Systems and methods for synchronizing multiple electronic devices

• US 10,582,464 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2018
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Daley, Michael J., Bolinger, Travis, O'Neal, Heath
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan, Yuwen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Paul P
• Application Number:
  US16/029,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20180317192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 455 306
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/08 among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/18 Arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/57 for mobile receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/63 to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/88 which are wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43 Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 one node acting as a reference for the others
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0065 using measurement of signal travel time

Abstract

Embodiments are provided for syncing multiple electronic devices for collective audio playback. According to certain aspects, a master device connects (218) to a slave device via a wireless connection. The master device calculates (224) a network latency via a series of network latency pings with the slave device and sends (225) the network latency to the slave device. Further, the master devices sends (232) a portion of an audio file as well as a timing instruction including a system time to the slave device. The master device initiates (234) playback of the portion of the audio file and the slave devices initiates (236) playback of the portion of the audio file according to the timing instruction and a calculated system clock offset value.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

joining, by a first audio playback device, an audio playback group, wherein the audio playback group includes a second audio playback device;

receiving, by the first audio playback device from the second audio playback device, a first timing signal;

determining, by the first audio playback device based on the first timing signal, a first difference between a clock of the first audio playback device and a clock of the second audio playback device;

receiving, by the first audio playback device from the second audio playback device, at least a portion of an audio file;

playing, by the first audio playback device as part of the audio playback group, at least the portion of the audio file received from the second audio playback device in synchrony with the second audio playback device based on the first timing signal difference; and

after playing, by the first audio playback device, at least the portion of the audio file in synchrony with the second audio playback device;

joining, by a third audio playback device, the audio playback group,

receiving, by the third audio playback device from the second audio playback device, a second timing signal,

determining, by the third audio playback device based on the second timing signal, a second difference between a clock of the third audio playback device and the clock of the second audio playback device,

receiving, by the third audio playback device from the second audio playback device, (i) at least the portion of the audio file, and (ii) a current elapsed time of at least the portion of the audio file that is being played back by the first audio playback device and the second audio playback device, and

playing, by the third audio playback device as part of the audio playback group, at least the portion of the audio file at the current elapsed time received from the second audio playback device in synchrony with the second audio playback device based on the second timing signal difference,

wherein the first audio playback device does not receive a timing signal from the third audio playback device, and

wherein the third audio playback device does not receive a timing signal from the first audio playback device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the first audio playback device from the second audio playback device, a first time corresponding to the audio data; and

determining, by the first audio playback device, a second time based on (i) the first time and (ii) the difference between the clock of the first audio playback device and the clock of the second audio playback device,

wherein the playing, by the first audio playback device as part of the audio playback group, at least the portion of the audio file received from the second audio playback device in synchrony with the second audio playback device is performed based on the second time according to the clock of the first audio playback device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, by the third audio playback device from the second audio playback device, the first time corresponding to the audio data; and

determining by the third audio playback device, a third time based on (i) the first time and (ii) the difference between the clock of the third audio playback device and the clock of the second audio playback device,

wherein the playing, by the third audio playback device as part of the audio playback group, at least the portion of the audio file at the current elapsed time received from the second audio playback device in synchrony with the second audio playback device is performed based on the third time according to the clock of the third audio playback device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the second audio playback device, an indication of an item of audio content for playback by the audio playback group;

retrieving, by the second audio playback device from a remote server over a wide area network, the audio file corresponding to the item of audio content;

transmitting, by the second audio playback device to the first audio playback device over a local area network, at least the portion of the audio file; and

transmitting, by the second audio playback device to the third audio playback device over the local area network, at least the portion of the audio file.

5. The method of claim 4,

wherein the first audio playback device does not receive audio data from the third audio playback device, and

wherein the third audio playback device does not receive audio data from the first audio playback device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the second audio playback device, a user input indicating a playback control;

transmitting, by the second audio playback device to the first audio playback device, a playback command corresponding to the user input; and

transmitting, by the second audio playback device to the third audio playback device, the playback command corresponding to the user input.

7. The method of claim 6,

wherein the first audio playback device does not receive an audio playback command from the third audio playback device, and

wherein the third audio playback device does not receive an audio playback command from the first audio playback device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the second audio playback device to the first audio playback device, the first timing signal;

transmitting, by the second audio playback device to the third audio playback device, the second timing signal;

after the transmitting the first timing signal, determining, by the second audio playback device, whether to transmit additional timing signals to the first audio playback device; and

after the transmitting the second timing signal, determining, by the second audio playback device, whether to transmit additional timing signals to the third audio playback device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

based on a result of the determining whether to transmit additional timing signals to the first audio playback device, transmitting, by the second audio playback device to the first audio playback device, a third timing signal; and

based on a result of the determining whether to transmit additional timing signals to the third audio playback device, transmitting, by the second audio playback device to the third audio playback device, a fourth timing signal.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting, by the second audio playback device to the first audio playback device, at least the portion of the audio file with a timing instruction; and

transmitting, by the second audio playback device to the third audio playback device, at least the portion of the audio file with a second timing instruction.

11. A master playback device comprising:

a communication component for connecting the master playback device to a first slave playback device as part of an audio playback session;

an audio output component; and

a processor interfaced with the communication component and the audio output component, and configured to;

transmit, to the first slave playback device via the communication component, (i) a first timing signal, and (ii) at least a portion of an audio file, wherein the first slave playback device determines, based on the first timing signal, a first difference between a clock of the first slave playback device and a clock of the master playback device,

cause the audio output component to output, as part of the audio playback session, at least the portion of the audio file in synchrony with the first slave playback device playing at least the portion of the audio file received from the master playback device based on the first value, and

after causing the audio output component to output, as part of the audio playback session, at least the portion of the audio file in synchrony with the first slave playback device;

add, using the communication component, a second slave playback device to the audio playback session,

transmit, to the second slave playback device via the communication component, (i) a second timing signal including at least a current elapsed time of the at least the portion of the audio file that being output by the audio output component in synchrony with the first playback device, and (ii) at least the portion of the audio file, wherein the second slave playback device determines, based on the second timing signal, a second difference between a clock of the second slave playback device and the clock of the master playback device, and

cause the audio output component to output, as part of the audio playback session, at least the portion of the audio file in synchrony with (i) the first slave playback device playing at least the portion of the audio file received from the master playback device based on the first difference, and (ii) the second slave playback device playing at least the portion of the audio file at the current elapsed time received from the master playback device based on the second difference.

12. The master playback device of claim 11, wherein to add the second slave playback device to the audio playback group, the processor is configured to:

receive, from the second slave playback device via the communication component, a request to join the audio playback session, and

in response to receiving the request, add, using the communication component, the second slave playback device to the audio playback session.

13. The master playback device of claim 11, wherein to transmit, to the second slave playback device via the communication component, (i) the second timing signal, and (ii) at least the portion of the audio file, the processor is configured to:

transmit, to the second slave playback device via the communication component, (i) the second timing signal including at least the current elapsed time, and (ii) at least the portion of the audio file based on the current elapsed time of the audio data.

14. The master playback device of claim 11, further comprising:

a user interface;

wherein the processor is further configured to;

receive, via the user interface, a playback selection associated with at least the portion of the audio file, and

transmit, to each of the first slave playback device and the second slave playback device via the communication component, a playback command corresponding to the playback selection.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store instructions, the instructions when executed by a processor causing the processor to perform operations comprising:

adding, by a master playback device, a first slave playback device to an audio playback session with the master playback device;

sending, by the master playback device to the first slave playback device, (i) a first timing instruction, and (ii) at least a portion of an audio file, wherein the first slave playback device determines, based on the first timing instruction, a first difference between a clock of the first slave playback device and a clock of the master playback device;

initiating playback, by the master playback device as part of the audio playback session, of at least the portion of the audio file in synchrony with the first slave playback device playing at least the portion of the audio file received from the master playback device based on the first value; and

after initiating the playback of at least the portion of the audio file in synchrony with the first slave playback device;

adding, by the master playback device, a second slave playback device to the audio playback session,

sending, by the master playback device to the second slave playback device, (i) a second timing instruction including at least a current elapsed time of the at least the portion of the audio file that being played back by the master playback device in synchrony with the first slave playback device, and (ii) at least the portion of the audio file, wherein the second slave playback device determines, based on the second timing instruction, a second difference between a clock of the second slave playback device and the clock of the master playback device, and

initiating playback, by the master playback device as part of the audio playback session, of at least the portion of the audio file in synchrony with (i) the first slave playback device playing at least the portion of the audio file received from the master playback device based on the first difference, and (ii) the second slave playback device playing at least the portion of the audio file at the current elapsed time received from the master playback device based on the second difference.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first slave playback device and the second slave playback device do not exchange timing instructions.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, via a user interface of the master playback device, a selection of the audio file;

retrieving, by the master playback device, the audio file from a remote server over a wide area network; and

sending, by the master playback device, at least the portion of the audio file to each of the first slave playback device and the second slave playback device over a local area network.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein adding, by the master playback device, the second slave playback device to the audio playback session comprises:

receiving, by the master playback device from the second slave playback device, a request to join the audio playback session; and

in response to receiving the request;

generating, by the master playback device using a set of network latency pings with the second slave playback device, the second timing instruction, and

adding the second slave playback device to the audio playback session.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, via a user interface of the master playback device, a playback selection associated with at least the portion of the audio file; and

sending, by the master playback device to each of the first slave playback device and the second slave playback device, a playback command corresponding to the playback selection.