Satellite volume control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9680433-B2
Application number	US-201615217670-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2016
Priority date	Jun 5, 2013
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments are provided for satellite volume control. An example method includes receiving an input at a playback device to adjust a volume for a plurality of playback devices that are grouped for synchronous playback of audio content, wherein the plurality of playback devices includes the playback device. The method also includes sending a first message over a network from the playback device to a device associated with the plurality of playback devices, the first message including information based on the input, wherein the information is used to adjust the volume of the plurality of playback devices. The method also includes receiving a second message at the playback device over the network, the second message including information for the volume of the playback device, wherein the volume is based on the adjusted volume of the plurality of playback devices.

First claim

We claim:

1. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor cause a first playback device to perform functions comprising:
receiving a first input indicating a first volume change for audio content;
in response to receiving the first input, determining whether the first playback device is included in a group of playback devices with at least one other playback device, wherein the group of playback devices is configured to synchronously play audio content; and
if the first playback device determines that the first playback device is included in the group of playback devices, determining whether the first playback device is a secondary device; and
if the first playback device determines that the first playback device is a secondary device, then transmitting to the one or more of the at least one other playback device, the message comprising the volume change information indicating the first volume change; and
if the first playback device determines that the first playback device is not a secondary device, then adjusting volume of the audio content for the group of playback devices based on the volume change information; and

if the first playback device determines that the first playback device is not included in the group of playback devices, then applying the first volume change to a volume level of the first playback device.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the audio content comprises a plurality of audio channels, and wherein the functions further comprise:
receiving at least one channel of the plurality of audio channels of the audio content;
determining that the audio content comprises the plurality of channels, and
wherein if the first playback device determines that the first playback device is a secondary device, then transmitting, to the one or more of the at least one other playback device, the message comprising the volume change information indicating the first volume change comprises:
if the first playback device determines that the first playback device is a secondary device and based on determining that the audio content comprises the plurality of audio channels, then transmitting, to the one or more of the at least one other playback device, the message comprising the volume change information indicating the first volume change.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the message is a first message, and wherein the functions further comprise:
receiving, from a second playback device of the at least one other playback device, a second message comprising second volume information indicating a volume change to apply to the first playback device based on the first volume change; and
applying the volume change to change the first playback device from a first volume level to a second volume level.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 , wherein the second volume information indicating the volume change based on the first volume change comprises volume-adjusted audio content.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 , wherein the second volume information indicating the volume change based on the first volume change comprises a gain value, and wherein applying the volume change comprises:
changing the first volume level to the second volume level based on the gain value.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 ,
wherein determining whether the first playback device is included in a group of playback devices with at least one other playback device comprises:
determining whether the first playback device is in a bonded zone;
wherein if the first playback device determines that the first playback device is included in the group of playback devices, then transmitting, to one or more of the at least one other playback device, a message comprising volume change information indicating the first volume change comprises:
if the first playback device determines that the first playback device is in a bonded zone, then transmitting, the to one or more of the at least one other playback device, the message comprising the volume change information indicating the first volume change; and

wherein if the first playback device determines that the first playback device is not included in the group of playback devices, then applying the first volume change to a volume level of the first playback device comprises:
if the first playback device determines that the first playback device is not included in a bonded zone, then applying the first volume change to a volume level of the first playback device.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the message is a first message, and wherein the functions further comprise:
receiving a command instructing the first playback device to leave the group of playback devices;
receiving a second input indicating a second volume change for the audio content;
in response to receiving the second input, determining that the first playback device is not included in the group of playback devices; and
based on determining that the first playback device is not included in the group of playback devices, applying the second volume change to the volume level of the first playback device.

8. A first playback device, comprising:
one or more processors; and
memory storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the first playback device to perform functions comprising:
receiving a first input indicating a first volume change for audio content;
in response to receiving the first input, determining whether the first playback device is included in a group of playback devices with at least one other playback device, wherein the group of playback devices is configured to synchronously play audio content; and
if the first playback device determines that the first playback device is included in the group of playback devices, determining whether the first playback device is a secondary device; and
if the first playback device determines that the first playback device is a secondary device, then transmitting to the one or more of the at least one other playback device, the message comprising the volume change information indicating the first volume change; and
if the first playback device determines that the first playback device is not a secondary device, then adjusting volume of the audio content for the group of playback devices based on the volume change information; and

if the first playback device determines that the first playback device is not included in the group of playback devices, then applying the first volume change to a volume level of the first playback device.

9. The first playback device of claim 8 , wherein the audio content comprises a plurality of audio channels, and wherein the functions further comprise:
receiving at least one channel of the plurality of audio channels of the audio content;
determining that the audio content comprises the plurality of channels, and
wherein if the first playback device determines that the first playback device is a secondary device, transmitting to the one or more of the at least one other playback device, the message comprising the volume change information indicating the first volume change comprises:
if the first playback device determines that the first playback device is a secondary device and based on determining that the audio content comprises the plurality of audio channels, transmitting, to the one or more of the at least one other playback device, the message comprising the volume change information indicating the first volume change.

10. The first playback device of claim 8 , wherein the message is a first message, and wherein the functions further comprise:

Assignees

• Sonos Inc

Inventors

• Dizon Bob
• Griffiths Neil
• Vega Zayas Luis R

Classifications

• H03G3/02

  Manually-operated control {(H03G3/001 and H03G3/002 take precedence)} · CPC title

• H04L12/282

  based on user interaction within the home (receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204) · CPC title

• 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

• H04R2420/07

  Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones · CPC title

• H03G3/3005 Primary

  in amplifiers suitable for low-frequencies, e.g. audio amplifiers (H03G3/32, H03G3/34 take precedence) · CPC title