Playback device
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- a first zone player operating as a standalone zone player that is configured to play back audio individually rather than in synchrony with another zone player, wherein the first zone player comprises a local clock having a clock time and a clock rate;
while operating as a standalone zone player, the first zone player receiving a request to enter into a synchrony group with at least a second zone player that is communicatively coupled with the first zone player over a local area network (LAN), wherein the second zone player comprises its own respective local clock having a respective clock time and a respective clock rate;
in response to receiving the request to enter into the synchrony group, the first zone player entering into the synchrony group with the second zone player and transitioning from operating as a standalone zone player to operating as a master zone player of the synchrony group that is configured to play back audio in synchrony with the second zone player;
while operating as the master zone player of the synchrony group, the first zone player;
transmitting, to the second zone player over the LAN, clock information for the first zone player that (i) provides one or more indications of one or both of the clock time or the clock rate of the local clock of the first zone player and (ii) enables the second zone player to regularly adjust one or both of the clock time or the clock rate of the local clock of the second zone player to track that of the local clock of the first zone player;
receiving a request for the synchrony group to play back at least a first audio track from a network-accessible audio source that is communicatively coupled to the first zone player over one or both of (i) the LAN and (ii) a wide area network (WAN);
in response to receiving the request for the synchrony group to play back at least the first audio track, obtaining audio information for the first audio track from the network-accessible audio source;
generating playback timing information associated with the obtained audio information for the first audio track that comprises an indicator of a first future time, relative to the clock time of the local clock of the first zone player, at which the first and second zone players are to initiate synchronous playback of the obtained audio information;
transmitting the obtained audio information and the playback timing information to the second zone player over the LAN; and
when the clock time of the local clock of the first zone player reaches the first future time, initiating synchronous playback of the obtained audio information with the second zone player.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system is described for maintaining synchrony of operations among a plurality of devices that have independent clocking arrangements. The system includes a task distribution device that distributes tasks to a synchrony group comprising a plurality of devices that are to perform the tasks distributed by the task distribution device in synchrony. The task distribution device distributes each task to the members of the synchrony group over a network. Each task is associated with a time stamp that indicates a time, relative to a clock maintained by the task distribution device, at which the members of the synchrony group are to execute the task. Each member of the synchrony group periodically obtains from the task distribution device an indication of the current time indicated by its clock, determines a time differential between the task distribution device'"'"'s clock and its respective clock and determines therefrom a time at which, according to its respective clock, the time stamp indicates that it is to execute the task.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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a first zone player operating as a standalone zone player that is configured to play back audio individually rather than in synchrony with another zone player, wherein the first zone player comprises a local clock having a clock time and a clock rate; while operating as a standalone zone player, the first zone player receiving a request to enter into a synchrony group with at least a second zone player that is communicatively coupled with the first zone player over a local area network (LAN), wherein the second zone player comprises its own respective local clock having a respective clock time and a respective clock rate; in response to receiving the request to enter into the synchrony group, the first zone player entering into the synchrony group with the second zone player and transitioning from operating as a standalone zone player to operating as a master zone player of the synchrony group that is configured to play back audio in synchrony with the second zone player; while operating as the master zone player of the synchrony group, the first zone player; transmitting, to the second zone player over the LAN, clock information for the first zone player that (i) provides one or more indications of one or both of the clock time or the clock rate of the local clock of the first zone player and (ii) enables the second zone player to regularly adjust one or both of the clock time or the clock rate of the local clock of the second zone player to track that of the local clock of the first zone player; receiving a request for the synchrony group to play back at least a first audio track from a network-accessible audio source that is communicatively coupled to the first zone player over one or both of (i) the LAN and (ii) a wide area network (WAN); in response to receiving the request for the synchrony group to play back at least the first audio track, obtaining audio information for the first audio track from the network-accessible audio source; generating playback timing information associated with the obtained audio information for the first audio track that comprises an indicator of a first future time, relative to the clock time of the local clock of the first zone player, at which the first and second zone players are to initiate synchronous playback of the obtained audio information; transmitting the obtained audio information and the playback timing information to the second zone player over the LAN; and when the clock time of the local clock of the first zone player reaches the first future time, initiating synchronous playback of the obtained audio information with the second zone player. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a first zone player to perform a method comprising:
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the first zone player operating as a standalone zone player that is configured to play back audio individually rather than in synchrony with another zone player, wherein the first zone player comprises a local clock having a clock time and a clock rate; while operating as a standalone zone player, the first zone player receiving a request to enter into a synchrony group with at least a second zone player that is communicatively coupled with the first zone player over a local area network (LAN), wherein the second zone player comprises its own respective local clock having a respective clock time and a respective clock rate; in response to receiving the request to enter into the synchrony group, the first zone player entering into the synchrony group with the second zone player and transitioning from operating as a standalone zone player to operating as a master zone player of the synchrony group that is configured to play back audio in synchrony with the second zone player; while operating as the master zone player of the synchrony group, the first zone player; transmitting, to the second zone player over the LAN, clock information for the first zone player that (i) provides one or more indications of one or both of the clock time or the clock rate of the local clock of the first zone player and (ii) enables the second zone player to regularly adjust one or both of the clock time or the clock rate of the local clock of the second zone player to track that of the local clock of the first zone player; receiving a request for the synchrony group to play back at least a first audio track from a network-accessible audio source that is communicatively coupled to the first zone player over one or both of (i) the LAN and (ii) a wide area network (WAN); in response to receiving the request for the synchrony group to play back at least the first audio track, obtaining audio information for the first audio track from the network-accessible audio source; generating playback timing information associated with the obtained audio information for the first audio track that comprises an indicator of a first future time, relative to the clock time of the local clock of the first zone player, at which the first and second zone players are to initiate synchronous playback of the obtained audio information; transmitting the obtained audio information and the playback timing information to the second zone player over the LAN; and when the clock time of the local clock of the first zone player reaches the first future time, initiating synchronous playback of the obtained audio information with the second zone player. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A first zone player comprising:
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a network interface that is configured to provide an interconnection with at least one data network; a local clock having a clock time and a clock rate; at least one processor; a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions stored therein, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first zone player to perform functions comprising; operating as a standalone zone player that is configured to play back audio individually rather than in synchrony with another zone player; while operating as a standalone zone player, receiving a request to enter into a synchrony group with at least a second zone player that is communicatively coupled with the first zone player over a local area network (LAN), wherein the second zone player comprises its own respective local clock having a respective clock time and a respective clock rate; in response to receiving the request to enter into the synchrony group, entering into the synchrony group with the second zone player and transitioning from operating as a standalone zone player to operating as a master zone player of the synchrony group that is configured to play back audio in synchrony with the second zone player; while operating as the master zone player of the synchrony group; transmitting, to the second zone player over the LAN, clock information for the first zone player that (i) provides one or more indications of one or both of the clock time or the clock rate of the local clock of the first zone player and (ii) enables the second zone player to regularly adjust one or both of the clock time or the clock rate of the local clock of the second zone player to track that of the local clock of the first zone player; receiving a request for the synchrony group to play back at least a first audio track from a network-accessible audio source that is communicatively coupled to the first zone player over one or both of (i) the LAN and (ii) a wide area network (WAN); in response to receiving the request for the synchrony group to play back at least the first audio track, obtaining audio information for the first audio track from the network-accessible audio source; generating playback timing information associated with the obtained audio information for the first audio track that comprises an indicator of a first future time, relative to the clock time of the local clock of the first zone player, at which the first and second zone players are to initiate synchronous playback of the obtained audio information; transmitting the obtained audio information and the playback timing information to the second zone player over the LAN; and when the clock time of the local clock of the first zone player reaches the first future time, initiating synchronous playback of the obtained audio information with the second zone player. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification