Device group identification

• US 9,916,125 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2016
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Coburn, IV, Arthur L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flanders, Andrew C
• Application Number:
  US15/099,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20160342378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• 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: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• 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

Abstract

Method and systems are provided for identification of device groups in a network. In an example implementation, a first playback device receives, from a second playback device, first data indicating a first group identification corresponding to a zone group, the zone group including the first playback device and the second playback device, and the second playback device operating as a group coordinator of the zone group. After receiving the first data, the first playback device receives a message indicating that the second playback device is leaving the zone group. In response to receiving the message, the first playback device determines a second group identification corresponding to the zone group and after determining the second group identification, transmits, over to at least one controller device configured to control at least the first playback device and the second playback device, second data indicating the second group identification.

Claims

1. A first playback device of a media playback system, the first playback device comprising:

a network interface;

one or more processors; and

computer-readable memory having stored thereon instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first playback device to perform a method comprising;

receiving, over the network interface from a second playback device of the media playback system, first data indicating a first group identification corresponding to a first zone group of playback devices configured to play back audio content in synchrony, wherein the first zone group comprises the first playback device and the second playback device, and wherein the second playback device is a group coordinator of the first zone group, the group coordinator of a zone group configured to provide playback timing information to other playback devices in the zone group during synchronous playback;

after receiving the first data, receiving a message indicating that the second playback device is leaving the zone group;

in response to receiving the message, forming a second zone group, wherein the second zone group comprises the first playback device as group coordinator of the second zone group, and wherein forming the second zone group comprises;

determining a second group identification corresponding to the second zone group;

determining a display name that represents the second zone group, the display name distinct from the second group identification; and

in response to forming the second zone group, causing, via the network interface, at least one controller device to update a control interface for the media playback system to display an indication of the second zone group, the indication of the second zone group comprising the determined display name, wherein causing at least one controller device to update the control interface for the media playback system comprises transmitting, over the network interface to the at least one controller device configured to control at least the first playback device and the second playback device, second data indicating the second group identification and the determined display name that represents the second zone group.

2. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

before determining the second group identification, receiving, over the network interface, a message indicating that the first playback device is to become the group coordinator of the zone group.

3. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

before transmitting the second data, storing in data storage of the first playback device, the second group identification.

4. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

before receiving the message indicating that the second playback device is leaving the zone group, storing in data storage of the first playback device, the first group identification; and

transmitting, over the network interface to the at least one controller device, third data indicating the first group identification.

5. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

before transmitting the second data to the at least one controller device and after determining the second group identification, receiving, over the network interface from the at least one controller device, a request for group identification information from playback devices in the media playback system that includes the first playback device and the second playback device.

6. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

wherein the second zone group comprises a first zone that includes the first playback device, a second zone that includes the second playback device, and a third zone that includes a third playback device and wherein determining the display name that represents the second zone group comprises determining a particular display name that representing an area of a household that includes the first zone and the second zone.

7. The first playback device of claim 1,

wherein the second zone group comprises a first zone that includes the first playback device, the first zone having a first zone name, and wherein determining the display name that represents the second zone group comprises determining a particular display name that includes the first zone name of the first zone.

8. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the zone group further comprises a third playback device, and wherein the method further comprises:

after determining the second group identification, transmitting, over the network interface to the third playback device, third data indicating the second group identification.

9. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the message is a first message, and wherein the method further comprises:

after determining the second group identification, receiving, over the network interface, a second message indicating that the second playback device is joining the second zone group; and

after receiving the second message, transmitting, over the network interface to the second playback device, the second group identification.

10. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the message is a first message, and wherein the method further comprises:

after determining the second group identification, receiving, over the network interface, a second message indicating that the second playback device is joining the second zone group;

in response to receiving the second message, forming a third zone group, wherein the third zone group comprises the first playback device and the second playback device, and wherein forming the third zone group comprises determining a third group identification; and

in response to forming the third zone group, transmitting, over the network interface, third data indicating the third group identification to the second playback device.

11. The first playback device of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

after determining the third group identification, transmitting, to the at least one controller device, fourth data indicating (i) the third group identification and (ii) that the first playback device is the group coordinator of the second zone group.

12. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

after receiving the message indicating that the second playback device is leaving the first zone group, transmitting, over the network interface to the at least one controller device, third data indicating that the first playback device is the group coordinator of the second zone group.

13. Tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable memory having stored thereon instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a first playback device of a media playback system to perform a method comprising:

receiving, over a network interface from a second playback device of the media playback system, first data indicating a first group identification corresponding to a first zone group of playback devices configured to play back audio content in synchrony, wherein the first zone group comprises the first playback device and the second playback device, and wherein the second playback device is a group coordinator of the first zone group, the group coordinator of a zone group configured to provide playback timing information to other playback devices in the zone group during synchronous playback;

after receiving the first data, receiving a message indicating that the second playback device is leaving the zone group;

in response to receiving the message, forming a second zone group, wherein the second zone group comprises the first playback device as group coordinator of the second zone group, and wherein forming the second zone group comprises;

determining a second group identification corresponding to the second zone group;

determining a display name that represents the second zone group, the display name distinct from the second group identification; and

in response to forming the second zone group, causing, via the network interface, at least one controller device to update a control interface for the media playback system to display an indication of the second zone group, the indication of the second zone group comprising the determined display name, wherein causing at least one controller device to update the control interface for the media playback system comprises transmitting, over the network interface to the at least one controller device configured to control at least the first playback device and the second playback device, second data indicating the second group identification and the determined display name that represents the second zone group.

14. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable memory of claim 13,

wherein the second zone group comprises a first zone that includes the first playback device, a second zone that includes the second playback device, and a third zone that includes a third playback device and wherein determining the display name that represents the second zone group comprises determining a particular display name that representing an area of a household that includes the first zone and the second zone.

15. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable memory of claim 13,

wherein the second zone group comprises a first zone that includes the first playback device, the first zone having a first zone name, and wherein determining the display name that represents the second zone group comprises determining a particular display name that includes the first zone name of the first zone.

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

before receiving the message indicating that the second playback device is leaving the zone group, storing, in data storage of the first playback device, the first group identification; and

transmitting, over the network interface to the at least one controller device, third data indicating the first group identification.

17. A method comprising:

receiving, via a network interface of a first playback device of a media playback system from a second playback device of the media playback system, first data indicating a first group identification corresponding to a first zone group of playback devices configured to play back audio content in synchrony, wherein the first zone group comprises the first playback device and the second playback device, and wherein the second playback device is a group coordinator of the first zone group, the group coordinator of a zone group configured to provide playback timing information to other playback devices in the zone group during synchronous playback;

after receiving the first data, receiving a message indicating that the second playback device is leaving the zone group;

in response to receiving the message, forming a second zone group, wherein the second zone group comprises the first playback device as group coordinator of the second zone group, and wherein forming the second zone group comprises;

determining a second group identification corresponding to the second zone group;

determining a display name that represents the second zone group, the display name distinct from the second group identification; and

in response to forming the second zone group, causing, via the network interface, at least one controller device to update a control interface for the media playback system to display an indication of the second zone group, the indication of the second zone group comprising the determined display name, wherein causing at least one controller device to update the control interface for the media playback system comprises transmitting, over the network interface to the at least one controller device configured to control at least the first playback device and the second playback device, second data indicating the second group identification and the determined display name that represents the second zone group.

18. The method of claim 17,

wherein the second zone group comprises a first zone that includes the first playback device, a second zone that includes the second playback device, and a third zone that includes a third playback device and wherein determining the display name that represents the second zone group comprises determining a particular display name that representing an area of a household that includes the first zone and the second zone.

19. The method of claim 17,

wherein the second zone group comprises a first zone that includes the first playback device, the first zone having a first zone name, and wherein determining the display name that represents the second zone group comprises determining a particular display name that includes the first zone name of the first zone.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the message is a first message, and wherein the method further comprises:

after determining the second group identification, receiving, over the network interface of the first playback device, a second message indicating that the second playback device is joining the second zone group;

in response to receiving the second message, forming, via the first playback device, a third zone group, wherein the third zone group comprises the first playback device and the second playback device, and wherein forming the third zone group comprises determining, via the first playback device, a third group identification; and

in response to forming the third zone group, transmitting, over the network interface of the first playback device, third data indicating the third group identification to the second playback device.