Systems and methods for syncronizing multiple electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018317191-A1
Application number	US-201816029213-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:
receiving, by a first audio playback device operating in a slave role from a second audio playback device, a first timing signal and first timing information associated with audio data to be played by the first audio playback device as part of an audio playback group including the second audio playback device and a third audio playback device; playing, by the first audio playback device, the audio data at a time based on the first timing signal, the first timing information, and a clock of the first audio playback device; receiving, by the first audio playback device, a notification to switch roles to a master role; changing, by the first audio playback device, to the master role based on the notification to switch roles to the master role; and after the changing to the master role, transmitting, by the first audio playback device to the third audio playback device, a second timing signal and second timing information associated with the audio data to be played by the third audio playback device as part of the audio playback group.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
after the changing to the master role, transmitting, by the first audio playback device to the second audio playback device, the second timing signal.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first audio playback device does not transmit a timing signal to the third audio playback device before the first audio playback device changes to the master role.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
after the changing to the master role, transmitting, by the first audio playback device to the third audio playback device, a second time corresponding to the audio data to be played by the third audio playback device as part of the audio playback group.

5 . The method of claim 4 ,
wherein the first audio playback device does not transmit a time corresponding to the audio data to the third audio playback device before the first audio playback device changes to the master role.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
after the changing to the master role:
transmitting, by the first audio playback device to the second audio playback device, the second timing signal, and a second time corresponding to the audio data to be played by the second audio playback device as part of the audio playback group.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
upon receipt of the notification, calculating, using at least one network latency ping with the second audio playback device, a network latency value and a system clock offset value.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
before the changing to the master role:
receiving, by the third audio playback device from the second audio playback device, a second time and a third timing signal,
determining, by the third audio playback device based on the third timing signal, a difference between a clock of the third audio playback device and a clock of the second audio playback device,
determining, by the third audio playback device, a third time based on (i) the second time and (ii) the difference between the clock of the third audio playback device and the clock of the second audio playback device, and
playing, by the third audio playback device, the audio data at the third time according to the clock of the third audio playback device.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
after the changing to the master role:
receiving, by the third audio playback device from the first audio playback device, a fourth time and a fourth timing signal,
determining, by the third audio playback device based on the fourth timing signal, a difference between the clock of the third audio playback device and the clock of the first audio playback device,
determining by the third audio playback device, a fifth time based on (i) the fourth time and (ii) the difference between the clock of the third audio playback device and the clock of the first audio playback device, and
playing, by the third audio playback device, the audio data at the fifth time according to the clock of the third audio playback device.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
changing, by the second audio playback device, to a slave role.

11 . A first audio playback device comprising:
a communication component for connecting the first audio playback device to a second audio playback device; an audio output component; and a controller module interfaced with the communication component and the audio output component, and configured to:
while the first audio playback device is operating in a slave role:
receive, from the second audio playback device via the communication component, a first timing signal and first timing information associated with audio data to be played by the first audio playback device as part of an audio playback group including the second audio playback device and a third audio playback device,
cause the audio output component to output the audio data at a time based on the first timing signal, the first timing information, and a clock of the first audio playback device, and
receive, via the communication component, a notification to switch roles to a master role,

change to the master role based on the notification to switch roles to the master role, and
after the change to the master role, transmit, to the third audio playback device via the communication component, a second timing signal and second timing information associated with the audio data to be played by the third audio playback device as part of the audio playback group.

12 . The first audio playback device of claim 11 , further comprising:
a user interface; wherein the controller module is further configure to:
while the first audio playback device is operating in the slave role:
receive, via the user interface, a selection of the audio data, and
in response to receiving the selection, transmit, to the second audio playback device via the communication component, a request to switch to the master role.

13 . The first audio playback device of claim 12 , wherein the controller module receives, via the communication component from the second audio playback device, the notification to switch roles to the master role.

14 . The first audio playback device of claim 11 , wherein the controller module is further configured to:
upon receipt of the notification, calculate, using at least one network latency ping with the second audio playback device via the communication component, a network latency value and a system clock offset value.

15 . The first audio playback device of claim 11 , wherein the controller module is further configured to:
after the change to the master role, transmit, to the second audio playback device via the communication component, the second timing signal and the second timing information associated with the audio data to be played by the second audio playback device as part of the audio playback group.

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:
receiving, by a first audio playback device operating in a slave role from a second audio playback device, a first timing signal and first timing information associated with audio data to be played by the first audio playback device as part of an audio playback group including the second audio playback device and a third audio playback device; initiating playback, by the first audio playbac

Assignees

• Google Technology Holdings LLC

Inventors

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

Classifications

• H04H20/38

  Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast · CPC title

• H04W56/0065

  using measurement of signal travel time · CPC title

• H04H20/61

  for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast · CPC title

• H04H60/80

  characterised by transmission among terminal devices · CPC title

• H04H20/08

  among terminal devices · CPC title