Playback control based on proximity

• US 9,703,522 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2015
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Reilly, Jonathon, Griffiths, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Paul, Disler
• Application Number:
  US14/939,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20160070529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 381 58- 59, 381 77- 80, 381 74, 381109, 381105
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0471 the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/02 Manually-operated control H03G3/001 and H03G3/002 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/04 in untuned amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/348 Muting in response to a mechanical action or to power supply variations, e.g. during tuning; Click removal circuits
• 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: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings

Abstract

Embodiments described herein provide for detecting movement in proximity to a playback device and responsively modifying the audio that is output from one or more playback devices. In an example implementation, a playback device detects, via one or more proximity detectors of a playback device while the playback device is playing back given media via one or more speakers, presence of an object in proximity of the playback device. After detecting the presence of the object, the playback device pauses playback of the given media. After pausing playback of the given media, the playback device receives, via a network interface of the playback device from a controller device, a command to resume playback of the given media. After receiving the command to resume playback, the playback device resumes playback of the given media.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, via a proximity sensor of a playback device while the playback device is playing back a first media item that is queued for playback, non-contact presence of a portion of a hand in proximity of the playback device;

in response to detecting the non-contact presence of the portion of the hand, advancing, via the playback device, playback from the first media item to a subsequent media item that is queued for playback;

causing, via a wireless network interface of the playback device, a controller device to display an indication that the playback device is playing back the subsequent media item;

after advancing playback to the subsequent media item, receiving, via the wireless network interface of the playback device from a controller device, a command to modify a playback volume of the playback device; and

after receiving the command to modify the playback volume, modifying, via the playback device, the playback volume of the playback device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected non-contact presence is a first detected non-contact presence, and wherein the portion of the hand is a first portion of the hand, the method further comprising:

detecting, via the proximity sensor of the playback device, a second non-contact presence of a second portion of the hand in proximity of the playback device; and

in response to detecting the second non-contact presence of the second portion of the hand, pausing playback.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the playback device is a first playback device, the method further comprising:

after detecting the second non-contact presence of the second portion of the hand, causing, via the first playback device, a second playback device to pause playback.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the command is a first command, and wherein causing the second playback device to pause playback comprises sending, via the wireless network interface to the second playback device, a second command to pause playback.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

after detecting the non-contact presence of the second portion of the hand, sending, via the wireless network interface of the playback device to the controller device, an indication that playback by the playback device is paused.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting non-contact presence of the portion of the hand in proximity of the playback device comprises detecting presence of the controller device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected non-contact presence is a first detected non-contact presence, and wherein the portion of the hand is a first portion of the hand, the method further comprising:

detecting, via the proximity sensor of the playback device, a second non-contact presence of a second portion of the hand in proximity of the playback device; and

in response to detecting the second non-contact presence of the second portion of the hand, modifying, via the playback device, the playback volume of the playback device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected non-contact presence is a first detected non-contact presence, and wherein the portion of the hand is a first portion of the hand, the method further comprising:

detecting, via the proximity sensor of the playback device, a second non-contact presence of a second portion of the hand in proximity of the playback device; and

in response to detecting the second non-contact presence of the second portion of the hand, stopping, via the playback device, playback.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected non-contact presence is a first detected non-contact presence, and wherein the portion of the hand is a first portion of the hand, the method further comprising:

detecting, via the proximity sensor of the playback device, a second non-contact presence of a second portion of the hand in proximity of the playback device; and

in response to detecting the second non-contact presence of the second portion of the hand, muting, via the playback device, playback.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the controller device to display the indication that the playback device is playing back the subsequent media item comprises transmitting, via the wireless network interface to the controller device, an indication that playback was advanced to the subsequent media item.

11. A playback device comprising:

one or more proximity sensors;

a wireless network interface;

one or more processors; and

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

detecting, via the one or more proximity sensors while the playback device is playing back a first media item that is queued for playback, non-contact presence of a portion of a hand in proximity of the playback device;

in response to detecting the non-contact presence of the portion of the hand, advancing playback from the first media item to a subsequent media item that is queued for playback;

causing, via the wireless network interface of the playback device, a controller device to display an indication that the playback device is playing back the subsequent media item;

after advancing playback to the subsequent media item, receiving, via the wireless network interface from the controller device, a command to modify a playback volume of the playback device; and

after receiving the command to modify the playback volume, modifying the playback volume of the playback device.

12. The playback device of claim 11, wherein the detected non-contact presence is a first detected non-contact presence, and wherein the portion of the hand is a first portion of the hand, the method further comprising:

detecting, via the one or more proximity sensors of the playback device, a second non-contact presence of a second portion of the hand in proximity of the playback device; and

in response to detecting the second non-contact presence of the second portion of the hand, pausing playback.

13. The playback device of claim 12, wherein the playback device is a first playback device, the method further comprising:

after detecting the second non-contact presence of the second portion of the hand, causing a second playback device to pause playback.

14. The playback device of claim 13, wherein the command is a first command, and wherein causing the second playback device to pause playback comprises sending, via the wireless network interface to the second playback device, a second command to pause playback.

15. The playback device of claim 12, the method further comprising:

after detecting the non-contact presence of the second portion of the hand, sending, via the wireless network interface of the playback device to the controller device, an indication that playback by the playback device is paused.

16. The playback device of claim 11, wherein detecting non-contact presence of the portion of the hand in proximity of the playback device comprises detecting presence of the controller device.

17. The playback device of claim 11, wherein the detected non-contact presence is a first detected non-contact presence, and wherein the portion of the hand is a first portion of the hand, the method further comprising:

detecting, via the one or more proximity sensors of the playback device, a second non-contact presence of a second portion of the hand in proximity of the playback device; and

in response to detecting the second non-contact presence of the second portion of the hand, modifying the playback volume of the playback device.

18. The playback device of claim 11, wherein the detected non-contact presence is a first detected non-contact presence, and wherein the portion of the hand is a first portion of the hand, the method further comprising:

detecting, via the one or more proximity sensors of the playback device, a second non-contact presence of a second portion of the hand in proximity of the playback device; and

in response to detecting the second non-contact presence of the second portion of the hand, stopping playback.

19. The playback device of claim 11, wherein the detected non-contact presence is a first detected non-contact presence, and wherein the portion of the hand is a first portion of the hand, the method further comprising:

detecting, via the one or more proximity sensors of the playback device, a second non-contact presence of a second portion of the hand in proximity of the playback device; and

in response to detecting the second non-contact presence of the second portion of the hand, muting playback.

20. The playback device of claim 11, wherein causing the controller device to display the indication that the playback device is playing back the subsequent media item comprises transmitting, via the wireless network interface to the controller device, an indication that playback was advanced to the subsequent media item.

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

detecting, via one or more proximity sensors of the playback device while the playback device is playing back a first media item that is queued for playback, non-contact presence of a portion of a hand in proximity of the playback device;

in response to detecting the non-contact presence of the portion of the hand, advancing playback from the first media item to a subsequent media item that is queued for playback;

causing, via a wireless network interface of the playback device, a controller device to display an indication that the playback device is playing back the subsequent media item;

after advancing playback to the subsequent media item, receiving, via the wireless network interface of the playback device from a controller device, a command to modify a playback volume of the playback device; and

after receiving the command to modify the playback volume, modifying the playback volume of the playback device.

22. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the detected non-contact presence is a first detected non-contact presence, and wherein the portion of the hand is a first portion of the hand, the functions further comprising:

detecting, via the one or more proximity sensors of the playback device, a second non-contact presence of a second portion of the hand in proximity of the playback device; and

in response to detecting the second non-contact presence of the second portion of the hand, pausing playback.

23. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 22, wherein the playback device is a first playback device, the functions further comprising:

after detecting the second non-contact presence of the second portion of the hand, causing a second playback device to pause playback.

24. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the command is a first command, and wherein causing the second playback device to pause playback comprises sending, via the wireless network interface to the second playback device, a second command to pause playback.

25. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 22, the functions further comprising:

after detecting the non-contact presence of the second portion of the hand, sending, via the wireless network interface of the playback device to the controller device, an indication that playback by the playback device is paused.

26. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein detecting non-contact presence of the portion of the hand in proximity of the playback device comprises detecting presence of the controller device.

27. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the detected non-contact presence is a first detected non-contact presence, and wherein the portion of the hand is a first portion of the hand, the functions further comprising:

detecting, via the one or more proximity sensors of the playback device, a second non-contact presence of a second portion of the hand in proximity of the playback device; and

in response to detecting the second non-contact presence of the second portion of the hand, modifying the playback volume of the playback device.

28. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the detected non-contact presence is a first detected non-contact presence, and wherein the portion of the hand is a first portion of the hand, the functions further comprising:

detecting, via the one or more proximity sensors of the playback device, a second non-contact presence of a second portion of the hand in proximity of the playback device; and

in response to detecting the second non-contact presence of the second portion of the hand, stopping playback.

29. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the detected non-contact presence is a first detected non-contact presence, and wherein the portion of the hand is a first portion of the hand, the functions further comprising:

detecting, via the one or more proximity sensors of the playback device, a second non-contact presence of a second portion of the hand in proximity of the playback device; and

in response to detecting the second non-contact presence of the second portion of the hand, muting playback.

30. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein causing the controller device to display the indication that the playback device is playing back the subsequent media item comprises transmitting, via the wireless network interface to the controller device, an indication that playback was advanced to the subsequent media item.