Playback device volume management

• US 10,045,123 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2015
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Agustin, Jerome, Lang, Jonathan P., Triplett, Mark W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elbin, Jesse A
• Application Number:
  US14/940,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20160080866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 700 94, 715727, 381104, 381107
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 2201/50 Gain control characterized by the means of gain control
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/001 Digital control of analog signals
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/20 Automatic control H03G3/005 takes precedence; combined with volume compression or expansion H03G7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3005 in amplifiers suitable for low-frequencies, e.g. audio amplifiers H03G3/32, H03G3/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3089 Control of digital or coded signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

Embodiments are described herein that provide numerous volume enhancements to a media playback system. An example implementation involves a playback device playing audio content at a first volume level as part of a first audio playback group configuration, storing a first volume level in association with the first audio playback group configuration, joining a second audio playback group configuration, playing audio content at a second volume level as a part of the second audio playback group configuration, receiving a command to play audio content as part of the first audio playback group configuration, identifying the first volume level in the data storage; and playing audio content at the first volume level as part of the first audio playback group configuration.

Claims

1. A first playback device comprising:

a network interface;

one or more speakers;

one or more processors; and

tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the playback device to perform a method comprising;

playing, via the one or more speakers, audio content at a first volume level as part of a first audio playback group configuration comprising the first playback device and a second playback device configured to play back in synchrony;

storing in a data storage, the first volume level in association with the first audio playback group configuration;

joining a second audio playback group configuration, wherein the second audio playback group configuration excludes the second playback device;

adjusting the playback device to play audio content at a second volume level as part of the second audio playback group configuration;

while the first playback device is playing audio at the second volume level as part of the second audio playback group configuration, receiving, via the network interface, a command to play audio content as part of the first audio playback group configuration; and

in response to receiving the command to play audio as part of the first audio playback group configuration;

(i) joining the first audio playback group configuration, (ii) identifying the first volume level in the data storage; and

(iii) adjusting the first playback device to play audio content at the identified first volume level as part of the first audio playback group configuration.

2. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein playing audio content at the second volume level as part of the second audio playback group configuration comprises playing a particular audio track, and wherein the command to play audio as part of the first audio playback group configuration comprises a command to play a different audio track.

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

before playing audio content at the first volume level as part of the first audio playback group configuration and before joining the second audio playback group configuration, receiving, via the network interface, a command to join the first audio playback group configuration; and

receiving a command to adjust the first playback device to play audio content at the first volume level.

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

identifying, in the data storage, the second volume in association with the second audio playback group configuration, and wherein the first playback device adjusts the first playback device to play audio content at the second volume level as part of the second audio playback group configuration in response to identifying, in the data storage, the second volume in association with the second audio playback group configuration.

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

receiving a command to play audio content at the second volume level, and wherein the first playback device adjusts the first playback device to play audio content at the second volume level as part of the second audio playback group configuration in response to receiving the command to play audio content at the second volume level.

6. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the second audio playback group configuration comprises the first playback device and a third playback device.

7. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the second audio playback group configuration consists of the first playback device.

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

determining the second volume level based on a volume level of a group coordinator of the second audio playback group configuration, and wherein the first playback device adjusts the first playback device to play audio content at the second volume level as part of the second audio playback group configuration in response to determining the second volume level based on the volume level of a group coordinator of the second audio playback group.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a first playback device to perform a functions comprising:

playing, via one or more speakers, audio content at a first volume level as part of a first audio playback group configuration comprising the first playback device and a second playback device configured to play back in synchrony;

storing in a data storage, the first volume level in association with the first audio playback group configuration;

joining a second audio playback group configuration, wherein the second audio playback group configuration excludes the second playback device;

adjusting the playback device to play audio content at a second volume level as part of the second audio playback group configuration;

while the first playback device is playing audio at the second volume level as part of the second audio playback group configuration, receiving, via a network interface of the playback device, a command to play audio content as part of the first audio playback group configuration; and

in response to receiving the command to play audio as part of the first audio playback group configuration;

(i) joining the first audio playback group configuration, (ii) identifying the first volume level in the data storage; and

(iii) adjusting the first playback device to play audio content at the identified first volume level as part of the first audio playback group configuration.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein playing audio content at the second volume level as part of the second audio playback group configuration comprises playing a particular audio track, and wherein the command to play audio as part of the first audio playback group configuration comprises a command to play a different audio track.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the functions further comprise:

before playing audio content at the first volume level as part of the first audio playback group configuration and before joining the second audio playback group configuration, receiving, via the network interface, a command to join the first audio playback group configuration; and

receiving a command to adjust the playback device to play audio content at the first volume level.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the functions further comprise:

identifying, in the data storage, the second volume in association with the second audio playback group configuration, and wherein the first playback device adjusts the first playback device to play audio content at the second volume level as part of the second audio playback group configuration in response to identifying, in the data storage, the second volume in association with the second audio playback group configuration.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the second audio playback group configuration comprises the first playback device and a third playback device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the second audio playback group configuration consists of the first playback device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving a command to play audio content at the second volume level, and wherein the first playback device adjusts the first playback device to play audio content at the second volume level as part of the second audio playback group configuration in response to receiving the command to play audio content at the second volume level.

16. A method comprising:

playing, via a first playback device, audio content at a first volume level as part of a first audio playback group configuration comprising the first playback device and a second playback device configured to play back in synchrony;

storing, via the first playback device in a data storage, the first volume level in association with the first audio playback group configuration;

joining, by the first playback device, a second audio playback group configuration, wherein the second audio playback group configuration excludes the second playback device;

playing, via the first playback device, audio content at a second volume level as part of the second audio playback group configuration;

while the first playback device is playing audio at the second volume level as part of the second audio playback group configuration, receiving, via a network interface of the first playback device, a command to play audio content as part of the first audio playback group configuration; and

in response to receiving the command to play audio as part of the first audio playback group configuration;

the playback device (i) joining the first audio playback group configuration;

(i) joining the first audio playback group configuration, (ii) identifying the first volume level in the data storage; and

playing audio content at the identified first volume level as part of the first audio playback group configuration.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein playing audio content at the second volume level as part of the second audio playback group configuration comprises playing a particular audio track and wherein the command to play audio as part of the first audio playback group configuration comprises a command to play a different audio track.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a command to join the first audio playback group configuration; and

receiving a command to adjust the playback device to play audio content at the first volume level, and wherein the first playback device plays audio content at the second volume level as part of the second audio playback group configuration in response to receiving the command to play audio content at the second volume level.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

identifying, in the data storage, the second volume in association with the second audio playback group configuration, and wherein the first playback device plays audio content at the second volume level as part of the second audio playback group configuration in response to identifying, in the data storage, the second volume in association with the second audio playback group configuration.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the second audio playback group configuration comprises the first playback device and a third playback device.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the second audio playback group configuration consists of the first playback device.