Zone volume control

• US 10,454,437 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2018
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Apodaca, Eduardo Ahumada
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Yogeshkumar
• Application Number:
  US16/176,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20190068150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/02 Manually-operated control H03G3/001 and H03G3/002 take precedence
• 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

Example techniques involve controlling playback volumes of playback zones in a network media system. An example implementation includes displaying a first volume indicator along a first volume scale, the first volume indicator at a first position corresponding to a first volume setting of a first playback zone and a second volume indicator along a second volume scale, the second volume indicator at a second position corresponding to a second volume setting of a second playback zone. The implementation involves receiving input data representing an input to cause the first volume setting to change to be equal to the second volume setting and responsively, displaying the first volume indicator at a third position indicating that the first volume setting is equal to the second volume setting, and transmitting a command to adjust a playback volume of the first playback zone to a volume setting corresponding to the third position.

Claims

1. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors of a mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform a method comprising:

displaying, via a controller interface on a touch-sensitive display of the mobile device, (i) a first volume indicator along a first volume scale, wherein the first volume indicator is at a first position corresponding to a first volume setting of a first playback zone of a media playback system comprising multiple zones including the first playback zone and a second playback zone, and (ii) a second volume indicator along a second volume scale, wherein the second volume indicator is at a second position corresponding to a second volume setting of the second playback zone, wherein the first playback zone comprises one or more first playback devices of the media playback system, and wherein the second playback zone comprises one or more second playback devices of the media playback system;

after displaying the first volume indicator at the first position and the second volume indicator at the second position, receiving, via the displayed second volume indicator on the controller interface, input data representing an input to cause the first volume setting to change to be equal to the second volume setting; and

in response to receiving the input data representing the input to cause the first volume setting to change to be equal to the second volume setting, (i) displaying the first volume indicator at a third position along the first volume scale that indicates the first volume setting is equal to the second volume setting indicated by the second volume indicator at the second position, and (ii) transmitting, to at least one first playback device of the first playback zone, a command to adjust a playback volume of the first playback zone to a volume setting corresponding to the third position along the first volume scale.

2. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the input corresponding to the second volume indicator comprises a swipe touch input from the second volume indicator and to the first volume scale.

3. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the input corresponding to the second volume indicator comprises a flick touch input from the second volume indicator towards the first volume scale.

4. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the input corresponding to the second volume indicator comprises a dwell touch input at the second volume indicator.

5. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first volume scale comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the second volume scale comprises a first end and a second end, and wherein the third position along the first volume scale relative to the first end and the second end of the first volume scale is substantially the same as the second position along the second volume scale relative to the first end and the second end of the second volume scale.

6. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

prior to displaying the first volume indicator at the first position and the second volume indicator at the second position, displaying, on the controller interface, information corresponding to media being played back by one or more zones of the media playback system; and

while displaying the information corresponding to media being played back by one or more zones of the media playback system, receiving, via the controller interface, input data representing a command to display volume indicators corresponding to the multiple zones of the media playback system.

7. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the input is a second input, and wherein the method further comprises:

prior to displaying the second volume indicator at the second position, receiving, via the displayed second volume indicator on the controller interface, input data representing an input to adjust the volume to the second position;

in response to receiving the input data representing the input to adjust the volume to the second position, causing a movement of the second volume indicator from an initial position to the second position, wherein the movement of the second volume indicator corresponds to an amount of volume setting change for the second playback zone; and

transmitting, to at least one second playback device in the second playback zone, a command to adjust a playback volume of the second playback zone from an initial volume setting by the amount of volume setting change to the second volume setting.

8. A method comprising:

displaying, via a controller interface on a touch-sensitive display of a mobile device, (i) a first volume indicator along a first volume scale, wherein the first volume indicator is at a first position corresponding to a first volume setting of a first playback zone of a media playback system comprising multiple zones including the first playback zone and a second playback zone, and (ii) a second volume indicator along a second volume scale, wherein the second volume indicator is at a second position corresponding to a second volume setting of the second playback zone, wherein the first playback zone comprises one or more first playback devices of the media playback system, and wherein the second playback zone comprises one or more second playback devices of the media playback system;

after displaying the first volume indicator at the first position and the second volume indicator at the second position, receiving, via the displayed second volume indicator on the controller interface, input data representing an input to cause the first volume setting to change to be equal to the second volume setting; and

