Properties based on device base

• US 10,264,376 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2018
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• 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:
  US16/180,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20190075411A1
• Time in Patent Office: 162 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

Example techniques may involve assigning different properties to state variables that control operation of a playback device based on whether or not the playback device is placed upon a device base. An example implementation includes a playback device detecting, via a sensor, whether the playback device is placed onto a device base. If the playback device detects that the playback device is placed onto the device base, the playback device assigns one or more docked properties to the one or more state variables that control operation of the playback device. Otherwise, the playback device assigns one or more portable properties to the one or more state variables that control operation of the playback device.

Claims

1. A playback device comprising:

one or more speakers;

one or more amplifiers configured to drive the one or more speakers;

a sensor;

one or more processors;

a housing carrying the one or more speakers, the one or more amplifiers, the sensor, the one or more processors, and data storage having stored therein (i) one or more state variables that control operation of the playback device and (ii) instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the playback device to perform a method comprising;

detecting, via the sensor, whether the playback device is placed onto a device base;

if the playback device detects that the playback device is placed onto the device base, assigning one or more docked properties to the one or more state variables that control operation of the playback device; and

otherwise, assigning one or more portable properties to the one or more state variables that control operation of the playback device.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

while the one or more docked properties are assigned to the one or more state variables, detecting, via the sensor, removal of the playback device from the device base; and

in response to detecting removal of the playback device from the device base, assigning one or more portable properties to the one or more state variables that control operation of the playback device.

3. The playback device of claim 1, wherein assigning the one or more docked properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a first docked property that causes the playback device to change a battery of the playback device from current delivered through the device base, and wherein assigning the one or more portable properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a first portable property that causes the playback device to draw current from the battery of the playback device.

4. The playback device of claim 1, wherein assigning the one or more docked properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a second docked property that causes the playback device to transmit via a wired network interface of the device base, and wherein assigning the one or more portable properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a second portable property that causes the playback device to transmit via a wireless network interface of the playback device.

5. The playback device of claim 1, wherein assigning the one or more docked properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a third docked property that causes the playback device to adopt a first pre-existing playback queue, and wherein assigning the one or more portable properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a third portable property that causes the playback device to adopt a second pre-existing playback queue.

6. The playback device of claim 1, wherein assigning the one or more docked properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a fourth docked property that causes the playback device to join a first zone of a media playback system, and wherein assigning the one or more portable properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a fourth portable property that causes the playback device to leave the first zone.

7. The playback device of claim 6, wherein assigning the fourth portable property further causes the playback device to join a second zone of the media playback system.

8. A method to be performed by a playback device, the method comprising:

detecting, via a sensor of the playback device, whether the playback device is placed onto a device base;

if the playback device detects that the playback device is placed onto the device base, the playback device assigning one or more docked properties to one or more state variables that control operation of the playback device, wherein the one or more state variables are stored in data storage of the playback device; and

otherwise, the playback device assigning one or more portable properties to the one or more state variables that control operation of the playback device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

while the one or more docked properties are assigned to the one or more state variables, detecting, via the sensor, removal of the playback device from the device base; and

in response to detecting removal of the playback device from the device base, assigning one or more portable properties to the one or more state variables that control operation of the playback device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein assigning the one or more docked properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a first docked property that causes the playback device to change a battery of the playback device from current delivered through the device base, and wherein assigning the one or more portable properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a first portable property that causes the playback device to draw current from the battery of the playback device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein assigning the one or more docked properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a second docked property that causes the playback device to transmit via a wired network interface of the device base, and wherein assigning the one or more portable properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a second portable property that causes the playback device to transmit via a wireless network interface of the playback device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein assigning the one or more docked properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a third docked property that causes the playback device to adopt a first pre-existing playback queue, and wherein assigning the one or more portable properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a third portable property that causes the playback device to adopt a second pre-existing playback queue.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein assigning the one or more docked properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a fourth docked property that causes the playback device to join a first zone of a media playback system, and wherein assigning the one or more portable properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a fourth portable property that causes the playback device to leave the first zone.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein assigning the fourth portable property further causes the playback device to join a second zone of the media playback system.

15. A tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a playback device to cause the playback device to perform a method comprising:

detecting, via a sensor of the playback device, whether the playback device is placed onto a device base;

if the playback device detects that the playback device is placed onto the device base, the playback device assigning one or more docked properties to one or more state variables that control operation of the playback device, wherein the one or more state variables are stored in data storage of the playback device; and

otherwise, the playback device assigning one or more portable properties to the one or more state variables that control operation of the playback device.

16. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

while the one or more docked properties are assigned to the one or more state variables, detecting, via the sensor, removal of the playback device from the device base; and

in response to detecting removal of the playback device from the device base, assigning one or more portable properties to the one or more state variables that control operation of the playback device.

17. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein assigning the one or more docked properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a first docked property that causes the playback device to change a battery of the playback device from current delivered through the device base, and wherein assigning the one or more portable properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a first portable property that causes the playback device to draw current from the battery of the playback device.

18. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein assigning the one or more docked properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a second docked property that causes the playback device to transmit via a wired network interface of the device base, and wherein assigning the one or more portable properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a second portable property that causes the playback device to transmit via a wireless network interface of the playback device.

19. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein assigning the one or more docked properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a third docked property that causes the playback device to adopt a first pre-existing playback queue, and wherein assigning the one or more portable properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a third portable property that causes the playback device to adopt a second pre-existing playback queue.

20. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein assigning the one or more docked properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a fourth docked property that causes the playback device to join a first zone of a media playback system, and wherein assigning the one or more portable properties to the one or more state variables comprises assigning a fourth portable property that causes the playback device to leave the first zone.