Method and apparatus to receive, play, and provide audio content in a multi-zone system

• US 9,189,010 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Millington, Nicholas A. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Survillo, Oleg
• Application Number:
  US13/435,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20120191232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/231
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/00 Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00 architectures of general purpose stored program computers G06F15/76
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/12 Synchronisation of different clock signals provided by a plurality of clock generators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2322 using timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/60 of audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/63 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/635 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/638 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• 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 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• 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: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 : Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10592 : specifically adapted for recording or reproducing multichannel signals
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/00 : Gain control in amplifiers or frequency changers
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/20 : Automatic control H03G3/005 takes precedence; combined with volume compression or expansion H03G7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/103 : Transmitter-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/26 : Arrangements for switching distribution systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/20 : digital audio broadcasting [DAB]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0644 : External master-clock
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0664 : unidirectional timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2854 : Wide area networks, e.g. public data networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 : Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 : Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 : Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 : for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 : for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 : for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 : for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 : Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 : Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 : Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 : Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 : Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4307 : Synchronising the rendering of multiple content streams or additional data on devices, e.g. synchronisation of audio on a mobile phone with the video output on the TV screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43076 : of the same content streams on multiple devices, e.g. when family members are watching the same movie on different 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: H04N 5/04 : Synchronising for television systems using pulse code modulation H04N7/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7904 : using intermediate digital signal processing
• 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 3/12 : for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 : one node acting as a reference for the others
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 : Master-slave selection or change arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 : dummy group

Abstract

A system is described for maintaining synchrony of operations among a plurality of devices having independent clocking arrangements. A task distribution device is to distribute tasks to a synchrony group comprising a plurality of devices to perform tasks distributed by the task distribution device in synchrony. The task distribution device distributes each task to synchrony group members over a network. Each task is associated with a time stamp that indicates a time, relative to a clock maintained by the task distribution device, at which synchrony group members are to execute the task. Each synchrony group member periodically obtains from the task distribution device an indication of current time indicated by its clock, determines a time differential between the task distribution device'"'"'s clock and its respective clock and determines there from a time at which, according to its respective clock, the time stamp indicates that it is to execute the task.

Claims

1. A method performed by a computing device, the method comprising:

playing first audio information stored in a computer-readable memory at the computing device via a speaker associated with the computing device;

while playing the first audio information, receiving a first set of one or more selection and playback commands selecting a first playback device and a second playback device to play the first audio information;

in response to receiving the first set of one or more selection and playback commands, (i) streaming the first audio information over a local area network (LAN), wherein each of the first and second playback devices receive the streaming first audio information from either (a) the computing device or (b) the other of the first or second playback devices, and (ii) controlling, over the LAN, the first and second playback devices to play the first audio information at substantially the same time;

while playing the first audio information, receiving a second set of one or more selection and playback commands selecting the first playback device and the second playback device to play second audio information from a location accessible via a wide area network (WAN);

in response to receiving the second set of one or more selection and playback commands and while playing the first audio information, (i) obtaining the second audio information from the WAN location, (ii) streaming the second audio information over the LAN from the computing device, wherein each of the first and second playback devices receive the streaming second audio information from either (a) the computing device or (b) the other of the first or second playback devices and (iii) controlling, over the LAN, the first and second playback devices to play the second audio information at substantially the same time;

while streaming the second audio information over the LAN from the computing device, receiving a third set of one or more selection and playback commands for the computing device to switch from playing the first audio information to playing the second audio information; and

in response to receiving the third set of one or more selection and playback commands, switching from playing the first audio information to playing the second audio information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises a portable playback device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the WAN location comprises an Internet-accessible location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling, over the LAN, the first and second playback devices to play the first audio information at substantially the same time comprises causing the first and second playback devices to play the first audio information in synchrony with each other.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first and second playback devices playing the first audio information in synchrony with each other comprises (i) one of the first or second playback devices sending frames comprising portions of the first audio information, playback timing information for the first audio information, and device clock information to the other of the first or second playback devices and (ii) the first and second playback devices playing the first audio information in synchrony with each other using the playback timing information and the device clock information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second playback devices comprise (i) a digital to analog converter configured to generate an analog signal from the first audio information, and (ii) an amplifier configured to amplify the generated analog signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a member of a synchrony group comprising the first and second playback devices, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a command for the computing device to leave the synchrony group; and

