Ungrouping zones

• US 10,228,823 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2016
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Reimann, Robert M., Hoadley, Joni R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan S
• Application Number:
  US15/139,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20160239167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/025 'Virtual' control panels, e.g. Graphical User Interface [GUI]

Abstract

Some embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods for managing zones of a multi zone media playback system include displaying a plurality of zone icons in a first zone group display region, receiving a first drag and drop input that selects the second zone icon and drags the second zone icon from inside the first zone group display region to outside the first zone group display region, and after the first drag and drop input, (i) causing one or more zone players identified by the second zone icon to be disassociated with the first zone group, (ii) displaying the second zone icon outside the first zone group display region; and (iii) displaying a second status icon representative of a second playback status of the one or more zone players identified by the second zone icon.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying, via a device, a plurality of zone icons, including a first zone icon and a second zone icon, each of the plurality of zone icons identifying one or more zone players operable to play back multimedia content in a local area network, wherein the first zone icon and the second zone icon are displayed in a first zone group display region including a first status icon representative of a first playback status of a first zone group, and wherein the zone players identified by the first and second zone icons are grouped in the first zone group, wherein the zone players in the first zone group are configured to synchronously play back a first multimedia content;

receiving, via the device, a first drag and drop input, wherein the first drag and drop input selects the second zone icon and drags the second zone icon from inside the first zone group display region to outside the first zone group display region; and

based on the first drag and drop input,

(i) causing, via the device, the one or more zone players identified by the second zone icon to be disassociated with the first zone group;

(ii) displaying, via the device, the second zone icon outside the first zone group display region; and

(iii) displaying, via the device, a second status icon representative of a second playback status of the one or more zone players identified by the second zone icon.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first zone group display region comprises a first zone group icon.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based on the first drag and drop input, displaying, via the device, a second zone group display region; and

displaying, via the device, the second zone icon and the second status icon in the second zone group display region.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more zone players identified by the second zone icon are configured to play back a second multimedia content when the second zone icon is displayed in the second zone group display region.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving, via the device, a second drag and drop input, wherein the second drag and drop input selects a third zone icon and drags the third zone icon into the second zone group display region, wherein the third zone icon identifies one or more zone players operable to playback multimedia content in the local area network; and

based on the second drag and drop input, causing, via the device, the zone players identified by the second and third zone icons to synchronously play back the second multimedia content.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, via the device, a status indicator associated with the first zone group display region, wherein the first status icon comprises an identification of the first multimedia content.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first drag and drop input further causes, via the device, the one or more zone players identified by the second zone icon to cease playback of the first multimedia content.

8. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions encoded thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the device to perform a method comprising:

displaying, via the device, a plurality of zone icons, including a first zone icon and a second zone icon, each of the plurality of zone icons identifying one or more zone players operable to play back multimedia content in a local area network, wherein the first zone icon and the second zone icon are displayed in a first zone group display region including a first status icon representative of a first playback status of a first zone group, and wherein the zone players identified by the first and second zone icons are grouped in the first zone group, wherein the zone players in the first zone group are configured to synchronously play back a first multimedia content;

receiving, via the device, a first drag and drop input, wherein the first drag and drop input selects the second zone icon and drags the second zone icon from inside the first zone group display region to outside the first zone group display region; and

based on the first drag and drop input,

(i) causing, via the device, the one or more zone players identified by the second zone icon to be disassociated with the first zone group;

(ii) displaying, via the device, the second zone icon outside the first zone group display region; and

(iii) displaying, via the device, a second status icon representative of a second playback status of the one or more zone players identified by the second zone icon.

9. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the first zone group display region comprises a first zone group icon.

10. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

based on the first drag and drop input, displaying, via the device, a second zone group display region; and

displaying, via the device, the second zone icon and the second status icon in the second zone group display region.

11. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein the one or more zone players identified by the second zone icon are configured to play back a second multimedia content when the second zone icon is displayed in the second zone group display region.

12. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, via the device, a second drag and drop input, wherein the second drag and drop input selects a third zone icon and drags the third zone icon into the second zone group display region, wherein the third zone icon identifies one or more zone players operable to playback multimedia content in the local area network; and

based on the second drag and drop input, causing, via the device, the zone players identified by the second and third zone icons to synchronously play back the second multimedia content.

13. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying, via the device, a status indicator associated with the first zone group display region, wherein the first status icon comprises an identification of the first multimedia content.

14. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the first drag and drop input further causes, via the device, the one or more zone players identified by the second zone icon to cease playback of the first multimedia content.

15. A device comprising:

one or more processors; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory having instructions encoded therein, therein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to perform a functions comprising;

displaying, via the device, a plurality of zone icons, including a first zone icon and a second zone icon, each of the plurality of zone icons identifying one or more zone players operable to play back multimedia content in a local area network, wherein the first zone icon and the second zone icon are displayed in a first zone group display region including a first status icon representative of a first playback status of a first zone group, and wherein the zone players identified by the first and second zone icons are grouped in the first zone group, wherein the zone players in the first zone group are configured to synchronously play back a first multimedia content;

receiving, via the device, a first drag and drop input, wherein the first drag and drop input selects the second zone icon and drags the second zone icon from inside the first zone group display region to outside the first zone group display region; and

based on the first drag and drop input,

(i) causing, via the device, the one or more zone players identified by the second zone icon to be disassociated with the first zone group;

(ii) displaying, via the device, the second zone icon outside the first zone group display region; and

(iii) displaying, via the device, a second status icon representative of a second playback status of the one or more zone players identified by the second zone icon.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the first zone group display region comprises a first zone group icon.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the functions further comprise:

based on the first drag and drop input, displaying, via the device, a second zone group display region; and

displaying, via the device, the second zone icon and the second status icon in the second zone group display region.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the one or more zone players identified by the second zone icon are configured to play back a second multimedia content when the second zone icon is displayed in the second zone group display region.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving, via the device, a second drag and drop input, wherein the second drag and drop input selects a third zone icon and drags the third zone icon into the second zone group display region, wherein the third zone icon identifies one or more zone players operable to playback multimedia content in the local area network; and

based on the second drag and drop input, causing, via the device, the zone players identified by the second and third zone icons to synchronously play back the second multimedia content.

20. The device of claim 15, wherein the first drag and drop input further causes, via the device, the one or more zone players identified by the second zone icon to cease playback of the first multimedia content.