback system to the pre-defined first state further comprises:

responsive to the trigger, sending a message that resets the first zone and the second zone to respective pre-defined equalizations such that the first playback device and the second playback device are configured to playback media with the respective pre-defined equalizations.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable memory storing instructions executable by one or more processors that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform a set of operations for operating a control system of a place of accommodation for controlling a plurality of media playback systems within a place of accommodation, each media playback system comprising at least one playback device, and a particular media playback system within a given room of the place of accommodation comprising a first playback device and a second playback device, the operations comprising:

sending, via a network interface of the control system to at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device, a message that configures the particular media playback system to operate a pre-defined first state in which;

a first zone of the particular media playback system includes the first playback device and is assigned a first zone name,

a second zone of the particular media playback system includes the second playback device and is assigned a second zone name, and

a queue includes a first set of one or more media items, wherein at least one of the first zone and the second zone is configured to play back media items from the queue;

operating the particular media playback system in a second state, wherein operating the particular media playback system in the second state comprises;

receiving, via a guest control device of the particular media playback system, input indicative of credentials associated with a first account of a streaming media service, wherein the guest control device is configured to control only the particular media playback system;

populating the queue with a second set of one or more media items, wherein the second set of media items includes one or more media items associated with the first account of the streaming media service; and

causing one of the first zone and the second zone to play back at least one of the one or more media items associated with the first account of the streaming media service;

after causing one of the first zone and the second zone to play back at least one of the one or more media items associated with the first account of the streaming media service, receiving, via a network interface from one or more servers of a booking system configured to manage room reservations for the place of accommodation, a message indicating that a new guest is checking into a given room that contains the particular media playback system, wherein the message is a trigger that causes the media playback system to revert to the pre-defined first state; and

responsive to receiving the message indicating that the new guest is checking into the given room, causing the particular media playback system to revert to the pre-defined first state, wherein reverting the particular media playback system to the pre-defined first state comprises;

responsive to the trigger, populating the queue with the first set of media items, wherein populating the queue with the first set of media items comprises removing, from the queue, the one or more media items associated with the first account of the streaming media service; and

responsive to the trigger, resetting the streaming media service, wherein resetting the streaming media service comprises removing the first account of the streaming media service from the particular media playback system.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein operating the control system in the pre-defined first state further comprises arranging the first zone and the second zone into a zone group configured to play back media items from a shared queue;

and wherein reverting the particular media playback system to the pre-defined first state further comprises;

responsive to the trigger, joining the first zone and the second zone into the zone group.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 16, wherein operating the control system in the pre-defined first state further comprises configuring the shared queue of the zone group with the first set of one or more media items.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein reverting the particular media playback system to the pre-defined first state further comprises:

responsive to the trigger, sending a message that resets the first zone and the second zone to respective pre-defined volume levels such that the first playback device and the second playback device are configured to play back media at the respective pre-defined volume levels.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein reverting the particular media playback system to the pre-defined first state further comprises:

responsive to the trigger, sending a message that resets the first zone and the second zone to respective pre-defined equalizations such that the first playback device and the second playback device are configured to playback media with the respective pre-defined equalizations.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein the first playback device and the second playback device are positioned in respective locations in an environment, and wherein reverting the particular media playback system to the pre-defined first state further comprises:

responsive to the trigger, applying, to the first playback device and the second playback device, respective calibrations that correspond to their respective locations in the environment.