in response to receiving the command for the computing device to leave the synchrony group, the computing device transmitting over the LAN to the first playback device (i) an indication of the WAN location of the second audio information, (ii) a time stamp associated with a frame of the second audio information that the computing device is currently forming, and (iii) an identification of the second playback device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein streaming the first audio information over the LAN comprises transmitting the audio information to a multicast network address.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second audio information comprises one audio track selected from a plurality of audio tracks stored at the location accessible via the WAN.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

before receiving the first set of one or more selection and playback commands selecting the first playback device and the second playback device to play the first audio information, the computing device configuring a synchrony group comprising the first and second playback devices.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first or second sets of selection and playback commands are received via a user interface of the computing device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a third playback device.

13. Tangible non-transitory computer readable media having instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a computing device to perform functions comprising:

playing first audio information stored in a computer-readable memory at the computing device via a speaker associated with the computing device;

while playing the first audio information, receiving a first set of one or more selection and playback commands selecting a first playback device and a second playback device to play the first audio information;

in response to receiving the first set of one or more selection and playback commands, (i) streaming the first audio information over a local area network (LAN), wherein each of the first and second playback devices receive the streaming first audio information from either (a) the computing device or (b) the other of the first or second playback devices, and (ii) controlling, over the LAN, the first and second playback devices to play the first audio information at substantially the same time;

while playing the first audio information, receiving a second set of one or more selection and playback commands selecting the first playback device and the second playback device to play second audio information from a location accessible via a wide area network (WAN);

in response to receiving the second set of one or more selection and playback commands and while playing the first audio information, (i) obtaining the second audio information from the WAN location, (ii) streaming the second audio information over the LAN from the computing device, wherein each of the first and second playback devices receive the streaming second audio information from either (a) the computing device or (b) the other of the first or second playback devices and (iii) controlling, over the LAN, the first and second playback devices to play the second audio information at substantially the same time;

while streaming the second audio information over the LAN from the computing device, receiving a third set of one or more selection and playback commands for the computing device to switch from playing the first audio information to playing the second audio information; and

in response to receiving the third set of one or more selection and playback commands, switching from playing the first audio information to playing the second audio information.

14. The computer readable media of claim 13, wherein the computing device comprises a portable playback device.

15. The computer readable media of claim 13, wherein the WAN location comprises an Internet-accessible location.

16. The computer readable media of claim 13, wherein the wide area network comprises a public switched telephone network.

17. The computer readable media of claim 13, wherein controlling, over the LAN, the first and second playback devices to play the first audio information at substantially the same time comprises causing the first and second playback devices to play the first audio information in synchrony with each other.

18. The computer readable media of claim 17, wherein the first and second playback devices playing the first audio information in synchrony with each other comprises (i) one of the first or second playback devices sending frames comprising portions of the first audio information, playback timing information for the first audio information, and device clock information to the other of the first or second playback devices and (ii) the first and second playback devices playing the first audio information in synchrony with each other using the playback timing information and the device clock information.

19. The computer readable media of claim 13, wherein each of the first and second playback devices comprise (i) a digital to analog converter configured to generate an analog signal from the first audio information, and (ii) an amplifier configured to amplify the generated analog signal.

20. The computer readable media of claim 13, wherein the computing device is a member of a synchrony group comprising the first and second playback devices, and wherein the computer readable media comprises further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform further functions comprising:

receiving a command for the computing device to leave the synchrony group; and

in response to receiving the command for the computing device to leave the synchrony group, the computing device transmitting over the LAN to the first playback device (i) an indication of the WAN location of the second audio information, (ii) a time stamp associated with a frame of the second audio information that the computing device is currently forming, and (iii) an identification of the second playback device.

