Playback device group volume control

• US 10,447,221 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2018
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Dizon, Bob, Griffiths, Neil, Vega Zayas, Luis R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Paul
• Assistant Examiner(s): Odunukwe, Ubachukwu A
• Application Number:
  US16/102,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20190007015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 381104, 381105
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 1/02 Remote control of amplification, tone or bandwidth combined with remote tuning or selection of resonant circuits H03J
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/02 Manually-operated control H03G3/001 and H03G3/002 take precedence
• 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: 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: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones

Abstract

Embodiments are provided for satellite volume control. An example method includes receiving an input at a playback device to adjust a volume for a plurality of playback devices that are grouped for synchronous playback of audio content, wherein the plurality of playback devices includes the playback device. The method also includes sending a first message over a network from the playback device to a device associated with the plurality of playback devices, the first message including information based on the input, wherein the information is used to adjust the volume of the plurality of playback devices. The method also includes receiving a second message at the playback device over the network, the second message including information for the volume of the playback device, wherein the volume is based on the adjusted volume of the plurality of playback devices.

Claims

1. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a first playback device configured to play back audio synchronously with a second playback device in a device group to perform functions comprising:

receiving input indicating a volume adjustment;

in response to receiving the input,

determining whether the first playback device is playing back audio synchronously with the second playback device;

if the first playback device is playing back audio synchronously with the second playback device, adjusting audio data for playback based on the input and transmitting the adjusted audio data to the second playback device for playback; and

if the first playback device is not playing back audio synchronously with the second playback device, determining whether the input indicating the volume adjustment is included in an information packet from the second playback device;

if the input indicating the volume adjustment is included in an information packet from the second playback device, transmitting, to the second playback device, the information packet; and

if the input indicating the volume adjustment is not included in an information packet from the second playback device, adjusting a volume of the first playback device based on the input.

2. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first playback device is configured to be a full-frequency playback device, and wherein the functions further comprise:

based on the first playback device being configured to be the full-frequency playback device, causing the first playback device to be a primary device and the second playback device to be a secondary device.

3. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein adjusting audio data for playback based on the input and transmitting the adjusted audio data to the second playback device for playback comprises:

adjusting respective audio data for playback based on the input and transmitting the respective adjusted audio data to the second playback device, a third playback device, and a fourth playback device for playback.

4. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein adjusting audio data for playback based on the input based on the input, and transmitting the adjusted audio data to the second playback device for playback comprises:

transmitting volume-adjusted audio data to the second playback device for playback.

5. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein adjusting audio data for playback based on the input and transmitting the adjusted audio data to the second playback device for playback comprises:

transmitting a gain value for audio playback by the second playback device.

6. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein determining that the input indicating the volume adjustment is not included in an information packet from the second playback device comprises:

determining that the input indicating the volume adjustment was received at the first playback device via a user interface associated with the first playback device.

7. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein determining that the first playback device is playing back audio synchronously with the second playback device comprises:

determining that synchronous playback of audio by the first playback device and the second playback device is in a paused state.

8. A first playback device configured to play back audio synchronously with a second playback device in a device group, the first playback device comprising:

a processor; and

a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the first playback device to perform functions comprising;

receiving input indicating a volume adjustment;

in response to receiving the input,

determining whether the first playback device is playing back audio synchronously with the second playback device;

if the first playback device is playing back audio synchronously with the second playback device, adjusting audio data for playback based on the input and transmitting the adjusted audio data to the second playback device for playback; and

if the first playback device is not playing back audio synchronously with the second playback device, adjusting a volume of the first playback device based on the input.

9. The first playback device of claim 8, wherein the first playback device is configured to be a full-frequency playback device, and wherein the functions further comprise:

based on the first playback device being configured to be the full-frequency playback device, causing the first playback device to be a primary device and the second playback device to be a secondary device.

10. The first playback device of claim 9, wherein adjusting audio data for playback based on the input and transmitting the adjusted audio data to the second playback device for playback comprises:

adjusting respective audio data for playback based on the input and transmitting the respective adjusted audio data to the second playback device, a third playback device, and a fourth playback device for playback.

11. The first playback device of claim 8, wherein adjusting audio data for playback based on the input and transmitting the adjusted audio data to the second playback device for playback comprises:

transmitting volume-adjusted audio data to the second playback device for playback.

12. The first playback device of claim 8, wherein adjusting audio data for playback based on the input and transmitting the adjusted audio data to the second playback device for playback comprises:

transmitting a gain value for audio playback by the second playback device.

13. The first playback device of claim 8, wherein determining that the input indicating the volume adjustment is not included in an information packet from the second playback device comprises:

determining that the input indicating the volume adjustment was received at the first playback device via a user interface associated with the first playback device.

14. The first playback device of claim 8, wherein determining that the first playback device is playing back audio synchronously with the second playback device comprises:

determining that synchronous playback of audio by the first playback device and the second playback device is in a paused state.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a first playback device configured to play back audio synchronously with a second playback device in a device group, input indicating a volume adjustment;

in response to receiving the input, determining whether the first playback device is playing back audio synchronously with the second playback device;

if the first playback device is playing back audio synchronously with the second playback device, adjusting audio data for playback based on the input and transmitting the adjusted audio data to the second playback device for playback; and

if the first playback device is not playing back audio synchronously with the second playback device, adjusting a volume of the first playback device based on the input.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first playback device is configured to be a full-frequency playback device, and wherein the method further comprises:

based on the first playback device being configured to be the full-frequency playback device, causing the first playback device to be a primary device and the second playback device to be a secondary device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein adjusting audio data for playback based on the input and transmitting the adjusted audio data to the second playback device for playback comprises:

adjusting respective audio data for playback based on the input and transmitting the respective adjusted audio data to the second playback device, a third playback device, and a fourth playback device for playback.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein adjusting audio data for playback based on the input and transmitting the adjusted audio data to the second playback device for playback comprises:

transmitting volume-adjusted audio data to the second playback device for playback.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein determining that the input indicating the volume adjustment is not included in an information packet from the second playback device comprises:

determining that the input indicating the volume adjustment was received at the first playback device via a user interface associated with the first playback device.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein determining that the first playback device is playing back audio synchronously with the second playback device comprises:

determining that synchronous playback of audio by the first playback device and the second playback device is in a paused state.