Interoperability of native media playback system with virtual line-in

• US 10,649,718 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2018
• Issued: 05/12/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Coburn, IV, Arthur L., Kotowski, Chris, Faruque, Arvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eljaiek, Alexander L
• Application Number:
  US16/119,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20190354339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 700 94, 709231
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• 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

Abstract

Example systems and techniques disclosed herein facilitate interoperability between different media playback systems referred to herein as a virtual line-in (VLI) media playback system and a native playback system. When a VLI session is created by a VLI sender, a first native playback device can join a VLI group as a VLI receiver. As a VLI receiver, the first native playback device receives audio content and playback commands from the VLI sender to facilitate synchronous playback with other VLI receivers. At the same time, this native playback device can concurrently operate as a native domain group coordinator of a native domain synchrony group. As the native domain group coordinator, the native playback device translates VLI domain audio, control, and timing signals into the native domain and distributes such signals to native domain group members. In this way, the native domain group members can synchronize their playback with the VLI group.

Claims

1. A system comprising a first native playback device configured as a first Virtual Line-In (VLI) receiver of a VLI group, wherein the VLI group is configured to (i) receive, via an input interface of a first VLI device configured as a VLI sender of the VLI group, user input to perform a mute operation, the mute operation corresponding to a first VLI domain mute command to set volume level to a pre-defined inaudible volume level and (ii) send, via a network interface of the first VLI device, the first VLI domain mute command, and wherein the first native playback device is configured to perform functions as the first VLI receiver of the VLI group, the functions comprising:

receiving, via a network interface of the first native playback device, the first VLI domain mute command;

translating the first VLI domain mute command to one or more corresponding first native domain mute commands, wherein the one or more corresponding first native domain mute commands comprise;

(i) enabling a native domain mute state on the first native playback device, (ii) storing a current native domain volume level of the first native playback device, and (iii) setting the native domain volume level to zero; and

in response to receiving the first VLI domain mute command, carrying out the one or more corresponding first native domain mute commands to perform the mute operation on the first VLI receiver.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first native playback device is configured as the first VLI receiver of the VLI group perform functions further comprising:

while the VLI group is muted, receiving, via an input interface of the first native playback device, a native domain un-mute command; and

in response to receiving the native domain un-mute command, (i) translating the native domain un-mute command to a VLI domain volume adjust command, the VLI domain volume adjust command indicating the stored native domain volume level of the first native playback device, (ii) sending the VLI domain volume adjust command to the VLI sender of the VLI group, (iii) disabling the native domain mute state, and (iv) adjusting volume level of the first native playback device to the stored native domain volume level.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first native playback device is configured as a native domain group coordinator of a native domain synchrony group to perform functions comprising:

in response to receiving the native domain un-mute command, sending, to one or more second native playback devices of the native domain synchrony group, one or more commands to (i) disable the native domain mute state on the one or more second native playback devices and (ii) adjust volume level of the one or more second native playback devices to the stored native domain volume level.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein receiving, via the input interface of the first native playback device, the native domain un-mute command comprises one of:

(a) receiving, via the network interface of the first native playback device from a native domain control app, one or more messages representing the native domain un-mute command or (b) receiving, via physical controls on the first native playback device, user input representing the native domain un-mute command.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first native playback device is configured as the first VLI receiver of the VLI group perform functions further comprising:

while the VLI group is muted, receiving, via the network interface of the first native playback device from the VLI sender, a VLI domain volume adjust command; and

in response to receiving the VLI domain volume adjust command, (i) disabling the native domain mute state, and (ii) adjusting volume level of the first native playback device to a volume level indicated by the VLI domain volume adjust command.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first native playback device is configured as a native domain group coordinator of a native domain synchrony group to perform functions comprising:

in response to receiving the VLI domain volume adjust command, sending, to one or more second native playback devices of the native domain synchrony group, one or more commands to (i) disable the native domain mute state on the one or more second native playback devices and (ii) adjust volume level of the one or more second native playback devices to the volume level indicated by the VLI domain volume adjust command.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first native playback device is configured as the first VLI receiver of the VLI group perform functions further comprising:

while the VLI group is muted, receiving, via an input interface of the first native playback device, a native domain volume adjust command; and

in response to receiving the native domain volume adjust command, (i) translating the native domain volume adjust command to a VLI domain volume adjust command, (ii) sending the VLI domain volume adjust command to the VLI sender of the VLI group, (iii) disabling the native domain mute state, and (iv) adjusting volume level of the first native playback device to a volume level indicated by the native domain volume adjust command.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first native playback device is configured as a native domain group coordinator of a native domain synchrony group to perform functions comprising:

in response to receiving the native domain volume adjust command, sending, to one or more second native playback devices of the native domain synchrony group, one or more commands to (i) disable the native domain mute state on the one or more second native playback devices and (ii) adjust volume level of the one or more second native playback devices to the volume level indicated by the native domain volume adjust command.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein receiving, via the input interface of the first native playback device, the native domain volume adjust command comprises one of:

(a) receiving, via the network interface of the first native playback device from a native domain control app, one or more messages representing the native domain volume adjust command or (b) receiving, via physical controls on the first native playback device, user input representing selection of a volume up or volume down control.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first native playback device is configured to perform functions further comprising:

while the native domain mute state is enabled on the first native playback device, receiving a command to start a VLI session with the first VLI device, wherein a volume level of the first VLI device is other than the pre-defined inaudible volume level; and

in response to receiving the command to start the VLI session with the first VLI device, (i) joining the VLI group as the first VLI receiver, (ii) disabling the native domain mute state, and (iii) setting the native domain volume level to the volume level of the first VLI device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first native playback device is configured as a native domain group coordinator of a native domain synchrony group to perform functions comprising:

sending, via the network interface of the first native playback device to one or more native domain control applications on one or more native domain control devices, status information indicating the native domain volume level, wherein the status information causes respective volume sliders of the one or more native domain control applications to indicate a zero volume level.

