Smart-line in processing

• US 9,686,606 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2015
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Reimann, Robert, Millington, Nicholas A. J, Cullen, Tom, Lehman, Brent
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCORD, PAUL C
• Application Number:
  US14/628,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20150172809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 700 94
• 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 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/00 Frameworks, boards, panels, desks, casings; Details of substations or switching arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/10 having semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3026 the gain being discontinuously variable, e.g. controlled by switching
• 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: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

An example playback device includes a first interface for receiving a first audio signal from a first audio source; a second interface for receiving a second audio signal from a second audio source; and a processor configured to: cause the playback device to playback the second audio signal; determine that the first audio signal is present at the first interface; in response to determining that the first audio signal is present at the first interface, (i) cease playback of the second audio signal being played by the playback device and (ii) cause the playback device to playback the first audio signal; receive an instruction to stop the playback device from playing the first audio signal while the first audio signal is still present at the first interface; and arm the playback device such that a subsequent presence of the first audio signal at the first interface causes the playback device to play the first audio signal.

Claims

1. A playback device comprising:

a first interface configured to receive a first audio signal from a first audio source, wherein the playback device and the first audio source are within a given media playback system;

a second interface configured to receive a second audio signal from a second audio source, wherein the second audio source is outside of the given media playback system;

a processor; and

a tangible, non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein instructions executable by the processor, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the playback device to perform functions comprising;

causing the playback device to playback the second audio signal;

while playing back the second audio signal, determining that the first audio signal is present at the first interface;

in response to determining that the first audio signal is present at the first interface, (i) ceasing playback of the second audio signal being played by the playback device and (ii) causing the playback device to playback the first audio signal;

receiving an instruction to stop the playback device from playing the first audio signal while the first audio signal is still present at the first interface;

determining that the first audio signal is no longer present at the first interface; and

in response to determining that the first audio signal is no longer present at the first interface, arming the playback device such that a subsequent presence of the first audio signal at the first interface causes the playback device to play the first audio signal.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the first interface comprises a line-in connector.

3. The playback device of claim 2, wherein the second interface comprises one of a wireless or a wired network interface.

4. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the second audio source is an Internet-accessible audio source.

5. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the playback device to perform further functions comprising:

causing the playback device to transmit at least a portion of the first audio signal to another playback device.

6. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the playback device to perform further functions comprising:

causing the playback device to transmit at least a portion of the second audio signal to another playback device.

7. The playback device of claim 6, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the playback device to perform further functions comprising:

cause the playback device to receive a command to form a group with the another playback device.

8. The playback device of claim 7, wherein the command to form the group with the another playback device comprises a command to form a stereo pair with the another playback device.

9. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause a playback device to perform a method comprising:

causing, by the playback device, playback of a second audio signal, wherein the playback device comprises a second interface configured to receive the second audio signal from a second audio source, wherein the second audio source is outside of a given media playback system;

while the playback device is playing back the second audio signal, determining, by the playback device, that a first audio signal is present at a first interface configured to receive the first audio signal from a first audio source, wherein the playback device and the first audio source are within the given media playback system;

in response to determining that the first audio signal is present at the first interface, (i) ceasing playback of the second audio signal being played by the playback device and (ii) causing the playback device to playback the first audio signal;

receiving an instruction to stop the playback device from playing the first audio signal while the first audio signal is still present at the first interface;

determining that the first audio signal is no longer present at the first interface; and

in response to determining that the first audio signal is no longer present at the first interface, arming the playback device such that a subsequent presence of the first audio signal at the first interface causes the playback device to play the first audio signal.

10. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 9, wherein the first interface comprises a line-in connector.

11. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 10, wherein the second interface comprises one of a wireless or a wired network interface.

12. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 9, wherein the second audio source is an Internet-accessible audio source.

13. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

causing the playback device to transmit at least a portion of the first audio signal to another playback device.

14. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

causing the playback device to transmit at least a portion of the second audio signal to another playback device.

15. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

causing the playback device to receive a command to form a group with the another playback device.

16. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein the command to form the group with the another playback device comprises a command to form a stereo pair with the another playback device.

17. A method comprising:

causing, by a playback device, playback of a second audio signal, wherein the playback device comprises a second interface for receiving the second audio signal from a second audio source, wherein the second audio source is outside of a given media playback system;

while the playback device is playing back the second audio signal, determining, by the playback device, that a first audio signal is present at a first interface configured to receive the first audio signal from a first audio source, wherein the playback device and the first audio source are within the given media playback system;

in response to determining that the first audio signal is present at the first interface, (i) ceasing playback of the second audio signal being played by the playback device and (ii) causing the playback device to playback the first audio signal;

receiving an instruction to stop the playback device from playing the first audio signal while the first audio signal is still present at the first interface;

determining that the first audio signal is no longer present at the first interface; and

in response to determining that the first audio signal is no longer present at the first interface arming the playback device such that a subsequent presence of the first audio signal at the first interface causes the playback device to play the first audio signal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first interface comprises a line-in connector.