SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MOBILE MUSIC ZONES

• US 20140006587A1
• Filed: 06/27/2012
• Published: 01/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Kusano, Mieko
• Granted Patent: US 9,715,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• 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

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to facilitate portable playback of multimedia content are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a communication interface to send and receive data via a network connection, the data including multimedia content for playback. The example apparatus includes a memory to store instructions and data. The example apparatus includes a processor. The processor is to search for an available playback network and, if available, automatically connect to the playback network. The processor is to, in an absence of an available network, establish a mobile zone to facilitate multimedia content playback via the mobile zone. The processor is to automatically switch between the playback network and the mobile zone depending upon availability of the playback network to provide content playback via the portable playback device. The processor is to facilitate control and playback of content on the playback network via the portable playback device.

Claims

1. A method to provide mobile playback of content regardless of network connection, the method comprising:

identifying, via a portable playback device, an available network for content playback;

automatically connecting the portable playback device to the available playback network;

facilitating control and playback of content on the playback network via the portable playback device;

establishing a mobile zone in an absence of an available playback network, the mobile zone to facilitate local content playback in the mobile zone via the portable playback device; and

automatically switching between an available playback network and the mobile zone to provide content playback via the portable playback device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein content including audio tracks is stored on the portable playback device for playback.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein content includes streamed audio provided for playback via the portable playback device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more additional playback devices are also connected to the playback network and wherein content playback occurs at the one or more additional playback devices via control from the portable playback device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile network comprises a wireless ad-hoc network established to facilitate communications among a plurality of devices including the portable playback device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising facilitating sharing of multimedia content among at least one of playback devices and groups of playback devices associated with the mobile network.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising shaping a characteristic of sound playback from the portable playback device based on at least one of an orientation and a setting of the portable playback device.

8. An apparatus for portable playback of multimedia content, the apparatus portable by a user, the apparatus comprising:

a communication interface to send and receive data via a network connection, the data including multimedia content for playback;

a memory to store instructions and data; and

a processor to;

search for an available playback network and, if available, automatically connect to the playback network;

in an absence of an available network, establish a mobile zone, the mobile zone to facilitate multimedia content playback via the mobile zone;

automatically switch between the playback network and the mobile zone depending upon availability of the playback network to provide content playback via the portable playback device; and

facilitate control and playback of content on the playback network via the portable playback device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising one or more speaker drivers to output multimedia content.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a display to output multimedia content.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein content including audio tracks is stored in the memory of the apparatus for playback.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein content includes streamed audio provided for playback via the apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein one or more additional playback devices are also connected to the playback network and wherein content playback occurs at the one or more additional playback devices via control from the processor.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the mobile zone comprises a wireless ad-hoc network established to facilitate communications among a plurality of devices including the apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processor is to facilitate sharing of multimedia content among at least one of playback devices and groups of playback devices associated with the mobile zone.

16. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one speaker driver for output of multimedia content and wherein the processor is to shape characteristic of sound playback from the at least one speaker driver based on at least one of an orientation and a setting of the apparatus.

17. A tangible computer readable storage medium including instructions for execution by a processor, the instructions, when executed by the processor, implementing a portable playback system, the system arranged to:

search for an available playback network and, if available, automatically connect to the playback network;

in an absence of an available network, establish a mobile zone, the mobile zone to facilitate multimedia content playback via the mobile zone;

automatically switch between the playback network and the mobile zone depending upon availability of the playback network to provide content playback via the portable playback device; and

facilitate control and playback of content on the playback network via the portable playback device.

18. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein one or more additional playback devices are also connected to the playback network and wherein content playback occurs at the one or more additional playback devices via control from the processor.

19. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the mobile zone comprises a wireless ad-hoc network established to facilitate communications among a plurality of devices including the apparatus.

20. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the processor is to facilitate sharing of multimedia content among at least one of playback devices and groups of playback devices associated with the mobile zone.