12. A method to be performed by a first native playback device configured to perform the method as a first Virtual Line-In (VLI) receiver of a VLI group, wherein the VLI group is configured to (i) receive, via an input interface of a first VLI device configured as a VLI sender of the VLI group, user input to perform a mute operation, the mute operation corresponding to a first VLI domain mute command to set volume level to a pre-defined inaudible volume level and (ii) send, via a network interface of the first VLI device, the first VLI domain mute command, and wherein the method comprises:

receiving, via a network interface of the first native playback device, the first VLI domain mute command;

translating the first VLI domain mute command to one or more corresponding first native domain mute commands, wherein the one or more corresponding first native domain mute commands comprise;

(i) enabling a native domain mute state on the first native playback device, (ii) storing a current native domain volume level of the first native playback device, and (iii) setting the native domain volume level to zero; and

in response to receiving the first VLI domain mute command, carrying out the one or more corresponding first native domain mute commands to perform the mute operation on the first VLI receiver.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first native playback device is configured as the first VLI receiver of the VLI group perform functions further comprising:

while the VLI group is muted, receiving, via an input interface of the first native playback device, a native domain un-mute command; and

in response to receiving the native domain un-mute command, (i) translating the native domain un-mute command to a VLI domain volume adjust command, the VLI domain volume adjust command indicating the stored native domain volume level of the first native playback device, (ii) sending the VLI domain volume adjust command to the VLI sender of the VLI group, (iii) disabling the native domain mute state, and (iv) adjusting volume level of the first native playback device to the stored native domain volume level.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first native playback device is configured as a native domain group coordinator of a native domain synchrony group to perform functions comprising:

in response to receiving the native domain un-mute command, sending, to one or more second native playback devices of the native domain synchrony group, one or more commands to (i) disable the native domain mute state on the one or more second native playback devices and (ii) adjust volume level of the one or more second native playback devices to the stored native domain volume level.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving, via the input interface of the first native playback device, the native domain un-mute command comprises one of:

(a) receiving, via the network interface of the first native playback device from a native domain control app, one or more messages representing the native domain un-mute command or (b) receiving, via physical controls on the first native playback device, user input representing the native domain un-mute command.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the first native playback device is configured as the first VLI receiver of the VLI group perform functions further comprising:

while the VLI group is muted, receiving, via the network interface of the first native playback device from the VLI sender, a VLI domain volume adjust command; and

in response to receiving the VLI domain volume adjust command, (i) disabling the native domain mute state, and (ii) adjusting volume level of the first native playback device to a volume level indicated by the VLI domain volume adjust command.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first native playback device is configured as a native domain group coordinator of a native domain synchrony group to perform functions comprising:

in response to receiving the VLI domain volume adjust command, sending, to one or more second native playback devices of the native domain synchrony group, one or more commands to (i) disable the native domain mute state on the one or more second native playback devices and (ii) adjust volume level of the one or more second native playback devices to the volume level indicated by the VLI domain volume adjust command.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the first native playback device is configured as the first VLI receiver of the VLI group perform functions further comprising:

while the VLI group is muted, receiving, via an input interface of the first native playback device, a native domain volume adjust command; and

in response to receiving the native domain volume adjust command, (i) translating the native domain volume adjust command to a VLI domain volume adjust command, (ii) sending the VLI domain volume adjust command to the VLI sender of the VLI group, (iii) disabling the native domain mute state, and (iv) adjusting volume level of the first native playback device to a volume level indicated by the native domain volume adjust command.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first native playback device is configured as a native domain group coordinator of a native domain synchrony group to perform functions comprising:

in response to receiving the native domain volume adjust command, sending, to one or more second native playback devices of the native domain synchrony group, one or more commands to (i) disable the native domain mute state on the one or more second native playback devices and (ii) adjust volume level of the one or more second native playback devices to the volume level indicated by the native domain volume adjust command.

20. A tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by one or more processors to cause a first native playback device to perform functions as a first Virtual Line-In (VLI) receiver of a VLI group wherein the VLI group is configured to (i) receive, via an input interface of a first VLI device configured as a VLI sender of the VLI group, user input to perform a mute operation, the mute operation corresponding to a first VLI domain mute command to set volume level to a pre-defined inaudible volume level and (ii) send, via a network interface of the first VLI device, the first VLI domain mute command, and wherein the functions comprise:

receiving, via a network interface of the first native playback device, the first VLI domain mute command;

translating the first VLI domain mute command to one or more corresponding first native domain mute commands, wherein the one or more corresponding first native domain mute commands comprise;

(i) enabling a native domain mute state on the first native playback device, (ii) storing a current native domain volume level of the first native playback device, and (iii) setting the native domain volume level to zero; and

in response to receiving the first VLI domain mute command, carrying out the one or more corresponding first native domain mute commands to perform the mute operation on the first VLI receiver.