Systems and methods for synchronizing multiple electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10952170-B2
Application number	US-201816029149-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2018
Priority date	Apr 29, 2013
Publication date	Mar 16, 2021
Grant date	Mar 16, 2021

Abstract

Embodiments are provided for syncing multiple electronic devices for collective audio playback. According to certain aspects, a master device connects (218) to a slave device via a wireless connection. The master device calculates (224) a network latency via a series of network latency pings with the slave device and sends (225) the network latency to the slave device. Further, the master devices sends (232) a portion of an audio file as well as a timing instruction including a system time to the slave device. The master device initiates (234) playback of the portion of the audio file and the slave devices initiates (236) playback of the portion of the audio file according to the timing instruction and a calculated system clock offset value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
joining, by an audio playback device, an audio playback group, wherein the audio playback group includes a master device that provides information for playback of audio content by the audio playback group;
receiving, by the audio playback device from the master device, a timing signal and timing information associated with audio data to be played by the audio playback device in a slave role as part of the audio playback group;
playing, by the audio playback device via a first audio output component of the audio playback device, the audio data at a time based on the timing signal, the timing information, and a clock of the audio playback device;
receiving, by the audio playback device, a user input at a user interface of the audio playback device, the user input associated with modifying playback of the audio data;
transmitting, by the audio playback device to the master device, a playback command request based on the user input received at the user interface, wherein the master device (i) modifies playback of the audio data via a second audio output component of the master device according to the playback command request, and (ii) transmits, to the audio playback device, a playback command based on the playback command request received from the audio playback device;
receiving, by the audio playback device from the master device, the playback command based on the playback command request; and
modifying, by the audio playback device, playback of the audio data via the first audio output component based on the playback command received from the master device such that the audio data is played back, in synchrony, via the first audio output component of the audio playback device and via the second audio output component of the master device.

2. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein modifying the playback of the audio data via the first audio output component based on the playback command is performed in synchrony with the master device modifying the playback of the audio data via the second audio output component of the master device according to the playback command request.

3. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the user input at the user interface of the audio playback device comprises a user activation of a pause button,
wherein the playback command is a pause command, and
wherein modifying the playback of the audio data via the first audio output component based on the playback command includes pausing the playback of the audio data in synchrony with the master device pausing the playback of the audio data.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the audio playback device from the master device, a second playback command based on an additional user input at the master device; and
modifying, by the audio playback device, the playback of the audio data based on the second playback command.

5. The method of claim 4 ,
wherein the user input at the user interface of the audio playback device comprises a user activation of a pause/play button on the user interface of the audio playback device,
wherein the playback command is a pause command,
wherein modifying the playback of the audio data via the first audio output component based on the playback command includes pausing the playback of the audio data in synchrony with the master device pausing the playback of the audio data,
wherein the second playback command is a play command,
wherein modifying the playback of the audio data via the first audio output component based on the second playback command includes resuming the playback of the audio data via the first audio output component in synchrony with the master device resuming the playback of the audio data, and
wherein modifying the playback of the audio data based on the second playback command is performed additionally based on a difference between the clock of the audio playback device and a clock of the master device.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
joining, by a second audio playback device, the audio playback group; and
transmitting, by the audio playback device to the second audio playback device, the playback command request based on the user input.

7. The method of claim 6 ,
wherein modifying the playback of the audio data via the first audio output component based on the playback command is performed in synchrony with the master device modifying the playback of the audio data based on the playback command request and in synchrony with the second audio playback device modifying playback of audio data based on the playback command request.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
joining, by a second audio playback device, the audio playback group; and
transmitting, by the master device to the second audio playback device, the playback command.

9. The method of claim 8 ,
wherein the audio playback device does not send the playback command request to the second audio playback device.

10. The method of claim 8 ,
wherein modifying the playback of the audio data via the first audio output component based on the playback command is performed in synchrony with the master device adjusting the playback of the audio data based on the playback command and in synchrony with the second audio playback device modifying playback of audio data based on the playback command.

11. An audio playback device comprising:
a communication component for connecting the audio playback device to a master device to form an audio playback group for playback of audio;
a user interface;
a first audio output component; and
a controller module interfaced with the communication component, the user interface, and the first audio output component, and configured to:
receive, from the master device via the communication component, a timing signal and timing information associated with audio data to be played by the audio playback device in a slave role as part of the audio playback group,
cause the first audio output component to output the audio data at a time based on the timing signal, the timing information, and a clock of the audio playback device,
receive, via the user interface, a selection corresponding to a playback command associated with modifying playback of the audio data,
transmit, to the master device via the communication component, a playback command request corresponding to the playback command, wherein the master device (i) modifies playback of the audio data via a second audio output component of the master device according to the playback command request, and (ii) transmits, to the audio playback device, the playback command based on the playback command request received from the audio playback device,
receive, from the master device via the communication component, the playback command based on the playback command request, and
cause the first audio output component to modify playback of the audio data based on the playback command received from the master device such that the audio data is played back, in synchrony, via the first audio output component of the audio playback device and via the second audio output component of the master device.

12. The audio playback device of claim 11 , wherein the playback command is a pause command, and wherein to cause the first audio output component to modify the playback of the audio data, the controller module is configured to:
cause the first audio output component to pause the playback of the audio data in synchrony with the master device pausing the playback of the audio data.

13. The audio playback device of claim 11 , wherein the controller module is further configured to:
receive, from the

Assignees

• Google Technology Holdings LLC

Inventors

• Daley Michael J
• Bolinger Travis
• O'Neal Heath

Classifications

• H04W56/0015 Primary

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

• H04H20/57

  for mobile receivers · CPC title

• H04H20/18

  Arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems · CPC title

• H04N21/242

  Synchronisation processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Programme Clock References] {(arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18)} · CPC title

• H04H60/88

  which are wireless networks · CPC title