User interfaces for controlling and manipulating groupings in a multi-zone media system

• US 8,290,603 B1
• Filed: 02/21/2008
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Lambourne, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Application Number:
  US12/035,112
• Time in Patent Office: 1,699 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• 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 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/00 Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/008 Visual indication of individual signal levels visual indication of stereophonic sound image H04S7/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/00 Indicating arrangements; Control arrangements, e.g. balance control
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/30 Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field

Abstract

In general, user interfaces for controlling a plurality of multimedia players in groups are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a user interface is provided to allow a user to group some of the players according to a theme or scene, where each of the players is located in a zone. When the scene is activated, the players in the scene react in a synchronized manner. For example, the players in the scene are all caused to play a multimedia source or music in a playlist, wherein the multimedia source may be located anywhere on a network. The user interface is further configured to illustrate graphically a size of a group, the larger the group appears relatively, the more plays there are in the group.

Claims

1. A multimedia controller including a processor, the controller configured to:

provide a user interface in association with a zone group configuration, the zone group configuration characterizing a first zone group including at least two zones in a local area network, each zone containing at least one player configured to playback a multimedia output from a multimedia source;

accept user input via the user interface to facilitate formation of a zone scene configuration by selecting;

     1) a plurality of players in the local area network to form at least a second zone group associated with the zone scene,

     2) the multimedia source for playback, and

     3) the duration of playback, and the zone scene configuration identifying the selected players, the multimedia source to playback and the duration of playback; and

transmit the zone scene configuration to a player of a zone in the zone scene to save the zone scene configuration and to, when the zone scene is activated, cause the player to configure the players in the second zone group to synchronize playback of the multimedia output from the selected multimedia source in accordance with the zone scene configuration, wherein the zone scene configuration also includes

activation of the second zone group automatically at a specified time, and wherein upon completion of the duration of playback associated with the activated zone scene, the players automatically reconfigure into the first zone group in which the players were arranged prior to activation of the zone scene.

2. The multimedia controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to, upon activation of a saved zone scene, check a status of the zone players associated with the zone scene.

3. The multimedia controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to, upon activation of a saved zone scene, execute one or more commands in conjunction with one or more parameters to execute the zone scene.

4. The multimedia controller of claim 3, wherein the one or more parameters comprises one or more of a) a volume level for each zone in the zone group, b) a mute or unmute setting for each one in the zone group, c) a selection and play of specific music, d) a play mode setting, and e) an equalization setting for each zone in the zone group.

5. The multimedia controller of claim 1, wherein zone players in a zone group are to be linked upon activation of the zone scene, independent of a zone player configuration prior to activation of the zone scene.

6. The multimedia controller of claim 1, wherein the zone scene configuration is to be saved in any one of the zone players associated with the zone scene.

7. The multimedia controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is to facilitate user creation of a zone scene by displaying a zone menu listing available zones and accepting user input to at least one of a) link zones, b) add a zone, c) unlink a zone, and d) drop a zone via the user interface.

8. The multimedia controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to, in response to the zone scene configuration, transmit a command to one of the zone players in the zone group, the command then propagated to the remaining zone players in the zone group for play of the zone scene.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including a set of instructions for execution by a processor, the set of instructions, when executed, implement a controller configured to:

provide a user interface in association with a zone group configuration, the zone group configuration characterizing a first zone group including at least two zones in a local area network, each zone containing at least one player configured to playback a multimedia output from a multimedia source;

accept user input via the user interface to facilitate formation of a zone scene configuration by selecting;

     1) a plurality of players in the local area network, to form at least a second zone group associated with the zone scene,

     2) the multimedia source for playback, and

     3) the duration of playback, and the zone scene configuration identifying the selected players, the multimedia source to playback and the duration of playback; and

transmit the zone scene configuration to a player of a zone in the zone scene to save the zone scene configuration and to, when the zone scene is activated, cause the player to configure the players in the second zone group to synchronize playback of the multimedia output from the selected multimedia source in accordance with the zone scene configuration, wherein the zone scene configuration also includes activation of the second zone group automatically at a specified time, and wherein upon completion of the duration of playback associated with the activated zone scene, the players automatically reconfigure into the first zone group in which the players were arranged prior to activation of the zone scene.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to, upon activation of a saved zone scene, check a status of the zone players associated with the zone scene.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to, upon activation of a saved zone scene, execute one or more commands in conjunction with one or more parameters to execute the zone scene.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the one or more parameters comprises one or more of a) a volume level for each zone in the zone group, b) a mute or unmute setting for each one in the zone group, c) a selection and play of specific music, d) a play mode setting, and e) an equalization setting for each zone in the zone group.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein zone players in a zone group are to be linked upon activation of the zone scene, independent of a zone player configuration prior to activation of the zone scene.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the zone scene configuration is to be saved in any one of the zone players associated with the zone scene.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the controller is to facilitate user creation of a zone scene by displaying a zone menu listing available zones and accepting user input to at least one of a) link zones, b) add a zone, c) unlink a zone, and d) drop a zone via the user interface.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to, in response to the zone scene configuration, transmit a command to one of the zone players in the zone group, the command then propagated to the remaining zone players in the zone group for play of the zone scene.

17. A method for configuring a group of zone players, the method comprising:

providing an electronic user interface in association with a zone group configuration, the zone group configuration characterizing a first zone group including at least two zones in a local area network, each zone containing at least one player configured to playback a multimedia output from a multimedia source;

accepting user input via the user interface to facilitate formation of a zone scene configuration by selecting;

     1) a plurality of players in the local area network to form at least a second zone group associated with the zone scene,

     2) the multimedia source for playback, and

     3) the duration of playback, and the zone scene configuration identifying the selected players, the multimedia source to playback and the duration of playback; and

transmitting, using a processor, the zone scene configuration to a player of a zone in the zone scene to save the zone scene configuration and to, when the zone scene is activated, cause the player to configure the players in the second zone group to synchronize playback of the multimedia output from the selected multimedia source in accordance with the zone scene configuration, wherein the zone scene configuration also includes

activation, using a processor, of the second zone group automatically at a specified time, and wherein upon completion of the duration of playback associated with the activated zone scene, the players automatically reconfigure into the first zone group in which the players were arranged prior to activation of the zone scene.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising executing, upon activation of a saved zone scene, one or more commands in conjunction with one or more parameters to execute the zone scene.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more parameters comprises one or more of a) a volume level for each zone in the zone group, b) a mute or unmute setting for each one in the zone group, c) a selection and play of specific music, d) a play mode setting, and e) an equalization setting for each zone in the zone group.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein zone players in a zone group are to be linked upon activation of the zone scene, independent of a zone player configuration prior to activation of the zone scene.