21. The computer readable media of claim 13, wherein streaming the first audio information over the LAN comprises transmitting the audio information to a multicast network address.

22. The computer readable media of claim 13, wherein the second audio information comprises one audio track selected from a plurality of audio tracks stored at the location accessible via the WAN.

23. The computer readable media of claim 13, wherein the computer readable media comprises further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform further functions comprising:

before receiving the first set of one or more selection and playback commands selecting the first playback device and the second playback device to play the first audio information, the computing device configuring a synchrony group comprising the first and second playback devices.

24. The computer readable media of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first or second sets of selection and playback commands are received via a user interface of the computing device.

25. The computer readable media of claim 13, wherein the computing device is a third playback device.

26. A computing device comprising:

one or more processors; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory with instructions stored therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising;

playing, via a speaker associated with the computing device, first audio information from a location accessible via a local area network (LAN) at the computing device;

while playing the first audio information, receiving a first set of one or more selection and playback commands selecting a first playback device and a second playback device to play the first audio information;

in response to receiving the first set of one or more selection and playback commands, (i) streaming the first audio information over the LAN, wherein each of the first and second playback devices receive the streaming first audio information from either (a) the computing device or (b) the other of the first or second playback devices, and (ii) controlling, over the LAN, the first and second playback devices to play the first audio information at substantially the same time;

while playing the first audio information, receiving a second set of one or more selection and playback commands selecting the first playback device and the second playback device to play second audio information from an Internet location;

in response to receiving the second set of one or more selection and playback commands and while playing the first audio information, (i) obtaining the second audio information from the Internet location, (ii) streaming the second audio information over the LAN from the computing device, wherein each of the first and second playback devices receive the streaming second audio information from either (a) the computing device or (b) the other of the first or second playback devices and (iii) controlling, over the LAN, the first and second playback devices to play the second audio information at substantially the same time;

while streaming the second audio information over the LAN from the computing device, receiving a third set of one or more selection and playback commands for the computing device to switch from playing the first audio information to playing the second audio information; and

in response to receiving the third set of one or more selection and playback commands, switching from playing the first audio information to playing the second audio information.

27. The computing device of claim 26, wherein the computing device comprises a portable playback device.

28. The computing device of claim 26, wherein controlling, over the LAN, the first and second playback devices to play the first audio information at substantially the same time comprises causing the first and second playback devices to play the first audio information in synchrony with each other.

29. The computing device of claim 28, wherein the first and second playback devices playing the first audio information in synchrony with each other comprises (i) one of the first or second playback devices sending frames comprising portions of the first audio information, playback timing information for the first audio information, and device clock information to the other of the first or second playback devices and (ii) the first and second playback devices playing the first audio information in synchrony with each other using the playback timing information and the device clock information.

30. The computing device of claim 26, wherein each of the first and second playback devices comprise (i) a digital to analog converter configured to generate an analog signal from the first audio information, and (ii) an amplifier configured to amplify the generated analog signal.

31. The computing device of claim 26, wherein the computing device is a member of a synchrony group comprising the first and second playback devices, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a command for the computing device to leave the synchrony group; and

in response to receiving the command for the computing device to leave the synchrony group, the computing device transmitting over the LAN to the first playback device (i) an indication of the Internet location of the second audio information, (ii) a time stamp associated with a current frame of the second audio information, and (iii) an identification of the second playback device.

32. The computing device of claim 26, wherein streaming the first audio information over the LAN comprises transmitting the audio information to a multicast network address.

33. The computing device of claim 26, wherein the second audio information comprises one audio track selected from a plurality of audio tracks stored at the location accessible via the Internet.

34. The computing device of claim 26, wherein the method further comprises:

before receiving the first set of one or more selection and playback commands selecting the first playback device and the second playback device to play the first audio information, the computing device configuring a synchrony group comprising the first and second playback devices.

35. The computing device of claim 26, wherein at least one of the first or second sets of selection and playback commands are received via a user interface of the computing device.

36. The computing device of claim 26, wherein the second audio information comprises one audio track selected from a plurality of audio tracks stored at the Internet location.