System limits based on known triggers

• US 9,898,245 B1
• Filed: 01/15/2016
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Bulis, Kirk, Wessely, Jeremy, Lang, Jonathan, Kadri, Romi
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US14/997,269
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• 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: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo

Abstract

In an example implementation, a method may involve, while a first zone and a second zone of a media playback system are playing back respective media, receiving data indicating the occurrence of a first trigger condition. The method may also involve, based on the received data, modifying respective volume limits of the first zone and the second zone, wherein modifying the volume limit causes first volume levels that exceed the second limit to be reduced to respective second volume levels that are at or below the second limit. The method may also involve receiving data indicating the occurrence of a second trigger condition. The method may further involve, based on the received data, modifying the respective volume limits of the first zone and the second zone from the second limit to the first limit.

Claims

1. A control system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the control system to perform a method comprising;

while a first zone and a second zone of a media playback system are playing back respective media, receiving data indicating that an external sensor detected an occurrence of a first trigger condition, wherein the first zone comprises a first playback device and the second zone comprises a second playback device, wherein the first and second playback devices are set to respective first and second volume levels while playing back the respective media, and wherein the first and second playback devices have corresponding first and second volume limits;

based on receiving the data indicating that the external sensor detected an occurrence of the first trigger condition, modifying the first volume limit by a first amount that corresponds to the first trigger condition, and modifying the second volume limit by a second amount that corresponds to the first trigger condition, wherein the second amount is different than the first amount, wherein modifying the first volume limit causes the first volume levels that exceed the modified first volume limit to be reduced to adjusted first volume levels at or below the modified first volume limit, and wherein modifying the second volume limit causes the second volume levels that exceed the modified second volume limit to be reduced to adjusted second volume levels at or below the modified second volume limit;

receiving data indicating that the external sensor detected occurrence of a second trigger condition; and

based on receiving the data indicating that the external sensor detected an occurrence of the second trigger condition, reverting the modified first and second volume limits to the respective first and second volume limits.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the first trigger condition comprises an opening of a door to a listening room, and wherein receiving data indicating that the external sensor detected occurrence of the first trigger condition comprises receiving data indicating that the external sensor has detected that the door to the listening room has opened.

3. The control system of claim 2, wherein receiving data indicating that the external sensor detected occurrence of the second trigger condition comprises receiving data indicating that the external sensor has detected that the door to the listening room has closed, and wherein the method further comprises:

based on receiving data indicating that the external sensor has detected that the door to the listening room has closed, increasing the adjusted first volume levels to the first volume levels that exceeded the modified first volume limit.

4. The control system of claim 2, wherein receiving data indicating that the door to the listening room has opened comprises receiving data indicating that the external sensor has detected that the door to the listening room has opened for at least a threshold period of time, and wherein the threshold period of time is greater than or equal to one second, and less than or equal to five seconds.

5. The control system of claim 1, wherein the first trigger condition comprises an emergency alarm, wherein receiving data indicating that the external sensor detected occurrence of the first trigger condition comprises receiving data indicating that the external sensor has detected that the emergency alarm has sounded, and wherein modifying the first volume limit and the second volume limit comprises muting the first playback device and the second playback device.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein the control system is enclosed in a housing of the first playback device, and wherein receiving data indicating that the external sensor detected occurrence of the first trigger condition comprises receiving, via a network interface of the first playback device, a message indicating that the external sensor detected occurrence of the first trigger condition.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein the control system is enclosed in a housing of a second device that is communicatively coupled to the first playback device, and wherein receiving data indicating that the external sensor detected occurrence of the first trigger condition comprises receiving, from the external sensor, sensor data indicating that the first trigger condition occurred.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein causing the first volume levels that exceed the modified first volume limit to be reduced to first volume levels that are at or below the modified first volume limit comprises gradually reducing the first volume levels to the adjusted first volume levels over a period of time greater than or equal to one second, and less than or equal to five seconds.

9. The control system of claim 1, wherein the first zone and the second zone are joined into a zone group that is configured to play back media in synchrony, and wherein modifying the first and second volume limits to the respective modified first and second volume limits comprises modifying zone volume limits of the first zone and the second zone to respective modified zone volume limits based on (i) a number of playback devices in the zone group, and (ii) respective types of playback devices in the zone group.

