Method and apparatus for switching between a directly connected and a networked audio source

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10157033-B2
Application number	US-201213705176-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2012
Priority date	Jul 28, 2003
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

An audio information source interface that receives first audio information from an audio information source directly connected to the audio playback device; an ADC configured to sample the first audio information; a network interface configured to connect the audio playback device to a network and to receive packets from the network containing second audio information and playback timing information from a network audio information source; a DAC for generating an analog audio signal based on either the first or second audio information; an audio amplifier interconnected with the DAC and configured to amplify the audio signal; an audio reproduction device interface interconnected with the audio amplifier; and, a control module configured to receive commands via the network interface and to provide to the DAC one of the first or second audio information.

First claim

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A method performed by a first audio playback device, the method comprising:
changing from operating in a first mode to operating in a second mode in response to control information received over an asynchronous network from a controller device;
wherein in the first mode, the first audio playback device performs functions comprising: (i) receiving an input signal comprising first audio information from a first audio information source directly connected to the first audio playback device, (ii) converting at least a portion of the input signal into a first plurality of packets comprising the first audio information, (iii) generating first playback timing information for the first audio information, (iv) transmitting the first plurality of packets, the first playback timing information for the first audio information, and first audio playback device clock information over the asynchronous network to a second audio playback device via a network interface of the first audio playback device, and (v) using the first audio information, the first playback timing information, and the first audio playback device clock information to generate and play a first analog signal in synchrony with the second audio playback device; and
wherein in the second mode, the first audio playback device performs functions comprising: (i) receiving over the asynchronous network, a second plurality of packets comprising second audio information from a second audio information source via the network interface and second playback timing information for the second audio information, wherein the second audio information source is different than the first audio information source, and (ii) using the second audio information, the second playback timing information, and the first audio playback device clock information to generate and play a second analog signal in synchrony with the second audio playback device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second audio information comprises audio files or packetized streaming audio information.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein using the second audio information, the second playback timing information, and the first audio playback device clock information to generate and play a second analog signal in synchrony with the second audio playback device comprises:
determining a time differential between the second playback timing information for the second audio information and the device clock of the first audio playback device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein using the second audio information, the second playback timing information, and the first audio playback device clock information to generate and play a second analog signal in synchrony with the second audio playback device further comprises:
using the time differential to update the second playback timing information for the second audio information; and
using the updated second playback timing information to play the second analog signal in synchrony with the second audio playback device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein packets of the second plurality of packets comprising the second audio information are addressed using a multicast address.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein packets of the second plurality of packets comprising the second audio information are addressed using a unicast address.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein changing from operating in a first mode to operating in a second mode in response to control information received over an asynchronous network from a controller device comprises:
receiving the control information over the asynchronous network from the controller device via the network interface, wherein the control information indicates whether to play the first audio information or the second audio information;
operating in the first mode in response to the control information indicating to play the first audio information; and
operating in the second mode in response to the control information indicating to play the second audio information.

8. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the first audio playback device and the second audio playback device remain independently clocked while playing the first analog signal in synchrony.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein in the second mode, the first audio playback device performs further functions comprising:
transmitting the first plurality of packets and the first playback timing information for the first audio information to a third audio playback device over the asynchronous network via the network interface while using the second audio information, the second playback timing information, and the first audio playback device clock information to generate and play a second analog signal in synchrony with the second audio playback device.

10. A first audio playback device comprising:
one or more processors; and
tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the first audio playback device to perform a method comprising:
changing from operating in a first mode to operating in a second mode in response to control information received over an asynchronous network from a controller device;
wherein in the first mode, the first audio playback device performs functions comprising: (i) receiving an input signal comprising first audio information from a first audio information source directly connected to the first audio playback device, (ii) converting at least a portion of the input signal into a first plurality of packets comprising the first audio information, (iii) generating first playback timing information for the first audio information, (iv) transmitting the first plurality of packets, the first playback timing information for the first audio information, and first audio playback device clock information over the asynchronous network to a second audio playback device via a network interface of the first audio playback device, and (v) using the first audio information, the first playback timing information, and the first audio playback device clock information to generate and play a first analog signal in synchrony with the second audio playback device; and
wherein in the second mode, the first audio playback device performs functions comprising: (i) receiving over the asynchronous network, a second plurality of packets comprising second audio information from a second audio information source via the network interface and second playback timing information for the second audio information, wherein the second audio information source is different than the first audio information source, and (ii) using the second audio information, the second playback timing information, and the first audio playback device clock information to generate and play a second analog signal in synchrony with the second audio playback device.

11. The first audio playback device of claim 10 wherein the second audio information comprises audio files or packetized streaming audio information.

12. The first audio playback device of claim 10 wherein using the second audio information, the second playback timing information, and the first audio playback device clock information to generate and play a second analog signal in synchrony with the second audio playback device comprises:
determining a time differential between the second playback timing information for the second audio information and the device clock of the first audio playback device.

13. The first audio playback device of claim 12 wherein using the second audio inform

Assignees

• Sonos Inc

Inventors

• Millington Nicholas A J

Classifications

• H04W56/0015

  one node acting as a reference for the others · CPC title

• G11B20/10527

  Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements (G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence) · CPC title

• H04R2227/003

  Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet · CPC title

• H04H20/103

  Transmitter-side switching · CPC title

• G06F3/165 Primary

  Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path · CPC title