Method and apparatus for switching between a directly connected an a networked audio source

• US 20140177875A1
• Filed: 02/19/2014
• Published: 06/26/2014
• 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 10,445,054 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/120
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 : dummy group

Abstract

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

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. An audio playback device comprising:

an audio information source interface configured to receive first information from an audio information source directly connected to the audio playback device;

an analog to digital converter (ADC) configured to sample the first audio information;

a network interface configured to receive from a network audio information source packets containing second audio information and playback timing information;

a digital to analog converter (DAC) configured to generate an analog audio signal based on one of the first audio information or the second audio information;

an audio amplifier connected to the DAC and configured to amplify the analog audio signal;

an audio reproduction device interface connected to the audio amplifier; and

a control module configured to receive one or more commands and to provide to the DAC, based on the one or more commands, one of the first audio information or the second audio information.

22. The playback device of claim 21, wherein the second audio information comprises audio files or packetized streaming audio information.

23. The playback device of claim 21, wherein the one or more commands include a volume command.

24. The playback device of claim 21, wherein the control module is further configured to determine a time differential between the playback timing information and a DAC clock.

25. The playback device of claim 24, wherein the control module is further configured to use the time differential to update the playback timing information, and to provide the updated playback timing information to the DAC.

26. The playback device of claim 21, wherein the received packets containing second audio information and playback timing information are addressed using a multicast address.

27. The playback device of claim 21 wherein the received packets containing the second audio information and the playback timing information are addressed using a unicast address.

28. A method comprising:

receiving, at an audio playback device, first audio information from a directly-connected audio information source;

generating a first analog audio signal based on the first audio information;

playing back the first analog signal;

receiving second audio information and playback timing information from a network audio information source via a network interface;

receiving one or more commands via the network interface; and

responsive to receiving the one or more commands, (i) terminating the playback of the first audio signal, (ii) generating a second analog audio signal based on the second audio information, and (iii) playing back the second analog signal.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the second audio information comprises audio files or packetized streaming audio information.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the one or more commands include a volume command, the method further comprising:

adjusting the volume of the second analog audio signal.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

determining a time differential between the playback timing information and a DAC clock.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

using the time differential to update the playback timing information; and

providing the updated playback timing information to the DAC.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein the received second audio information and playback timing information is contained within packets addressed using a multicast address.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein the received second audio information and playback timing information is contained within packets addressed using a unicast address.

35. A tangible computer-readable memory having instructions stored thereon that when executed cause a device to:

receive first audio information, wherein the audio information comprises digital samples derived from an audio information source directly connected to an audio playback device;

provide the first audio information to a digital to analog converter (DAC);

cause the DAC to generate a first analog audio signal based on the first audio information;

receive second audio information and playback timing information from a network audio information source via a network interface;

receive one or more commands via the network interface; and

responsive to receiving the one or more received commands, (i) provide the second audio information to the DAC and (ii) cause the DAC to generate a second analog audio signal based on the second audio information.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the second audio information comprises audio files or packetized streaming audio information.

37. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the one or more commands include a volume command, and wherein the stored instructions further cause the device to:

adjust the volume of the second analog audio signal.

38. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the one or more commands is received from a user interface module.

39. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the stored instructions further cause the device to:

store at least one of the first audio information or the second audio information in an audio information buffer.

40. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the received second audio information and playback timing information is contained within packets addressed using either a unicast or a multicast address.