Zone Grouping

• US 20170269900A1
• Filed: 06/05/2017
• Published: 09/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Triplett, Mark W.
• Granted Patent: US 11,036,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• 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

Abstract

An example method involves causing a control device to display a graphical user interface that comprises an indication of a first zone of a media playback system, wherein the media playback system comprises the first zone and a second zone, and wherein the graphical user interface does not comprise an indication of the second zone. The example method further involves detecting, by the control device, an input that indicates a command to cause the first zone to form a zone group with the second zone and play back a target media in synchrony with the second zone. The method further comprises, based on the detected input, causing the first zone to form a zone group with the second zone and play back the target media in synchrony with the second zone.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

causing a control device to display a first graphical user interface that comprises an indication of a first zone of a media playback system and an indication of a media currently playing in the first zone, wherein the media playback system comprises the first zone and a second zone, and wherein the first graphical user interface does not comprise an indication of the second zone, wherein each zone in the media playback system comprises at least one playback device;

after causing the control device to display the first graphical user interface, causing the control device to detect a first input that indicates a command to cause the control device to display a second graphical user interface comprising a list of zones, wherein the list of zones comprises the second zone;

after causing the control device to detect the first input, causing the control device to display the second graphical user interface comprising the list of zones;

after causing the control device to display the second graphical user interface, causing the control device to detect a second input that indicates a command to cause (1) the first zone to form a zone group with the second zone and (2) cause the first zone and the second zone to play back a target media in synchrony; and

after causing the control device to detect the second input, cause (1) the first zone to form the zone group with the second zone and (2) the first zone and the second zone to play back the target media in synchrony.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first zone comprises a zone group comprising two or more zones.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first graphical user interface further comprises a list of media sources.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first graphical user interface further comprises album art corresponding to the media currently playing in the first zone.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of zones further comprises a third zone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second zone comprises a zone group comprising two or more zones.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second graphical user interface comprises a pop-up window with respect to the first graphical interface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second graphical user interface comprises an overlaid menu.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second graphical user interface comprises a user interface that replaces the first graphical user interface.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second graphical user interface further comprises an indication of any media playing in each zone in the list of zones.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second graphical user interface further comprises an indication of additional media that is not currently being played in any zone of the media playback system.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the target media comprises the media currently playing in the first zone.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the target media comprises media currently playing in the second zone.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of zones consists of active zones that are playing back media.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first input comprises a touch-and-hold input.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the second input comprises a touch of the second zone in the list of zones.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for causing a control device to perform functions comprising:

displaying a first graphical user interface that comprises an indication of a first zone of a media playback system and an indication of a media currently playing in the first zone, wherein the media playback system comprises the first zone and a second zone, and wherein the first graphical user interface does not comprise an indication of the second zone, wherein each zone in the media playback system comprises at least one playback device;

after displaying the first graphical user interface, detecting a first input that indicates a command to cause the control device to display a second graphical user interface comprising a list of zones, wherein the list of zones comprises the second zone;

after detecting the first input, displaying the second graphical user interface comprising the list of zones;

after displaying the second graphical user interface, detecting a second input that indicates a command to cause (1) the first zone to form a zone group with the second zone and (2) cause the first zone and the second zone to play back a target media in synchrony; and

after detecting the second input, causing (1) the first zone to form the zone group with the second zone and (2) the first zone and the second zone to play back the target media in synchrony.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the second graphical user interface further comprises an indication of additional media that is not currently being played in any zone of the media playback system.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the second graphical user interface further comprises an indication of any media playing in each zone in the list of zones.

20. A control 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 control device to perform functions comprising;

displaying a first graphical user interface that comprises an indication of a first zone of a media playback system and an indication of a media currently playing in the first zone, wherein the media playback system comprises the first zone and a second zone, and wherein the first graphical user interface does not comprise an indication of the second zone, wherein each zone in the media playback system comprises at least one playback device;

after displaying the first graphical user interface, detecting a first input that indicates a command to cause the control device to display a second graphical user interface comprising a list of zones, wherein the list of zones comprises the second zone;

after detecting the first input, displaying the second graphical user interface comprising the list of zones;

after displaying the second graphical user interface, detecting a second input that indicates a command to cause (1) the first zone to form a zone group with the second zone and (2) cause the first zone and the second zone to play back a target media in synchrony; and

after detecting the second input, causing (1) the first zone to form the zone group with the second zone and (2) the first zone and the second zone to play back the target media in synchrony.