Leaving group based on message from audio source

• US 10,117,034 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2017
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Millington, Nicholas A. J., Wisneski, Craig, Beckhardt, Steven, Griffiths, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Paul, Disler
• Application Number:
  US15/489,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20170223472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 381 77, 381 80, 381104-109
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/001 Digital control of analog signals
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/20 Automatic control H03G3/005 takes precedence; combined with volume compression or expansion H03G7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4363 Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4396 by muting the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• 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 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• 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 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to control audio playback devices are disclosed. An example first playback device includes a speaker driver, a processor, and a computer readable medium including a set of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the first playback device to implement a method. The example method includes receiving, from a first audio information source, first audio information. The example method includes playing back the first audio information. The example method includes receiving, from a second audio information source, (i) a first message, and (ii) second audio information. Based on the received first message, the example method includes (i) determining that the first playback device and a second playback device are to playback the second audio information; (ii) stopping play back of the first audio information; (iii) playing back, via the speaker driver, the second audio information; and (iv) sending the second audio information to the second playback device.

Claims

1. A first playback device comprising:

a speaker driver;

one or more processors; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first playback device to implement a method, the method including;

receiving, from a first audio information source, first audio information;

sending the first audio information to a second playback device;

playing back, via the speaker driver, the first audio information in synchrony with the second playback device;

receiving, from a second audio information source, (i) a first message, and (ii) second audio information; and

in response to receiving the first message from the second audio information source;

(i) determining that the first playback device is configured to playback the second audio information;

(ii) stopping play back of the first audio information in synchrony with the second playback device; and

(iii) playing back, via the speaker driver, the second audio information without sending the second audio information to the second playback device.

2. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein receiving, from the first audio information source, the first audio information comprises receiving, from the first audio information source via a packet-based communication link, the first audio information.

3. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein receiving, from the second audio information source, (i) the first message and (ii) the second audio information comprises receiving, from the second audio information source via a wired communication link, (i) the first message and (ii) the second audio information.

4. The first playback device of claim 3, wherein receiving, from the second audio information source via the wired communication link, (i) the first message and (ii) the second audio information comprises receiving, from the second audio information source via a packet-based wired communication link, (i) the first message and (ii) the second audio information.

5. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein receiving, from the first audio information source, the first audio information comprises receiving, from the first audio information source via a wireless communication link, the first audio information, and wherein receiving, from the second audio information source, (i) the first message and (ii) the second audio information comprises receiving, from the second audio information source via a wired communication link, (i) the first message and (ii) the second audio information.

6. The first playback device of claim 5, wherein receiving, from the first audio information source via the wireless communication link, the first audio information comprises receiving, from the first audio information source via a packet-based wireless communication link, the first audio information.

7. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein determining that the first playback device is configured to play back the second audio information comprises determining that a zone scene is triggered by the received first message.

8. The first playback device of claim 7, wherein the zone scene is saved in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media.

9. The first playback device of claim 8, the method further including:

receiving, from a controller device, an instruction to save the zone scene.

10. The first playback device of claim 7, wherein the zone scene comprises the first playback device and a third playback device, the method further including:

based on the received first message, sending the second audio information to the third playback device.

11. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the first message identifies the second audio information source.

12. The first playback device of claim 1, the method further including:

receiving, from the second audio information source, a second message comprising a volume command; and

based on the received second message, changing a volume of play back of the second audio information.

13. The first playback device of claim 12, wherein the volume command is based on a command from a device configured to communicate with the second audio information source.

14. The first playback device of claim 1, the method further including:

based on the received first message, sending to a third playback device a second message comprising a command to playback the second audio information.

15. The first playback device of claim 14, the method further including:

generating timing information associated with the second audio information; and

sending to the third playback device the generated timing information.

16. The first playback device of claim 1, the method further including:

receiving, from a controller device, a command; and

sending, to the second audio information source, a second message comprising an indication of the command.

17. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the first message is based on a command from a device configured to communicate with the second audio information source.

18. The first playback device of claim 17, wherein the command is at least one of a power-on command or a volume command.

19. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a first playback device to implement a method comprising:

receiving first audio information from a first audio information source;

sending the first audio information to a second playback device;

playing back, via a speaker driver of the first playback device, the first audio information in synchrony with the second playback device;

receiving both a first message and second audio information from a second audio information source; and

in response to receiving the first message from the second audio information source;

(i) determining that the first playback device is configured to playback the second audio information;

(ii) stopping play back of the first audio information in synchrony with the second playback device; and

(iii) playing back, via the speaker driver of the first playback device, the second audio information without sending the second audio information to the second playback device.

20. A method performed by a first playback device, the method comprising:

receiving first audio information from a first audio information source;

sending the first audio information to a second playback device;

playing back, via a speaker driver of the first playback device, the first audio information in synchrony with the second playback device;

receiving both a first message and second audio information from a second audio information source; and

in response to receiving the first message from the second audio information source;

(i) determining that the first playback device is configured to playback the second audio information;

(ii) stopping play back of the first audio information in synchrony with the second playback device; and

(iii) playing back, via the speaker driver of the first playback device, the second audio information without sending the second audio information to the second playback device.