Communication Based on Operation Mode

• US 20160124705A1
• Filed: 01/13/2016
• Published: 05/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Gossain, Hrishikesh
• Granted Patent: US 9,965,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/46 in multi hop networks, e.g. wireless relay networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Embodiments are provided for utilizing communication routes based operation mode. In an example implementation, while operating in a first operation mode, a playback device may communicate with a second playback device of the networked media system via a first route and a second route. The playback device may determine that the first playback device is to enter a second operation mode. Responsive to the determination, the playback device may (i) transmit, to the second playback device, a message to cause the second playback device to cease communication with the first playback device via the first route, and (ii) operate in the second operation mode.

Claims

1. A first playback device of a networked media system, the first playback device comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory having stored thereon instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the playback device to perform functions comprising;

while operating in a first operation mode, communicating with a second playback device of the networked media system via a first route and a second route;

determining that the first playback device is to enter a second operation mode;

responsive to the determination, (i) transmitting, to the second playback device, a message to cause the second playback device to cease communication with the first playback device via the first route, and (ii) operating in the second operation mode.

2. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein determining that the first playback device is to enter a second operation mode comprises:

determining that a battery power level of the first playback device is below a predetermined threshold value.

3. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein determining that the first playback device is to enter a second operation mode comprises:

determining that the first playback device has not rendered audio content for a predetermined duration of time.

4. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

while the first playback device is in the second operation mode, determining that the first playback device is to enter the first operation mode; and

after entering the first operation mode, transmitting, to the second playback device, a message to cause the second playback device to resume communication with the first playback device via the first route.

5. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the first operation mode is a full-power operation mode and the second operation mode is a low-power operation mode.

6. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein operating in the second operation mode comprises:

disabling one or more audio processing components of the first playback device.

7. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

prior to communicating with a second playback device of the networked media system via the first route and the second route, identifying, in the networked media system, at least the second playback device; and

configuring the first route and the second route for communication between the first playback device and the second playback device.

8. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the first route comprises a direct communication route between the first playback device and the second playback device.

9. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the second route comprises a communication route between the first playback device and the second playback device according to a spanning tree protocol.

10. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein operating in the first operation mode comprises consuming a greater amount of power than that consumed in the second operation mode.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a first playback device of a networked media system to perform functions comprising:

while operating in a first operation mode, communicating with a second playback device of the networked media system via a first route and a second route;

determining that the first playback device is to enter a second operation mode;

responsive to the determination, (i) transmitting, to the second playback device, a message to cause the second playback device to cease communication with the first playback device via the first route, and (ii) operating in the second operation mode.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein determining that the first playback device is to enter a second operation mode comprises:

determining that a battery power level of the first playback device is below a predetermined threshold value.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein determining that the first playback device is to enter a second operation mode comprises:

determining that the first playback device has not rendered audio content for a predetermined duration of time.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the functions further comprise:

while the first playback device is in the second operation mode, determining that the first playback device is to enter the first operation mode; and

after entering the first operation mode, transmitting, to the second playback device, a message to cause the second playback device to resume communication with the first playback device via the first route.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein entering the second operation mode comprises:

disabling one or more audio processing components of the first playback device.

16. A method comprising:

while operating in a first operation mode, communicating, by a first playback device, with a second playback device of the networked media system via a first route and a second route;

determining, by the first playback device, that the first playback device is to enter a second operation mode;

responsive to the determination, (i) transmitting to the second playback device, a message to cause the second playback device to cease communication with the first playback device via the first route, and (ii) operating in the second operation mode.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

prior to communicating with a second playback device of the networked media system via the first route and the second route, identifying in the networked media system, by the first playback device, at least the second playback device; and

configuring, by the first playback device, the first route and the second route for communication between the first playback device and the second playback device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first route comprises a direct communication route between the first playback device and the second playback device.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the second route comprises a communication route between the first playback device and the second playback device according to a spanning tree protocol.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the first operation mode comprises consuming a greater amount of power than that consumed in the second operation mode.