Volume limit

• US 9,940,095 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2016
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Bierbower, Chris, Maniskas, Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Flanders, Andrew C
• Application Number:
  US15/359,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20170139670A1
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/04 in untuned amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3026 the gain being discontinuously variable, e.g. controlled by switching
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 7/002 in untuned or low-frequency amplifiers, e.g. audio amplifiers H03G7/007, H03G7/001, H03G7/008, H03G7/02, H03G7/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 7/005 using discontinuously variable devices, e.g. switch-operated
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use

Abstract

An example playback device may store an active volume state variable in memory, where the active volume state variable corresponds to a current playback volume. The playback device may also store a volume limit state variable in memory, where the volume limit state variable corresponds to a playback volume limit of the playback device. The playback device may detect a command to begin playback of media from a given source and then select a startup playback volume to be one of the current playback volume and the playback volume limit based on the given source of the command to begin playback. The playback device may then play back media at the startup playback volume.

Claims

1. A playback device comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the processor, cause the playback device to perform functions comprising;

storing an active volume state variable in memory, wherein the active volume state variable corresponds to a current playback volume;

storing a volume limit state variable in memory, wherein the volume limit state variable corresponds to a playback volume limit of the playback device;

receiving a command to increase the current playback volume to a proposed playback volume;

based on the received command, determining the active volume state variable based on i) whether the playback device is playing back media when the command is received and ii) a comparison of the proposed volume to the playback volume limit; and

based on the determining of the active volume state variable, storing, as the active volume state variable, one of;

i) the current playback volume, ii) the playback volume limit, or iii) the proposed playback volume.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein determining the active volume state variable comprises:

determining that the playback device is in a paused state; and

determining that the proposed volume is greater than the playback volume limit, and

wherein based on the determining of the active volume state variable, storing, as the active volume state variable, one of;

i) the current playback volume, ii) the playback volume limit, or iii) the proposed playback volume comprises;

based on determining that the playback device is in a paused state and determining that the proposed volume is greater than the playback volume limit, storing, as the active volume state variable, the playback volume limit.

3. The playback device of claim 1, wherein determining the active volume state variable comprises:

determining that the playback device is in a paused state; and

determining that the proposed volume is less than the playback volume limit,

wherein based on the determining of the active volume state variable, storing, as the active volume state variable, one of;

i) the current playback volume, ii) the playback volume limit, or iii) the proposed playback volume comprises;

based on determining that the playback device is in a paused state and determining that the proposed volume is less than the playback volume limit, storing, as the active volume state variable, the proposed volume.

4. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving a second command to begin playback of media; and

in response to receiving the second command, playing back media at the current playback volume.

5. The playback device of claim 1, wherein receiving a command to increase the current playback volume to a proposed playback volume comprises:

receiving, from a physical interface on the playback device, the command to increase the current playback volume to the proposed playback volume.

6. The playback device of claim 1, wherein a first zone comprises the media playback device, wherein a control device of the playback device is located in a second zone, and wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving, from the control device of the playback device, a second command to increase the current playback volume to a second proposed volume;

determining the active volume state variable based on i) whether a control device is in the same zone as the playback device and ii) a comparison of the second proposed volume to the playback volume limit;

based on determining that the control device is in a different zone than the playback device and determining that the second proposed volume is greater than the playback limit, storing, as the active volume state variable, the playback volume limit.

7. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving a second command to pause playback of media;

based on receiving the second command to pause playback of media, i) pausing playback of media by the playback device, and ii) determining a first time corresponding to the second command to pause playback of media,

receiving a third command to begin playback of media;

based on receiving the third command to begin playback of media, i) determining a second time corresponding to the third command to begin playback of media, and ii) determining that a difference between the first time and the second time exceeds a threshold pause time period, and

wherein based on the determining of the active volume state variable, storing, as the active volume state variable, one of;

i) the current playback volume, ii) the playback volume limit, or iii) the proposed playback volume comprises;

based on determining that the difference between the first time and the second time exceeds the threshold pause time and determining that the proposed volume is greater than the playback volume limit, storing, as the active volume state variable, the playback volume limit.

8. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor cause a playback device to perform the following functions:

storing an active volume state variable in memory, wherein the active volume state variable corresponds to a current playback volume;

storing a volume limit state variable in memory, wherein the volume limit state variable corresponds to a playback volume limit of the playback device;

receiving a command to increase the current playback volume to a proposed playback volume;

based on the received command, determining the active volume state variable based on i) whether the playback device is playing back media when the command is received and ii) a comparison of the proposed volume to the playback volume limit; and

based on the determining of the active volume state variable, storing, as the active volume state variable, one of;

i) the current playback volume, ii) the playback volume limit, or iii) the proposed playback volume.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein determining the active volume state variable comprises:

determining that the playback device is in a paused state; and

determining that the proposed volume is greater than the playback volume limit, and

wherein based on the determining of the active volume state variable, storing, as the active volume state variable, one of;

i) the current playback volume, ii) the playback volume limit, or iii) the proposed playback volume comprises;

based on determining that the playback device is in a paused state and determining that the proposed volume is greater than the playback volume limit, storing, as the active volume state variable, the playback volume limit.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein determining the active volume state variable comprises:

determining that the playback device is in a paused state; and

determining that the proposed volume is less than the playback volume limit,

wherein based on the determining of the active volume state variable, storing, as the active volume state variable, one of;

i) the current playback volume, ii) the playback volume limit, or iii) the proposed playback volume comprises;

based on determining that the playback device is in a paused state and determining that the proposed volume is less than the playback volume limit, storing, as the active volume state variable, the proposed volume.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving a second command to begin playback of media; and

in response to receiving the second command, playing back media at the current playback volume.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein receiving a command to increase the current playback volume to a proposed playback volume comprises:

receiving, from a physical interface on the playback device, the command to increase the current playback volume to the proposed playback volume.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein a first zone comprises the media playback device, wherein a control device of the playback device is located in a second zone, and wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving, from the control device of the playback device, a second command to increase the current playback volume to a second proposed volume;

determining the active volume state variable based on i) whether a control device is in the same zone as the playback device and ii) a comparison of the second proposed volume to the playback volume limit;

based on determining that the control device is in a different zone than the playback device and determining that the second proposed volume is greater than the playback limit, storing, as the active volume state variable, the playback volume limit.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving a second command to pause playback of media;

based on receiving the second command to pause playback of media, i) pausing playback of media by the playback device, and ii) determining a first time corresponding to the second command to pause playback of media,

receiving a third command to begin playback of media;

based on receiving the third command to begin playback of media, i) determining a second time corresponding to the third command to begin playback of media, and ii) determining that a difference between the first time and the second time exceeds a threshold pause time period, and

wherein based on the determining of the active volume state variable, storing, as the active volume state variable, one of;

i) the current playback volume, ii) the playback volume limit, or iii) the proposed playback volume comprises;

based on determining that the difference between the first time and the second time exceeds the threshold pause time and determining that the proposed volume is greater than the playback volume limit, storing, as the active volume state variable, the playback volume limit.

15. A method comprising:

storing, via a playback device, an active volume state variable in memory, wherein the active volume state variable corresponds to a current playback volume;

storing, via the playback device, a volume limit state variable in memory, wherein the volume limit state variable corresponds to a playback volume limit of the playback device;

receiving, via the playback device, a command to increase the current playback volume to a proposed playback volume;

based on the received command, determining, via the playback device, the active volume state variable based on i) whether the playback device is playing back media when the command is received and ii) a comparison of the proposed volume to the playback volume limit; and

based on the determining of the active volume state variable, storing, via the playback device, as the active volume state variable, one of;

i) the current playback volume, ii) the playback volume limit, or iii) the proposed playback volume.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the active volume state variable comprises:

determining that the playback device is in a paused state; and

determining that the proposed volume is greater than the playback volume limit, and

wherein based on the determining of the active volume state variable, storing, as the active volume state variable, one of;

i) the current playback volume, ii) the playback volume limit, or iii) the proposed playback volume comprises;

based on determining that the playback device is in a paused state and determining that the proposed volume is greater than the playback volume limit, storing, as the active volume state variable, the playback volume limit.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the active volume state variable comprises:

determining that the playback device is in a paused state; and

determining that the proposed volume is less than the playback volume limit,

wherein based on the determining of the active volume state variable, storing, as the active volume state variable, one of;

i) the current playback volume, ii) the playback volume limit, or iii) the proposed playback volume comprises;

based on determining that the playback device is in a paused state and determining that the proposed volume is less than the playback volume limit, storing, as the active volume state variable, the proposed volume.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a second command to begin playback of media; and

in response to receiving the second command, playing back media at the current playback volume.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving a command to increase the current playback volume to a proposed playback volume comprises:

receiving, from a physical interface on the playback device, the command to increase the current playback volume to the proposed playback volume.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein a first zone comprises the media playback device, wherein a control device of the playback device is located in a second zone, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from the control device of the playback device, a second command to increase the current playback volume to a second proposed volume;

determining the active volume state variable based on i) whether a control device is in the same zone as the playback device and ii) a comparison of the second proposed volume to the playback volume limit;

based on determining that the control device is in a different zone than the playback device and determining that the second proposed volume is greater than the playback limit, storing, as the active volume state variable, the playback volume limit.