SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING OPERATIONS AMONG A PLURALITY OF INDEPENDENTLY CLOCKED DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING DEVICES

• US 20120191232A1
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Published: 07/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Millington, Nicholas A. J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,189,010 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/00 Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00 architectures of general purpose stored program computers G06F15/76
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/12 Synchronisation of different clock signals provided by a plurality of clock generators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2322 using timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/60 of audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/63 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/635 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/638 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• 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: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 : Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10592 : specifically adapted for recording or reproducing multichannel signals
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/00 : Gain control in amplifiers or frequency changers
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/20 : Automatic control H03G3/005 takes precedence; combined with volume compression or expansion H03G7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/103 : Transmitter-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/26 : Arrangements for switching distribution systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/20 : digital audio broadcasting [DAB]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0644 : External master-clock
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0664 : unidirectional timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2854 : Wide area networks, e.g. public data networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 : Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 : Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 : Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 : for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 : for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 : for unicast
• 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 65/75 : Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 : Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 : Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 : Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 : Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• 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 5/04 : Synchronising for television systems using pulse code modulation H04N7/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7904 : using intermediate digital signal processing
• 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 : for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 : one node acting as a reference for the others
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 : Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

A system is described for maintaining synchrony of operations among a plurality of devices having independent clocking arrangements. A task distribution device is to distribute tasks to a synchrony group comprising a plurality of devices to perform tasks distributed by the task distribution device in synchrony. The task distribution device distributes each task to synchrony group members over a network. Each task is associated with a time stamp that indicates a time, relative to a clock maintained by the task distribution device, at which synchrony group members are to execute the task. Each synchrony group member periodically obtains from the task distribution device an indication of current time indicated by its clock, determines a time differential between the task distribution device'"'"'s clock and its respective clock and determines there from a time at which, according to its respective clock, the time stamp indicates that it is to execute the task.

Claims

1. A mobile computing device comprising:

an audio information source configured to receive audio information from a wide area network;

a zone player configured to play back the audio information upon a first user request; and

a user interface configured to enable the audio information source to provide the audio information to the zone player,

wherein the mobile computing device is further configured upon a second user request to transmit the audio information over a local area network to a second zone player for playback of the audio information.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device comprises a portable playback device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the wide area network comprises the Internet.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the wide area network comprises the public switched telephone network.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the audio information comprises streaming digital audio information.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the audio information comprises digital audio files.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the zone player comprises a digital to analog converter and an amplifier to amplify a signal associated with the audio information.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device is further configured upon a third user request to transmit a web address identifying audio information that is to be played over a local area network to a third zone player.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the audio information source is configured to store audio information, wherein the zone player is configured to playback the stored audio information upon request, and wherein the user interface is configured to enable the audio information source to provide the stored audio information to the zone player.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the audio information source provides the audio information to the zone player responsive to a remote user interface device.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein, responsive to a remote user interface device, the audio information is to be sent over a local area network to a second zone player for playback of the audio information.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the mobile computing device is further configured to be directly connected a second zone player for playback of the audio information.

13. A mobile computing device comprising:

an audio information source configured to store audio information;

a zone player configured to playback the audio information upon request; and

a user interface configured to enable the audio information source to provide the audio information to the zone player,

wherein the mobile computing device is further configured to transmit the audio information over a local area network to a second zone player for playback of the audio information

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the mobile computing device comprises a portable playback device.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the wide area network comprises the Internet.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the wide area network comprises the public switched telephone network.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the audio information comprises streaming digital audio information.

18. The device of claim 13, wherein the audio information comprises digital audio files.

19. The device of claim 13, wherein the zone player comprises a digital to analog converter and an amplifier to amplify a signal associated with the audio information.

20. The device of claim 13, wherein the mobile computing device is further configured upon a third user request to transmit a web address identifying audio information that is to be played over a local area network to a third zone player.

21. The device of claim 13, wherein the audio information source is configured to store audio information, wherein the zone player is configured to playback the stored audio information upon request, and wherein the user interface is configured to enable the audio information source to provide the stored audio information to the zone player.

22. The device of claim 13, wherein the audio information source provides the audio information to the zone player responsive to a remote user interface device.

23. The device of claim 13, wherein, responsive to a remote user interface device, the audio information is to be sent over a local area network to a second zone player for playback of the audio information.

24. The device of claim 13, wherein the mobile computing device is further configured to be directly connected a second zone player for playback of the audio information.