Device grouping

• US 10,209,948 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2016
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Morganstern, Mark, Ferguson, Alec
• Primary Examiner(s): McCord, Paul C
• Application Number:
  US15/214,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20160357513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 700 94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/007 for public address systems public address systems per se H04R27/00

Abstract

An input at a physical interface of a first playback device is detected. The input may indicate a playback command. Via the first playback device, the second playback device is determined to be currently playing media content. Based on determining that the second playback device is currently playing media content and based on receiving the input at the physical interface, the first playback device is caused to play the media content synchronously with the second playback device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting, via a first playback device of a media playback system, a first type of selection of a push-button at a control interface integrated into a housing of the first playback device, wherein the push-button is associated with at least one playback command that controls media playback by the first playback device, wherein the media playback system includes at least a first zone comprising the first playback device, a second zone comprising a second playback device, and a third zone comprising a third playback device, wherein the first type of selection of the push-button integrated into the housing of the first playback device comprises a push and hold input to the push-button that indicates a grouping command to enter into a zone group with at least one other zone, and wherein a second type of selection comprises a push and release input to the push-button that causes execution of a playback command of the at least one playback command;

in response to detecting the first type of selection of the push-button integrated into the housing of the first playback device, sequentially indicating a zone for grouping with the first zone according to a given sequence of zones until the push-button is released, wherein the sequence of zones comprises at least the second and third zones and wherein the second zone is indicated when the push-button is released;

determining, via the first playback device, that the second playback device is currently playing media content; and

based on determining that the second playback device is currently playing media content and based on the detecting, at the control interface, of the first type of selection of the push-button integrated into the housing of the first playback device, causing, via the first playback device, the first playback device to play the media content synchronously with the second playback device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after causing the first playback device to play the media content synchronously with the second playback device, detecting a third type of selection of the push-button of the first playback device; and

in response to detecting the third type of selection of the push-button, causing playback of the media content to pause.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the first playback device to play the media content synchronously with the second playback device comprises:

receiving, via the first playback device from the second playback device, the media content for synchronous playback.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first zone comprises the first playback device and a fourth playback device of the media playback system, and wherein causing the first playback device to play the media content synchronously with the second playback device comprises:

causing the first playback device and the fourth playback device to play the media content synchronously with the second playback device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first playback device is in the first zone with the third playback device of the media playback system prior to detecting the first type of selection of the push-button, and wherein the method further comprises:

based on detecting the first type of selection of the push-button at the control interface, causing the first playback device to leave the first zone.

6. A first playback device, comprising:

a physical interface comprising a push-button integrated into a housing of the first playback device;

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the first playback device to perform functions comprising;

detecting a first type of selection of the push-button at a control interface integrated into the housing of the first playback device, wherein the push-button is associated with at least one playback command that controls media playback by the first playback device, wherein the media playback system includes at least a first zone comprising the first playback device, a second zone comprising a second playback device, and a third zone comprising a third playback device, wherein the first type of selection of the push-button integrated into the housing of the first playback device comprises a push and hold input to the push-button that indicates a grouping command to enter into a zone group with at least one other zone, and wherein a second type of selection comprises a push and release input to the push-button that causes execution of a playback command of the at least one playback command;

in response to detecting the first type of selection of the push-button integrated into the housing of the first playback device, sequentially indicating a zone for grouping with the first zone according to a given sequence of zones until the push-button is released, wherein the sequence of zones comprises at least the second and third zones and wherein the second zone is indicated when the push-button is released;

determining that the second playback device is currently playing media content; and

based on determining that the second playback device is currently playing media content and based on the detecting, at the control interface, of the first type of selection of the push-button integrated into the housing of the first playback device, causing the first playback device to play the media content synchronously with the second playback device.

7. The first playback device of claim 6, wherein the functions further comprise:

after causing the first playback device to play the media content synchronously with the second playback device, detecting a third type of selection of the push-button of the first playback device; and

in response to detecting the third type of selection, causing playback of the media content to pause.

8. The first playback device of claim 6, wherein causing the first playback device to play the media content synchronously with the second playback device comprises:

receiving, via the first playback device from the second playback device, the media content for synchronous playback.

9. The first playback device of claim 6, wherein the first zone comprises the first playback device and a fourth playback device of the media playback system, and wherein causing the first playback device to play the media content synchronously with the second playback device comprises:

causing the first playback device and the fourth playback device to play the media content synchronously with the second playback device.

10. The first playback device of claim 6, wherein first playback device is in the first zone with the third playback device of the media playback system prior to detecting the selection of the push-button, and wherein the functions further comprise:

based on detecting the first type of the selection of the push-button at the control interface, causing the first playback device to leave the first zone.

11. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by one or more processors causes a first playback device to perform functions comprising:

detecting a first type of selection of a push-button at a control interface integrated into a housing of the first playback device, wherein the push-button is associated with at least one playback command that controls media playback by the first playback device, wherein the media playback system includes at least a first zone comprising the first playback device, a second zone comprising a second playback device, and a third zone comprising a third playback device, wherein the first type of selection of the push-button integrated into the housing of the first playback device comprises a push and hold input to the push-button that indicates a grouping command to enter into a zone group with at least one other zone, and wherein a second type of selection comprises a push and release input to the push-button that causes execution of a playback command of the at least one playback command;

in response to detecting the first type of selection of the push-button integrated into the housing of the first playback device, sequentially indicating a zone for grouping with the first zone according to a given sequence of zones until the push-button is released, wherein the sequence of zones comprises at least the second and third zones and wherein the second zone is indicated when the push-button is released;

determining that the second playback device is currently playing media content; and

based on determining that the second playback device is currently playing media content and based on the detecting, at the control interface, of the first type of selection of the push-button integrated into the housing of the first playback device, causing the first playback device to play the media content synchronously with the second playback device.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the functions further comprise:

after causing the first playback device to play the media content synchronously with the second playback device, detecting a third type of selection of the push-button of the first playback device; and

in response to detecting the third type of selection, causing playback of the media content to pause.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein causing the first playback device to play the media content synchronously with the second playback device comprises:

receiving, via the first playback device from the second playback device, the media content for synchronous playback.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the first zone comprises the first playback device and a fourth playback device of the media playback system, and wherein causing the first playback device to play the media content synchronously with the second playback device comprises:

causing the first playback device and the fourth playback device to play the media content synchronously with the second playback device.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the first playback device is in the first zone with the third playback device of the media playback system prior to detecting the first type of selection of the push-button, and wherein the method further comprises:

based on detecting the first type of selection of the push-button at the control interface, causing the first playback device to leave the first zone.