Software Application and Zones

• US 20170060528A1
• Filed: 10/31/2016
• Published: 03/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Triplett, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 10,452,342 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• 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: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings

Abstract

Embodiments described herein relate to a software application that is configured to operate as an add-on software component to audio-playback software on a playback device of a media playback system. One embodiment may involve displaying, on a user interface of a controller of a media playback system, a zone identifier that identifies a zone of the media playback system, where the zone comprises a playback device that has audio-playback software installed thereon; and displaying, on the user interface of the controller, an application identifier in association with the zone identifier, where the application identifier indicates that a software application installed on the playback device is configured to operate as an add-on software component to the audio-playback software.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying, on a user interface of a controller of a media playback system, a zone identifier that identifies a zone of the media playback system, wherein the zone comprises a playback device that has audio-playback software installed thereon; and

displaying, on the user interface of the controller, an application identifier in association with the zone identifier, wherein the application identifier indicates that a software application installed on the playback device is configured to operate as an add-on software component to the audio-playback software.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the software application has been disassociated with the zone; and

in response to the determination, removing the application identifier from being displayed on the user interface of the controller.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

before displaying the application identifier in association with the zone identifier, receiving the software application from a remote server; and

assigning the software application to the zone.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

after displaying the application identifier in association with the zone identifier, reassigning the software application from the zone to a different zone;

removing the application identifier in association with the zone identifier from being displayed on the user interface; and

displaying, on the user interface of the controller, the application identifier in association with a zone identifier associated with the different zone.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

before displaying the application identifier in association with the zone identifier, causing the software application to be installed on the playback device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the zone is playing audio, wherein the audio is associated with the software application; and

in response to the determination, causing the software application to be executed on the playback device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the software application is further configured to change the audio-playback volume of the playback device at one or more frequency ranges.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

before displaying the application identifier in association with the zone identifier, determining whether operation of the software application is authorized.

9. A playback device, comprising:

a network interface;

a processor;

a data storage; and

a program logic stored in the data storage and executable by the processor to;

receive a software application via the network interface, wherein the playback device (a) is configured to play audio in a zone of a media playback system, and (b) has audio-playback software installed thereon;

send status information to a controller of the media playback system, wherein the status information indicates that the software application is installed on the playback device; and

receive a command from the controller of the media playback system to assign the software application to the zone of the media playback system, wherein the software application is configured to operate as an add-on software component to the audio-playback software.

10. The playback device of claim 9, wherein the program logic is further executable by the processor to:

after receiving the software application via the network interface, install the software application on the playback device.

11. The playback device of claim 9, wherein the software application is further configured to change the audio-playback volume of the playback device at one or more frequency ranges.

12. The playback device of claim 9, wherein the program logic is further executable by the processor to:

send status information to the controller of the media playback system, wherein the status information indicates that the software application is assigned to the zone of the media playback system.

13. The playback device of claim 9, wherein the program logic is further executable by the processor to:

cause an application identifier in association with a zone identifier to be displayed on a user interface of a controller.

14. The playback device of claim 9, wherein the program logic is further executable to:

receive a command to play an audio content; and

execute the software application on the playback device to alter the audio content when the software application is assigned to the zone of the media playback system.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a computing system to cause the computing system to perform functions comprising:

receiving a command from a controller of a media playback system to assign a software application to a zone of the media playback system, wherein the playback device (a) is configured to play audio in the zone of the media playback system, and (b) has audio-playback software installed thereon;

providing an interface to receive the software application on the playback device, wherein the software application is configured to operate as an add-on software component to the audio-playback software; and

sending status information to a controller of the media playback system, wherein the status information indicates that the software application is installed on the playback device.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, the functions further comprising:

after providing the interface to receive the software application on a playback device, receiving, via the interface, the software application from a remote server; and

installing the software application on the playback device.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the software application is further configured to change the audio-playback volume of the playback device at one or more frequency ranges.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, the functions further comprising:

sending status information to the controller of the media playback system, wherein the status information indicates that the software application is assigned to the zone of the media playback system.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, the functions further comprising:

causing an application identifier in association with a zone identifier to be displayed on a user interface of a controller.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, the functions further comprising:

receive a command to play an audio content; and

execute the software application on the playback device to alter the audio content when the software application is assigned to the zone of the media playback system.