Obtaining content from direct source and remote source

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10175932-B2
Application number	US-201414516883-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2014
Priority date	Jul 28, 2003
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

Examples include a playback device with a network interface and memory with program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the playback device to (a) receive, via the network interface from a network device communicatively coupled to the playback device over a local area network (LAN), an address identifying a network location of first audio information available at an audio information source, where the audio information source is outside of the LAN, (b) obtain, via the network interface from the audio information source, the first audio information, (c) receive, from a second audio information source connected to the playback device via a direct communication link, second audio information, and (d) play back one of the first audio information and the 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 playback device, the method comprising:
receiving, via a first interface of the first playback device from a network device communicatively coupled to the first playback device over an asynchronous local area network (LAN), an address identifying a network location of first audio information available at a first audio information source, wherein the first audio information source is outside of the LAN;
obtaining the first audio information via the first interface of the first playback device from the first audio information source, transmitting the first audio information and device clock timing of the first playback device to a second playback device via the first interface over the asynchronous LAN, and using the device clock timing of the first playback device to play the first audio information in synchrony with the second playback device; and
selectively change from (i) receiving the first audio information from the first audio information source, transmitting the first audio information and device clock timing of the first playback device to the second playback device over the asynchronous LAN, and using the device clock timing of the first playback device to play the first audio information in synchrony with the second playback device to (ii) receiving second audio information from a second audio information source connected to the first playback device via a direct communication link between a second interface of the first playback device and the second audio information source, transmitting the second audio information and the device clock timing of the first playback device to the second playback device via the first interface over the asynchronous LAN, and using the device clock timing of the first playback device to play back the second audio information in synchrony with the second playback device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating first playback timing information based on the first audio information; and
transmitting the first playback timing information to the second playback device over the asynchronous LAN via the first interface, and wherein using the device clock timing of the first playback device to play the first audio information in synchrony with the second playback device to play the first audio information in synchrony with the second playback device comprises using the device clock timing of the first playback device and the first playback timing information to play the first audio information in synchrony with the second playback device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating second playback timing information based on the second audio information; and
transmitting the second playback timing information to the second playback device over the asynchronous LAN via the first interface, and wherein using the device clock timing of the first playback device to play the second audio information in synchrony with the second playback device to play the second audio information in synchrony with the second playback device comprises using the device clock timing of the first playback device and the second playback timing information to play the second audio information in synchrony with the second playback device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising before selectively changing from (i) receiving the first audio information from the first audio information source, transmitting the first audio information and device clock timing of the first playback device to the second playback device over the asynchronous LAN, and using the device clock timing of the first playback device to play the first audio information in synchrony with the second playback device to (ii) receiving second audio information from a second audio information source connected to the first playback device via a direct communication link between the second interface of the first playback device and the second audio information source, transmitting the second audio information and the device clock timing of the first playback device to the second playback device via the first interface over the asynchronous LAN, and using the device clock timing of the first playback device to play back the second audio information in synchrony with the second playback device:
receiving a notification for a third playback device to play the first audio information in synchrony with the first playback device; and
in response to receiving the notification, additionally transmitting the first audio information and device clock timing of the first playback device to the third playback device via the first interface over the asynchronous LAN, and using the device clock timing of the first playback device and to play the first audio information in synchrony with both the second playback device and the third playback device.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising after selectively changing from (i) receiving the first audio information from the first audio information source, transmitting the first audio information and device clock timing of the first playback device to the second playback device over the asynchronous LAN, and using the device clock timing of the first playback device to play the first audio information in synchrony with the second playback device to (ii) receiving second audio information from a second audio information source connected to the first playback device via a direct communication link between the second interface of the first playback device and the second audio information source, transmitting the second audio information and the device clock timing of the first playback device to the second playback device via the first interface over the asynchronous LAN, and using the device clock timing of the first playback device to play back the second audio information in synchrony with the second playback device:
additionally transmitting the second audio information and device clock timing of the first playback device to the third playback device via the first interface over the asynchronous LAN, and using the device clock timing of the first playback device and to play the second audio information in synchrony with both the second playback device and the third playback device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the direct communication link does not comprise the LAN.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the second audio information comprises receiving an analog audio signal.

8. A first playback device comprising:
a first interface;
a second interface; and
tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising program instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the first playback device to:
receive, via the first interface, from a network device communicatively coupled to the first playback device over an asynchronous local area network (LAN), an address identifying a network location of first audio information available at a first audio information source, wherein the first audio information source is outside of the LAN;
obtain, via the first interface, from the first audio information source, the first audio information, transmit the first audio information and device clock timing of the first playback device to a second playback device via the first interface over the asynchronous LAN, and use the device clock timing of the first playback device to play the first audio information in synchrony with the second playback device; and
selectively change from (i) receiving the first audio information from the first audio information source, transmitting the first audio information and device clock timing of the first playback device to the second playback dev

Assignees

• Sonos Inc

Inventors

• Millington Nicholas A J

Classifications

• G06F16/63

  Querying · CPC title

• H04L65/80

  Responding to QoS · CPC title

• H04R2227/005

  Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use · CPC title

• H04N9/7904

  using intermediate digital signal processing · CPC title

• G11B2020/10592

  specifically adapted for recording or reproducing multichannel signals · CPC title