Adjusting volume levels

• US 10,359,987 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2016
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Lambourne, Robert A., Millington, Nicholas A. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): McCord, Paul C
• Application Number:
  US15/243,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20160357502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 700 94, 381119, 715716
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• 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 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• 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: G11B 27/00 Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
• 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 29/008 Visual indication of individual signal levels visual indication of stereophonic sound image H04S7/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/00 Indicating arrangements; Control arrangements, e.g. balance control
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/30 Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field

Abstract

In general, user interfaces for controlling a plurality of multimedia players in groups are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a user interface is provided to allow a user to group some of the players according to a theme or scene, where each of the players is located in a zone. When the scene is activated, the players in the scene react in a synchronized manner. For example, the players in the scene are all caused to play a multimedia source or music in a playlist, wherein the multimedia source may be located anywhere on a network. The user interface is further configured to illustrate graphically a size of a group, the larger the group appears relatively, the more plays there are in the group.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a user interface for a group of playback devices, wherein the group of playback devices comprises at least a first playback device and a second playback device in a local area network (LAN), wherein while in the group of playback devices, the first playback device and the second playback device are configured to play audio in synchrony;

accepting via the user interface, a first playback-device-specific input to adjust a volume of the first playback device;

in response to accepting the first playback-device-specific input, (i) sending a first volume control instruction, via the LAN to the first playback device, wherein the first volume control instruction causes the first playback device to adjust its volume, and (ii) based on the adjustment of the first playback device volume, adjusting a position of a group volume setting within the user interface, wherein the position of the group volume setting represents volume levels of both the first playback device and the second playback device;

accepting, via the user interface, a group-level input to adjust the position of the group volume setting representing the volume levels of both the first playback device and the second playback device; and

in response to accepting the group-level input to adjust the position of the group volume setting,

(1) sending a second volume control instruction, via the LAN to the first playback device, wherein the second volume control instruction causes the first playback device to adjust its volume, and

(2) sending a third volume control instruction, via the LAN to the second playback device, wherein the third volume control instruction causes the second playback device to adjust its volume.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accepting via the user interface a group-level input to mute the volume associated with the group of playback devices; and

in response to accepting the group-level input to mute the volume,

(1) sending a fourth volume control instruction, via the LAN to the first playback device, wherein the fourth volume control instruction causes the first playback device to mute its volume, and

(2) sending a fifth volume control instruction, via the LAN to the second playback device, wherein the fifth volume control instruction causes the second playback device to mute its volume.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the user interface for the group of playback devices comprises providing a user interface for the group of playback devices and at least one additional playback device, not in the group of playback devices, and wherein the method further comprises:

accepting via the user interface, for one of the at least one additional playback device, a second playback-device-specific input to adjust a volume of the one of the at least one additional playback device; and

in response to accepting the second playback-device-specific input, sending a fourth volume control instruction, via the LAN to the one of the at least one additional playback device, wherein the fourth volume control instruction causes the one of the at least one additional playback device to adjust its volume.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accepting via the user interface, for the second playback device, a second playback-device-specific input to adjust a volume of the second playback device; and

in response to accepting the second playback-device-specific input to adjust the volume of the second playback device, (i) sending a fourth volume control instruction, via the LAN to the second playback device, wherein the fourth volume control instruction causes the second playback device to adjust its volume, and (ii) based on the adjustment of the second playback device volume, adjusting the position of the group volume setting representing volume levels of both the first playback device and the second playback device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second volume control instruction causes the first playback device to adjust its volume in scale with the group-level input to adjust the volume.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accepting via the user interface an input to facilitate formation of the group of playback devices, wherein the input to facilitate formation of the group of playback devices indicates that at least the first playback device and the second playback device are to be included in the group of playback devices.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

in response to accepting the input to facilitate formation of the group of playback devices, sending, via the LAN to at least the first playback device, a grouping control instruction.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing the user interface to display (1) a first volume setting representing the first playback device'"'"'s volume, (2) a second volume setting representing the second playback device'"'"'s volume, and (3) the group volume setting representing the volume levels of both the first playback device and the second playback device.

9. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:

displaying a user interface for a group of playback devices, wherein the group of playback devices comprises at least a first playback device and a second playback device in a local area network (LAN), wherein while in the group of playback devices, the first playback device and the second playback device are configured to play audio in synchrony;

accepting via the user interface, a first playback-device-specific input to adjust a volume of the first playback device;

in response to accepting the first playback-device-specific input, (i) sending a first volume control instruction, via the LAN to the first playback device, wherein the first volume control instruction causes the first playback device to adjust its volume, and (ii) based on the adjustment of the first playback device volume, adjusting a position of a group volume setting within the user interface, wherein the position of the group volume setting represents volume levels of both the first playback device and the second playback device;

accepting, via the user interface, a group-level input to adjust the position of the group volume setting representing the volume levels of both the first playback device and the second playback device; and

in response to accepting the group-level input to adjust the position of the group volume setting,

(1) sending a second volume control instruction, via the LAN to the first playback device, wherein the second volume control instruction causes the first playback device to adjust its volume, and

(2) sending a third volume control instruction, via the LAN to the second playback device, wherein the third volume control instruction causes the second playback device to adjust its volume.

10. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

accepting via the user interface a group-level input to mute the volume associated with the group of playback devices; and

in response to accepting the group-level input to mute the volume,

(1) sending a fourth volume control instruction, via the LAN to the first playback device, wherein the fourth volume control instruction causes the first playback device to mute its volume, and

(2) sending a fifth volume control instruction, via the LAN to the second playback device, wherein the fifth volume control instruction causes the second playback device to mute its volume.

11. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein providing the user interface for the group of playback devices comprises providing a user interface for the group of playback devices and at least one additional playback device, not in the group of playback devices, and wherein the method further comprises:

accepting via the user interface, for one of the at least one additional playback device, a second playback-device-specific input to adjust a volume of the one of the at least one additional playback device; and

in response to accepting the second playback-device-specific input, sending a fourth volume control instruction, via the LAN to the one of the at least one additional playback device, wherein the fourth volume control instruction causes the one of the at least one additional playback device to adjust its volume.

12. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

accepting via the user interface, for the second playback device, a second playback-device-specific input to adjust a volume of the second playback device; and

in response to accepting the second playback-device-specific input to adjust the volume of the second playback device, (i) sending a fourth volume control instruction, via the LAN to the second playback device, wherein the fourth volume control instruction causes the second playback device to adjust its volume, and (ii) based on the adjustment of the second playback device volume, adjusting the position of the group volume setting representing volume levels of both the first playback device and the second playback device.

13. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the second volume control instruction causes the first playback device to adjust its volume in scale with the group-level input to adjust the volume.

14. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

accepting via the user interface an input to facilitate formation of the group of playback devices, wherein the input to facilitate formation of the group of playback devices indicates that at least the first playback device and the second playback device are to be included in the group of playback devices.

15. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

in response to accepting the input to facilitate formation of the group of playback devices, sending, via the LAN to at least the first playback device, a grouping control instruction.

16. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

causing the user interface to display (1) a first volume setting representing the first playback device'"'"'s volume, (2) a second volume setting representing the second playback device'"'"'s volume, and (3) the group volume setting representing the volume levels of both the first playback device and the second playback device.

17. A computing device comprising:

at least one processor; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising;

displaying a user interface for a group of playback devices, wherein the group of playback devices comprises at least a first playback device and a second playback device in a local area network (LAN), wherein while in the group of playback devices, the first playback device and the second playback device are configured to play audio in synchrony;

accepting via the user interface, a first playback-device-specific input to adjust a volume of the first playback device;

in response to accepting the first playback-device-specific input, (i) sending a first volume control instruction, via the LAN to the first playback device, wherein the first volume control instruction causes the first playback device to adjust its volume, and (ii) based on the adjustment of the first playback device volume, adjusting a position of a group volume setting within the user interface, wherein the position of the group volume setting represents volume levels of both the first playback device and the second playback device;

accepting via the user interface, a group-level input to adjust the position of the group volume setting representing the volume levels of both the first playback device and the second playback device; and

in response to accepting the group-level input to adjust the position of the group volume setting,

(1) sending a second volume control instruction, via the LAN to the first playback device, wherein the second volume control instruction causes the first playback device to adjust its volume, and

(2) sending a third volume control instruction, via the LAN to the second playback device, wherein the third volume control instruction causes the second playback device to adjust its volume.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

accepting via the user interface a group-level input to mute the volume associated with the group of playback devices; and

in response to accepting the group-level input to mute the volume,

(1) sending a fourth volume control instruction, via the LAN to the first playback device, wherein the fourth volume control instruction causes the first playback device to mute its volume, and

(2) sending a fifth volume control instruction, via the LAN to the second playback device, wherein the fifth volume control instruction causes the second playback device to mute its volume.

19. The computing device of claim 17, wherein providing the user interface for the group of playback devices comprises providing a user interface for the group of playback devices and at least one additional playback device, not in the group of playback devices, and wherein the method further comprises:

accepting via the user interface, for one of the at least one additional playback device, a second playback-device-specific input to adjust a volume of the one of the at least one additional playback device; and

in response to accepting the second playback-device-specific input, sending a fourth volume control instruction, via the LAN to the one of the at least one additional playback device, wherein the fourth volume control instruction causes the one of the at least one additional playback device to adjust its volume.

20. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

accepting via the user interface, for the second playback device, a second playback-device-specific input to adjust a volume of the second playback device; and

in response to accepting the second playback-device-specific input to adjust the volume of the second playback device, (i) sending a fourth volume control instruction, via the LAN to the second playback device, wherein the fourth volume control instruction causes the second playback device to adjust its volume, and (ii) based on the adjustment of the second playback device volume, adjusting the position of the group volume setting representing volume levels of both the first playback device and the second playback device.

21. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the second volume control instruction causes the first playback device to adjust its volume in scale with the group-level input to adjust the volume.

22. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

accepting via the user interface an input to facilitate formation of the group of playback devices, wherein the input to facilitate formation of the group of playback devices indicates that at least the first playback device and the second playback device are to be included in the group of playback devices.

23. The computing device of claim 22, wherein the method further comprises:

in response to accepting the input to facilitate formation of the group of playback devices, sending, via the LAN to at least the first playback device, a grouping control instruction.

24. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

causing the user interface to display (1) a first volume setting representing the first playback device'"'"'s volume, (2) a second volume setting representing the second playback device'"'"'s volume, and (3) the group volume setting representing the volume levels of both the first playback device and the second playback device.