System and method for providing user location-based multi-zone media

• US 10,462,590 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2019
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sound United, LLC (DEI Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Sound United, LLC (DEI Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Starobin, Bradley M., Lyons, Matthew, Lumsden, Stuart W., DiTullo, Michael, O'Connor, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Holder, Regina N
• Application Number:
  US16/415,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20190273996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 165 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• 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 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for providing user location-based multi-zone media. As a non-limiting example, various aspects of this disclosure provide a system and method that flexibly presents media content (e.g., audio content) to a user as the user moves throughout a premises. As a non-limiting example, various aspects of this disclosure provide a system and method that flexibly presents media content (e.g., audio content) to a user as the user moves throughout a premises.

Claims

1. A system for presenting audio content, the system comprising:

an audio player operable to send audio content to two active audio zones of a plurality of audio zones according to a movement of a listener, wherein;

a location of the listener is monitored and associated with only one audio zone, of the plurality of audio zones, at a time, and

as the listener moves between different audio zones, the audio zone that the listener exits is the first audio zone of the two active audio zones, and the audio zone that the listener enters is the second audio zone of the two active audio zones.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein when the system is activated and until the listener moves between different audio zones, the audio player is operable to send audio content exclusively to the one audio zone where the listener is located.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio content is sent, via one or more speakers, to each audio zone of the two active audio zones.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio player is operable to synchronize the audio content sent to the two active audio zones.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio player is operable to independently control the volume of the audio content in the two active audio zones.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the location of the listener is monitored according to a signal from a personal electronic device carried by the listener.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio player is activated by a voice command.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the location of the listener is monitored according to a home control device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the listener is one of a plurality of listeners, and wherein each listener of the plurality of listeners is associated with a priority.

10. A system for presenting audio content, the system comprising:

an audio player operable to send audio content to two active audio zones of a plurality of audio zones according to a movement of a listener, wherein;

a current location of the listener is monitored and associated with only one audio zone, of the plurality of audio zones, at a time, and

a predicted location of the listener is determined according the movement of the listener,

a first audio zone of the two active audio zones is associated with the current location of the listener,

a second audio zone of the two active audio zones is associated with the predicted location of the listener, and

the first audio zone is different than the second audio zone.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein when the system is activated and until the listener moves, the audio player is operable to send audio content exclusively to the one audio zone where the listener is currently located.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the predicted location is a previous location of the listener.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the audio content is sent, via one or more speakers, to each audio zone of the two active audio zones.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the audio player is operable to synchronize the audio content sent to the two active audio zones.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the audio player is operable to independently control the volume of the audio content in the two active audio zones.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the current location of the listener is monitored according to a signal from a personal electronic device carried by the listener.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the audio player is activated by a voice command.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the current location of the listener is monitored according to a home control device.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the listener is one of a plurality of listeners, and wherein each listener of the plurality of listeners is associated with a priority.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the predicted location of the listener is determined according a schedule of the listener.