Software application and zones

• US 9,300,647 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2014
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Triplett, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): BAYOU, YONAS A
• Application Number:
  US14/155,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20150200923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• 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 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• 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: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings

Abstract

Embodiments described herein relate to a software application that is configured to operate as an add-on software component to audio-playback software on a playback device of a media playback system. One embodiment may involve displaying, on a user interface of a controller of a media playback system, a zone identifier that identifies a zone of the media playback system, where the zone comprises a playback device that has audio-playback software installed thereon; and displaying, on the user interface of the controller, an application identifier in association with the zone identifier, where the application identifier indicates that a software application installed on the playback device is configured to operate as an add-on software component to the audio-playback software.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by one or more processors to cause a control device to perform operations comprising:

displaying, on a user interface, a zone identifier that identifies a zone of a media playback system, wherein the zone comprises one or more playback devices, wherein at least one of the one or more playback devices has audio-playback software installed thereon;

sending, by the control device to a given playback device of the zone, a command that causes the audio playback software to initiate playback of media in the zone;

receiving, via a network interface from the given playback device, status information indicating that a particular add-on software component is assigned to the zone, wherein the particular add-on software component modifies playback of media in the zone; and

displaying, on the user interface of the control device, an application identifier in association with the zone identifier, wherein the application identifier indicates that the particular add-on software component is assigned to the zone.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that the particular add-on software component has been disassociated with the zone; and

in response to the determination, removing the application identifier from being displayed on the user interface of the control device.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the zone includes two or more playback devices, and wherein the operations further comprise

detecting, via the user interface, input indicating a selection of the particular add-on software component;

and

sending a command to assign the particular add-on software component to the zone such that the particular add-on software component modifies synchronous playback by the two or more playback devices.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the zone is a first zone of the media playback system, and wherein the operations further comprise

after displaying the application identifier in association with the zone identifier,

reassigning the particular add-on software component from the zone to a second zone of the media playback system, wherein the second zone comprises one or more playback devices that are different from the one or more playback devices of the first zone;

removing the application identifier in association with the zone identifier from being displayed on the user interface; and

displaying, on the user interface of the control device, the application identifier in association with a zone identifier associated with the second zone.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the zone includes two or more playback devices, and wherein the operations further comprise:

before displaying the application identifier in association with the zone identifier, causing the add-on software component to be installed on the two or more playback devices such that the particular add-on software component modifies synchronous playback by the two or more playback devices.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that the zone is playing audio, wherein the audio is associated with the particular add-on software component; and

in response to the determination, causing the add-on software component to be enabled on the playback device.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the particular add-on software component is configured to change an audio-playback volume of the playback device at one or more frequency ranges.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

before displaying the application identifier in association with the zone identifier, determining that operation of the audio playback software is authorized.

9. A playback device, comprising:

a network interface;

a processor;

a data storage; and

a program logic stored in the data storage and executable by the processor to;

receive an add-on software component via the network interface, wherein the playback device (a) is configured to play audio in a given zone of a media playback system, and (b) has audio-playback software installed thereon;

send status information to a control device of the media playback system, wherein the status information indicates that the add-on software component is installed on the playback device; and

receive a command from the control device of the media playback system to assign the add-on software component to the given zone of the media playback system, wherein the add-on software component modifies playback of media in the given zone;

send status information to the control device of the media playback system, wherein the status information indicates that the add-on software component is assigned to the given zone of the media playback system;

receive a command from the control device that causes the audio-playback software to initiate playback of media in the given zone; and

responsively initiate playback of media, wherein the playback is modified by the add-on software component.

10. The playback device of claim 9, wherein the program logic is further executable by the processor to:

receive a command from the control device that causes the given zone to join a zone group with a second zone of the media playback system, wherein the second zone includes a second playback device; and

wherein initiating playback of media comprises playing back media in synchrony with the second playback device, wherein the synchronous playback is modified by the add-on software component.

11. The playback device of claim 10, wherein the program logic is further executable by the processor to:

responsive to joining the zone group, cause the add-on software component to be installed on the second playback device.

12. The playback device of claim 9, wherein the add-on software component is configured to change an audio-playback volume of the playback device at one or more frequency ranges.

13. The playback device of claim 9, wherein initiating playback of media comprises executing the add-on software component on the playback device to alter equalization of the playback device when the add-on software component is assigned to the given zone of the media playback system.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a playback device to cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:

receiving a command from a control device of a media playback system to assign an add-on software component to a given zone of the media playback system, wherein the playback device (a) is configured to play audio in the given zone of the media playback system, and (b) has audio-playback software installed thereon;

sending status information to the control device of the media playback system, wherein the status information indicates that the add-on software component is assigned to the given zone;

receive a command from the control device that causes the audio-playback software to initiate playback of media in the given zone; and

responsively initiate playback of media, wherein the playback is modified by the add-on software component.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, the functions further comprising:

receiving a command from the control device that causes the given zone to join a zone group with a second zone of the media playback system, wherein the second zone includes a second playback device;

wherein initiating playback of media comprises playing back media in synchrony with the second playback device, wherein the synchronous playback is modified by the add-on software component.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, the functions further comprising:

responsive to joining the zone group, causing an the add-on software component to be installed on the second playback device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the add-on software component is configured to change an audio-playback volume of the playback device at one or more frequency ranges.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein initiating playback of media comprises executing the add-on software component on the playback device to alter equalization of the playback device when the add-on software component is assigned to the given zone of the media playback system.