Audio distributor selection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10970034-B2
Application number	US-201916516567-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2019
Priority date	Jul 28, 2003
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

A system is described for maintaining synchrony of operations among a plurality of devices that have independent clocking arrangements. The system includes a task distribution device that distributes tasks to a synchrony group comprising a plurality of devices that are to perform the tasks distributed by the task distribution device in synchrony. The task distribution device distributes each task to the members of the synchrony group over a network. Each task is associated with a time stamp that indicates a time, relative to a clock maintained by the task distribution device, at which the members of the synchrony group are to execute the task. Each member of the synchrony group periodically obtains from the task distribution device an indication of the current time indicated by its clock, determines a time differential between the task distribution device's clock and its respective clock and determines therefrom a time at which, according to its respective clock, the time stamp indicates that it is to execute the task.

First claim

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

1. A method to be performed by a first zone player, the method comprising:
receiving, via a network interface configured to communicatively couple the first zone player to at least one data network, a request to enter into a synchrony group with at least a second zone player that is communicatively coupled to the first zone player via the at least one data network;
after receiving the request to enter into the synchrony group, (i) detecting an indication that, based on a performance metric associated with communication by the first zone player via the data network, the first zone player is to operate as an audio distributor for the synchrony group and (ii) operating in the synchrony group as the audio distributor;
while operating in the synchrony group as the audio distributor:
obtaining, via the network interface, audio information that is representative of given audio content;
generating playback timing information associated with the obtained audio information that is indicative of one or more future times at which the first and second zone players are to engage in synchronous playback of the obtained audio information;
transmitting, via the network interface, the obtained audio information and the playback timing information to the second zone player; and
engaging in synchronous playback of the obtained audio information with the second zone player based on the playback timing information.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the indication that the first zone player is to operate as the audio distributor for the synchrony group comprises receiving, via the network interface, an instruction that the first zone player is to operate as the audio distributor for the synchrony group based on the performance metric associated with communication by the first zone player via the data network.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
after receiving the request to enter into the synchrony group, exchanging, via the network interface, clock time messages with the second zone player to facilitate time synchronization between the first and second zone players.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
while operating in the synchrony group as the audio distributor and before obtaining the audio information that is representative of the given audio content, receiving, via the network interface, control information identifying the given audio content to be played back by the synchrony group that is available at an audio source outside of the at least one data network.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
after receiving the request to enter into the synchrony group and before operating in the synchrony group as the audio distributor, operating in the synchrony group as an audio recipient; and
while operating in the synchrony group as the audio recipient, receiving from another zone player (i) audio information and (ii) playback timing information associated with the received audio information.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more future times at which the first and second zone players are to engage in synchronous playback of the obtained audio information comprise at least one first future time that is determined based on a local clock of a zone player other than the first zone player.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the zone player other than the first zone player comprises the second zone player.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
while operating in the synchrony group as the audio distributor, receiving, via the network interface, at least one time value that is based on a local clock of a zone player other than the first zone player, wherein engaging in synchronous playback of the obtained audio information with the second zone player based on the playback timing information comprises engaging in synchronous playback of the obtained audio information with the second zone player based on the playback timing information and the received at least one time value.

9. A first zone player comprising:
a network interface that is configured to communicatively couple the first zone player to at least one data network;
at least one processor;
data storage storing instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to cause the first zone player to perform functions comprising:
receiving, via the network interface, a request to enter into a synchrony group with at least a second zone player that is communicatively coupled to the first zone player via the at least one data network; and
after receiving the request to enter into the synchrony group, (i) detecting an indication that, based on a performance metric associated with communication by the first zone player via the data network, the first zone player is to operate as an audio distributor for the synchrony group and (ii) operating in the synchrony group as the audio distributor,
wherein, while operating in the synchrony group as the audio distributor, the first zone player is configured to:
obtain, via the network interface, audio information that is representative of given audio content;
generate playback timing information associated with the obtained audio information that is indicative of one or more future times at which the first and second zone players are to engage in synchronous playback of the obtained audio information;
transmit, via the network interface, the obtained audio information and the playback timing information to the second zone player; and
engage in synchronous playback of the obtained audio information with the second zone player based on the playback timing information.

10. The first zone player of claim 9 , wherein detecting the indication that the first zone player is to operate as the audio distributor for the synchrony group comprises receiving, via the network interface, an instruction that the first zone player is to operate as the audio distributor for the synchrony group based on the performance metric associated with communication by the first zone player via the data network.

11. The first zone player of claim 9 , further comprising instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to cause the first zone player to perform functions comprising:
after receiving the request to enter into the synchrony group, exchanging, via the network interface, clock time messages with the second zone player to facilitate time synchronization between the first and second zone players.

12. The first zone player of claim 9 , wherein, while operating in the synchrony group as the audio distributor, the first zone player is further configured to:
before obtaining the audio information that is representative of the given audio content, receive, via the network interface, control information identifying the given audio content to be played back by the synchrony group that is available at an audio source outside of the at least one data network.

13. The first zone player of claim 9 , further comprising instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to cause the first zone player to perform functions comprising:
after receiving the request to enter into the synchrony group and before operating in the synchrony group as the audio distributor, operating in the synchrony group as an audio recipient,
wherein, while operating in the synchrony group as the audio recipient, the first zone player is configured to receive from another zone player (i) audio information and (ii) playback timing information associated with the received audio information.

14. The first zone player of

Assignees

• Sonos Inc

Inventors

• Millington Nicholas A J

Classifications

• H04L65/75

  Media network packet handling · CPC title

• H04L65/613

  for the control of the source by the destination (control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637) · CPC title

• H04L65/61

  for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio · CPC title

• H04L67/55

  Push-based network services · CPC title

• H04L65/611

  for multicast or broadcast (systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06) · CPC title