10. The control system of claim 1, wherein the second zone comprises a bonded zone that further includes a third playback device, wherein the second playback device and the third playback device of the bonded zone are configured to play respective channels of media, and wherein modifying the second volume limits further comprises modifying the second volume limit based on a configuration of playback devices in the bonded zone.

11. The control system of claim 1, wherein modifying the first volume limit comprises sending, to at least one playback device of the media playback system, a message that instructs the at least one playback device to modify its respective volume limit to the modified first volume limit.

12. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a control system to perform a method comprising:

while a first zone and a second zone of a media playback system are playing back respective media, receiving data indicating that an external sensor detected an occurrence of a first trigger condition, wherein the first zone comprises a first playback device and the second zone comprises a second playback device, wherein the first and second playback devices are set to respective first and second volume levels while playing back the respective media, and wherein the first and second playback devices have corresponding first and second volume limits;

based on receiving the data indicating that the external sensor detected an occurrence of the first trigger condition, modifying the first volume limit by a first amount that corresponds to the first trigger condition, and modifying the second volume limit by a second amount that corresponds to the first trigger condition, wherein the second amount is different than the first amount, wherein modifying the first volume limit causes the first volume levels that exceed the modified first volume limit to be reduced to adjusted first volume levels at or below the modified first volume limit, and wherein modifying the second volume limit causes the second volume levels that exceed the modified second volume limit to be reduced to adjusted second volume levels at or below the modified second volume limit;

receiving data indicating that the external sensor detected occurrence of a second trigger condition; and

based on receiving the data indicating that the external sensor detected an occurrence of the second trigger condition, reverting the modified first and second volume limits to the respective first and second volume limits.

13. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the first trigger condition comprises an opening of a door to a listening room, and wherein receiving data indicating that the external sensor detected occurrence of the first trigger condition comprises receiving data indicating that the external sensor has detected that the door to the listening room has opened.

14. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein receiving data indicating that the external sensor detected occurrence of the second trigger condition comprises receiving data indicating that the external sensor has detected that the door to the listening room has closed, and wherein the method further comprises:

based on receiving data indicating that the external sensor has detected that the door to the listening room has closed, increasing the adjusted first volume levels to the first volume levels that exceeded the modified first volume limit.

15. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the control system is enclosed in a housing of the first playback device, and wherein receiving data indicating that the external sensor detected occurrence of the first trigger condition comprises receiving, via a network interface of the first playback device, a message indicating that the external sensor detected occurrence of the first trigger condition.

16. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the control system is enclosed in a housing of a second device that is communicatively coupled to the first playback device, and wherein receiving data indicating that the external sensor detected occurrence of the first trigger condition comprises receiving, from the external sensor, sensor data indicating that the first trigger condition occurred.

17. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein modifying the first volume limit comprises sending, to at least one playback device of the media playback system, a message that causes the at least one playback device to instruct one or more other playback devices of the media playback system to modify its respective volume limit to the modified first volume limit.

18. A method comprising:

while a first zone and a second zone of a media playback system are playing back respective media, receiving, via a control system, data indicating that an external sensor detected occurrence of a first trigger condition, wherein the first zone comprises a first playback device and the second zone comprises a second playback device, wherein the first and second playback devices are set to respective first and second volume levels while playing back the respective media and wherein the first and second playback devices have corresponding first and second volume limits;

based on receiving the data indicating that the external sensor detected an occurrence of the first trigger condition, modifying the first volume limit by a first amount that corresponds to the first trigger condition, and modifying the second volume limit by a second amount that corresponds to the first trigger condition, wherein the second amount is different than the first amount, wherein modifying the first volume limit causes the first volume levels that exceed the modified first volume limit to be reduced to adjusted first volume levels at or below the modified first volume limit, and wherein modifying the second volume limit causes the second volume levels that exceed the modified second volume limit to be reduced to adjusted second volume levels at or below the modified second volume limit;

receiving data indicating that the external sensor detected occurrence of a second trigger condition; and

based on receiving the data indicating that the external sensor detected an occurrence of the second trigger condition, reverting the modified first and second volume limits to the respective first and second volume limits.