Base properties in media playback system

• US 10,129,673 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2017
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Rappoport, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Bernardi, Brenda C
• Application Number:
  US15/688,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20170359663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/18 Arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems
• 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 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: H04S 7/30 Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field

Abstract

An example implementation may involve a control device identifying a playback device base in a media playback system. The playback device base includes an interface to communicate with a playback device placed on the playback device base. The example implementation may further involve a control device receiving an input comprising a zone property to assign to the playback device base, and causing the identified playback device base to be assigned the zone property, wherein the zone property is associated with a particular zone of a media playback system.

Claims

1. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a control device to perform functions comprising:

identifying a playback device base in a media playback system, wherein the playback device base comprises an interface to communicate with a playback device placed on the playback device base;

receiving an input comprising a zone property to assign to the playback device base; and

causing the identified playback device base to be assigned the zone property, wherein the zone property is associated with a particular zone of a media playback system.

2. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

causing an interface of the control device to display an indication that a playback device placed on the playback device base is a member of the particular zone of the media playback system.

3. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein causing the identified playback device base to be assigned the zone property comprises:

transmitting, to a playback device of the media playback system, a request to assign the zone property to the playback device base.

4. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein causing the identified playback device base to be assigned the zone property comprises:

updating state information of the media playback system to indicate that the playback device base is a member of the particular zone of the media playback system.

5. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein causing the identified playback device base to be assigned the zone property comprises:

transmitting, to a server of the media playback system, a request to assign the zone property to the playback device base.

6. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the particular zone is a first zone, and wherein the functions further comprise:

displaying a first indication that a particular playback device is a member of a second zone;

receiving a second indication that the particular playback device has been placed on the playback device base; and

in response to receiving the second indication, displaying a third indication that the particular playback device has joined the first zone.

7. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving a fourth indication that the particular playback device has been removed from the playback device base; and

in response to receiving the fourth indication, displaying a fifth indication that the particular playback device has re-joined the second zone.

8. A control device, comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the control device to perform functions comprising;

identifying a playback device base in a media playback system, wherein the playback device base comprises an interface to communicate with a playback device placed on the playback device base;

receiving an input comprising a zone property to assign to the playback device base; and

causing the identified playback device base to be assigned the zone property, wherein the zone property is associated with a particular zone of a media playback system.

9. The control device of claim 8, wherein the functions further comprise:

causing an interface of the control device to display an indication that a playback device placed on the playback device base is a member of the particular zone of the media playback system.

10. The control device of claim 8, wherein causing the identified playback device base to be assigned the zone property comprises:

transmitting, to a playback device of the media playback system, a request to assign the zone property to the playback device base.

11. The control device of claim 8, wherein causing the identified playback device base to be assigned the zone property comprises:

updating state information of the media playback system to indicate that the playback device base is a member of the particular zone of the media playback system.

12. The control device of claim 8, wherein causing the identified playback device base to be assigned the zone property comprises:

transmitting, to a server of the media playback system, a request to assign the zone property to the playback device base.

13. The control device of claim 8, wherein the particular zone is a first zone, and wherein the functions further comprise:

displaying a first indication that a particular playback device is a member of a second zone;

receiving a second indication that the particular playback device has been placed on the playback device base; and

in response to receiving the second indication, displaying a third indication that the particular playback device has joined the first zone.

14. The control device of claim 13, wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving a fourth indication that the particular playback device has been removed from the playback device base; and

in response to receiving the fourth indication, displaying a fifth indication that the particular playback device has re-joined the second zone.

15. A method, comprising:

identifying, via a control device, a playback device base in a media playback system, wherein the playback device base comprises an interface to communicate with a playback device placed on the playback device base;

receiving, via the control device, an input comprising a zone property to assign to the playback device base; and

causing, via the control device, the identified playback device base to be assigned the zone property, wherein the zone property is associated with a particular zone of a media playback system.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

causing an interface of the control device to display an indication that a playback device placed on the playback device base is a member of the particular zone of the media playback system.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein causing the identified playback device base to be assigned the zone property comprises:

transmitting, to a playback device of the media playback system, a request to assign the zone property to the playback device base.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein causing the identified playback device base to be assigned the zone property comprises:

updating state information of the media playback system to indicate that the playback device base is a member of the particular zone of the media playback system.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein causing the identified playback device base to be assigned the zone property comprises:

transmitting, to a server of the media playback system, a request to assign the zone property to the playback device base.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the particular zone is a first zone, and wherein the method further comprises:

displaying a first indication that a particular playback device is a member of a second zone;

receiving a second indication that the particular playback device has been placed on the playback device base; and

in response to receiving the second indication, displaying a third indication that the particular playback device has joined the first zone.