US 11,601,104 B2Granted

Zone volume control

AssigneeSonos, Inc.

InventorEduardo Ahumada Apodaca

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Example techniques involve controlling playback volumes. An example implementation includes displaying a group volume control of a synchrony group, the group volume control comprising a group volume indicator on a group volume slider and receiving, via the displayed group volume control, input data representing a selection of the group volume control. The implementation also includes displaying, concurrently with the group volume control, a first volume control comprising a first volume indicator on a first volume slider and a second volume control comprising a second volume indicator on a second volume slider. The implementation also includes receiving, via the displayed group volume control, input data representing an input to modify a first volume setting of the synchrony group to a second volume setting and transmitting instructions to cause the synchrony group to modify volume settings according to the second volume setting of the synchrony group.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by at least one processor such that a computing device is configured to:

while a headphone device and at least one playback device are in a group and playing back audio from a television, cause a display to show:
(i) a first volume control that is controllable to modify a volume level of the headphone device, the first volume control indicating a first volume level of the headphone device;
(ii) a second volume control that is controllable to modify a volume level of the at least one playback device, the second volume control indicating a first volume level of the at least one playback device;
(iii) a mute control, the mute control indicating that the at least one playback device is muted;
and (iv) a group volume control that is controllable to modify a volume level of the group, the group volume control indicating a first volume level of the group;
after receipt of input data representing a command to adjust the group volume control from the first volume level to a second volume level of the group, send, via a communications interface, data representing instructions to (i) cause the headphone device to modify, according to the command to adjust the group volume control, the first volume level of the headphone device to a second volume level of the headphone device and (ii) cause the at least one playback device to modify, according to the command to adjust the group volume control, the first volume level of the at least one playback device to a second volume level of the at least one playback device, wherein the at least one playback device remains muted after modifying the first volume level of the at least one playback device from the first volume level of the at least one playback device to the second volume level of the at least one playback device;
and
after sending the data representing the instructions and while the headphone device and the at least one playback device are in the group, cause the display to:
(i) update the first volume control from indicating the first volume level of the headphone device to indicating the second volume level of the headphone device;
(ii) update the second volume control from indicating the first volume level of the at least one playback device to indicating the second volume level of the at least one playback device;
(iii) continue indicating, via the mute control, that the at least one playback device is muted;
and (iv) update the group volume control from indicating the first volume level of the group to indicating the second volume level of the group.

9 more elements

A computing device comprising:

a communications interface;
at least one processor;
and
at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the computing device is configured to:
while a headphone device and at least one playback device are in a group and playing back audio from a television, cause a display to show:
(i) a first volume control that is controllable to modify a volume level of the headphone device, the first volume control indicating a first volume level of the headphone device;
(ii) a second volume control that is controllable to modify a volume level of the at least one playback device, the second volume control indicating a first volume level of the at least one playback device;
(iii) a mute control, the mute control indicating that the at least one playback device is muted;
and (iv) a group volume control that is controllable to modify a volume level of the group, the group volume control indicating a first volume level of the group;
after receipt of input data representing a command to adjust the group volume control from the first volume level to a second volume level of the group, send, via the communications interface, data representing instructions to (i) cause the headphone device to modify, according to the command to adjust the group volume control, the first volume level of the headphone device to a second volume level of the headphone device and (ii) cause the at least one playback device to modify, according to the command to adjust the group volume control, the first volume level of the at least one playback device to a second volume level of the at least one playback device, wherein the at least one playback device remains muted after modifying the first volume level of the at least one playback device from the first volume level of the at least one playback device to the second volume level of the at least one playback device;
and
after sending the data representing the instructions, and while the headphone device and the at least one playback device are in the group, cause the display to:
(i) update the first volume control from indicating the first volume level of the headphone device to indicating the second volume level of the headphone device;
(ii) update the second volume control from indicating the first volume level of the at least one playback device to indicating the second volume level of the at least one playback device;
(iii) continue indicating, via the mute control that the at least one playback device is muted;
and (iv) update the group volume control from indicating the first volume level of the group to indicating the second volume level of the group.

13 more elements

A method to be performed by a computing device, the method comprising:

while a headphone device and at least one playback device are in a group and playing back audio from a television, causing a display to show:
(i) a first volume control that is controllable to modify a volume level of the headphone device, the first volume control indicating a first volume level of the headphone device;
(ii) a second volume control that is controllable to modify a volume level of the at least one playback device, the second volume control indicating a first volume level of the at least one playback device;
(iii) a mute control, the mute control indicating that the at least one playback device is muted;
and (iv) a group volume control that is controllable to modify a volume level of the group, the group volume control indicating a first volume level of the group;
after receipt of input data representing a command to adjust the group volume control from the first volume level to a second volume level of the group, sending, via a communications interface, data representing instructions to (i) cause the headphone device to modify, according to the command to adjust the group volume control, the first volume level of the headphone device to a second volume level of the headphone device and (ii) cause the at least one playback device to modify, according to the command to adjust the group volume control, the first volume level of the at least one playback device to a second volume level of the at least one playback device, wherein the at least one playback device remains muted after modifying the first volume level of the at least one playback device from the first volume level of the at least one playback device to the second volume level of the at least one playback device;
and
after sending the data representing the instructions and while the headphone device and the at least one playback device are in the group, causing the display to:
(i) update the first volume control from indicating the first volume level of the headphone device to indicating the second volume level of the headphone device;
(ii) update the second volume control from indicating the first volume level of the at least one playback device to indicating the second volume level of the at least one playback device;
(iii) continue indicating, via the mute control, that the at least one playback device is muted;
and (iv) update the group volume control from indicating the first volume level of the group to indicating the second volume level of the group.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/120,634Filed 14 Dec 2020 · continuation
Priority: 7 Jun 2013
Published: US 2021/0273622 A12 Sep 2021
Granted: 7 Mar 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

H03G 3/02
Gain control in amplifiers or frequency changers: manually-operated control
G06F 3/0482
Based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like…:…
G06F 3/0488
Using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of…:…
G06F 3/165
Sound input; Sound output: management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path

Family

Application13/913,222Parent of this continuation · filed 7 Jun 2013
Application15/481,158Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Apr 2017
US 9,654,073 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 16 May 2017
Application16/176,095Parent of this continuation · filed 31 Oct 2018
US 10,122,338 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Nov 2018
Application16/657,458Parent of this continuation · filed 18 Oct 2019
US 10,454,437 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Oct 2019
US 2021/0273622 A1Pre-grant publication · published 2 Sep 2021
US 2022/0103144 A9Pre-grant publication · published 31 Mar 2022
US 10,868,508 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2014/0363024 A1Published application
US 2017/0214373 A1Published application
US 2019/0068150 A1Published application
US 2020/0052666 A1Published application
US 11,601,104 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.