Method and apparatus for controlling multimedia players in a multi-zone system
DCFirst Claim
1. A method for controlling a plurality of players, the method comprising:
- displaying on a screen a first list showing at least available players;
displaying, when at least one of the players is selected as a zone group head, on the screen a second list showing at least some of the players that are eligible to be grouped with the zone group head;
forming a zone group started with the zone group head, after one or more players from the at least some of the players are selected to join the zone group; and
synchronizing all players in the zone group;
adjusting a volume meter represented by an averaged value of audio volumes of the slayers in the group, wherein said adjusting of the volume meter includes changing a volume of each of the group of slayers synchronously in accordance with an adjustment made by a user.
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Abstract
Techniques for controlling zone group and zone group characteristics such as audio volume in a multi-zone system are disclosed. The multi-zone system includes a number of multimedia players, each preferably located in a zone. A controller may control the operations of all of the zone players remotely from any one of the zones. Two or more zone players may be dynamically grouped as a zone group for synchronized operations. According to one aspect of the techniques, a zone group configuration can be managed, updated, modified via an interactive user interface provided in a controlling device. The zone group configuration may be saved in one of zone players. According to another aspect of the techniques, the audio volume control of a zone group can be performed individually or synchronously as a group.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A method for controlling a plurality of players, the method comprising:
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displaying on a screen a first list showing at least available players; displaying, when at least one of the players is selected as a zone group head, on the screen a second list showing at least some of the players that are eligible to be grouped with the zone group head; forming a zone group started with the zone group head, after one or more players from the at least some of the players are selected to join the zone group; and synchronizing all players in the zone group; adjusting a volume meter represented by an averaged value of audio volumes of the slayers in the group, wherein said adjusting of the volume meter includes changing a volume of each of the group of slayers synchronously in accordance with an adjustment made by a user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for controlling a plurality of players, the method comprising:
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displaying on a screen a list showing a plurality of volume meters, at least one of the volume meters representing an audio volume of one of the players, and another one of the volume meters representing an audio volume of a group of players, when there is such a group; and adjusting one of the volume meters as desired after one of the volume meters from the list is selected, wherein the one of the volume meters is for the group of players, represented by an averaged value of audio volumes of the players in the group, and said adjusting of the one of the volume meters includes changing a volume of each of the group of slayers synchronously in accordance with an adjustment made by a user. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An apparatus for controlling a plurality of players, the apparatus comprising:
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a screen; a screen driver commanding the screen; an input interface; a network interface; a memory for storing code for an application module; a processor coupled to the memory, the input interface, the screen driver and the network interface, the processor executing the code in the memory to cause the application module and the screen driver to perform operations of; displaying on a screen a first list showing at least available players; displaying a zone group including players from the available players when at least two of the available players are selected to form the zone group, wherein any one of the players in the group serves as a zone group head; synchronizing all players in the zone group in accordance with the zone group head; and adjusting a volume meter represented by an averaged value of audio volumes of the slayers in the group, wherein said adjusting of the volume meter includes changing a volume of each of the group of players synchronously in accordance with an adjustment made by a user. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An apparatus for manipulating a plurality of players, the apparatus comprising:
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a screen; a screen driver commanding the screen; an input interface; a network interface; a memory for storing code for an application module; a processor coupled to the memory, the input interface, the screen driver and the network interface, the processor executing the code in the memory to cause the application module and the screen driver to perform operations of; displaying on a screen a list showing a plurality of volume meters, at least one of the volume meters representing an audio volume of one of the players, and another one of the volume meters representing an audio volume of a group of players, if there is such a group; and adjusting one of the volume meters as desired after one of the volume meters from the list is selected, wherein the one of the volume meters is for the group of players, represented by an averaged value of audio volumes of the slayers in the group, and said adjusting of the one of the volume meters includes changing a volume of each of the group of players synchronously in accordance with an adjustment made by a user. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification