Managing an audio network

• US 20050289224A1
• Filed: 06/08/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Inventors: Lyons, Kenneth S., Deslippe, Mark H., Drimusz, Laszlo, Knapp, Herbert C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,214,447 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/208
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use

Abstract

A message that includes a command for an audio device is received, and the command is transmitted to the audio device.

Claims

1. A method for a multi-zone audio communication network including at least one master device and a plurality of slave devices, comprising:

receiving a message at the master device from a remote control or control buttons on the devices that includes a command; and

transmitting the command to the one or more slave devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is processed at the master device before transmitting and being used to control the slave devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the command is passed through the master device to one or more slave devices without being processed at the master device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote control controls both the master and the slave devices.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the command is transmitted over a first communications channel between a master device and the slave devices.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein audio stream is multiplexed with the command over the first communications channel.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein audio stream is transmitted over a second communications channel between the master device and the slave devices.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the first communications channel comprises a wireless channel.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the slaves are dynamically configured into multiple zones via the remote control.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the slave devices further being connected to local audio sources, the slave devices choose from the local audio sources and the audio streams for reproduction.

11. A multi-zone audio network control system comprising:

a master device; and

one or more slave devices;

the master device comprising circuitry to

receive a message from a remote control or control buttons on the devices that includes a command; and

transmit the command to the slave devices.

12. A method for an audio communication network including at least one master device and a plurality of slave devices comprising:

controlling one or more slave devices from a master device using communication protocol comprising;

assigning a plurality of priorities to messages;

sending, from the master device to a slave device, a highest priority pending message.

13. A method for an audio communication network including at least one master device and a plurality of slave devices comprising:

controlling one or more slave devices from a master device using communication protocol comprising;

assigning a plurality of priorities to messages;

sending, from a slave device to the master device, a highest priority pending message in response to a polling message from the master device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the highest priority pending message includes information for controlling the slave device.

15. A method for an audio communication network including at least one master device and a plurality of slave devices comprising:

controlling a plurality of audio devices from a master device including polling a first set of audio devices which are in an off state in a first cycle and a second set of audio devices which are in an on state in a second cycle, wherein the second cycle is shorter than the first cycle.

16. The method of claim 15 further includes:

a) polling all members of the second set of audio devices then a single member of the first set of audio devices;

b) repeating step a) in a circular, round-robin fashion.

17. A method comprising:

controlling one of a plurality of audio devices from a master device to play from a source based on a zone associated with the audio device when the audio device is in an on state.

18. A method comprising:

controlling one of a plurality of audio devices from a master device including passing all commands for the audio device through the master device without processing at the master device when the audio device is in a local state.

19. A method comprising:

controlling one of a plurality of audio devices from a master device including monitoring keypresses from a remote control for the audio device when the audio device is in a not responding state.

20. A method for message synchronization of an audio communication system, comprising:

controlling a plurality of audio devices from a master device including transmitting a plurality of messages, where each message is sent as a continuous burst and a predetermined minimum time delay is maintained between an end of a first message and a beginning of a second message.

21. A method for an audio communication system, comprising:

controlling a plurality of audio devices from a master device over a wired network for one or more wired audio devices and over a wireless network for one or more wireless devices.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising receiving a reply in response to a poll message from each of the wired audio devices and receiving aggregate polling information indicative of states of the wireless devices from one of the wireless devices.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the one of the wireless devices providing aggregate polling information locally polls the wireless devices in a predetermined cycle.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the aggregate polling information is sent by the one of the wireless devices in a predetermined time interval.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising controlling one of the audio devices to switch to playing a second of the plurality of audio streams based on a message from a master device on the network.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the message comprises information designating the audio streams.

25. A method for an audio communication system, comprising:

transmitting a plurality of audio streams over a network; and

controlling one or more audio devices on the network to play each one of the plurality of audio streams.

28. A method for an audio communication network including at least one master device and a plurality of slave devices comprising:

transmitting an audio stream from an audio source, including networked sources and local sources attached to the audio devices, to an audio device; and

displaying information about the audio source on the audio device.

29. A method for an audio communication network including at least one master device and a plurality of slave devices comprising:

transmitting a message consisting essentially of a header field, an address field, an argument field, and a verifier field.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the argument field of the message does not include any byte when the message is polling message and the 4 most significant bits of the address field identifies audio zone for the audio devices to play and the 4 least significant bits of the address field identifies the audio device being polled.

31. A method for an audio communication network including at least one master device and a plurality of slave devices comprising:

receiving a message consisting essentially of a header field, an address field, an argument field, and a verifier field.

32. A method for an audio communication network including at least one master device and a plurality of slave devices comprising:

assembling a message consisting essentially of a header field, an address field, an argument field, and a verifier field.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising transmitting the message.

34. An audio communication protocol for an audio communication network including at least one master device and a plurality of slave devices comprising:

a message format consisting essentially of a header field, an address field, an argument field, and a verifier field.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the argument field of the message does not include any byte when the message is polling message and the 4 most significant bits of the address field identifies audio zone for the audio devices to play and the 4 least significant bits of the address field identifies the audio device being polled.