User interfaces for controlling and manipulating groupings in a multi-zone media system
First Claim
1. A multimedia controller including a processor, the controller configured to:
- provide a user interface in association with a zone group configuration, the zone group configuration characterizing a first zone group including at least two zones in a local area network, each zone containing at least one player configured to playback a multimedia output from a multimedia source;
accept user input via the user interface to facilitate formation of a zone scene configuration by selecting;
1) a plurality of players in the local area network to form at least a second zone group associated with the zone scene,
2) the multimedia source for playback, and
3) the duration of playback, and the zone scene configuration identifying the selected players, the multimedia source to playback and the duration of playback; and
transmit the zone scene configuration to a player of a zone in the zone scene to save the zone scene configuration and to, when the zone scene is activated, cause the player to configure the players in the second zone group to synchronize playback of the multimedia output from the selected multimedia source in accordance with the zone scene configuration, wherein the zone scene configuration also includesactivation of the second zone group automatically at a specified time, and wherein upon completion of the duration of playback associated with the activated zone scene, the players automatically reconfigure into the first zone group in which the players were arranged prior to activation of the zone scene.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In general, user interfaces for controlling a plurality of multimedia players in groups are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a user interface is provided to allow a user to group some of the players according to a theme or scene, where each of the players is located in a zone. When the scene is activated, the players in the scene react in a synchronized manner. For example, the players in the scene are all caused to play a multimedia source or music in a playlist, wherein the multimedia source may be located anywhere on a network. The user interface is further configured to illustrate graphically a size of a group, the larger the group appears relatively, the more plays there are in the group.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A multimedia controller including a processor, the controller configured to:
-
provide a user interface in association with a zone group configuration, the zone group configuration characterizing a first zone group including at least two zones in a local area network, each zone containing at least one player configured to playback a multimedia output from a multimedia source; accept user input via the user interface to facilitate formation of a zone scene configuration by selecting;
1) a plurality of players in the local area network to form at least a second zone group associated with the zone scene,
2) the multimedia source for playback, and
3) the duration of playback, and the zone scene configuration identifying the selected players, the multimedia source to playback and the duration of playback; andtransmit the zone scene configuration to a player of a zone in the zone scene to save the zone scene configuration and to, when the zone scene is activated, cause the player to configure the players in the second zone group to synchronize playback of the multimedia output from the selected multimedia source in accordance with the zone scene configuration, wherein the zone scene configuration also includes activation of the second zone group automatically at a specified time, and wherein upon completion of the duration of playback associated with the activated zone scene, the players automatically reconfigure into the first zone group in which the players were arranged prior to activation of the zone scene. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including a set of instructions for execution by a processor, the set of instructions, when executed, implement a controller configured to:
-
provide a user interface in association with a zone group configuration, the zone group configuration characterizing a first zone group including at least two zones in a local area network, each zone containing at least one player configured to playback a multimedia output from a multimedia source; accept user input via the user interface to facilitate formation of a zone scene configuration by selecting;
1) a plurality of players in the local area network, to form at least a second zone group associated with the zone scene,
2) the multimedia source for playback, and
3) the duration of playback, and the zone scene configuration identifying the selected players, the multimedia source to playback and the duration of playback; andtransmit the zone scene configuration to a player of a zone in the zone scene to save the zone scene configuration and to, when the zone scene is activated, cause the player to configure the players in the second zone group to synchronize playback of the multimedia output from the selected multimedia source in accordance with the zone scene configuration, wherein the zone scene configuration also includes activation of the second zone group automatically at a specified time, and wherein upon completion of the duration of playback associated with the activated zone scene, the players automatically reconfigure into the first zone group in which the players were arranged prior to activation of the zone scene. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method for configuring a group of zone players, the method comprising:
-
providing an electronic user interface in association with a zone group configuration, the zone group configuration characterizing a first zone group including at least two zones in a local area network, each zone containing at least one player configured to playback a multimedia output from a multimedia source; accepting user input via the user interface to facilitate formation of a zone scene configuration by selecting;
1) a plurality of players in the local area network to form at least a second zone group associated with the zone scene,
2) the multimedia source for playback, and
3) the duration of playback, and the zone scene configuration identifying the selected players, the multimedia source to playback and the duration of playback; andtransmitting, using a processor, the zone scene configuration to a player of a zone in the zone scene to save the zone scene configuration and to, when the zone scene is activated, cause the player to configure the players in the second zone group to synchronize playback of the multimedia output from the selected multimedia source in accordance with the zone scene configuration, wherein the zone scene configuration also includes activation, using a processor, of the second zone group automatically at a specified time, and wherein upon completion of the duration of playback associated with the activated zone scene, the players automatically reconfigure into the first zone group in which the players were arranged prior to activation of the zone scene. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification