Zone scene management

• US 10,469,966 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2019
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Lambourne, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): McCord, Paul C
• Application Number:
  US16/383,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20190239009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 207 Days
• Field of Search: 700 94
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• 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 7/00 Volume compression or expansion in amplifiers frequency dependent H03G9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• 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: 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: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

An example computing device in a media playback system receives a first request to create a first zone scene including a first preconfigured grouping of zones including a first zone and a second zone, and based on the first request, causes creation and storage of the first zone scene. The computing device receives a second request to create a second zone scene including a second preconfigured grouping of zones including the first zone and a third zone, and based on the second request, causes creation and storage of the second zone scene. While displaying a representation of the first zone scene and a representation of the second zone scene, the computing devices receives a third request to invoke the first zone scene, and based on the third request, causes the first zone scene to be invoked such that the first zone and the second zone become configured for synchronous playback of media.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

one or more processors;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising;

while serving as a controller for a networked media playback system comprising a first zone player and at least two other zone players, wherein the first zone player is operating in a standalone mode in which the first zone player is configured to play back media individually;

receiving a first request to create a first zone scene comprising a first predefined grouping of zone players including at least the first zone player and a second zone player that are to be configured for synchronous playback of media when the first zone scene is invoked;

based on the first request, i) causing creation of the first zone scene, ii) causing an indication of the first zone scene to be transmitted to the first zone player, and iii) causing storage of the first zone scene;

receiving a second request to create a second zone scene comprising a second predefined grouping of zone players including at least the first zone player and a third zone player that are to be configured for synchronous playback of media when the second zone scene is invoked, wherein the third zone player is different than the second zone player;

based on the second request, i) causing creation of the second zone scene, ii) causing an indication of the second zone scene to be transmitted to the first zone player, and iii) causing storage of the second zone scene;

displaying a representation of the first zone scene and a representation of the second zone scene; and

while displaying the representation of the first zone scene and the representation of the second zone scene, receiving a third request to invoke the first zone scene; and

based on the third request, causing the first zone player to transition from operating in the standalone mode to operating in accordance with the first predefined grouping of zone players such that the first zone player is configured to coordinate with at least the second zone player to output media in synchrony with output of media by at least the second zone player.

2. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

while the first zone player is configured to coordinate with at least the second zone player to play back media in synchrony with at least the second zone player, receiving a fourth request to invoke the second zone scene; and

based on the fourth request, causing the first zone player to (a) cease to operate in accordance with the first predefined grouping of zone players such that the first zone player is no longer configured to coordinate with at least the second zone player to output media in synchrony with output of media by at least the second zone player and (b) begin to operate in accordance with the second predefined grouping of zone players such that the first zone player is configured to coordinate with at least the third zone player to output media in synchrony with output of media by at least the third zone player.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein causing storage of the first zone scene comprises causing storage of the first zone scene at a location other than the computing device, and wherein causing storage of the second zone scene comprises causing storage of the second zone scene at the location other than the computing device.

4. The computing device of claim 3, wherein the location other than the computing device comprises a zone player of the first predefined grouping of zone players.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the first zone scene further comprises an indication of predetermined media to be played when the first zone scene is invoked, and wherein the computing device further comprises program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

based on the third request, causing the first zone player to coordinate with at least the second zone player to output the predetermined media in synchrony with output of the predetermined media by at least the second zone player.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the first predefined grouping of zone players does not include the third zone player, and wherein the second predefined grouping of zone players does not include the second zone player.

7. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

before displaying the representation of the first zone scene and the representation of the second zone scene, receiving, from another device over a data network, data defining the first zone scene and data defining the second zone scene.

8. The computing device of claim 1, wherein receiving the first request comprises receiving a first set of one or more inputs via a user interface of the computing device, wherein receiving the second request comprises receiving a second set of one or more inputs via the user interface, and wherein receiving the third request comprises receiving a third set of one or more inputs via the user interface.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is provisioned with program instructions that are executable to cause a computing device to perform functions comprising:

while serving as a controller for a networked media playback system comprising a first zone player and at least two other zone players, wherein the first zone player is operating in a standalone mode in which the first zone player is configured to play back media individually;

receiving a first request to create a first zone scene comprising a first predefined grouping of zone players including at least the first zone player and a second zone player that are to be configured for synchronous playback of media when the first zone scene is invoked;

based on the first request, i) causing creation of the first zone scene, ii) causing an indication of the first zone scene to be transmitted to the first zone player, and iii) causing storage of the first zone scene;

