Group Volume Control

• US 20150261410A1
• Filed: 03/11/2014
• Published: 09/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Kumar, Abhishek, Lemmon, Mike, Hughes, Stephanie
• Granted Patent: US 10,599,287 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• 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: H04W 4/08 User group management

Abstract

An example method involves providing an interface that simultaneously displays an indication of a respective volume corresponding to each of at least two zone players and displays a respective selectable icon corresponding to each of the at least two zone players. Each respective selectable icon indicates whether the corresponding zone player has been selected for a group, and at least one of the respective selectable icons indicates that a respective zone player has been selected for the group. The interface further displays an indication of a group volume associated with the at least one selected zone player. The method further includes receiving a command to change at least one of a respective volume of one or more of the at least one selected zone player or the group volume, and transmitting an indication of the received command to one or more of the at least one selected zone player.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a user interface that simultaneously;

(i) displays an indication of a respective volume corresponding to each of at least two zone players,

(ii) displays a respective selectable icon corresponding to each of the at least two zone players, wherein each respective selectable icon indicates whether the corresponding zone player has been selected for a group, wherein at least one of the respective selectable icons indicates that a respective zone player has been selected for the group, and

(iii) displays an indication of a group volume associated with the at least one selected zone player;

receiving a command to change at least one of (i) a respective volume of one or more of the at least one selected zone player or (ii) the group volume; and

transmitting an indication of the received command to one or more of the at least one selected zone player.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to receiving the command to change at least one of (i) the respective volume of the one or more of the at least one selected zone player or (ii) the group volume, receiving a selection of the at least one selected zone player.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the received command indicates to change the respective volume of the one or more of the at least one selected zone player, and wherein the indication is transmitted to the one or more of the at least one selected zone player.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the received command indicates to change the group volume, and wherein the command is transmitted to each of the at least one selected zone players.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the received command indicating to change the group volume indicates to collectively increase or decrease the respective volume corresponding to the one or more selected zone players.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a command to form the group with two or more of the at least two zone players; and

transmitting a command, to the two or more zone players, to form the group.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to receiving the command to change the at least one of the respective volume of the one or more of the at least one selected zone player or the group volume, receiving a deselection of one or more of the at least one selected zone players.

2. The method of claiml, further comprising, receiving an input indicating to display the respective selectable icon corresponding to each of the at least two zone players, wherein the respective selectable icon corresponding to each of the at least two zone players is displayed in response to receiving the input.

9. A method comprising:

receiving a selection of at least two zone players to be included in a group;

causing a graphical interface to display (i) an indication of a respective volume of each of the at least two selected zone players and (ii) an indication of a group volume associated with the at least two selected zone players;

subsequent to causing the graphical interface to display the indications, receiving a command to form the group of the at least two selected zone players; and

transmitting a command to each of the at least two selected zone players to synchronously play a portion of media content.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising forming the group of the at least two zone players.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving a command to change a respective volume of at least one of the at least two selected zone players.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting, to the at least one of the at least two selected zone players, an indication to change the respective volume of the at least one of the at least two selected zone players.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the command to change the respective volume of the at least one of the at least two selected zone players is received before the command to form the group of the at least two selected zone players is received.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the command to change the respective volume of the at least one of the at least two selected zone players is received contemporaneously to receiving the command to form the group of the at least two selected zone players.

15. A device comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing instructions that when executed by the device cause the device to perform functions, the functions comprising;

receiving a selection of at least two zone players to be included in a group;

causing a graphical interface to display (i) an indication of a respective volume of each of the at least two selected zone players and (ii) an indication of a group volume associated with the at least two selected zone players;

subsequent to causing the graphical interface to display the indications, receiving a command to form the group of the at least two selected zone players; and

transmitting a command to each of the at least two selected zone players to synchronously play a portion of media content.

16. The device of claim 16, wherein the functions further comprise forming the group of the at least two zone players.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the functions further comprise receiving a command to change a respective volume of at least one of the at least two selected zone players.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the functions further comprise transmitting, to the at least one of the at least two selected zone players, an indication to change the respective volume of the at least one of the at least two selected zone players.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the command to change the respective volume of the at least one of the at least two selected zone players is received before the command to form the group of the at least two selected zone players is received.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the command to change the respective volume of the at least one of the at least two selected zone players is received contemporaneously to receiving the command to form the group of the at least two selected zone players.