Disengaging and engaging zone players

• US 10,146,498 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2013
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Millington, Nicholas A. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Survillo, Oleg
• Application Number:
  US13/864,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20130232415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,057 Days
• Field of Search: 709219, 709220, 709231
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/00 Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00 architectures of general purpose stored program computers G06F15/76
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/12 Synchronisation of different clock signals provided by a plurality of clock generators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2322 using timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/60 of audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/63 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/635 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/638 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• 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 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 : Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10592 : specifically adapted for recording or reproducing multichannel signals
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/00 : Gain control in amplifiers or frequency changers
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/20 : Automatic control H03G3/005 takes precedence; combined with volume compression or expansion H03G7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/103 : Transmitter-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/26 : Arrangements for switching distribution systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/20 : digital audio broadcasting [DAB]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0644 : External master-clock
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0664 : unidirectional timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2854 : Wide area networks, e.g. public data networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 : Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 : Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 : Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 : for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 : for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 : for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 : for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 : Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 : Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 : Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 : Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 : Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4307 : Synchronising the rendering of multiple content streams or additional data on devices, e.g. synchronisation of audio on a mobile phone with the video output on the TV screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43076 : of the same content streams on multiple devices, e.g. when family members are watching the same movie on different devices
• 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 5/04 : Synchronising for television systems using pulse code modulation H04N7/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7904 : using intermediate digital signal processing
• 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 : one node acting as a reference for the others
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 : Master-slave selection or change arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 : dummy group

Abstract

In a network comprising a first zone player, wherein the first zone player is a member of a first synchrony group, a method comprising: playing, at the first zone player, audio information associated with the first synchrony group; receiving, at the first zone player, control information from a user interface module, wherein the control information directs the first zone player to disengage from the first synchrony group and to join a second synchrony group; disengaging, by the first zone player based on the received control information, the first zone player from the first synchrony group; joining, by the first zone player based on the received control information, the first zone player to the second synchrony group; and playing, by the first zone player, audio information associated with the second synchrony group.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a controller device configured to control one or more zone players; and

a first zone player comprising at least one processor and tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the first zone player to perform operations comprising;

joining a first synchrony group comprising the first zone player and a second zone player;

providing first device clock timing information to the second zone player over an asynchronous network while the first zone player is in the first synchrony group;

playing first audio information in synchrony with the second zone player while the first zone player is in the first synchrony group, wherein all zone players in the first synchrony group playback the first audio information using the first device clock timing information that the first zone player provides over the asynchronous network;

receiving control information from the controller device via the asynchronous network, wherein the control information includes an identification of a third zone player, and wherein the control information directs the first zone player to (a) disengage from the first synchrony group, (b) join a second synchrony group with the third zone player, and (c) receive second audio information from the third zone player for playback in synchrony with the third zone player; and

after receiving the control information from the controller device, (a) disengaging the first zone player from the first synchrony group, (b) joining the first zone player to the second synchrony group, (c) receiving the second audio information from the third zone player, and (d) playing the second audio information in synchrony with the third zone player.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein disengaging from the first synchrony group comprises the first zone player transmitting a notification to the second zone player, wherein the notification indicates that the first zone player is disengaging from the first synchrony group.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations performed by the first zone player further comprise, prior to disengaging from the first synchrony group:

receiving the first audio information for playback from an audio information source; and

transmitting the first device clock timing information and the first audio information to at least the second zone player while contemporaneously playing the first audio information using the first device clock timing information.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the control information directs the first zone player to cease transmitting the first audio information and the first device clock timing information, and wherein the operations further cause the first zone player to cease transmitting the first audio information and the first device clock timing information to the first synchrony group.

5. The first zone player of claim 1, wherein the first audio information is different than the second audio information.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein all zone players in the first synchrony group playback the first audio information based on the first device clock timing information that the first zone player provides to the first synchrony group during synchronous playback and first playback timing information that the first zone player provides to the first synchrony group during synchronous playback, and wherein after joining the first zone player to the second synchrony group, all zone players in the second synchrony group playback the second audio information based on second device clock timing information that the third zone player provides to the second synchrony group during synchronous playback and second playback timing information that the third zone player provides to the second synchrony group during synchronous playback.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein all zone players in the first synchrony group playback the first audio information based on the first device clock timing information that the first zone player provides to the first synchrony group during synchronous playback and first playback timing information that the first zone player provides to the first synchrony group during synchronous playback, and wherein after joining the first zone player to the second synchrony group, all zone players in the second synchrony group playback the second audio information based on the first device clock timing information that the first zone player provides to the second synchrony group during synchronous playback and second playback timing information that the first zone player provides to the second synchrony group during synchronous playback.

8. A system comprising:

first tangible non-transitory computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by a first set of one or more processors, cause a controller device to control a plurality of zone players in a media playback system; and

second tangible non-transitory computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by a second set of one or more processors, cause a first zone player to perform functions comprising;

joining a first synchrony group comprising the first zone player and a second zone player;

providing first device clock timing information to the second zone player over an asynchronous network while the first zone player is in the first synchrony group;

playing first audio information in synchrony with the second zone player while the first zone player is in the first synchrony group, wherein all zone players in the first synchrony group playback the first audio information using the first device clock timing information that the first zone player provides to the first synchrony group over the asynchronous network;

receiving control information from the controller device via the asynchronous network, wherein the control information includes an identification of a third zone player, and wherein the control information directs the first zone player to (a) disengage from the first synchrony group, (b) join a second synchrony group with the third zone player, and (c) receive second audio information from the third zone player for playback in synchrony with the third zone player; and

