Zone configurations maintained by playback device

• US 9,860,657 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2014
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Lambourne, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alizada, Omeed
• Application Number:
  US14/563,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20150091692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• 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 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 1/02 Remote control of amplification, tone or bandwidth combined with remote tuning or selection of resonant circuits H03J
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 7/00 Volume compression or expansion in amplifiers frequency dependent H03G9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal 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: 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: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

Systems and methods to control a plurality of multimedia players in one or more groups are disclosed. For example, in a network including a plurality of independent playback devices, an example method includes maintaining, by an independent playback device, a zone configuration, the zone configuration characterizing one or more zone scenes. Each zone scene identifies a group configuration associated with two or more of the plurality of independent playback devices. The example method includes transmitting, by the independent playback device via a network interface, the zone configuration to a controller device. Additionally, an example playback device is disclosed which is configured to maintain a zone configuration, the zone configuration characterizing one or more zone scenes, each zone scene identifying a group configuration associated with two or more of a plurality of independent playback devices; and transmit, via a network interface, the zone configuration to a controller device.

Claims

1. A method performed by a first independent playback device, the method comprising:

storing a zone configuration in tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of the first independent playback device, the zone configuration characterizing one or more zone scenes, each zone scene identifying a group configuration associated with the first independent playback device and at least a second independent playback device; and

after storing the zone configuration in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory, transmitting the zone configuration stored in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory to a controller device via a network interface of the first independent playback device, wherein the controller device is separate from the first independent playback device and the second independent playback device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more zone scenes further identify one or more attributes associated with at least the first and second independent playback devices.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more attributes comprises one or more of (i) a volume level for audio playback for each independent playback device in the one or more zone scenes, (ii) a mute or unmute setting for audio playback, (iii) a selection and play of specific music, (iv) a play mode setting, (v) an equalization setting for audio playback, and (vi) an audio alarm.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the audio alarm attribute includes a duration setting.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the attributes further comprise a name associated with each of the one or more zone scenes.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing, by the first independent playback device, one or more independent playback devices in a first zone group of a first zone scene to play a first multimedia content from a first multimedia source; and

causing, by the first independent playback device, one or more independent playback devices in a second zone group of the first zone scene to play a second multimedia content from a second multimedia source.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the zone configuration comprises transmitting the zone configuration to the controller device via a local area network.

8. A first independent playback device including a processor, the first independent playback device configured to:

store a zone configuration in tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of the first independent playback device, the zone configuration characterizing one or more zone scenes, each zone scene identifying a group configuration associated with the first independent playback device and at least a second independent playback device; and

after storing the zone configuration in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory, transmit the zone configuration stored in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory to a controller device via a network interface of the first independent playback device, wherein the controller device is separate from the first independent playback device and the second independent playback device.

9. The first independent playback device of claim 8, wherein the one or more zone scenes further identify one or more attributes associated with at least the first and second independent playback devices.

10. The first independent playback device of claim 9, wherein the one or more attributes comprises one or more of (i) a volume level for audio playback for each independent playback device in the one or more zone scenes, (ii) a mute or unmute setting for audio playback, (iii) a selection and play of specific music, (iv) a play mode setting, (v) an equalization setting for audio playback, and (vi) an audio alarm.

11. The first independent playback device of claim 10, wherein the audio alarm attribute includes a duration setting.

12. The first independent playback device of claim 10, wherein the attributes further comprise a name associated with each of the one or more zone scenes.

13. The first independent playback device of claim 8, further configured to:

cause one or more independent playback devices in a first zone group of a first zone scene to play a first multimedia content from a first multimedia source; and

cause one or more independent playback devices in a second zone group of the first zone scene to play a second multimedia content from a second multimedia source.

14. The first independent playback device of claim 8, wherein transmitting the zone configuration comprises transmitting the zone configuration to the controller device via a local area network.

15. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory including a set of instructions for execution by one or more processors, the set of instructions, when executed, cause a first independent playback device to perform functions comprising:

store in tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of the first independent playback device a zone configuration, the zone configuration characterizing one or more zone scenes, each zone scene identifying a group configuration associated with the first independent playback device and at least a second independent playback device; and

after storing the zone configuration in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory, transmit the zone configuration stored in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory to a controller device via a network interface of the first independent playback device, wherein the controller device is separate from the first independent playback device and the second independent playback device.

16. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein the one or more zone scenes further identify one or more attributes associated with at least the first and second independent playback devices.

17. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 16, wherein the one or more attributes comprises one or more of (i) a volume level for audio playback for each independent playback device in the one or more zone scenes, (ii) a mute or unmute setting for audio playback, (iii) a selection and play of specific music, (iv) a play mode setting, (v) an equalization setting for audio playback, and (vi) an audio alarm.

18. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 17, wherein the audio alarm attribute includes a duration setting.

19. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 17, wherein the attributes further comprise a name associated with each of the one or more zone scenes.

20. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein the set of instructions, when executed, cause the first independent playback device to implement further functions comprising:

cause one or more independent playback devices in a first zone group of a first zone scene to play a first multimedia content from a first multimedia source; and

cause one or more independent playback devices in a second zone group of the first zone scene to play a second multimedia content from a second multimedia source.