Group Coordinator Device Selection

• US 20140181202A1
• Filed: 09/30/2013
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: GOSSAIN, Hrishikesh
• Granted Patent: US 9,654,545 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• 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 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests

Abstract

Embodiments described herein involve selecting a group coordinator device for a group of media devices of a networked media playback system. One of the media devices in the networked media playback system may be a group coordinator device configured to provide media content and playback timing information to other media devices in the group for synchronized playback of media content. Selection of the group coordinator device may involve performing an evaluation of one or more parameters associated with each of the one or more media devices in the media playback system, determining that a particular media device is the most suitable group coordinator devices, and causing the particular media device to become the group coordinator device.

Claims

1. In a media playback system comprising a plurality of devices, a method comprising:

performing, by a device, an evaluation of one or more parameters associated with one or more of the plurality of devices;

based on the evaluation, determining, by the device, that a second device is to be a group coordinator for a group, wherein the group coordinator provides audio content data and audio content playback timing information to devices in the group; and

causing, by the device, the second device to become the group coordinator of the group.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a group coordinator for the group prior to causing the second device to become the group coordinator of the group.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the device and the second device are playback devices.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the device and the second device are members of the group.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters comprises one or more of the following:

(a) group affiliations of the one or more devices;

(b) root path costs of the one or more devices;

(c) computing capabilities of the one or more devices;

(d) communication capabilities of the one or more devices;

(e) bonded zone affiliations of the one or more devices;

(f) network topology locations of the one or more devices; and

(g) accessibility of the audio content by the one or more devices.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to performing an evaluation of one or more parameters associated with the one or more devices in the media playback system, determining, by the device, that the evaluation of one or more parameters associated with the one or more devices in the media playback system is to be performed.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining that the evaluation of one or more parameters associated with the one or more devices in the media playback system is to be performed comprises one or more of the following:

(a) determining that a new device has been added to the media playback system;

(b) determining that a new device has been added to the group of one or more devices;

(c) determining that a network topology of the media playback system has changed;

(d) determining that a time duration between automatic evaluations of the one or more parameters associated with the one or more devices in the media playback system has lapsed;

(e) determining that one of the one or more parameters associated with the one or more devices in the media playback system has been modified; and

(f) receiving user-input indicating that the evaluation of one or more parameters associated with the one or more devices in the media playback system is to be performed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the second device to become the group coordinator of the group comprises:

determining, by the device, a suitable time interval during which to cause the second device to become the group coordinator; and

causing the second device to become the group coordinator of the group during the determined suitable time interval.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the suitable time interval occurs after playback of a currently played first audio content and before playback of a subsequent second audio content by the group of one or more devices.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein causing the second device to become the group coordinator of the group comprises:

determining that rendering of audio content by the group of one or more devices has stopped; and

causing the second device to become the group coordinator of the group of one or more devices in the media playback system.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing at least the one or more parameters associated with the one or more devices in the media system and the evaluation of the one or more parameters associated with the one or more devices in the media system to be stored on the second device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing at least the one or more parameters associated with the one or more devices in the media system and the evaluation of the one or more parameters associated with the one or more devices in the media system to be stored on at least one of the one or more devices in the media system.

13. A network device in a media playback system comprising a plurality of devices, the network device comprising:

a processor; and

memory having stored thereon instructions executable by the processor to cause the network device to perform functions comprising;

performing an evaluation of one or more parameters associated with one or more of the plurality of devices;

based on the evaluation, determining that a second device is to be a group coordinator for a group, wherein the group coordinator provides audio content data and audio content playback timing information to devices in the group; and

causing the second device to become the group coordinator of the group.

14. The network device of claim 13, wherein the network device is a group coordinator for the group prior to causing the second device to become the group coordinator of the group.

15. The network device of claim 13, wherein the network device and the second device are playback devices.

16. The network device of claim 13, wherein the network device and the second device are members of the group.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a computing device in communication with a media playback system comprising a plurality of devices, wherein the instructions are executable by the computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

performing an evaluation of one or more parameters associated with one or more of the plurality of devices;

based on the evaluation, determining that a second device is to be a group coordinator for a group, wherein the group coordinator provides audio content data and audio content playback timing information to devices in the group; and

causing the second device to become the group coordinator of the group.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more parameters comprises one or more of the following:

(a) group affiliations of the one or more devices;

(b) root path costs of the one or more devices;

(c) computing capabilities of the one or more devices;

(d) communication capabilities of the one or more devices;

(e) bonded zone affiliations of the one or more devices;

(f) network topology locations of the one or more devices; and

(g) accessibility of the audio content by the one or more devices.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein instructions executable by the computing device to cause the computing device to perform the function of causing the second device to become the group coordinator of the group further comprises instructions executable by the computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

determining a suitable time interval during which to cause the second device to become the group coordinator; and

causing the second device to become the group coordinator of the group during the determined suitable time interval.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the functions further comprise:

causing at least the one or more parameters associated with the one or more devices in the media system and the evaluation of the one or more parameters associated with the one or more devices in the media system to be stored on at least one of the one or more devices in the media system.