Playback Modification Based On Proximity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016246568-A1
Application number	US-201615147322-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 5, 2016
Priority date	Sep 2, 2014
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

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

We claim:

1 . A device comprising:
at least one processor; data storage; and a program logic stored in the data storage and executable by the at least one processor to perform functions comprising: 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:
(a) causing the first playback device to begin playback of first media; and
(b) causing a second playback device to modify playback of second media.

2 . The device of claim 1 , the functions further comprising:
determining that the listener is not within a given proximity of the second playback device.

3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is the first playback device.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is a control device that is different from the first playback device and the second playback device.

5 . The device of claim 1 , the functions further comprising:
receiving, via a radio interface, a radio transmission indicating the first playback device, wherein determining that the listener is within the given proximity of the first playback device comprises determining that the listener is within the given proximity of the first playback device based on the received radio transmission.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein causing the second playback device to modify playback of the second media comprises causing the second playback device to stop playback of the second media.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein causing the second playback device to modify playback of the second media comprises causing the second playback device to reduce a volume of playback of the second media.

8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the first media and the second media are the same media.

9 . The device of claim 1 , the functions further comprising:
causing a graphical interface to display an indication of (i) an identifier of the first playback device and (ii) a characteristic of the first playback device.

10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein causing the first playback device to begin playback of first media comprising causing a group of playback devices comprising the first playback device to begin playback of first media.

11 . Tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a device to perform a method comprising:
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:
(a) causing the first playback device to begin playback of first media; and
(b) causing a second playback device to modify playback of second media.

12 . The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the device is one of: (a) the first playback device, or (b) a control device that is different from the first playback device and the second playback device.

13 . The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 11 , the method further comprising:
receiving, via a radio interface, a radio transmission indicating the first playback device, wherein determining that the listener is within the given proximity of the first playback device comprises determining that the listener is within the given proximity of the first playback device based on the received radio transmission.

14 . The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein causing the second playback device to modify playback of the second media comprises one of:
(a) causing the second playback device to stop playback of the second media; or (b) causing the second playback device to reduce a volume of playback of the second media

15 . The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the first media and the second media are the same media.

16 . A method comprising:
determining, via a device, 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:
(a) causing the first playback device to begin playback of first media; and
(b) causing a second playback device to modify playback of second media.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the device is one of: (a) the first playback device, or (b) a control device that is different from the first playback device and the second playback device.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
receiving, via a radio interface, a radio transmission indicating the first playback device, wherein determining that the listener is within the given proximity of the first playback device comprises determining that the listener is within the given proximity of the first playback device based on the received radio transmission.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein causing the second playback device to modify playback of the second media comprises one of:
(a) causing the second playback device to stop playback of the second media; or (b) causing the second playback device to reduce a volume of playback of the second media

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the first media and the second media are the same media.

Assignees

• Sonos Inc

Inventors

• Vega Luis
• Bates Paul
• Kendall Jason

Classifications

• H04N21/43615

  Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals (home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805) · CPC title

• H04N21/485

  End-user interface for client configuration · CPC title

• H04N21/8113

  comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format · CPC title

• H04N21/4325

  by playing back content from the storage medium (reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79) · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title