Providing a multi-channel and a multi-zone audio environment
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- detecting, by a first device, a plurality of home theater players and a zone group including one or more players;
receiving an audio signal at the first device from an audio source;
identifying, by the first device, home theater audio information contained in the audio signal for playback by the plurality of home theater players;
identifying, by the first device, zone group audio information contained in the audio signal for playback by one or more players in the zone group;
assigning, by the first device based on the detection of the plurality of home theater players and the identification of the home theater audio information, at least one home theater timestamp to the home theater audio information that indicates a time at which audio is to be played by the plurality of home theater players, wherein one or more of the at least one home theater timestamp is assigned based on a first delay defined for at least one of the plurality of the home theater players;
assigning, by the first device based on the detection of the zone group and the identification of the zone group audio information, a zone group timestamp to the zone group audio information that indicates a time at which audio is to be played by the one or more players in the zone group, wherein the zone group timestamp is assigned based on a second delay, wherein the second delay is defined for the zone group and is different from the first delay; and
sending, from the first device, the home theater audio information with the one or more home theater timestamps to the plurality of home theater players and sending the zone group audio information with the zone group timestamp to the one or more players in the zone group.
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Abstract
A multi-channel and multi-zone audio environment is provided. Various inventions are disclosed that allow playback devices on one or more networks to provide an effective multi-channel and a multi-zone audio environment using timing information. According to one example, timing information is used to coordinate playback devices connected over a low-latency network to provide audio along with a video display. In another example, timing information is used to coordinate playback devices connected over a mesh network to provide audio in one or more zones or zone groups.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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detecting, by a first device, a plurality of home theater players and a zone group including one or more players; receiving an audio signal at the first device from an audio source; identifying, by the first device, home theater audio information contained in the audio signal for playback by the plurality of home theater players; identifying, by the first device, zone group audio information contained in the audio signal for playback by one or more players in the zone group; assigning, by the first device based on the detection of the plurality of home theater players and the identification of the home theater audio information, at least one home theater timestamp to the home theater audio information that indicates a time at which audio is to be played by the plurality of home theater players, wherein one or more of the at least one home theater timestamp is assigned based on a first delay defined for at least one of the plurality of the home theater players; assigning, by the first device based on the detection of the zone group and the identification of the zone group audio information, a zone group timestamp to the zone group audio information that indicates a time at which audio is to be played by the one or more players in the zone group, wherein the zone group timestamp is assigned based on a second delay, wherein the second delay is defined for the zone group and is different from the first delay; and sending, from the first device, the home theater audio information with the one or more home theater timestamps to the plurality of home theater players and sending the zone group audio information with the zone group timestamp to the one or more players in the zone group. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 20)
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11. A tangible, non-transitory machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a first device to at least:
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detect, by the first device, a plurality of home theater players and a zone group including one or more players; receive an audio signal at the first device from an audio source; identify, by the first device, home theater audio information contained in the audio signal for playback by the plurality of home theater players; identify, by the first device, zone group audio information contained in the audio signal for playback by one or more players in the zone group; assign, by the first device based on the detection of the plurality of home theater players and the identification of the home theater audio information, at least one home theater timestamp to the home theater audio information that indicates a time at which audio is to be played by the plurality of home theater players, wherein one or more of the at least one home theater timestamp is assigned based on a first delay defined for at least one of the plurality of the home theater players; assign, by the first device based on the detection of the zone group and the identification of the zone group audio information, a zone group timestamp to the zone group audio information that indicates a time at which audio is to be played by the one or more players in the zone group, wherein the zone group timestamp is assigned based on a second delay, wherein the second delay is defined for the zone group and is different from the first delay; and send, from the first device, the home theater audio information with the one or more home theater timestamps to the plurality of home theater players and send the zone group audio information with the zone group timestamp to the one or more players in the zone group. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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21. A first device comprising:
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at least one processor; tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media having instructions stored therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first device to perform a method comprising; detecting a plurality of home theater players and a zone group including one or more players; receiving an audio signal from an audio source; identifying home theater audio information contained in the audio signal for playback by the plurality of home theater players; identifying zone group audio information contained in the audio signal for playback by one or more players in the zone group; based on the detection of the plurality of home theater players and the identification of the home theater audio information, assigning at least one home theater timestamp to the home theater audio information that indicates a time at which audio is to be played by the plurality of home theater players, wherein one or more of the at least one home theater timestamp is assigned based on a first delay defined for at least one of the plurality of the home theater players; based on the detection of the zone group and the identification of the zone group audio information, assigning a zone group timestamp to the zone group audio information that indicates a time at which audio is to be played by the one or more players in the zone group, wherein the zone group timestamp is assigned based on a second delay, wherein the second delay is defined for the zone group and is different from the first delay; and sending the home theater audio information with the one or more home theater timestamps to the plurality of home theater players and sending the zone group audio information with the zone group timestamp to the one or more players in the zone group. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification