Wearable device zone group control

• US 9,483,230 B1
• Filed: 04/09/2015
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Bates, Paul Andrew, Storlie, Danielle
• Primary Examiner(s): Flanders, Andrew C
• Application Number:
  US14/682,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20160299736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• 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: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/007 for public address systems public address systems per se H04R27/00

Abstract

Examples disclosed and described herein facilitate zone grouping and adjustment of zone representation dependent upon a zone'"'"'s grouping status. An example method includes affecting, via a computing device, display and control of a user interface configured for a display of a wearable device, the user interface arranged to display at least a first item and a second item. The first item is displayed using a first graphical characteristic, and the second item is displayed using a second graphical characteristic. Each item corresponds to a zone and selectable to cause the corresponding zone to be added to a zone group. The example method includes triggering, via the computing device based on a selection, a joining of a second zone with a selected first zone group including a first zone represented by the first item.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a communication interface configured to exchange data and commands between the computing device and a wearable device to control of a playback system; and

a processor configured to receive and process input in conjunction with the communication interface to facilitate control of the playback system, the processor configured to;

affect display and control of a user interface configured for a display of the wearable device, the user interface forming a control interface to affect a configuration of playback devices in the playback system, each playback device in the playback system associated with at least one zone, the control interface arranged to display at least a first item and a second item, wherein the first item is displayed using a first graphical characteristic and the second item is displayed using a second graphical characteristic, each item corresponding to a zone and selectable to cause the corresponding zone to be added to a zone group, the configuration of the playback devices in the playback system including the zone group;

trigger, based on a selection of the second item via the user interface, a joining of a second zone corresponding to the second item with a first zone group including a first zone represented by the first item; and

transmit an updated configuration to at least one playback device in the playback system, the updated configuration based on the joining of the second zone to the first zone group.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first zone group includes the first zone and a third zone displayed using the first graphical characteristic.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the wearable device comprises a watch.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the computing device comprises a controller application running on at least one of a smart phone and a tablet computer.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising, prior to the selection of the second item, displaying a plurality of mode options and receiving a selection of an edit mode from the plurality of mode options.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller relays the updated configuration from the wearable device to a plurality of playback devices corresponding to the plurality of zones in the playback system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the graphical representations of the zones include at least an alphanumeric zone name displayed according to a corresponding color associated with the respective zone.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first graphical characteristic comprises at least one of a first color, a first shading, or a first pattern, and wherein the second graphical characteristic comprises at least one of a second color, a second shading, or a second pattern.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to cause the wearable device to update the graphical representation of the second item based on the joining of the second zone to the first zone group, to display the second item using the first graphical characteristic.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to implement a method, the method comprising:

affecting, via the computing device, display and control of a user interface configured for a display of a wearable device, the user interface forming a control interface to affect a configuration of playback devices in a playback system, each playback device in the playback system associated with at least one zone, the control interface arranged to display at least a first item and a second item, wherein the first item is displayed using a first graphical characteristic and the second item is displayed using a second graphical characteristic, each item corresponding to a zone and selectable to cause the corresponding zone to be added to a zone group, the configuration of the playback devices in the playback system including the zone group;

triggering, via the computing device based on a selection of the second item via the user interface, a joining of a second zone corresponding to the second item with a first zone group including a first zone represented by the first item;

and transmitting, via the computing device, an updated configuration to at least one playback device in the playback system, the updated configuration based on the joining of the second zone to the first zone group.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the first zone group includes the first zone and a third zone displayed using the first graphical characteristic.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the wearable device comprises a watch.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the computing device comprises a controller application running on at least one of a smart phone and a tablet computer.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions cause the computing device to cause the wearable device to update the graphical representation of the second item based on the joining of the second zone to the first zone group, to display the second item using the first graphical characteristic.

15. A method comprising:

affecting, via a computing device, display and control of a user interface configured for a display of a wearable device, the user interface forming a control interface to affect a configuration of playback devices in a playback system, each playback device in the playback system associated with at least one zone, the control interface arranged to display at least a first item and a second item, wherein the first item is displayed using a first graphical characteristic and the second item is displayed using a second graphical characteristic, each item corresponding to a zone and selectable to cause the corresponding zone to be added to a zone group, the configuration of the playback devices in the playback system including the zone group;

triggering, via the computing device based on a selection of the second item via the user interface, a joining of a second zone corresponding to the second item with a first zone group including a first zone represented by the first item;

and

transmitting, via the computing device, an updated configuration to at least one playback device in the playback system, the updated configuration based on the joining of the second zone to the first zone group.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first zone group includes the first zone and a third zone displayed using the first graphical characteristic.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the wearable device comprises a watch, and wherein the computing device comprises a controller application running on at least one of a smart phone and a tablet computer.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the controller relays the updated configuration from the wearable device to a plurality of playback devices corresponding to the plurality of zones in the playback system.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first graphical characteristic comprises at least one of a first color, a first shading, or a first pattern and wherein the second graphical characteristic comprises at least one of a second color, a second shading, or a second pattern.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising causing the wearable device to update the graphical representation of the second item based on the joining of the second zone to the first zone group, to display the second item using the first graphical characteristic.