Making and indicating a stereo pair

• US 9,928,026 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2016
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Kallai, Christopher, Ericson, Michael Darrell Andrew, Lambourne, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): BEZUAYEHU, SOLOMON G
• Application Number:
  US15/228,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20160342386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 381 17, 381 18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/433 using audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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 19/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4307 Synchronising the rendering of multiple content streams or additional data on devices, e.g. synchronisation of audio on a mobile phone with the video output on the TV screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43072 of multiple content streams on the same device
• 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 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• 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: H04S 2400/01 Multi-channel, i.e. more than two input channels, sound reproduction with two speakers wherein the multi-channel information is substantially preserved
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/13 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in stereophonic sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/008 in which the audio signals are in digital form, i.e. employing more than two discrete digital channels data reduction aspects thereof based on psychoacoustics G10L19/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/308 Electronic adaptation dependent on speaker or headphone connection

Abstract

An example method includes, based on an adjustment to a first displayed volume control, instructing the first playback device to adjust playback volume level; based on an adjustment to a second displayed volume control, instructing the second playback device to adjust playback volume level; after sending the commands, instructing the first and/or second playback device to process an audio stream into a first and/or second channel and to reproduce a respective one of the first and second channel, wherein the grouped first and second playback devices provide multi-channel sound; and based on an adjustment to a third displayed volume control, instructing the first and/or second playback device to adjust a group volume level for both the first and second playback devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

causing, via a controller, a graphical display to display an identification of two or more playback devices in a system, wherein the identification comprises a first name of a first playback device and a second name of a second playback device;

receiving, via the controller, a selection to make a stereo pair of the first playback device and the second playback device;

after receiving the selection to make the stereo pair of the first playback device and the second playback device;

instructing, via the controller over a data network, at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device to be configured for playback according to a stereo sound effect; and

causing, via the controller, the graphical display to display a name for the stereo pair of the first playback device and the second playback device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the name for the stereo pair is the first name of the first playback device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the name for the stereo pair is different from both the first name of the first playback device and the second name of the second playback device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein instructing at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device to be configured for playback according to a stereo sound effect comprises instructing, via the controller over the data network, at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device to:

process audio data into at least one of first audio channel data and second audio channel data; and

playback one or the other of the first audio channel data and the second audio channel data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first audio channel data comprises a left audio channel and the second audio channel data comprises a right audio channel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein instructing at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device to be configured for playback according to a stereo sound effect comprises instructing, via the controller over the data network, the first playback device to:

process audio data into at least one of first audio channel data and second audio channel data;

playback the first audio channel data; and

send the second audio channel data to the second playback device.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

instructing, via the controller over the data network, the first playback device to obtain the audio data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein instructing at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device to be configured for playback according to a stereo sound effect comprises instructing, via the controller over the data network, the first playback device to:

process audio data into at least one of first audio channel data and second audio channel data;

playback the first audio channel data; and

send the audio data to the second playback device.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

instructing, via the controller over the data network, the second playback device to obtain the audio data.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via the controller, a selection to separate the stereo pair of the first playback device and the second playback device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

after receiving the selection to separate the stereo pair, instructing, via the controller over the data network, at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device to separate.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

after receiving the selection to separate the stereo pair, causing, via the controller, the graphical display to display the first name of the first playback device and the second name of the second playback device, and to no longer display the name for the stereo pair.

13. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:

causing, via a controller, a graphical display to display an identification of two or more playback devices in a system, wherein the identification comprises a first name of a first playback device and a second name of a second playback device;

receiving, via the controller, a selection to make a stereo pair of the first playback device and the second playback device;

after receiving the selection to make the stereo pair of the first playback device and the second playback device;

instructing, via the controller over a data network, at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device to be configured for playback according to a stereo sound effect; and

causing, via the controller, the graphical display to display a name for the stereo pair of the first playback device and the second playback device.

14. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the name for the stereo pair is the first name of the first playback device.

15. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the name for the stereo pair is different from both the first name of the first playback device and the second name of the second playback device.

16. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein instructing at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device to be configured for playback according to a stereo sound effect comprises instructing, via the controller over the data network, at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device to:

process audio data into at least one of first audio channel data and second audio channel data; and

playback one or the other of the first audio channel data and the second audio channel data.

17. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the first audio channel data comprises a left audio channel and the second audio channel data comprises a right audio channel.

18. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein instructing at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device to be configured for playback according to a stereo sound effect comprises instructing, via the controller over the data network, the first playback device to:

process audio data into at least one of first audio channel data and second audio channel data;

playback the first audio channel data; and

send the second audio channel data to the second playback device.

19. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

instructing, via the controller over the data network, the first playback device to obtain the audio data.

20. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein instructing at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device to be configured for playback according to a stereo sound effect comprises instructing, via the controller over the data network, the first playback device to:

process audio data into at least one of first audio channel data and second audio channel data;

playback the first audio channel data; and

send the audio data to the second playback device.

21. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises:

instructing, via the controller over the data network, the second playback device to obtain the audio data.

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

receiving, via the controller, a selection to separate the stereo pair of the first playback device and the second playback device.

23. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 22, wherein the method further comprises:

after receiving the selection to separate the stereo pair, instructing, via the controller over the data network, at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device to separate.

24. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 22, further comprising:

after receiving the selection to separate the stereo pair, causing, via the controller, the graphical display to display the first name of the first playback device and the second name of the second playback device, and to no longer display the name for the stereo pair.

25. A computing device comprising:

at least one processor; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions encoded therein,

wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising;

causing, via a controller, a graphical display to display an identification of two or more playback devices in a system, wherein the identification comprises a first name of a first playback device and a second name of a second playback device;

receiving, via the controller, a selection to make a stereo pair of the first playback device and the second playback device;

after receiving the selection to make the stereo pair of the first playback device and the second playback device;

instructing, via the controller over a data network, at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device to be configured for playback according to a stereo sound effect; and

causing, via the controller, the graphical display to display a name for the stereo pair of the first playback device and the second playback device.

26. The computing device of claim 25, wherein instructing at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device to be configured for playback according to a stereo sound effect comprises instructing, via the controller over the data network, at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device to:

process audio data into at least one of first audio channel data and second audio channel data, wherein the first audio channel data comprises a left audio channel and the second audio channel data comprises a right audio channel; and

playback one or the other of the first audio channel data and the second audio channel data.

27. The computing device of claim 25, wherein instructing at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device to be configured for playback according to a stereo sound effect comprises instructing, via the controller over the data network, the first playback device to:

process audio data into at least one of first audio channel data and second audio channel data;

playback the first audio channel data; and

send the second audio channel data to the second playback device.

28. The computing device of claim 25, wherein instructing at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device to be configured for playback according to a stereo sound effect comprises instructing, via the controller over the data network, the first playback device to:

process audio data into at least one of first audio channel data and second audio channel data;

playback the first audio channel data; and

send the audio data to the second playback device.

29. The computing device of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, via the controller, a selection to separate the stereo pair of the first playback device and the second playback device.

30. The computing device of claim 29, wherein the method further comprises:

after receiving the selection to separate the stereo pair, instructing, via the controller over the data network, at least one of the first playback device and the second playback device to separate.