Method and apparatus for updating zone configurations in a multi-zone system

• US 8,843,228 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2013
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Lambourne, Robert A
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCORD, PAUL C
• Application Number:
  US13/896,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20130293345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94
• US Class Current: 700/94
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 1/02 Remote control of amplification, tone or bandwidth combined with remote tuning or selection of resonant circuits H03J
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 7/00 Volume compression or expansion in amplifiers frequency dependent H03G9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• 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 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• 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: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

In general, techniques of controlling a plurality of multimedia players in groups are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a mechanism 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.

Claims

1. In a network comprising a plurality of independent playback devices, a method comprising:

receiving via the network by a controller device, a zone configuration from one of the plurality of independent playback devices, wherein the zone configuration is maintained at one or more of the plurality of independent playback devices, and wherein the zone configuration characterizes one or more zone scenes, each zone scene identifying a group configuration associated with two or more of the plurality of independent playback devices;

receiving, by the controller device, an input to invoke a zone scene of the one or more zone scenes; and

based on the input, instructing, by the controller device, two or more of the plurality of independent playback devices to be grouped in accordance with the invoked zone scene.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more zone scenes further identify one or more attributes associated with the independent playback devices.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more attributes comprises one or more of (i) a volume level for audio playback for each independent playback device in the one or more zone scenes, (ii) a mute or unmute setting for audio playback, (iii) a selection and play of specific music, (iv) a play mode setting, (v) an equalization setting for audio playback, and (vi) an audio alarm.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more zone scenes is associated with a name.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the input comprises an input selecting a specified zone scene from a list of one or more zone scenes.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

instructing, by the controller device, the two or more of the plurality of independent playback devices that were grouped in accordance with the invoked zone scene to synchronously playback first audio content; and

instructing, by the controller device, a third independent playback device in the network to playback second audio content.

6. A multimedia controller including a processor, the controller configured to:

receive, via a network interface, a zone configuration from one of a plurality of independent playback devices, wherein the zone configuration is maintained at one or more of the plurality of independent playback devices, and wherein the zone configuration characterizes one or more zone scenes, each zone scene identifying a group configuration associated with two or more of the plurality of independent playback devices;

receive an input to invoke a zone scene of the one or more zone scenes; and

based on the input, instruct two or more of the plurality of independent playback devices to be grouped in accordance with the invoked zone scene.

7. The multimedia controller of claim 6, wherein the one or more zone scenes further identify one or more attributes associated with the independent playback devices.

8. The multimedia controller of claim 7, wherein the one or more attributes comprises one or more of (i) a volume level for audio playback for each independent playback device in the one or more zone scenes, (ii) a mute or unmute setting for audio playback, (iii) a selection and play of specific music, (iv) a play mode setting, (v) an equalization setting for audio playback, and (vi) an audio alarm.

9. The multimedia controller of claim 6, wherein each of the one or more zone scenes is associated with a name.

10. The multimedia controller of claim 6, wherein the input to comprises an input selecting a specified zone scene from a list of zone scenes.

16. The multimedia controller of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to

instruct the two or more of the plurality of independent playback devices that were grouped in accordance with the invoked zone scene to synchronously playback first audio content;

and

instruct a third independent playback device in the network to playback second audio content.

11. 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:

receive, via a network interface, a zone configuration from one of a plurality of independent playback devices, wherein the zone configuration is maintained at one or more of the plurality of independent playback devices, and wherein the zone configuration characterizes one or more zone scenes, each zone scene identifying a group configuration associated with two or more of the plurality of independent playback devices;

receive an input to invoke a zone scene of the one or more zone scenes; and

based on the input, instruct two or more of the plurality of independent playback devices to be grouped in accordance with the invoked zone scene.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the one or more zone scenes further identify one or more attributes associated with the independent playback devices.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the one or more attributes comprises one or more of (i) a volume level for audio playback for each independent playback device in the one or more zone scenes, (ii) a mute or unmute setting for audio playback, (iii) a selection and play of specific music, (iv) a play mode setting, (v) an equalization setting for audio playback, and (vi) an audio alarm.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the set of instructions, when executed, further cause the controller to:

instruct the two or more of the plurality of independent playback devices that were grouped in accordance with the invoked zone scene to synchronously playback first audio content; and

instruct a third independent playback device in the network to playback second audio content.