Playback modification based on proximity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12045452-B2
Application number	US-202117526217-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2021
Priority date	Sep 2, 2014
Publication date	Jul 23, 2024
Grant date	Jul 23, 2024

Abstract

Techniques described herein may involve modification of playback based on the proximity of a user to a playback device. An example technique involves a device determining that a listener is within a given proximity of a first playback device and based on determining that the listener is within the given proximity of the first playback device, causing the first playback device to begin playback of first media and causing a second playback device to modify playback of second media.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A controller comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the controller is configured to:
display, via a graphical interface, a control interface;
receive, via a wireless interface and from a first device of a media playback system, data indicating that a first playback device and a second playback device form a group of playback devices in the media playback system configured to play back media content in synchrony;
receive, via the wireless interface, a wireless transmission from the first playback device indicating that the controller is within a given proximity to the first playback device, wherein the controller is outside the given proximity of the second playback device;
determine, based on the data, that the first playback device and the second playback device form a group of playback devices; and
based on receiving the wireless transmission indicating that the controller is within the given proximity to the first playback device and the determination that the first playback device and the second playback device form a group of playback devices, update the control interface to display a group control interface comprising: (i) an identifier of the group of playback devices, and (ii) a characteristic of the group of playback devices; wherein the group control interface facilitates simultaneous control of both the first playback device and the second playback device.

2. The controller of claim 1 , wherein:
the characteristic of the group of playback devices comprises a media item currently played back by the group of playback devices.

3. The controller of claim 1 , wherein:
the characteristic of the group of playback devices comprises a media item queued for playback by the group of playback devices.

4. The controller of claim 1 , wherein:
the first device is one of the first playback device or the second playback device.

5. The controller of claim 1 , wherein:
the first device is a third playback device of the media playback system.

6. The controller of claim 1 , wherein:
the first playback device is configured to play back a first channel of multi-channel audio content; and
the second playback device is configured to play back a second channel of the multi-channel audio content, wherein the second channel is different from the first channel.

7. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions such that the controller is configured to
cause the group of playback devices to modify playback, based on receiving the wireless transmission.

8. The controller of claim 7 , wherein causing the group of playback devices to modify playback comprises causing the group of playback devices to modify playback based on an input received via the group control interface.

9. A method to be performed by a controller, the method comprising:
displaying, via a graphical interface, a control interface;
receiving, via a wireless interface and from a first device of a media playback system, data indicating that a first playback device and a second playback device form a group of playback devices in the media playback system configured to play back media content in synchrony;
receiving, via the wireless interface, a wireless transmission from the first playback device indicating that the controller is within a given proximity to the first playback device, wherein the controller is outside the given proximity of the second playback device;
determining, based on the data, that the first playback device and the second playback device form a group of playback devices; and
based on receiving the wireless transmission indicating that the controller is within the given proximity to the first playback device and the determination that the first playback device and the second playback device form a group of playback devices, updating the control interface to display a group control interface comprising: (i) an identifier of the group of playback devices, and (ii) a characteristic of the group of playback devices; wherein the group control interface facilitates simultaneous control of both the first playback device and the second playback device.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the characteristic of the group of playback devices comprises a media item currently played back by the group of playback devices.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the characteristic of the group of playback devices comprises a media item queued for playback by the group of playback devices.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the first device is a third playback device of the media playback system.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
causing the group of playback devices to modify playback, based on receiving the wireless transmission.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein causing the group of playback devices to modify playback comprises causing the group of playback devices to modify playback based on an input received via the group control interface.

15. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by one or more processors to cause a controller to perform functions comprising:
displaying, via a graphical interface, a control interface;
receiving, via a wireless interface and from a first device of a media playback system, data indicating that a first playback device and a second playback device form a group of playback devices in the media playback system configured to play back media content in synchrony;
receiving, via the wireless interface, a wireless transmission from the first playback device indicating that the controller is within a given proximity to the first playback device, wherein the controller is outside the given proximity of the second playback device;
determining, based on the data, that the first playback device and the second playback device form a group of playback devices; and
based on receiving the wireless transmission indicating that the controller is within the given proximity to the first playback device and the determination that the first playback device and the second playback device form a group of playback devices, updating the control interface to display a group control interface comprising: (i) an identifier of the group of playback devices, and (ii) a characteristic of the group of playback devices; wherein the group control interface facilitates simultaneous control of both the first playback device and the second playback device.

16. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein:
the characteristic of the group of playback devices comprises a media item currently played back by the group of playback devices.

17. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein:
the characteristic of the group of playback devices comprises a media item queued for playback by the group of playback devices.

18. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising:
causing the group of playback devices to modify playback, based on receiving the wireless transmission.

19. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein causing the group of playback devices to modify playback comprises causing the group of playback devices to modify playback based on an input received via the group contro

Assignees

• Sonos Inc

Inventors

• Vega Luis
• Bates Paul
• Kendall Jason

Classifications

• G06F3/04847 Primary

  Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials · CPC title

• G11B19/025 Primary

  'Virtual' control panels, e.g. Graphical User Interface [GUI] · CPC title

• G06F3/165

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

• G06F3/04817

  using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) · CPC title

• G05B2219/13144

  GUI graphical user interface, icon, function bloc editor, OI operator interface · CPC title