Controlling and grouping in a multi-zone media system

• US 9,202,509 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2011
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Kallai, Christopher, Ericson, Michael Darrell Andrew, Lambourne, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCORD, PAUL C
• Application Number:
  US13/013,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20130243199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,771 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94, 381104-109, 704500-502, 715/716
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/433 using audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4307 Synchronising the rendering of multiple content streams or additional data on devices, e.g. synchronisation of audio on a mobile phone with the video output on the TV screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43072 of multiple content streams on the same device
• 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: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• 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: H04S 2400/01 Multi-channel, i.e. more than two input channels, sound reproduction with two speakers wherein the multi-channel information is substantially preserved
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/13 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in stereophonic sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/008 in which the audio signals are in digital form, i.e. employing more than two discrete digital channels data reduction aspects thereof based on psychoacoustics G10L19/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/308 Electronic adaptation dependent on speaker or headphone connection

Abstract

Techniques for grouping or pairing individual audio products with network capability (players) to stimulate a multi-channel listening environment are disclosed. In instead of grouping selected players to play back an audio item, a user is allowed to activate one of the players to process the data of the audio item, essentially separating the data into individual streams, each of the streams representing a single-sound track and being played back in one of the players, thus creating a multi-channel listening environment with the selected players.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying, via a controller, a plurality of playback devices on a local area network (LAN), wherein at least one of the plurality of playback devices is configured to request an audio data stream from a source device in response to receipt of a command via the controller over the LAN;

instructing, via the controller over the LAN, at least one of the plurality of playback devices to process the requested audio data stream into at least one of a first and a second channel of the requested audio data stream and to reproduce a respective one of the first and the second channel, wherein the plurality of playback devices, when grouped, provide multi-channel sound, such that a first playback device in the group of the plurality of playback devices is configured as part of the group to reproduce the first channel of the requested audio data stream for the group and a second playback device in the group of the plurality of playback devices is configured as part of the group to reproduce the second channel of the requested audio data stream for the group; and

displaying, via the controller, an indication that each of the plurality of playback devices is configured to reproduce a respective channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein grouping the plurality of playback devices to provide multi-channel sound comprises selecting which playback device of the plurality of playback devices is to reproduce a particular channel of the requested audio data stream.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the playback devices in the group is configured to, on behalf of the group, obtain the requested audio data stream from a source device in response to receipt of a command via the controller.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing a user, via the controller, to adjust a volume of the grouping.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing a user, via the controller, to at least one of:

a) separate the group and b) rename the group.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the group comprises a stereo pair of the plurality of playback devices, such that one of the plurality of playback devices reproduces a right channel of the requested audio data stream and one of the plurality of playback devices reproduces a left channel of the requested audio data stream.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the group consists of one playback device that reproduces a low frequency channel of the requested audio data stream and at least one other playback device that reproduces other channels of the requested audio data stream.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the controller provides a graphical user interface showing available playback devices on the LAN, and wherein the controller groups the plurality of playback devices based on user selection among the available playback devices via the graphical user interface.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the graphical user interface shows groups of playback devices.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing a user to control, via the controller, one or more channels of multi-channel sound in the group of the plurality of playback devices.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication that the plurality of playback devices are grouped for multi-channel audio comprises a single zone representation of the group of the plurality of playback devices for user selection via the controller.

11. A system for a multi-channel listening environment, the system comprising:

a controller arranged to provide a multi-channel listening environment by;

identifying, via the controller, a plurality of playback devices on a local area network (LAN), wherein at least one of the plurality of playback devices is configured to request an audio data stream from a source device in response to receipt of a command via the controller over the LAN;

instructing, via the controller over the LAN, at least one of the plurality of playback devices to process the requested audio data stream into at least one of a first and a second channel of the requested audio data stream and to reproduce a respective one of the first and the second channel, wherein the plurality of playback devices, when grouped, provide multi-channel sound, such that a first playback device in the group of the plurality of playback devices is configured as part of the group to reproduce the first channel of the requested audio data stream for the group and a second playback device in the group of the plurality of playback devices is configured as part of the group to reproduce the second channel of the requested audio data stream for the group; and

displaying, via the controller, an indication that each of the plurality of playback devices is configured to reproduce a respective channel.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein grouping the plurality of playback devices to provide multi-channel sound comprises selecting which playback device of the plurality of playback devices is to reproduce a particular channel of the requested audio data stream.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein one of the playback devices in the group is configured to, on behalf of the group, obtain the requested audio data stream from a source device in response to receipt of a command via the controller.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further arranged to allow a user, via the controller, to adjust a volume of the grouping.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further arranged to allow a user, via the controller, to at least one of:

a) separate the group and b) rename the group.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the group comprises a stereo pair of the plurality of playback devices, such that one of the plurality of playback devices reproduces a right channel of the requested audio data stream and one of the plurality of playback devices reproduces a left channel of the requested audio data stream.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the group consists of one playback device that reproduces a low frequency channel of the requested audio data stream and at least one other playback device that reproduces other channels of the requested audio data stream.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is to provide a graphical user interface showing available playback devices on the LAN, the controller grouping the plurality of playback devices based on user selection among the available playback devices via the graphical user interface.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the graphical user interface shows groupings of playback devices.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further arranged to allow a user to control, via the controller, one or more channels of multi-channel sound in the group of the plurality of playback devices.

21. The system of claim 11, wherein the indication that the plurality of playback devices are grouped for multi-channel audio comprises a single zone representation of the group of the plurality of playback devices for user selection via the controller.

23. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a computing device to implement a method comprising:

identifying, via the computing device, a plurality of playback devices on a local area network (LAN), wherein at least one of the plurality of playback devices is configured to request an audio data stream from a source device in response to receipt of a command via the computing device over the LAN;

instructing, via the computing device over the LAN, at least one of the plurality of playback devices to process the requested audio data stream into at least one of a first and a second channel of the requested audio data stream and to reproduce a respective one of the first and the second channel, wherein the plurality of playback devices, when grouped, provide multi-channel sound, such that a first playback device in the group of the plurality of playback devices is configured as part of the group to reproduce the first channel of the requested audio data stream for the group and a second playback device in the group of the plurality of playback devices is configured as part of the group to reproduce the second channel of the requested audio data stream for the group; and

displaying, via the computing device, an indication that each of the plurality of playback devices is configured to reproduce a respective channel.

24. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein grouping the plurality of playback devices to provide multi-channel sound comprises selecting which playback device of the plurality of playback devices is to reproduce a particular channel of the requested audio data stream.

25. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein one of the playback devices in the group is configured to, on behalf of the group, obtain the requested audio data stream from a source device in response to receipt of a command via the computing device.

26. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 23, further comprising allowing a user, via the computing device, to adjust a volume of the grouping.

27. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 23, further comprising allowing a user, via the computing device, to at least one of:

a) separate the group and b) rename the group.

28. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the group comprises a stereo pair of the plurality of playback devices, such that one of the plurality of playback devices reproduces a right channel of the requested audio data stream and one of the plurality of playback devices reproduces a left channel of the requested audio data stream.

29. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the group comprises one playback device that reproduces a low frequency channel of the requested audio data stream and at least one other playback device that reproduces other channels of the requested audio data stream.

30. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the computing device displays a graphical user interface showing available playback devices on the LAN, and wherein the computing device groups the plurality of playback devices based on user selection among the available playback devices via the graphical user interface.

31. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 30, wherein the graphical user interface shows groups of playback devices.

32. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises allowing a user to control, via the computing device, one or more channels of multi-channel sound in the group of the plurality of playback devices.