Grouping Zones

• US 20150378559A1
• Filed: 09/11/2015
• Published: 12/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Reimann, Robert M., Hoadley, Joni R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,395,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• 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 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/025 'Virtual' control panels, e.g. Graphical User Interface [GUI]

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to manage zones of a playback system are disclosed. An example method includes displaying a plurality of zone icons, including a first zone icon and a second zone icon, each of the zone icons representing zone player(s) operable to play back multimedia content in a local area network, wherein the first and second zone icons are currently located in a first zone group region, and wherein the zone players associated with the first and second zone icons are members of a first zone group, the first zone group synchronously playing back a first multimedia content; receiving a first drag and drop input to select the second zone icon and drag the second zone icon from inside the first zone group region to outside the first zone region; and, based on the first drag and drop input, causing the zone player(s) associated with the second zone icon to be disassociated with the first zone group.

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

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

displaying, via the controller device, a plurality of zone icons, including a first zone icon and a second zone icon, each of the plurality of zone icons identifying one or more zone players operable to playback multimedia content in a local area network, wherein the first zone icon is displayed in a first zone group display region and the second zone icon is displayed outside of the first zone group display region;

receiving, via the controller device, a first input, wherein the first input comprises a selection of the second zone icon;

receiving, via the controller device, a second input, wherein the second input comprises a selection of the first zone group display region; and

after receiving the first and second inputs, the controller device (i) grouping the zone players identified by the first and second zone icons into a first zone group, wherein after grouping the zone players into the first zone group, the zone players in the first zone group are configured to playback a first multimedia content in synchrony, and (ii) displaying the second zone icon in the first zone group display region.

24. The computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the selection of the second zone icon comprises a drag of the second zone icon, and wherein the selection of the first zone group display region comprises a destination of the drag of the second zone icon.

25. The computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the first zone group display region comprises a first zone group icon.

26. The computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying, via the controller device, a first status indicator associated with the first zone group display region, wherein the first status indicator identifies the first multimedia content.

27. The computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying, via the controller device, a third zone icon, wherein the third zone icon is displayed in a second zone group display region.

28. The computer-readable media of claim 27, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, via the controller device, a third input, wherein the third input comprises a selection of the first zone icon;

receiving, via the controller device, a fourth input, wherein the fourth input comprises a selection of the second zone group display region; and

after receiving the third and fourth inputs, the controller device (i) grouping the zone players identified by the first zone icon and third zone icon into a second zone group, wherein after grouping the zone players into the second zone group, the zone players in the second zone group are configured to playback a second multimedia content in synchrony, and (ii) displaying the first zone icon in the second zone group display region.

29. The computer-readable media of claim 28, wherein the selection of the first zone icon comprises a drag of the first zone icon, and wherein the selection of the second zone group display region comprises a destination of the drag of the first zone icon.

30. The computer-readable media of claim 28, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, by the controller device, a fifth input, wherein the fifth input comprises a selection of the second zone group display region;

receiving, by the controller device, a sixth input, wherein the sixth input comprises a selection of the first zone group display region; and

after receiving the fifth and sixth inputs, the controller device (i) grouping the zone players identified by the first, second, and third zone icons into the first zone group, and (ii) displaying the first and third zone icons in the first zone group display region.

31. A controller device comprising one or more processors, the controller device configured to:

display a plurality of zone icons, including a first zone icon and a second zone icon, each of the plurality of zone icons identifying one or more zone players operable to playback multimedia content in a local area network, wherein the first zone icon is displayed in a first zone group display region and the second zone icon is displayed outside of the first zone group display region;

receive a first input, wherein the first input comprises a selection of the second zone icon;

receive a second input, wherein the second input comprises a selection of the first zone group display region; and

after receiving the first and second inputs, (i) group the zone players identified by the first and second zone icons into a first zone group, wherein after grouping the zone players into the first zone group, the zone players in the first zone group are configured to playback a first multimedia content in synchrony, and (ii) display the second zone icon in the first zone group display region.

32. The controller device of claim 31, wherein the selection of the second zone icon comprises a drag of the second zone icon, and wherein the selection of the first zone group display region comprises a destination of the drag of the second zone icon.

33. The controller device of claim 31, wherein the first zone group display region comprises a first zone group icon.

34. The controller device of claim 31, wherein the controller device is further configured to:

display a first status indicator associated with the first zone group display region, wherein the first status indicator identifies the first multimedia content.

35. The controller device of claim 31, wherein the controller device is further configured to:

display a third zone icon, wherein the third zone icon is displayed in a second zone group display region.

36. The controller device of claim 35, wherein the controller device is further configured to:

receive a third input, wherein the third input comprises a selection of the first zone icon;

receive a fourth input, wherein the fourth input comprises a selection of the second zone group display region; and

after receiving the third and fourth inputs, (i) group the zone players identified by the first zone icon and third zone icon into a second zone group, wherein after grouping the zone players into the second zone group, the zone players in the second zone group are configured to playback a second multimedia content in synchrony, and (ii) display the first zone icon in the second zone group display region.

37. The controller device of claim 36, wherein the selection of the first zone icon comprises a drag of the first zone icon, and wherein the selection of the second zone group display region comprises a destination of the drag of the first zone icon.

38. A method comprising:

a controller device displaying a plurality of zone icons, including a first zone icon and a second zone icon, each of the plurality of zone icons identifying one or more zone players operable to playback multimedia content in a local area network, wherein the first zone icon is displayed in a first zone group display region and the second zone icon is displayed outside of the first zone group display region;

the controller device receiving a first input, wherein the first input comprises a selection of the second zone icon;

the controller device receiving a second input, wherein the second input comprises a selection of the first zone group display region; and

after receiving the first and second inputs, the controller device (i) grouping the zone players identified by the first and second zone icons into a first zone group, wherein after grouping the zone players into the first zone group, the zone players in the first zone group are configured to playback a first multimedia content in synchrony, and (ii) displaying the second zone icon in the first zone group display region.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the selection of the second zone icon comprises a drag of the second zone icon, and wherein the selection of the first zone group display region comprises a destination of the drag of the second zone icon.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the first zone group display region comprises a first zone group icon.

41. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

the controller device displaying a first status indicator associated with the first zone group display region, wherein the first status indicator identifies the first multimedia content.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein the first zone group is associated with a queue of media items to be played back.