Connected state indicator

• US 9,798,510 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2013
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Kumar, Abhishek, Lambourne, Robert Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Quang D
• Application Number:
  US13/904,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20140176298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,609 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge

Abstract

Embodiments provided herein involve connected states between a mobile device and one or more zones in a network media system and different interactions between the mobile device and the network media system involving the connected states. The connected states may be established between the mobile device and the one or more zones such that further actions taken on media items identified in the playlist on the mobile device may also be taken on corresponding media items in a playback queue associated with the one or more zones. The interface on the mobile device may display various graphical representations to indicate the different interactions involving the connected states, including when a connected state is established, when a connected state is lost, and when a reconnected state is reestablished. The interface may further provide selectable icons to allow a user to navigate among the different media playback options involving the connected states.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

while a playlist is configured to be played back by a mobile device, displaying, via the mobile device, on a user interface of the mobile device, a first status representation as a connected state indicator, the first status representation indicating that the mobile device is not in a connected state with a zone of one or more playback devices in a network media system such that any actions taken on one or more media items in the playlist are applied to the playlist, wherein the playlist comprises one or more first identifiers identifying the one or more media items, wherein while the mobile device is not in the connected state, the playlist is configured to be played back by the mobile device using the one or more first identifiers;

while the mobile device is not in the connected state, receiving a first input to play back the playlist;

after receiving the first input, causing the mobile device to play back the one or more media items identified in the playlist; and

receiving, via the mobile device, one or more inputs to establish the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices in the network media system, wherein;

receiving the one or more inputs to establish the connected state comprises;

receiving, via the mobile device, an indication that the mobile device is in a communication range of the network media system;

while the mobile device is in communication range of the network media system, receiving, via the mobile device, an input selecting the zone of one or more playback devices in the network media system; and

causing a playback queue associated with the zone of one or more playback devices to be populated with a respective second identifier of the one or more media items in the playlist, wherein the zone is configured to play back at least one media item of the one or more media items according to the playback queue using the respective second identifiers to obtain the at least one media item, wherein the respective second identifiers of the at least one media item identify a network source of the at least one media item;

after receiving the one or more inputs to establish the connected state, causing playback of the one or more media items to transfer seamlessly from the mobile device to the zone of one or more playback devices in the network media system;

determining, via the mobile device, that the mobile device is in the connected state with the zone of one or more playback devices in the network media system based on receiving the one or more inputs; and

in response to determining that the mobile device is in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices in the network media system, displaying on the user interface of the mobile device, a second status representation as the connected state indicator, the second status representation indicating that the mobile device is in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices in the network media system, wherein while the mobile device is in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices in the network media system, each modification taken, via the mobile device, on one or more media items identified in the playlist on the mobile device causes a corresponding modification to be taken on said one or more media items in the playback queue associated with the zone of the one or more playback devices, and wherein while the mobile device is in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices, the mobile device is not configured to play back the playlist and is configured to cause the zone of the one or more playback devices to play back the one or more media items.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that a mobile device is in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices comprises:

receiving, via the mobile device from the one or more playback devices in the zone of the network media system, a state variable comprising configuration information of the one or more playback devices, the configuration information indicating that the one or more playback devices in the zone are configured such that a modification taken, via the mobile device, on one or more media items identified in the playlist on the mobile device causes a corresponding modification to be taken by the zone on a corresponding one or more media items in the playback queue.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after displaying the second status representation, determining that the mobile device is not in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices; and

in response to determining that the mobile device is not in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices, displaying on the user interface of the mobile device, the first status representation indicating that the mobile device is not in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices,

wherein the mobile device is not in the connected state,

     1) the mobile device is configured to obtain the one or more media items identified in the playlist for playback and

     2) the playback device is not configured to obtain the one or more media items identified in the playlist for playback, and

wherein while the mobile device is in the connected state,

     1) the mobile device is configured to not obtain the one or more media items identified in the playlist for playback and

     2) the playback device is configured to obtain the one or more media items identified in the playlist for playback.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein displaying on the user interface of the mobile device, the first status representation indicating that the mobile device is not in the connected state with the zone further comprises:

replacing the second status representation on the mobile device with the first status representation.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the first status representation further indicates that the action taken on the one or more media items identified in the playlist on the mobile device via the mobile device will not cause the corresponding action to the taken by the zone of the one or more playback devices on the corresponding one or more media items in the playback queue associated with the zone of the one or more playback devices.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the second status representation is a modified version of the first status representation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface of the mobile device is provided on a touch-sensitive screen.

