Methods and apparatus to manage zones of a multi-zone media playback system

• US 9,223,490 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2013
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Reimann, Robert, Hoadley, Joni
• Primary Examiner(s): ALVESTEFFER, STEPHEN D
• Application Number:
  US13/915,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20130283161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• 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 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/025 'Virtual' control panels, e.g. Graphical User Interface [GUI]

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to manage zones of a multi-zone media playback system are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a user interface; a controller to configure one or more zone groups each associated with one or more media playback devices; a detector to monitor the user interface for a drag of an icon representative of a first one of the zone groups on the user interface from a first position to a second position; and a configuration implementer to change a configuration of the one or more zone groups in response to a detected drag of the icon.

Claims

1. An apparatus including a processor, the apparatus configured to:

display a first zone group display region including a first status icon and a first zone icon identifying at least one first zone player, the first status icon representative of a first playback status of a first zone group;

display a second zone group display region including a second status icon and a second zone icon identifying at least one second zone player, the second status icon representative of a second playback status of a second zone group; and

in response to a first drag of the first zone icon from a first position to a second position inside the second zone group display region;

cause the at least one first zone player to join the second zone group with the at least one second zone player;

cause the first zone icon to be displayed in the second zone group display region; and

cause the at least one first zone player to adopt the second playback status of the second zone group.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further configured to change the second playback status of the second zone group in response to a second drag of the first status icon inside the second zone group display region.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein changing of the second playback status comprises causing the second playback status to correspond to the first playback status.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein changing of the second playback status comprises causing the at least one second zone player to present media being presented by the at least one first zone player.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further configured to monitor a user interface including the first and second zone group display regions for a drag input.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the first status icon is indicative of a song being played by the at least one first zone player.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the first playback status indicates first media being played in the first zone group;

the second playback status indicates second media being played in the second zone group; and

the apparatus is further configured to cause the at least one first zone player to play the second media in response to the first drag.

8. A method, comprising:

displaying, via a controller device, a first zone group display region including a first status icon and a first zone icon identifying at least one first zone player, the first status icon representative of a first playback status of a first zone group;

displaying, via the controller device, a second zone group display region including a second status icon and a second zone icon identifying at least one second zone player, the second status icon representative of a second playback status of a second zone group; and

in response to a first drag of the first zone icon from a first position to a second position inside the second zone group display region;

causing, via the controller device, the at least one first zone player to join the at least one second zone player in the second zone group;

causing, via the controller device, the first zone icon to be displayed in the second zone group display region; and

causing, via the controller device, the at least one first zone player to adopt the second playback status of the second zone group.

9. The method as defined in claim 8, further comprising changing the second playback status of the second zone group in response to a second drag of the first status icon inside the second zone group display region.

10. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the changing of the second playback status comprises causing the second playback status to correspond to the first playback status.

11. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the changing of the second playback status comprises causing the at least one second zone player to present media being presented by the at least one first zone player.

12. The method as defined in claim 8, further comprising monitoring a user interface including the first and second zone group display regions for a drag input.

13. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein the first status icon is indicative of a song being played by the at least one first zone player.

14. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein:

the first playback status indicates first media being played in the first zone group;

the second playback status indicates second media being played in the second zone group; and

wherein the method further comprises causing the at least one first zone player to play the second media in response to the first drag.

15. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed, cause a computing device to perform a method comprising:

displaying a first zone group display region including a first status icon and a first zone icon identifying at least one first zone player, the first status icon representative of a first playback status of a first zone group;

displaying a second zone group display region including a second status icon and a second zone icon identifying at least one second zone player, the second status icon representative of a second playback status of a second zone group; and

in response to a first drag of the first zone icon from a first position to a second position inside the second zone group display region;

causing the at least one first zone player to join the at least one second zone player in the second zone group;

causing the first zone icon to be displayed in the second zone group display region; and

causing the at least one first zone player to adopt the second playback status of the second zone group.

16. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises changing the second playback status of the second zone group in response to a second drag of the first status icon inside the second zone group display region.

17. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the changing of the second playback status comprises causing the second playback status to correspond to the first playback status.

18. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the changing of the second playback status comprises causing the second zone player to present media being presented by the first zone player.

19. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises monitoring a user interface including the first and second zone group display regions for a drag input.

20. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first status icon is indicative of a song being played by the at least one first zone player.

21. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein:

the first playback status indicates first media being played in the first zone group;

the second playback status indicates second media being played in the second zone group; and

wherein the method further comprises causing the at least one first zone player to play the second media in response to the first drag.