Method and apparatus for obtaining audio content and providing the audio content to a plurality of audio devices in a multi-zone system
First Claim
1. A method performed by a computing device, the method comprising:
- configuring two or more audio playback devices to playback audio in synchrony;
transmitting computing device clock information to the two or more audio playback devices;
receiving a control input indicating a selection of one of a plurality of audio information sources, wherein each of the plurality of audio information sources is accessible over a network; and
in response to receiving the control input, (i) requesting audio information from the selected audio information source, (ii) receiving the requested audio information from the selected audio information source, (iii) after receiving at least some of the requested audio information, generating a plurality of frames comprising the requested audio information and playback timing information, wherein at least one packet comprises at least a portion of the requested audio information and playback timing information for the at least one packet, and (iv) streaming the generated frames comprising the audio information and the playback timing information from a network interface to the two or more audio playback devices for playback in synchrony by the two or more audio playback devices, wherein the two or more audio playback devices remain independently clocked while playing back the requested audio information in synchrony.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An audio processing device comprising: a network interface configured to receive audio information from a network; a user interface module that includes a display configured to display a plurality of audio information sources available via the network; a control module configured to receive control input from the user interface module indicating a selection of one of the plurality of audio information sources; an audio information channelization device connected to the network interface configured (i) to receive a list of audio tracks to be played, (ii) to request the audio information from the selected one of the plurality of audio information sources according to the list, and (iii) to transmit the audio information in packet form via the network interface to two or more audio playback devices.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A method performed by a computing device, the method comprising:
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configuring two or more audio playback devices to playback audio in synchrony; transmitting computing device clock information to the two or more audio playback devices; receiving a control input indicating a selection of one of a plurality of audio information sources, wherein each of the plurality of audio information sources is accessible over a network; and in response to receiving the control input, (i) requesting audio information from the selected audio information source, (ii) receiving the requested audio information from the selected audio information source, (iii) after receiving at least some of the requested audio information, generating a plurality of frames comprising the requested audio information and playback timing information, wherein at least one packet comprises at least a portion of the requested audio information and playback timing information for the at least one packet, and (iv) streaming the generated frames comprising the audio information and the playback timing information from a network interface to the two or more audio playback devices for playback in synchrony by the two or more audio playback devices, wherein the two or more audio playback devices remain independently clocked while playing back the requested audio information in synchrony. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method performed by an audio processing device, the method comprising:
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displaying, on a screen, a plurality of audio information sources available at a plurality of corresponding network locations; configuring two or more audio playback devices to playback audio in synchrony; transmitting device clock information of the audio processing device to the two or more audio playback devices; receiving a selection of one of the plurality of audio information sources; and in response to receiving the selection, (i) requesting audio information from the selected audio information source, (ii) receiving the requested audio information from the selected audio information source, (iii) generating a plurality of frames, wherein an individual frame comprises a portion of the requested audio information and playback timing information for the individual frame, and (iv) streaming the plurality of generated frames to the two or more audio playback devices for playback in synchrony by the two or more audio playback devices, wherein the two or more audio playback devices remain independently clocked while playing back the requested audio information in synchrony. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method performed by a computing device, the method comprising:
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displaying, on a screen, a plurality of audio information sources, wherein each audio information source is available via a network; configuring two or more audio playback devices to playback audio in synchrony; transmitting device clock information of the computing device to the two or more audio playback devices; receiving a selection of one of the plurality of audio information sources; in response to receiving the selection of the audio information source, obtaining a list of audio tracks from the selected audio information source; receiving a selection of an audio track from the list of audio tracks; and in response to receiving the selection of the audio track, (i) requesting the selected audio track from the selected audio information source;
(ii) receiving the selected audio track from the selected audio information source;
(iii) generating a plurality of packets, wherein at least one packet comprises at least a portion of the selected audio track and playback timing information for the at least one packet; and
(iv) streaming the plurality of generated packets from a network interface of the computing device to the two or more audio playback devices for playback in synchrony by the two or more audio playback devices, wherein the two or more audio playback devices remain independently clocked while playing back the selected audio track in synchrony. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a computing device to perform a method comprising:
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configuring two or more audio playback devices to playback audio in synchrony; transmitting computing device clock information to the two or more audio playback devices; receiving control input indicating a selection of one of a plurality of audio information sources, wherein each of the plurality of audio information sources is accessible over a network; and in response to receiving the control input, (i) requesting audio information from the selected audio information source, (ii) receiving the requested audio information from the selected audio information source, (iii) after receiving at least some of the requested audio information, generating a plurality of frames comprising the requested audio information and playback timing information, wherein at least one frame comprises at least a portion of the requested audio information and playback timing information for the at least one frame, and (iv) streaming the generated frames comprising the audio information and the playback timing information from a network interface to the two or more audio playback devices for playback in synchrony by the two or more audio playback devices, wherein the two or more audio playback devices remain independently clocked while playing back the requested audio information in synchrony. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory with instructions stored therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause an audio processing device to perform a method comprising:
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displaying, on a screen, a plurality of audio information sources available at a plurality of corresponding network locations; configuring two or more audio playback devices to playback audio in synchrony; transmitting device clock information of the audio processing device to the two or more audio playback devices; receiving a selection of one of the plurality of audio information sources; and in response to receiving the selection, (i) requesting audio information from the selected audio information source, (ii) receiving the requested audio information from the selected audio information source, (iii) generating a plurality of frames, wherein an individual frame comprises a portion of the requested audio information and playback timing information for the individual frame, and (iv) streaming the plurality of generated frames to the two or more audio playback devices for playback in synchrony by the two or more audio playback devices, wherein the two or more audio playback devices remain independently clocked while playing back the requested audio information in synchrony. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory having instructions stored therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a computing device to perform a method, the method comprising:
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displaying, on a screen, a plurality of audio information sources, wherein each audio information source is available via a network; configuring two or more audio playback devices to playback audio in synchrony; transmitting device clock information of the computing device to the two or more audio playback devices; receiving a selection of one of the plurality of audio information sources; in response to receiving the selection of the audio information source, obtaining a list of audio tracks from the selected audio information source; receiving a selection of an audio track from the list of audio tracks; and in response to receiving the selection of the audio track, (i) requesting the selected audio track from the selected audio information source;
(ii) receiving the selected audio track from the selected audio information source;
(iii) generating a plurality of packets, wherein at least one packet comprises at least a portion of the selected audio track and playback timing information for the at least one packet; and
(iv) streaming the plurality of generated packets from a network interface of the computing device to the two or more audio playback devices for playback in synchrony by the two or more audio playback devices, wherein the two or more audio playback devices remain independently clocked while playing back the selected audio track in synchrony. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A computing device comprising:
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one or more processors; and tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising; configuring two or more audio playback devices to playback audio in synchrony; transmitting computing device clock information to the two or more audio playback devices; receiving control input indicating a selection of one of a plurality of audio information sources, wherein each of the plurality of audio information sources is accessible over a network; and in response to receiving the control input, (i) requesting audio information from the selected audio information source, (ii) receiving the requested audio information from the selected audio information source, (iii) after receiving at least some of the requested audio information, generating a plurality of frames comprising the requested audio information and playback timing information, wherein at least one frame comprises at least a portion of the requested audio information and playback timing information for the requested audio information, and (iv) streaming the generated frames comprising the audio information and the playback timing information from a network interface to the two or more audio playback devices for playback in synchrony by the two or more audio playback devices, wherein the two or more audio playback devices remain independently clocked while playing back the requested audio information in synchrony. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. An audio processing device comprising:
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one or more processors; and tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory with instructions stored therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the audio processing device to perform a method comprising; displaying, on a screen, a plurality of audio information sources available at a plurality of corresponding network locations; configuring two or more audio playback devices to playback audio in synchrony; transmitting device clock information of the audio processing device to the two or more audio playback devices; receiving a selection of one of the plurality of audio information sources; and in response to receiving the selection, (i) requesting audio information from the selected audio information source, (ii) receiving the requested audio information from the selected audio information source, (iii) generating a plurality of frames, wherein an individual frame comprises a portion of the requested audio information and playback timing information for the portion of the requested audio information, and (iv) streaming the plurality of generated frames to the two or more audio playback devices for playback in synchrony by the two or more audio playback devices, wherein the two or more audio playback devices remain independently clocked while playing the requested audio information in synchrony. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A computing device comprising:
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one or more processors; and tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory having instructions stored therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform a method, the method comprising; displaying, on a screen, a plurality of audio information sources, wherein each audio information source is available via a network; configuring two or more audio playback devices to play back audio in synchrony; transmitting device clock information of the computing device to the two or more audio playback devices; receiving a selection of one of the plurality of audio information sources; in response to receiving the selection of the audio information source, obtaining a list of audio tracks from the selected audio information source; receiving a selection of an audio track from the list of audio tracks; and in response to receiving the selection of the audio track, (i) requesting the selected audio track from the selected audio information source;
(ii) receiving the selected audio track from the selected audio information source;
(iii) generating a plurality of packets, wherein at least one packet comprises at least a portion of the selected audio track and playback timing information for the at least one packet; and
(iv) streaming the plurality of generated packets from a network interface of the computing device to the two or more audio playback devices for playback in synchrony by the two or more audio playback devices, wherein the two or more audio playback devices remain independently clocked while playing back the selected audio track in synchrony. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification