Systems and methods for syncronizing multiple electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018317189-A1
Application number	US-201816029094-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 6, 2018
Priority date	Apr 29, 2013
Publication date	Nov 1, 2018
Grant date	—

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 as part of the audio playback group; playing, by 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 from the master device, a playback command based on a user input at the master device; and adjusting, by the audio playback device, playback of the audio data based on the playback command.

2 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein adjusting the playback of the audio data based on the playback command is performed in synchrony with the master device.

3 . The method of claim 2 ,
wherein the playback command is a pause command, wherein the user input at the master device comprises a user activation of a pause button on a user interface of the master device, and wherein adjusting the playback of the audio data based on the playback command includes pausing the playback of the audio data in synchrony with the master device pausing playback of audio data.

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

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
adjusting, by the audio playback device, the playback of the audio data based on the second user input.

6 . The method of claim 5 ,
wherein adjusting the playback of the audio data based on the second user input is performed in synchrony with the master device.

7 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein adjusting the playback of the audio data based on the playback command is performed additionally based on a difference between the clock of the audio playback device and a clock of the master device.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the audio playback device from the master device, a timing instruction associated with the playback command, wherein adjusting the playback of the audio data based on the playback command is performed additionally based on the timing instruction.

9 . The method of claim 8 ,
wherein adjusting the playback of the audio data based on the playback command is performed additionally based on a difference between the clock of the audio playback device and a clock of the master device.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the audio playback device, a second user input at the audio playback device; transmitting, by the audio playback device to the master device, a second playback command based on the second user input; and adjusting, by the audio playback device, the playback of the audio data based on the second user input in synchrony with the master device adjusting playback of audio data based on the second playback command, wherein the playback command is a pause command, wherein the user input at the master device comprises a user activation of a pause/play button on a user interface of the master device, wherein adjusting the playback of the audio data based on the playback command is performed additionally based on a difference between the clock of the audio playback device and a clock of the master device, wherein adjusting the playback of the audio data 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 the second user input at the audio playback device comprises a second user activation of a second pause/play button on a user interface of the audio playback device, and wherein adjusting the playback of the audio data based on the second user input includes resuming the playback of the audio data in synchrony with the master device resuming the playback of the audio data.

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; an audio output component; and a controller module interfaced with the communication component and the 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 as part of the audio playback group,
cause the 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, from the master device via the communication component, a playback command corresponding to a user selection at the master device, and
cause the audio output component to adjust playback of the audio data based on the playback command.

12 . The audio playback device of claim 11 , wherein the playback command is a pause command, and wherein to cause the audio output component to adjust the playback of the audio data, the controller module is configured to:
cause the audio output component to pause the playback of the audio data.

13 . The audio playback device of claim 12 , wherein the controller module pauses the playback of the audio data in synchrony with the master device pausing playback of the audio data.

14 . The audio playback device of claim 11 , further comprising:
a user interface; wherein controller module is further configured to:
receive, via the user interface, a selection corresponding to an additional playback command, and
transmit, to the master device via the communication component, the additional playback command.

15 . The audio playback device of claim 11 , wherein the controller module receives the playback command with a timing instruction associated with the playback command, and wherein the controller module causes the audio output component to adjust the playback of the audio data further based on the timing instruction.

16 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store instructions, the instructions when executed by a processor causing the processor to perform operations comprising:
joining, by an audio playback device, an audio playback group including a master device, the audio playback group configured for playback of audio content; 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 as part of the audio playback group; initiating playback, by the audio playback device, of 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 from the master device, a playback command corresponding to a user selection at the master device; and performing, by the audio playback device, the playback command to adjust the playback of the audio data.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving, by the audio playback device from the master device, a timing instruction associa

Assignees

• Google Technology Holdings LLC

Inventors

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

Classifications

• H04H20/57

  for mobile receivers · CPC title

• H04W56/0065

  using measurement of signal travel time · CPC title

• H04H20/08

  among terminal devices · CPC title

• H04H20/63

  to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television] · CPC title

• H04H60/88

  which are wireless networks · CPC title