Playback zone representations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9898246-B2
Application number	US-201615170607-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2016
Priority date	Feb 28, 2014
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

Method and systems are provided for displaying playback zone representations in a controller interface for a media playback system. An example implementation involves a computing device receiving a command to display representations of playback zones in a media playback system. After receiving the command, the computing system determines that (i) each zone of a first subset of playback zones is associated with media content and (ii) each zone of a second subset of playback zones is not associated with media content. In response to determining that each zone of the first subset of playback zones is associated with media content, the computing system displays an expanded format representation of each playback zone in the first subset and in response to determining that each zone of the second subset of playback zones is not associated with media content, displays a collapsed format representation of each playback zone in the second subset.

First claim

We claim:

1. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:
receiving a command to display representations of playback zones in a media playback system;
after receiving the command, determining that (i) each zone of a first subset of playback zones in the media playback system is associated with media content and (ii) each zone of a second subset of playback zones in the media playback system is not associated with media content;
in response to determining that each zone of the first subset of playback zones in the media playback system is associated with media content, displaying an expanded format representation of each playback zone in the first subset; and
in response to determining that each zone of the second subset of playback zones in the media playback system is not associated with media content, displaying a collapsed format representation of each playback zone in the second subset.

2. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein displaying the expanded format representation of each playback zone in the first subset comprises:
displaying in each expanded format representation, a representation of respective media content associated with the corresponding playback zone.

3. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein determining that each zone of the first subset of playback zones in the media playback system is associated with media content comprises:
determining that at least one playback zone in the first subset of playback zones is playing media content.

4. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein determining that the first subset of playback zones in the media playback system is associated with media content comprises:
determining that at least one playback zone in the first subset of playback zones corresponds to a playback queue populated with media content.

5. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein displaying the expanded format representation of each playback zone in the first subset comprises displaying in each expanded format representation, a representation of a name of the corresponding playback zone in the first subset of playback zones, and wherein displaying the collapsed format representation of each playback zone in the second subset comprises displaying in each collapsed format representation, a representation of a name of the corresponding playback zone in the second subset of playback zones.

6. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the functions further comprise:
after displaying the expanded format representation of each playback zone in the first subset and the collapsed format representation of each playback zone in the second subset, determining that (i) each zone of a third subset of playback zones in the media playback system is associated with media content and (ii) each zone of a fourth subset of playback zones in the media playback system is not associated with media content, wherein the third subset is different from the first subset and the fourth subset is different from the second subset;
in response to determining that each zone of the third subset of playback zones in the media playback system is associated with media content, displaying an expanded format representation of each playback zone in the third subset; and
in response to determining that each zone of the second subset of playback zones in the media playback system is not associated with media content, displaying a collapsed format representation of each playback zone in the fourth subset.

7. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein two or more particular playback zones in the first subset are arranged into a zone group, and wherein displaying the expanded format representation of each playback zone in the first subset comprises:
displaying in the expanded format representation of the zone group, representations indicating the two or more particular playback zones.

8. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein two or more particular playback zones in the second subset are arranged into a zone group, and wherein displaying a collapsed format representation of each playback zone in the second subset comprises:
displaying in the collapsed format representation of the zone group, representations indicating the two or more particular playback zones.

9. A method comprising:
receiving, via a computing device, a command to display representations of playback zones in a media playback system;
after receiving the command, determining, via the computing device, that (i) each zone of a first subset of playback zones in the media playback system is associated with media content and (ii) each zone of a second subset of playback zones in the media playback system is not associated with media content;
in response to determining that each zone of the first subset of playback zones in the media playback system is associated with media content, displaying by the computing device, an expanded format representation of each playback zone in the first subset; and
in response to determining that each zone of the second subset of playback zones in the media playback system is not associated with media content, displaying by the computing device, a collapsed format representation of each playback zone in the second subset.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein displaying the expanded format representation of each playback zone in the first subset comprises:
displaying in each expanded format representation, a representation of respective media content associated with the corresponding playback zone.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining that each zone of the first subset of playback zones in the media playback system is associated with media content comprises:
determining that at least one playback zone in the first subset of playback zones is playing media content.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining that each zone of the first subset of playback zones in the media playback system is associated with media content comprises:
determining that at least one playback zone in the first subset of playback zones corresponds to a playback queue populated with media content.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein displaying the expanded format representation of each playback zone in the first subset comprises displaying in each expanded format representation, a representation of a name of the corresponding playback zone in the first subset of playback zones, and wherein displaying the collapsed format representation of each playback zone in the second subset comprises displaying by the computing device, in each collapsed format representation, a representation of a name of the corresponding playback zone in the second subset of playback zones.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises:
after displaying the expanded format representation of each playback zone in the first subset and the collapsed format representation of each playback zone in the second subset, determining that (i) each zone of a third subset of playback zones in the media playback system is associated with media content and (ii) each zone of a fourth subset of playback zones in the media playback system is not associated with media content, wherein the third subset is different from the first subset and the fourth subset is different from the second su

Assignees

• Sonos Inc

Inventors

• Kumar Abhishek
• Lambourne Robert Andrew

Classifications

• G06F3/0481

  based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance · CPC title

• H04R27/00

  Public address systems (circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; {monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007}; amplifiers H03F) · CPC title

• G06F3/165 Primary

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

• G11B27/10

  Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel · CPC title

• H04R2227/005

  Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use · CPC title