Grouping in a system with multiple media playback protocols

• US 10,631,017 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2018
• Issued: 04/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Coburn, IV, Arthur L., Torgerson, Jeffrey, Lambourne, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US16/215,013
• Publication Number:
  US 20190109929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 700 94, 709224, 381 17, 381 18, 381433
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2181 comprising remotely distributed storage units, e.g. when movies are replicated over a plurality of video servers distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4307 Synchronising the rendering of multiple content streams or additional data on devices, e.g. synchronisation of audio on a mobile phone with the video output on the TV screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43076 of the same content streams on multiple devices, e.g. when family members are watching the same movie on different devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4363 Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• 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

Abstract

A network media system forms a group comprising a first networked device and a second networked device using a first media playback protocol. The network media system includes the first networked device and the second networked device. The network media system determines a group coordinator for the group using the first media playback protocol. The network media system transmits, to a media source device, a group network identity using a second media playback protocol. The media source device and one of the first networked device and the second networked device are configured to use the first media playback protocol and the second media playback protocol. The first media playback protocol and the second media playback protocol are incompatible.

Claims

1. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a first playback device to perform a method comprising:

receiving, via a first media playback protocol, a command to enable a particular playback setting;

receiving, via the first media playback protocol, a command to form a group with a second playback device for synchronous media playback, wherein the first playback device is configured to use the first media playback protocol;

forming, via the first media playback protocol, the group comprising the first playback device and the second playback device;

receiving, via a second media playback protocol from a media source device, a first media stream comprising audio data for playback, wherein the first playback device and the second playback device are configured to use the second media playback protocol, wherein the first media playback protocol and the second media playback protocol are incompatible;

determining that the particular playback setting is enabled and that the group comprises the first playback device and the second playback device; and

based on determining that the particular playback setting is enabled and that the group comprises the first playback device and the second playback device, (i) generating a second media stream based on the received first media stream, wherein the second media stream comprises information for synchronous playback with the first playback device, and (ii) transmitting, to the second playback device, the second media stream using the second media playback protocol.

2. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein receiving, via a first media playback protocol, a command to enable a particular playback setting comprises:

in response to receiving the command to enable the particular playback setting, configuring the first playback device to transmit a media stream received via the second media playback protocol using the first media playback protocol, wherein the media stream is received via the first media playback protocol.

3. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, to the media source device via the second media playback protocol, a group network identity comprising the first playback device and the second playback device.

4. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein receiving, via a first media playback protocol, a command to enable a particular playback setting comprises:

receiving, from the media source device via the first media playback protocol, the command to enable the particular playback setting.

5. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein receiving, via a first media playback protocol, a command to enable a particular playback setting comprises:

receiving, from a computing device via the first media playback protocol, the command to enable the particular playback setting, wherein the computing device is configured to use the first media playback protocol.

6. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein receiving, via a first media playback protocol, a command to enable a particular playback setting comprises:

receiving, from a computing device via the first media playback protocol, the command to enable the particular playback setting, wherein the computing device is configured to use the first media playback protocol.

7. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein receiving, via the first media playback protocol, a command to form a group with a second playback device for synchronous media playback comprises:

receiving, from the media source device via the first media playback protocol, the command to form the group with the second playback device for synchronous media playback.

8. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further comprising:

causing the second playback device to play back the second media stream in synchrony with the first playback device using the second media playback protocol.

9. A first playback device, comprising:

one or more processors; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the first playback device to perform functions comprising;

receiving, via a first media playback protocol, a command to enable a particular playback setting;

receiving, via the first media playback protocol, a command to form a group with a second playback device for synchronous media playback, wherein the first playback device is configured to use the first media playback protocol;

forming, via the first media playback protocol, the group comprising the first playback device and the second playback device;

receiving, via a second media playback protocol from a media source device, a first media stream comprising audio data for playback, wherein the first playback device and the second playback device are configured to use the second media playback protocol, wherein the first media playback protocol and the second media playback protocol are incompatible;

determining that the particular playback setting is enabled and that the group comprises the first playback device and the second playback device; and

based on determining that the particular playback setting is enabled and that the group comprises the first playback device and the second playback device, (i) generating a second media stream based on the received first media stream, wherein the second media stream comprises information for synchronous playback with the first playback device, and (ii) transmitting, to the second playback device, the second media stream using the second media playback protocol.

10. The first playback device of claim 9, wherein receiving, via a first media playback protocol, a command to enable a particular playback setting comprises:

in response to receiving the command to enable the particular playback setting, configuring the first playback device to transmit a media stream received via the second media playback protocol using the first media playback protocol, wherein the media stream is received via the first media playback protocol.

11. The first playback device of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting, to the media source device via the second media playback protocol, a group network identity comprising the first playback device and the second playback device.

12. The first playback device of claim 9, wherein receiving, via a first media playback protocol, a command to enable a particular playback setting comprises:

receiving, from the media source device via the first media playback protocol, the command to enable the particular playback setting.

13. The first playback device of claim 9, wherein receiving, via a first media playback protocol, a command to enable a particular playback setting comprises:

receiving, from a computing device via the first media playback protocol, the command to enable the particular playback setting, wherein the computing device is configured to use the first media playback protocol.

14. The first playback device of claim 9, further comprising:

causing the second playback device to play back the second media stream in synchrony with the first playback device using the second media playback protocol.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, by a first playback device via a first media playback protocol, a command to enable a particular playback setting;

receiving, by the first playback device via the first media playback protocol, a command to form a group with a second playback device for synchronous media playback, wherein the first playback device is configured to use the first media playback protocol;

forming, by the first playback device via the first media playback protocol, the group comprising the first playback device and the second playback device;

receiving, by the first playback device via a second media playback protocol from a media source device, a first media stream comprising audio data for playback, wherein the first playback device and the second playback device are configured to use the second media playback protocol, wherein the first media playback protocol and the second media playback protocol are incompatible;

determining, by the first playback device, that the particular playback setting is enabled and that the group comprises the first playback device and the second playback device; and

based on determining that the particular playback setting is enabled and that the group comprises the first playback device and the second playback device, (i) generating a second media stream based on the received first media stream, wherein the second media stream comprises information for synchronous playback with the first playback device, and (ii) transmitting, by the first playback device to the second playback device, the audio data in a second media stream using the second media playback protocol.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving, by the first playback device via the first media playback protocol, a command to enable a particular playback setting comprises:

in response to receiving the command to enable the particular playback setting, configuring the first playback device to transmit a media stream received via the second media playback protocol using the first media playback protocol, wherein the media stream is received via the first media playback protocol.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

transmitting, by the first playback device to the media source device via the second media playback protocol, a group network identity comprising the first playback device and the second playback device.

18. The method claim 15, wherein receiving, via a first media playback protocol, a command to enable a particular playback setting comprises:

receiving, by the first playback device from the media source device via the first media playback protocol, the command to enable the particular playback setting.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving, by the first playback device via a first media playback protocol, a command to enable a particular playback setting comprises:

receiving, by the first playback device from a computing device via the first media playback protocol, the command to enable the particular playback setting, wherein the computing device is configured to use the first media playback protocol.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

causing the second playback device to play back the second media stream in synchrony with the first playback device using the second media playback protocol.