Volume Limit

• US 20160313971A1
• Filed: 04/24/2015
• Published: 10/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Maniskas, Nicholas, Bierbower, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 9,678,708 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/04 in untuned amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3026 the gain being discontinuously variable, e.g. controlled by switching
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 7/002 in untuned or low-frequency amplifiers, e.g. audio amplifiers H03G7/007, H03G7/001, H03G7/008, H03G7/02, H03G7/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 7/005 using discontinuously variable devices, e.g. switch-operated
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use

Abstract

An example playback device may store an active volume state variable in memory, where the active volume state variable corresponds to a current playback volume. The playback device may also store a volume limit state variable in memory, where the volume limit state variable corresponds to a playback volume limit of the playback device. The playback device may detect a command to begin playback of media from a given source and then select a startup playback volume to be one of the current playback volume and the playback volume limit based on the given source of the command to begin playback. The playback device may then play back media at the startup playback volume.

Claims

1. A playback device comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the processor, cause the playback device to perform functions comprising;

storing an active volume state variable in memory, wherein the active volume state variable corresponds to a current playback volume;

storing a volume limit state variable in memory, wherein the volume limit state variable corresponds to a playback volume limit of the playback device;

detecting, by the playback device, a command to begin playback of media from a given source;

selecting a startup playback volume to be one of the current playback volume and the playback volume limit based on the given source of the command to begin playback; and

playing back media at the startup playback volume.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the given source of the detected command is a touch sensor located on the playback device.

3. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the volume limit state variable is a maximum volume state variable, and the playback volume limit is a maximum playback volume, and wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:

determining that the active volume state variable is greater than the maximum volume state variable, and wherein the selected startup playback volume is the maximum playback volume.

4. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the volume limit state variable is a maximum volume state variable, and the playback volume limit is a maximum playback volume, and wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:

determining that the active volume state variable is not greater than the maximum volume state variable, and wherein the selected startup playback volume is the current playback volume.

5. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device is part of a media playback system comprising a plurality of playback zones and a control device, wherein the playback device is in a first playback zone, wherein the given source of the detected command is a touch sensor on the control device, and wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:

determining that the control device is within a second playback zone; and

based on the determination that the control device is within the second playback zone, adjusting the volume limit state variable.

6. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:

detecting, by the playback device, a command to pause play back of media from the playback device;

based on the detected command to pause play back of media (1) pausing playback of media from the playback device, and (2) determining a first time corresponding to the command to pause playback of media; and

based on the detected command to begin playback of media, (1) determining a second time corresponding to the command to begin playback of media, and (2) determining that a difference between the first time and the second time exceeds a threshold pause time period.

7. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:

detecting, by the playback device, a command to pause play back of media from the playback device;

based on the detected command to pause play back of media, (1) pausing playback of media from the playback device, and (2) determining a first time corresponding to the command to pause playback of media; and

based on the detected command to begin playback of media, (1) determining a second time corresponding to the command to begin playback of media, and (2) determining that a difference between the first time and the second time does not exceed a threshold pause time period.

8. A playback device comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the processor, cause the playback device to perform functions comprising;

storing, by the playback device, a maximum volume state variable corresponding to a maximum playback volume of the playback device;

detecting, while the playback device is in a paused state for play back of media, a command received from a given source to increase the playback volume of the playback device to a proposed playback volume;

determining an active volume state variable based on (1) the given source and (2) a comparison of the proposed playback volume to the maximum volume state variable, wherein the active volume state variable corresponds to a current playback volume; and

storing the active volume state variable in memory.

9. The playback device of claim 8, wherein the given source of the detected command is a touch sensor located on the playback device.

10. The playback device of claim 8, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:

determining that the proposed playback volume is greater than the maximum volume state variable, and wherein the current playback volume is the maximum playback volume.

11. The playback device of claim 8, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:

determining that the proposed playback volume is not greater than the maximum volume state variable, and wherein the current playback volume is the proposed playback volume.

12. The playback device of claim 8, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:

detecting a command to begin playback of media; and

based on the command to begin playback of media, playing back media at the current playback volume.

13. A method comprising:

storing, by a playback device, an active volume state variable in memory, wherein the active volume state variable corresponds to a current playback volume;

storing a volume limit state variable in memory, wherein the volume limit state variable corresponds to a playback volume limit of the playback device;

detecting, by the playback device, a command to begin playback of media from a given source;

selecting a startup playback volume to be one of the current playback volume and the playback volume limit based on the given source of the command to begin playback; and

playing back media at the startup playback volume.

14. The method of claim 14, wherein the given source of the detected command is a touch sensor located on the playback device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the volume limit state variable is a maximum volume state variable, and the playback volume limit is a maximum playback volume, the method further comprising:

determining that the active volume state variable is greater than the maximum volume state variable, and wherein the selected startup playback volume is determined to be the maximum playback volume.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the volume limit state variable is a maximum volume state variable, and the playback volume limit is a maximum playback volume, the method further comprising:

determining that the active volume state variable is not greater than the maximum volume state variable, and wherein the selected startup playback volume is determined to be the current playback volume.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the playback device is part of a media playback system comprising a plurality of playback zones and a control device, wherein the playback device is in a first playback zone, and wherein the given source of the detected command is a touch sensor on the control device, the method further comprising:

determining that the control device is within a second playback zone; and

based on the determination that the control device is within the second playback zone, adjusting the volume limit state variable.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

detecting, by the playback device, a command to pause play back of media from the playback device;

based on the detected command to pause play back of media (a) pausing playback of media from the playback device, and (b) determining a first time corresponding to the command to pause playback of media;

based on the detected command to begin playback of media, (a) determining a second time corresponding to the command to begin playback of media, and (b) determining that a difference between the first time and the second time exceeds a threshold pause time period.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

detecting, by the playback device, a command to pause play back of media from the playback device;

based on the detected command to pause play back of media (a) pausing playback of media from the playback device, and (b) determining a first time corresponding to the command to pause playback of media;

based on the detected command to begin playback of media, (a) determining a second time corresponding to the command to begin playback of media, and (b) determining that a difference between the first time and the second time does not exceed a threshold pause time period; and

playing back media at the current playback volume.