Switching Connection Between Network Devices

• US 20150326670A1
• Filed: 07/22/2015
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Agerbak, Michael, Millington, Nicholas A. J., Peters, Jeffrey, Beckhardt, Steven R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,729,640 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• 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: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/61 Time-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

An example method includes connecting, by wireless device, to a first network device, wherein the first network device provides a connection to a playback network; adding the connection via the first network device to a list of available network connections; sending, to a second network device via the first network device, command(s) to control playback by the second network device; identifying additional available connection(s) to the playback network within range of the wireless device, wherein the additional available connection(s) include a connection via the second network device; determining that the connection to the second network device is preferred over the connection via the first network device based on characteristic(s); based on the determination that the connection via the second network device is preferred, connecting to the playback network via the second network device; and sending, to the second network device, additional command(s) to control playback by the second network device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

connecting, by a wireless device, to a first network device, wherein the first network device provides a connection to a multimedia playback network;

adding, by the wireless device, the connection via the first network device to a list of available network connections;

sending, by the wireless device to a second network device via the first network device, one or more commands to control playback of multimedia by the second network device;

identifying, by the wireless device, one or more additional available connections to the multimedia playback network within range of the wireless device, wherein the one or more additional available connections within range of the wireless device comprises a connection via the second network device;

determining, by the wireless device, that the connection to the second network device is preferred over the connection via the first network device based on one or more characteristics;

based on the determination that the connection via the second network device is preferred over the connection via the first network device, connecting, by the wireless device, to the multimedia playback network via the second network device; and

sending, by the wireless device to the second network device, one or more additional commands to control playback of multimedia by the second network device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more characteristics comprises a received signal strength.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein adding the connection via the first network device to the list of available network connections comprises adding a service set identifier (SSID) to the list of available networks.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adding, by the network device, the connection via the second network device to the list of available network connections.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein adding the connection via the second network device to the list of available network connections comprises adding, by the network device, the connection via the second network device to the list of available network connections below the connection via the first network device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein adding the connection via the second network device to the list of available network connections comprises adding, by the network device, the connection via the second network device to a preferred list of available network connections.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the wireless device, that the connection to the multimedia playback network via the first network device is no longer available.

2. The method of claim 2, wherein the first network device comprises a wireless access point.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second network device comprises a local node.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second network device further comprises a zone player.

11. A computer readable storage medium including instructions for execution by a processor, the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to implement functions comprising:

connecting, by a wireless device, to a first network device, wherein the first network device provides a connection to a multimedia playback network;

adding, by the wireless device, the connection via the first network device to a list of available network connections;

sending, by the wireless device to a second network device via the first network device, one or more commands to control playback of multimedia by the second network device;

identifying, by the wireless device, one or more additional available connections to the multimedia playback network within range of the wireless device, wherein the one or more additional available connections within range of the wireless device comprises a connection via the second network device;

determining, by the wireless device, that the connection to the second network device is preferred over the connection via the first network device based on one or more characteristics;

based on the determination that the connection via the second network device is preferred over the connection via the first network device, connecting, by the wireless device, to the multimedia playback network via the second network device; and

sending, by the wireless device to the second network device, one or more additional commands to control playback of multimedia by the second network device.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the first network device comprises a wireless access point.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the second network device comprises a local node.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the second network device further comprises a zone player.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the one or more characteristics comprises a respective received signal strength.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein adding the connection via the first network device to the list of available network connections comprises adding a service set identifier (SSID) to the list of available networks.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, the instructions further comprising:

adding, by the network device, the connection via the second network device to the list of available network connections.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein adding the connection via the second network device to the list of available network connections comprises adding, by the network device, the connection via the second network device to the list of available network connections below the connection via the first network device.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, the instructions further comprising:

determining, by the wireless device, that the connection to the multimedia playback network via the first network device is no longer available.

20. A wireless device comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable storage medium including instructions for execution by a processor, the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to implement functions comprising;

connecting to a first network device, wherein the first network device provides a connection to a multimedia playback network;

adding the connection via the first network device to a list of available network connections;

sending, to a second network device via the first network device, one or more commands to control playback of multimedia by the second network device;

identifying one or more additional available connections to the multimedia playback network within range of the wireless device, wherein the one or more additional available connections within range of the wireless device comprises a connection via the second network device;

determining that the connection to the second network device is preferred over the connection via the first network device based on one or more characteristics;

based on the determination that the connection via the second network device is preferred over the connection via the first network device, connecting to the multimedia playback network via the second network device; and

sending, to the second network device, one or more additional commands to control playback of multimedia by the second network device.