Systems and methods for synchronizing multiple electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9967848-B2
Application number	US-201715794868-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2017
Priority date	Apr 29, 2013
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

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 a first audio playback device, an audio playback group, wherein the audio playback group includes (i) a master device that provides timing information for playback of audio content by the audio playback group, and (ii) a second audio playback device, wherein each of the first audio playback device and the second audio playback device is in a slave role in the audio playback group;
determining, by the first audio playback device, a difference between a clock of the first audio playback device and a clock of the master device;
receiving by the first audio playback device from the master device, a first time corresponding to audio data to be played by the first audio playback device as part of the audio playback group;
determining, by the first audio playback device, a second time based on (i) the first time and (ii) the difference between the clock of the first audio playback device and the clock of the master device;
playing, by the first audio playback device, the audio data at the second time according to the clock of the first audio playback device;
changing, by the first audio playback device, from the slave role to a master role in the audio playback group; and
after changing from the slave role to the master role, sending, by the first audio playback device to the second audio playback device, additional audio data for playback by the second audio playback device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein changing from the slave role to the master role in the audio playback group comprises:
sending, by the first audio playback device to the master device, a request to switch roles; and
receiving, by the first audio playback device from the master device, a role switch notification.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein changing from the slave role to the master role in the audio playback group comprises:
selecting, by the first audio playback device, the additional audio data for playback; and
in response to selecting the additional audio data, sending, by the first audio playback device to the master device, a request to switch roles.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein selecting the additional audio data for playback comprises:
detecting, via a user interface of the first audio playback device, a selection of the additional audio data for playback.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein changing from the slave role to the master role in the audio playback group comprises:
detecting a selection via a user interface of the first audio playback device; and
in response to detecting the selection, sending, by the first audio playback device to the master device, a request to switch roles.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein changing, by the first audio playback device, from the slave role to the master role in the audio playback group results in the master device having the slave role, and wherein the method further comprises, after changing from the slave role to the master role:
sending, by the first audio playback device to the master device, the additional audio data for playback by the master device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein sending, by the first audio playback device to the second audio playback device, the additional audio data for playback by the second audio playback device comprises:
sending, by the first audio playback device to the second audio playback device, (i) the additional audio data, and (ii) timing information including the clock of the first audio playback device.

8. An audio playback device comprising:
a communication component;
a memory;
an audio output component for outputting audio; and
a controller module interfaced with the communication component, the memory, and the audio output component, and configured to:
join, via the communication component, an audio playback group, wherein the audio playback group includes (i) a master device that provides timing information for playback of audio content by the audio playback group, and (ii) a second audio playback device, wherein each of the audio playback device and the second audio playback device is in a slave role in the audio playback group,
determine a difference between a clock of the audio playback device and a clock of the master device,
receive, from the master device via the communication component, a first time corresponding to audio data to be played by the audio playback device as part of the audio playback group,
determine a second time based on (i) the first time and (ii) the difference between the clock of the audio playback device and the clock of the master device,
cause the audio output component to play the audio data at the second time according to the clock of the audio playback device,
change from the slave role to a master role in the audio playback group, and
after changing from the slave role to the master role, send, to the second audio playback device via the communication component, additional audio data for playback by the second audio playback device.

9. The audio playback device of claim 8 , wherein to change from the slave role to the master role in the audio playback group, the controller module is configured to:
send, to the master device via the communication component, a request to switch roles, and
receive, from the master device via the communication component, a role switch notification.

10. The audio playback device of claim 8 , wherein to change from the slave role to the master role in the audio playback group, the controller module is configured to:
select the additional audio data for playback, and
in response to selecting the additional audio data, send, to the master device via the communication component, a request to switch roles.

11. The audio playback device of claim 10 , further comprising:
a user interface;

and wherein to select the additional audio data for playback, the controller module is configured to:
detect, via the user interface, a selection of the additional audio data for playback.

12. The audio playback device of claim 8 , further comprising:
a user interface;

and wherein to change from the slave role to the master role in the audio playback group, the controller module is configured to:
detect a selection via the user interface, and
in response to detecting the selection, send, to the master device via the communication component, a request to switch roles.

13. The audio playback device of claim 8 , wherein changing from the slave role to the master role in the audio playback group results in the master device having the slave role, and wherein the controller module is further configured to, after changing from the slave role to the master role:
send, to the master device via the communication component, the additional audio data for playback by the master device.

14. The audio playback device of claim 8 , wherein the controller module sends, to the second audio playback device via the communication component, (i) the additional audio data for playback by the second audio playback device, and (ii) timing information including the clock of the audio playback device.

15. A system for changing audio playback roles within a group audio session, comprising:
a first audio playback device having a master role in the group audio session;
a second audio playback device having a slave role in the group audio session; and
a third audio playback device configured to:
join the group audio session in the slave role,
determine a difference between a clock of the third audio playback device and a clock of the first audio playback device,
receive, from the first au

Assignees

• Google Technology Holdings LLC

Inventors

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

Classifications

• H04H60/88

  which are wireless networks · CPC title

• H04H20/57

  for mobile receivers · CPC title

• H04W56/0065

  using measurement of signal travel time · CPC title

• H04H20/18

  Arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems · CPC title

• H04H60/80

  characterised by transmission among terminal devices · CPC title