receiving a second request to create a second zone scene comprising a second predefined grouping of zone players including at least the first zone player and a third zone player that are to be configured for synchronous playback of media when the second zone scene is invoked, wherein the third zone player is different than the second zone player;

based on the second request, i) causing creation of the second zone scene, ii) causing an indication of the second zone scene to be transmitted to the first zone player, and iii) causing storage of the second zone scene;

displaying a representation of the first zone scene and a representation of the second zone scene; and

while displaying the representation of the first zone scene and the representation of the second zone scene, receiving a third request to invoke the first zone scene; and

based on the third request, causing the first zone player to transition from operating in the standalone mode to operating in accordance with the first predefined grouping of zone players such that the first zone player is configured to coordinate with at least the second zone player to output media in synchrony with output of media by at least the second zone player.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is also provisioned with program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

while the first zone player is configured to coordinate with at least the second zone player to play back media in synchrony with at least the second zone player, receiving a fourth request to invoke the second zone scene; and

based on the fourth request, causing the first zone player to (a) cease to operate in accordance with the first predefined grouping of zone players such that the first zone player is no longer configured to coordinate with at least the second zone player to output media in synchrony with output of media by at least the second zone player and (b) begin to operate in accordance with the second predefined grouping of zone players such that the first zone player is configured to coordinate with at least the third zone player to output media in synchrony with output of media by at least the third zone player.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein causing storage of the first zone scene comprises causing storage of the first zone scene at a location other than the computing device, and wherein causing storage of the second zone scene comprises causing storage of the second zone scene at the location other than the computing device.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the location other than the computing device comprises a zone player of the first predefined grouping of zone players.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first zone scene further comprises an indication of predetermined media to be played when the first zone scene is invoked, and wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is also provisioned with program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

based on the third request, causing the first zone player to coordinate with at least the second zone player to output the predetermined media in synchrony with output of the predetermined media by at least the second zone player.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first predefined grouping of zone players does not include the third zone player, and wherein the second predefined grouping of zone players does not include the second zone player.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

before displaying the representation of the first zone scene and the representation of the second zone scene, receiving, from another device over a data network, data defining the first zone scene and data defining the second zone scene.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein receiving the first request comprises receiving a first set of one or more inputs via a user interface of the computing device, wherein receiving the second request comprises receiving a second set of one or more inputs via the user interface, and wherein receiving the third request comprises receiving a third set of one or more inputs via the user interface.

17. A method executed by a computing device, the method comprising:

while serving as a controller for a networked media playback system comprising a first zone player and at least two other zone players, wherein the first zone player is operating in a standalone mode in which the first zone player is configured to play back media individually;

receiving a first request to create a first zone scene comprising a first predefined grouping of zone players including at least the first zone player and a second zone player that are to be configured for synchronous playback of media when the first zone scene is invoked;

based on the first request, i) causing creation of the first zone scene, ii) causing an indication of the first zone scene to be transmitted to the first zone player, and iii) causing storage of the first zone scene;

receiving a second request to create a second zone scene comprising a second predefined grouping of zone players including at least the first zone player and a third zone player that are to be configured for synchronous playback of media when the second zone scene is invoked, wherein the third zone player is different than the second zone player;

based on the second request, i) causing creation of the second zone scene, ii) causing an indication of the second zone scene to be transmitted to the first zone player, and iii) causing storage of the second zone scene;

displaying a representation of the first zone scene and a representation of the second zone scene; and

while displaying the representation of the first zone scene and the representation of the second zone scene, receiving a third request to invoke the first zone scene; and

based on the third request, causing the first zone player to transition from operating in the standalone mode to operating in accordance with the first predefined grouping of zone players such that the first zone player is configured to coordinate with at least the second zone player to output media in synchrony with output of media by at least the second zone player.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

while the first zone player is configured to coordinate with at least the second zone player to play back media in synchrony with at least the second zone player, receiving a fourth request to invoke the second zone scene; and

based on the fourth request, causing the first zone player to (a) cease to operate in accordance with the first predefined grouping of zone players such that the first zone player is no longer configured to coordinate with at least the second zone player to output media in synchrony with output of media by at least the second zone player and (b) begin to operate in accordance with the second predefined grouping of zone players such that the first zone player is configured to coordinate with at least the third zone player to output media in synchrony with output of media by at least the third zone player.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein causing storage of the first zone scene comprises causing storage of the first zone scene at a location other than the computing device, wherein causing storage of the second zone scene comprises causing storage of the second zone scene at the location other than the computing device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the location other than the computing device comprises a zone player of the first predefined grouping of zone players.