8. A mobile device comprising:

a processor; and

memory having stored thereon instructions executable by the processor to cause the mobile device to perform functions comprising;

while a playlist is configured to be played back by a mobile device, displaying, on a user interface of the mobile device, a first status representation as a connected state indicator, the first status representation indicating that the mobile device is not in a connected state with a zone of one or more playback devices in a network media system such that any actions taken on one or more media items in the playlist are applied to the playlist, wherein the playlist comprises one or more first identifiers identifying the one or more media items, wherein while the mobile device is not in the connected state, the playlist is configured to be played back by the mobile device using the one or more first identifiers;

while the mobile device is not in the connected state, receiving a first input to play back the playlist;

after receiving the first input, causing the mobile device to play back the one or more media items identified in the playlist; and

receiving one or more inputs to establish the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices in the network media system, wherein receiving the one or more inputs to establish the connected state comprises;

receiving, via the mobile device, an indication that the mobile device is in a communication range of the network media system;

while the mobile device is in communication range of the network media system, receiving, via the mobile device, an input selecting the zone of one or more playback devices in the network media system; and

causing a playback queue associated with the zone of one or more playback devices to be populated with a respective second identifier of the one or more media items in the playlist, wherein the zone is configured to play back at least one media item of the one or more media items according to the playback queue using the respective second identifiers to obtain the at least one media item, wherein the respective second identifiers of the at least one media item identify a network source of the at least one media item;

after receiving the one or more inputs to establish the connected state, causing playback of the one or more media items to transfer seamlessly from the mobile device to the zone of one or more playback devices in the network media system;

determining, via the mobile device, that the mobile device is in the connected state with the zone of one or more playback devices in the network media system based on receiving the one or more inputs; and

in response to determining that the mobile device is in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices in the network media system, displaying, on the user interface of the mobile device, a second status representation as the connected state indicator, the second status representation indicating that the mobile device is in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices in the network media system, wherein while the mobile device is in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices in the network media system, each modification taken, via the mobile device, on one or more media items identified in the playlist on the mobile device causes a corresponding modification to be taken on said one or more media items in the playback queue associated with the zone of the one or more playback devices, and wherein while the mobile device is in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices, the mobile device is not configured to play back the playlist and is configured to cause the zone of the one or more playback devices to play back the one or more media items.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, further comprises

a touch-sensitive screen, and wherein the user interface of the mobile device is provided on the touch-sensitive screen.

10. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the function of determining that the mobile device is in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices further comprises:

receiving, from the one or more playback devices in the zone of the network media system, a state variable comprising configuration information of the one or more playback devices, the configuration information indicating that the one or more playback devices in the zone are configured such that a modification taken, via the mobile device, on one or more media items identified in the playlist on the mobile device causes a corresponding action to be taken by the zone on a corresponding one or more media items in the playback queue.

11. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the functions further comprise:

after displaying the second status representation, determining that the mobile device is not in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices; and

in response to determining that the mobile device is not in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices, displaying on the user interface of the mobile device, the first status representation indicating that the mobile device is not in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the function of displaying on the user interface of the mobile device, the first status representation indicating that the mobile device is not in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices further comprises:

replacing the second status representation on the mobile device with the first status representation.

13. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the first status representation further indicates that the modification taken, via the mobile device, on the one or more media items identified in the playlist on the mobile device will not cause the corresponding modification to be taken by the zone of the one or more playback devices on the corresponding one or more media items in the playback queue associated with the zone of the one or more playback devices.

14. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the second status representation is a modified version of the first status representation.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a mobile device to cause the mobile device to perform functions comprising:

while a playlist is configured to be played back by a mobile device, displaying, on a user interface of the mobile device, a first status representation as a connected state indicator, the first status representation indicating that the mobile device is not in a connected state with a zone of one or more playback devices in a network media system such that any actions taken on one or more media items in the playlist are applied to the playlist, wherein the playlist comprises one or more first identifiers identifying the one or more media items wherein while the mobile device is not in the connected state, the playlist is configured to be played back by the mobile device using the one or more first identifiers;

while the mobile device is not in the connected state, receiving a first input to play back the playlist;

after receiving the first input, causing the mobile device to play back the one or more media items identified in the playlist; and

receiving, via the mobile device, one or more inputs to establish the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices in the network media system, wherein receiving the one or more inputs to establish the connected state comprises;

receiving, via the mobile device, an indication that the mobile device is in a communication range of the network media system;

while the mobile device is in communication range of the network media system, receiving, via the mobile device, an input selecting the zone of one or more playback devices in the network media system; and

causing a playback queue associated with the zone of one or more playback devices to be populated with a respective second identifier of the one or more media items in the playlist, wherein the zone is configured to play back at least one media item of the one or more media items according to the playback queue using the respective second identifiers to obtain the at least one media item, wherein the respective second identifiers of the at least one media item identify a network source of the at least one media item;

after receiving the one or more inputs to establish the connected state, causing playback of the one or more media items to transfer seamlessly from the mobile device to the zone of one or more playback devices in the network media system;

determining, via the mobile device, that the mobile device is in the connected state with the zone of one or more playback devices in a network media system based on receiving the one or more inputs; and

in response to determining that the mobile device is in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices in the network media system, displaying on the user interface of the mobile device, a second status representation as the connected state indicator, the second status representation indicating that the mobile device is in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices in the network media system, wherein while the mobile device is in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices in the network media system, each modification taken, via the mobile device, on one or more media items identified in the playlist on the mobile device causes a corresponding modification to be taken on said one or more media items in the playback queue associated with the zone of the one or more playback devices, and wherein while the mobile device is in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices, the mobile device is not configured to play back the playlist and is configured to cause the zone of the one or more playback devices to play back the one or more media items.

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

after displaying the second status representation, determining that the mobile device is not in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices; and

in response to determining that the mobile device is not in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices, displaying on the user interface of the mobile device, the first status representation indicating that the mobile device is not in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices,

wherein the mobile device is not in the connected state,

     1) the mobile device is configured to obtain the one or more media items identified in the playlist for playback and

     2) the playback device is not configured to obtain the one or more media items identified in the playlist for playback, and

wherein while the mobile device is in the connected state,

     1) the mobile device is configured to not obtain the one or more media items identified in the playlist for playback and

     2) the playback device is configured to obtain the one or more media items identified in the playlist for playback.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16,

wherein the function of displaying on the user interface of the mobile device, the first status representation indicating that the mobile device is not in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices further comprises:

replacing the second status representation on the mobile device with the first status representation.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16,

wherein the second status representation is a modified version of the first status representation.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the function of determining that the mobile device is in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices comprises:

receiving, from one or more playback devices in the zone of the network media system, a state variable comprising configuration information of the one or more playback devices, the configuration information indicating that the one or more playback devices in the zone are configured such that a modification taken, via the mobile device, on one or more media items identified in the playlist on the mobile device causes a corresponding modification to be taken by the zone on a corresponding one or more media items in the playback queue.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the functions further comprise:

after displaying the second status representation, determining that the mobile device is not in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices; and

in response to determining that the mobile device is not in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices, displaying on the user interface of the mobile device, the first status representation indicating that the mobile device is not in the connected state with the zone of the one or more playback devices.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15,

wherein the user interface of the mobile device is provided on the touch-sensitive screen.