US 11,635,935 B2Granted

Adjusting volume levels

AssigneeSonos, Inc.

InventorsRobert A. Lambourne, Nicholas A. J. Millington

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Abstract

Techniques for controlling zone group and zone group characteristics such as audio volume in a multi-zone system are disclosed. The multi-zone system includes a number of multimedia players, each preferably located in a zone. A controller may control the operations of all of the zone players remotely from any one of the zones. Two or more zone players may be dynamically grouped as a zone group for synchronized operations. According to one aspect of the techniques, a zone group configuration can be managed, updated, modified via an interactive user interface provided in a controlling device. The zone group configuration may be saved in one of zone players. According to another aspect of the techniques, the audio volume control of a zone group can be performed individually or synchronously as a group.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A computing device, comprising:

one or more processors;
and
at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising program instructions that are executable by the one or more processors such that the computing device is configured to:
provide a user interface to control volume of a media player group, wherein the media player group comprises at least two media players, wherein the at least two media players comprise a first media player and a second media player connected to a data network for exchanging digital data packets, wherein the user interface comprises media-player-specific volume controls comprising respective media volume controls for the at least two media players;
after receiving a first input to adjust a position of a first-media-player-specific volume control representing a first volume level of a first media player in the media player group, cause the first media player to adjust its volume corresponding to the first input, and adjust a position of a group volume control separate from the media-player-specific volume controls for the at least two media players;
and
after receiving a second input to adjust the position of the group volume control, cause the first media player to adjust its volume based on the adjustment of the position of the group volume control, and cause the second media player to adjust its volume based on the adjustment of the position of the group volume control, wherein at least one of the adjusting the volume of the first media player or the adjusting the volume of the second media player is in proportion to the adjustment of the position of the group volume control.

4 more elements

Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising program instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a computing device to perform functions comprising:

providing a user interface to control volume of a media player group, wherein the media player group comprises at least two media players, wherein the at least two media players comprise a first media player and a second media player connected to a data network for exchanging digital data packets, wherein the user interface comprises media-player-specific volume controls comprising respective media volume controls for the at least two media players;
after receiving a first input to adjust a position of a first-media-player-specific volume control representing a first volume level of a first media player in the media player group, causing the first media player to adjust its volume corresponding to the first input, and adjusting a position of a group volume control separate from the media-player-specific volume controls for the at least two media players;
and
after receiving a second input to adjust the position of the group volume control, causing the first media player to adjust its volume based on the adjustment of the position of the group volume control, and causing the second media player to adjust its volume based on the adjustment of the position of the group volume control, wherein at least one of the adjusting the volume of the first media player or the adjusting the volume of the second media player is in proportion to the adjustment of the position of the group volume control.

1 more element

A system comprising a computing device and a first media player, wherein the computing device comprises:

a first set of one or more processors;
and
first tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising first program instructions that are executable by the first set of one or more processors such that the computing device is configured to:
provide a user interface to control volume of a media player group, wherein the media player group comprises at least two media players, wherein the at least two media players comprise the first media player and a second media player connected to a data network for exchanging digital data packets, wherein the user interface comprises media-player-specific volume controls comprising respective media volume controls for the at least two media players,
after receiving a first input to adjust a position of a first-media-player-specific volume control representing a first volume level of a first media player in the media player group, cause the first media player to adjust its volume corresponding to the first input, and adjust a position of a group volume control separate from the media-player-specific volume controls for the at least two media players, and
after receiving a second input to adjust the position of the group volume control, cause the first media player to adjust its volume based on the adjustment of the position of the group volume control, and cause the second media player to adjust its volume based on the adjustment of the position of the group volume control, wherein at least one of the adjusting the volume of the first media player or the adjusting the volume of the second media player is in proportion to the adjustment of the position of the group volume control.

3 more elements

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

providing a user interface to control volume of a media player group, wherein the media player group comprises at least two media players, wherein the at least two media players comprise a first media player and a second media player connected to a data network for exchanging digital data packets, wherein the user interface comprises media-player-specific volume controls comprising respective media volume controls for the at least two media players;
after receiving a first input to adjust a position of a first-media-player-specific volume control representing a first volume level of a first media player in the media player group, causing the first media player to adjust its volume corresponding to the first input, and adjusting a position of a group volume control separate from the media-player-specific volume controls for the at least two media players;
and
after receiving a second input to adjust the position of the group volume control, causing the first media player to adjust its volume based on the adjustment of the position of the group volume control, and causing the second media player to adjust its volume based on the adjustment of the position of the group volume control, wherein at least one of the adjusting the volume of the first media player or the adjusting the volume of the second media player is in proportion to the adjustment of the position of the group volume control.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/224,850Filed 7 Apr 2021 · continuation
Priority: 28 Jul 2003
Published: US 2021/0334062 A128 Oct 2021
Granted: 25 Apr 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification20 codes

G06F 3/162
Sound input; Sound output: interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
G05B 15/02
Systems controlled by a computer: electric
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 3/04842
For the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a…:…

Family

Application60/490,768Us provisional application · filed 28 Jul 2003
Application10/816,217Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 1 Apr 2004
Application10/861,653Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 5 Jun 2004
Application12/035,112Parent of this continuation · filed 21 Feb 2008
US 7,571,014 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 4 Aug 2009
US 8,234,395 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 31 Jul 2012
Application13/619,237Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Sep 2012
US 8,290,603 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Oct 2012
Application13/907,666Parent of this continuation · filed 31 May 2013
US 8,588,949 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Nov 2013
Application14/808,875Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Jul 2015
US 9,141,645 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Sep 2015
Application16/009,182Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Jun 2018
US 10,365,884 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 30 Jul 2019
US 2021/0334062 A1Pre-grant publication · published 28 Oct 2021
Application12/035,112Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2007/0038999 A1Published application
US 2013/0014015 A1Published application
US 2013/0288802 A1Published application
US 2016/0021479 A1Published application
US 2018/0293045 A1Published application
US 11,635,935 B2This patent

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