in response to receiving the input data representing the input to cause the first volume setting to change to be equal to the second volume setting, (i) displaying the first volume indicator at a third position along the first volume scale that indicates the first volume setting is equal to the second volume setting indicated by the second volume indicator at the second position, and (ii) transmitting, to at least one first playback device of the first playback zone, a command to adjust a playback volume of the first playback zone to a volume setting corresponding to the third position along the first volume scale.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the input corresponding to the second volume indicator comprises a swipe touch input from the second volume indicator and to the first volume scale.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the input corresponding to the second volume indicator comprises a flick touch input from the second volume indicator towards the first volume scale.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the input corresponding to the second volume indicator comprises a dwell touch input at the second volume indicator.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the first volume scale comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the second volume scale comprises a first end and a second end, and wherein the third position along the first volume scale relative to the first end and the second end of the first volume scale is substantially the same as the second position along the second volume scale relative to the first end and the second end of the second volume scale.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

prior to displaying the first volume indicator at the first position and the second volume indicator at the second position, displaying, on the controller interface, information corresponding to media being played back by one or more zones of the media playback system; and

while displaying the information corresponding to media being played back by one or more zones of the media playback system, receiving, via the controller interface, input data representing a command to display volume indicators corresponding to the multiple zones of the media playback system.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the input is a second input, and wherein the method further comprises:

prior to displaying the second volume indicator at the second position, receiving, via the displayed second volume indicator on the controller interface, input data representing an input to adjust the volume to the second position;

in response to receiving the input data representing the input to adjust the volume to the second position, causing a movement of the second volume indicator from an initial position to the second position, wherein the movement of the second volume indicator corresponds to an amount of volume setting change for the second playback zone; and

transmitting, to at least one second playback device in the second playback zone, a command to adjust a playback volume of the second playback zone from an initial volume setting by the amount of volume setting change to the second volume setting.

15. A mobile device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

a network interface;

one or more processors; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the mobile device to perform a method comprising;

displaying, via a controller interface on the touch-sensitive display, (i) a first volume indicator along a first volume scale, wherein the first volume indicator is at a first position corresponding to a first volume setting of a first playback zone of a media playback system comprising multiple zones including the first playback zone and a second playback zone, and (ii) a second volume indicator along a second volume scale, wherein the second volume indicator is at a second position corresponding to a second volume setting of the second playback zone, wherein the first playback zone comprises one or more first playback devices of the media playback system, and wherein the second playback zone comprises one or more second playback devices of the media playback system;

after displaying the first volume indicator at the first position and the second volume indicator at the second position, receiving, via the displayed second volume indicator on the controller interface, input data representing an input to cause the first volume setting to change to be equal to the second volume setting; and

in response to receiving the input data representing the input to cause the first volume setting to change to be equal to the second volume setting, (i) displaying the first volume indicator at a third position along the first volume scale that indicates the first volume setting is equal to the second volume setting indicated by the second volume indicator at the second position, and (ii) transmitting, via the network interface to at least one first playback device of the first playback zone, a command to adjust a playback volume of the first playback zone to a volume setting corresponding to the third position along the first volume scale.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the input corresponding to the second volume indicator comprises a swipe touch input from the second volume indicator and to the first volume scale.

17. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the input corresponding to the second volume indicator comprises a flick touch input from the second volume indicator towards the first volume scale.

18. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the input corresponding to the second volume indicator comprises a dwell touch input at the second volume indicator.

19. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the first volume scale comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the second volume scale comprises a first end and a second end, and wherein the third position along the first volume scale relative to the first end and the second end of the first volume scale is substantially the same as the second position along the second volume scale relative to the first end and the second end of the second volume scale.

20. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the input is a second input, and wherein the method further comprises:

prior to displaying the second volume indicator at the second position, receiving, via the displayed second volume indicator on the controller interface, input data representing an input to adjust the volume to the second position;

in response to receiving the input data representing the input to adjust the volume to the second position, causing a movement of the second volume indicator from an initial position to the second position, wherein the movement of the second volume indicator corresponds to an amount of volume setting change for the second playback zone; and

transmitting, to at least one second playback device in the second playback zone, a command to adjust a playback volume of the second playback zone from an initial volume setting by the amount of volume setting change to the second volume setting.