after receiving the control information from the controller device (a) disengaging the first zone player from the first synchrony group, (b) joining the first zone player to the second synchrony group, (c) receiving the second audio information from the third zone player, and (d) playing the second audio information in synchrony with the third zone player.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the second tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media further comprises additional instructions that, when executed, cause the first zone player to transmit a notification to the second zone player, wherein the notification indicates that the first zone player is disengaging from the first synchrony group.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the second tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media further comprises additional instructions that, when executed, cause the first zone player to:

receive the first audio information for playback from an audio information source; and

transmit the first device clock timing information and the first audio information to at least the second zone player while contemporaneously playing the first audio information using the first device clock timing information.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the control information received by the first zone player from the controller device directs the first zone player to cease transmitting the first audio information and the first device clock timing information to the first synchrony group, and wherein the second tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory further comprises additional instructions that, when executed, cause the first zone player to cease transmitting the first audio information and the first device clock timing information to the first synchrony group.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the first audio information is different than the second audio information.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein all zone players in the first synchrony group playback the first audio information based on the first device clock timing information that the first zone player provides to the first synchrony group and first playback timing information that the first zone player provides to the first synchrony group, and wherein all zone players in the second synchrony group playback the second audio information based on second device clock timing information that the third zone player provides to the second synchrony group and second playback timing information that the third zone player provides to the second synchrony group.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein all zone players in the first synchrony group playback the first audio information based on the first device clock timing information that the first zone player provides to the first synchrony group during synchronous playback and first playback timing information that the first zone player provides to the first synchrony group during synchronous playback, and wherein after joining the first zone player to the second synchrony group, all zone players in the second synchrony group playback the second audio information based on the first device clock timing information that the first zone player provides to the second synchrony group during synchronous playback and second playback timing information that the first zone player provides to the second synchrony group during synchronous playback.

15. A system comprising:

a controller device configured to control one or more zone players;

a first zone player comprising;

a network interface configured to connect the first zone player to an asynchronous network;

at least one processor; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the first zone player, cause the first zone player to perform a first set of functions comprising;

joining a first synchrony group comprising the first zone player and a second zone player;

providing first device clock timing information to the second zone player over the asynchronous network while the first zone player is in the first synchrony group;

playing first audio information in synchrony with the second zone player while the first zone player is in the first synchrony group, wherein all zone players in the first synchrony group playback the first audio information using the first device clock timing information that the first zone player provides to the first synchrony group over the asynchronous network;

receiving first control information from the controller device over the asynchronous network, wherein the first control information includes an identification of a third zone player, and wherein the first control information directs the first zone player to (a) disengage from the first synchrony group, (b) join a second synchrony group with the third zone player, and (c) receive second audio information from the third zone player for playback in synchrony with the third zone player; and

after receiving the first control information from the controller device, (a) disengaging from the first synchrony group, (b) joining the first zone player to a second synchrony group with the third zone player, (c) receiving second audio information from the third zone player, and (d) playing the second audio information in synchrony with playback of the second audio by the third zone player.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first set of functions further comprise the first zone player transmitting a notification to the second zone player via the network interface, wherein the notification indicates that the first zone player is disengaging from the first synchrony group.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the first set of functions further comprise the first zone player transmitting the first device clock timing information and the first audio information to at least the second zone player while contemporaneously playing the first audio information using the first device clock timing information.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first set of functions performed in response to receiving the first control information further comprise the first zone player ceasing transmitting the first device clock timing information and the first audio information to at least the second zone player while contemporaneously playing the first audio information using the first device clock timing information.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the second zone player comprises:

a network interface configured to connect the second zone player to the asynchronous network;

at least one processor; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the second zone player, cause the second zone player to perform a second set of functions comprising;

while engaged in the first synchrony group with the first zone player, (a) transmitting the first audio information to the first zone player, (b) receiving the first device clock timing information from the first zone player, and (c) playing the first audio information in synchrony with the playback of the first audio information by the first zone player based on the first device clock timing information received from the first zone player;

receiving second control information from the controller device; and

after receiving the second control information from the controller device, ceasing playing the first audio information in synchrony with the playback of the first audio information by the first zone player based on the first device clock timing information received from the first zone player.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein after receiving the second control information from the controller device, the second zone player continues to play the first audio information as a standalone zone player.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the third zone player comprises:

a network interface configured to connect the third zone player to the asynchronous network;

at least one processor; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the third zone player, cause the third zone player to perform a third set of functions comprising;

playing the second audio information associated with the second synchrony group;

receiving control information from the controller device over the asynchronous network, the control information including an identification of the first zone player, and wherein the control information directs the third zone player to form the second synchrony group with the first zone player; and

in response to receiving the control information from the controller device, (a) transmitting the second audio information to the first zone player, (b) transmitting second device clock timing information to the first zone player, and (c) playing the second audio information in synchrony with the first zone player based on the second device clock timing information.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein all zone players in the first synchrony group playback the first audio information based on the first device clock timing information that the first zone player provides to the first synchrony group during synchronous playback and first playback timing information that the first zone player provides to the first synchrony group during synchronous playback, and wherein all zone players in the second synchrony group playback the second audio information based on second device clock timing information that the third zone player provides to the second synchrony group during synchronous playback and second playback timing information that the third zone player provides to the second synchrony group during synchronous playback.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein all zone players in the first synchrony group playback the first audio information based on the first device clock timing information that the first zone player provides to the first synchrony group during synchronous playback and first playback timing information that the first zone player provides to the first synchrony group during synchronous playback, and wherein after joining the first zone player to the second synchrony group, all zone players in the second synchrony group playback the second audio information based on the first device clock timing information that the first zone player provides to the second synchrony group during synchronous playback and second playback timing information that the first zone player provides to the second synchrony group during synchronous playback.