# US 11,909,365 B2 · Zone volume control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,909,365 B2 - Document ID: US11909365B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/178,867 - Filed: 2023-03-06 - Published: 2023-10-05 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2013-06-07 - Assignees: Sonos, Inc. - Applicants: Sonos, Inc. - Inventors: Eduardo Ahumada Apodaca - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11909365B2 ## CPC - H03G 3/02: Manually-operated control {(H03G3/001 and H03G3/002 take precedence)} - G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus - G06F 3/0488: using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures - G06F 3/165: {Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path} - H04R 27/00: 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) - H04R 2227/005: Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use - H03G: CONTROL OF AMPLIFICATION - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A first playback device comprising: one or more processors; one or more communications interfaces; and tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that the first playback device is configured to: while a playback volume of the first playback device is at a first volume level and the first playback device is not configured to play audio content as part of any playback group, (i) set a state variable corresponding to the playback volume to a first value corresponding to the first volume level, and (ii) transmit one or more messages comprising the first value corresponding to the first volume level to at least one computing device; after receiving a command for the first playback device to join a playback group comprising at least a second playback device, (i) join the playback group with at least the second playback device, (ii) change the playback volume from the first volume level to a second volume level, wherein the second volume level is a volume level for the playback group, (iii) change the state variable corresponding to the playback volume to a second value corresponding to the second volume level, and (iv) transmit one or more messages comprising the second value corresponding to the second volume level to the at least one computing device; and after receiving a volume adjustment command for the playback group while the first playback device is in the playback group, (i) change the playback volume from the second volume level to a third volume level, wherein the third volume level is a volume level for the playback group, (ii) change the state variable corresponding to the playback volume to a third value corresponding to the third volume level, and (iii) transmit one or more messages comprising the third value corresponding to the third volume level to the at least one computing device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions comprise program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that the first playback device is configured to: after receiving a command to leave the playback group while the first playback device is in the playback group, (i) leave the playback group, (ii) change the playback volume from the third volume level back to the first volume level, (iii) change the state variable corresponding to the playback volume back to the first value corresponding to the first volume level, and (iv) transmit one or more messages comprising the first value corresponding to the first volume level to the at least one computing device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback group comprises the first playback device and the second playback device configured to play two-channel audio content, and wherein while the first playback device is in the playback group, the first playback device is configured to play a first channel of the two-channel audio content while the second playback device plays a second channel of the two-channel audio content. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that the first playback device is configured to change the playback volume from the second volume level to the third volume level, wherein the third volume level is a volume level for the playback group comprise program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that the first playback device is configured to: transmit one or more volume adjustment commands to the second playback device, wherein the one or more volume adjustment commands cause the second playback device to change a playback volume of the second playback device from the second volume level to the third volume level. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions comprise program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that the first playback device is configured to: receive the command for the first playback device to join the playback group comprising at least the second playback device from one of (i) a controller device or (ii) the second playback device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions comprise program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that the first playback device is configured to: receive the volume adjustment command for the playback group while the first playback device is in the playback group from one of (i) a controller device or (ii) the second playback device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the volume adjustment command for the playback group while the first playback device is in the playback group comprises a voice command. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the volume adjustment command for the playback group while the first playback device is in the playback group comprises a command received via a user interface on the first playback device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The first playback device of claim 1, wherein at least one of: the program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that the first playback device is configured to transmit one or more messages comprising the first value corresponding to the first volume level to at least one computing device comprise program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that the first playback device is configured to transmit one or more messages comprising the first value corresponding to the first volume level to a cloud computing system; the program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that the first playback device is configured to transmit one or more messages comprising the second value corresponding to the second volume level to the at least one computing device comprise program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that the first playback device is configured to transmit one or more messages comprising the second value corresponding to the second volume level to the cloud computing system; and the program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that the first playback device is configured to transmit one or more messages comprising the third value corresponding to the third volume level to the at least one computing device comprise program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that the first playback device is configured to transmit one or more messages comprising the third value corresponding to the third volume level to the cloud computing system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions comprise program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that the first playback device is configured to: after receiving a request from a computing device for a current value of the state variable corresponding to the playback volume of the first playback device, transmit one or more messages comprising the current value of the state variable corresponding to the playback volume of the first playback device to the computing device. ### Claim 11 Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising program instructions executable by one or more processors such that a first playback device is configured to perform functions comprising: while a playback volume of the first playback device is at a first volume level and the first playback device is not configured to play audio content as part of any playback group, (i) setting a state variable corresponding to the playback volume to a first value corresponding to the first volume level, and (ii) transmitting one or more messages comprising the first value corresponding to the first volume level to at least one computing device; after receiving a command for the first playback device to join a playback group comprising at least a second playback device, (i) joining the playback group with at least the second playback device, (ii) changing the playback volume from the first volume level to a second volume level, wherein the second volume level is a volume level for the playback group, (iii) changing the state variable corresponding to the playback volume to a second value corresponding to the second volume level, and (iv) transmitting one or more messages comprising the second value corresponding to the second volume level to the at least one computing device; and after receiving a volume adjustment command for the playback group while the first playback device is in the playback group, (i) changing the playback volume from the second volume level to a third volume level, wherein the third volume level is a volume level for the playback group, (ii) changing the state variable corresponding to the playback volume to a third value corresponding to the third volume level, and (iii) transmitting one or more messages comprising the third value corresponding to the third volume level to the at least one computing device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the functions further comprise: after receiving a command to leave the playback group while the first playback device is in the playback group, (i) leaving the playback group, (ii) changing the playback volume from the third volume level back to the first volume level, (iii) changing the state variable corresponding to the playback volume back to the first value corresponding to the first volume level, and (iv) transmitting one or more messages comprising the first value corresponding to the first volume level to the at least one computing device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the playback group comprises the first playback device and the second playback device configured to play two-channel audio content, and wherein while the first playback device is in the playback group, the first playback device is configured to play a first channel of the two-channel audio content while the second playback device plays a second channel of the two-channel audio content. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein changing the playback volume from the second volume level to the third volume level, wherein the third volume level is a volume level for the playback group comprises: transmitting one or more volume adjustment commands to the second playback device, wherein the one or more volume adjustment commands cause the second playback device to change a playback volume of the second playback device from the second volume level to the third volume level. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the functions further comprise: receiving the command for the first playback device to join the playback group comprising at least the second playback device from one of (i) a controller device or (ii) the second playback device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the functions further comprise: receiving the volume adjustment command for the playback group while the first playback device is in the playback group from one of (i) a controller device or (ii) the second playback device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the volume adjustment command for the playback group while the first playback device is in the playback group comprises a voice command. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the volume adjustment command for the playback group while the first playback device is in the playback group comprises a command received via a user interface on the first playback device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein at least one of: transmitting one or more messages comprising the first value corresponding to the first volume level to at least one computing device comprises transmitting one or more messages comprising the first value corresponding to the first volume level to a cloud computing system; transmitting one or more messages comprising the second value corresponding to the second volume level to the at least one computing device comprises transmitting one or more messages comprising the second value corresponding to the second volume level to the cloud computing system; and transmitting one or more messages comprising the third value corresponding to the third volume level to the at least one computing device comprises transmitting one or more messages comprising the third value corresponding to the third volume level to the cloud computing system. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the functions further comprise: after receiving a request from a computing device for a current value of the state variable corresponding to the playback volume of the first playback device, transmitting one or more messages comprising the current value of the state variable corresponding to the playback volume of the first playback device to the computing device.