Method and apparatus for providing audio and playback timing information to a plurality of networked audio devices

• US 9,189,011 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2012
• 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:
  US13/705,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20130097290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/220, 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

An audio processing device comprising a network interface configured to connect the audio processing device to a network; a control module configured to receive control input from a user interface module interface and to configure the audio processing device, based on the received control input, to provide audio information to two or more audio playback devices; an audio information channelization device connected to the network interface configured to receive the audio information and to transmit the audio information and playback timing information in packet form via the network interface to the two or more audio playback devices.

Claims

1. A method performed by an audio processing device, the method comprising:

receiving audio information via a network interface;

receiving control input from a user interface;

in response to receiving the control input, configuring the audio processing device to transmit audio information and audio processing device clock information to one or more audio playback devices;

generating a plurality of frames, wherein an individual frame comprises at least a portion of the received audio information and playback timing information for the individual frame;

transmitting the plurality of frames and the audio processing device clock information to the one or more audio playback devices; and

wherein the audio processing device and the one or more audio playback devices remain independently clocked while the audio processing device is transmitting the plurality of frames and the audio processing device clock information to the one or more audio playback devices.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the control input includes identification information associated with the one or more audio playback devices.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting unicast control information packets containing a multicast address to the one or more audio playback devices.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting the plurality of frames comprising the audio information and playback timing information via a multicast address.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the audio processing device is a PDA device or a mobile device.

6. An audio processing device comprising:

one or more processors; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the audio processing device to perform a method comprising;

receiving control input from a user interface;

configuring the audio processing device, based on the received control input, to provide audio information and audio processing device clock time information to one or more audio playback devices;

receiving the audio information;

generating a plurality of frames, wherein an individual frame includes a portion of the audio information and playback timing information for the individual frame; and

transmitting the plurality of frames and the audio processing device clock time information via a network interface to the one or more audio playback devices, wherein the audio processing device and the one or more audio playback devices remain independently clocked while the audio processing device is transmitting the plurality of frames and the audio processing device clock time information to the one or more audio playback devices.

7. The audio processing device of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

the audio processing device receiving identification information associated with the one or more audio playback devices.

8. The audio processing device of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

the audio processing device transmitting unicast control information packets containing a multicast address to the one or more audio playback devices.

9. The audio processing device of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

the audio processing device transmitting the plurality of frames comprising the audio information and playback timing information using a multicast address.

10. The audio processing device of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

the network interface of the audio processing device receiving the audio information as streaming digital audio information.

11. The audio processing device of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

the network interface of the audio processing device receiving the audio information from audio files stored on a server.

12. The audio processing device of claim 6, wherein the audio processing device is a mobile device or a PDA device.

13. The audio processing device of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

determining the playback timing information relative to the audio processing device clock time information.

14. The audio processing device of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

the audio processing device transmitting volume control information to the one or more audio playback devices.

15. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause an audio processing device to perform a method comprising:

receiving control input from a user interface and configuring the audio processing device, based on the received control input, to transmit audio information and audio processing device clock time information to one or more audio playback devices;

generating a plurality of packets, wherein an individual packet comprises at least a portion of the audio information and playback timing information for the individual packet;

transmitting the plurality of packets and the audio processing device clock time information to the one or more audio playback devices; and

wherein the audio processing device and the one or more audio playback devices remain independently clocked while the audio processing device is transmitting the plurality of packets and the audio processing device clock time information to the one or more audio playback devices.

16. The computer-readable memory of claim 15 wherein the control input includes identification information associated with the one or more audio playback devices.

17. The computer-readable memory of claim 15 wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting unicast control information packets containing a multicast address to the one or more audio playback devices.

18. The computer-readable memory of claim 15 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the audio information as streaming digital audio information or as audio files transferred from a server.

19. The computer-readable memory of claim 15 wherein the method further comprises:

generating the playback timing information relative to the audio processing device clock time information.

20. The computer-readable memory of claim 15 wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting volume control information to the one or more audio playback devices.