US 12,710,920 B2Granted

Portable playback device state variable

AssigneeSonos, Inc.

InventorMieko Kusano

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to facilitate playback of multimedia content are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a network interface configured to receive audio content over a playback network. A processor comprising instructions which when executed, cause the processor to detect that a portable playback device has joined the playback network. The processor is to update a state variable to indicate that the portable playback device has joined the playback network. The processor is to play audio content received over the playback network based on the state variable. The processor is to detect that the portable playback device is not joined to the playback network. The processor is to, after detecting that the portable playback device is not joined to the playback network, update the state variable to indicate that the portable playback device is not joined to the playback network.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A computing device comprising:

at least one processor;
at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium;
and
program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to:
operate as a control device for a set of networked media playback systems that comprises (i) a first networked media playback system that operates on a first network and (ii) a second networked media playback system that operates on a second network different from the first network;
provide a user interface that (i) enables a user to control the first networked media playback system when the computing device is connected to the first or second network and (ii) enables the user to control the second networked media playback system when the computing device is connected to the first or second network;
and
when the computing device is connected to the first network:
receive user input, via the user interface, comprising instructions to control media playback of the second networked media playback system;
and
in response to the user input, cause the second networked media playback system to control media playback in accordance with the user input.

8 more elements

At least one non-transitory, computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computing device to:

operate as a control device for a set of networked media playback systems that comprises (i) a first networked media playback system that operates on a first network and (ii) a second networked media playback system that operates on a second network different from the first network;
provide a user interface that (i) enables a user to control the first networked media playback system when the computing device is connected to the first or second network and (ii) enables the user to control the second networked media playback system when the computing device is connected to the first or second network;
and
when the computing device is connected to the first network:
receive user input, via the user interface, comprising instructions to control media playback of the second networked media playback system;
and
in response to the user input, cause the second networked media playback system to control media playback in accordance with the user input.

4 more elements

A method carried out by a computing device, the method comprising:

operating as a control device for a set of networked media playback systems that comprises (i) a first networked media playback system that operates on a first network and (ii) a second networked media playback system that operates on a second network different from the first network;
providing a user interface that (i) enables a user to control the first networked media playback system when the computing device is connected to the first or second network and (ii) enables the user to control the second networked media playback system when the computing device is connected to the first or second network;
and
when the computing device is connected to the first network:
receiving user input, via the user interface, comprising instructions to control media playback of the second networked media playback system;
and
in response to the user input, causing the second networked media playback system to control media playback in accordance with the user input.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/951,214Filed 18 Nov 2024 · continuation
Priority: 27 Jun 2012
Published: US 2025/0190168 A112 Jun 2025
Granted: 18 Aug 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

G06F 3/165
Sound input; Sound output: management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
G05B 15/02
Systems controlled by a computer: electric
H04N 21/41407
Specialised client platforms, e.g. receiver in car or embedded in a mobile appliance: embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile…
H04N 21/43637
Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network: involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth®, RF or wireless…

Family

Application13/534,404Parent of this continuation · filed 27 Jun 2012
Application14/977,113Parent of this continuation · filed 21 Dec 2015
US 9,715,365 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 25 Jul 2017
Application15/898,386Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Feb 2018
US 9,898,244 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 20 Feb 2018
Application16/142,618Parent of this continuation · filed 26 Sep 2018
US 10,120,643 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Nov 2018
Application16/658,343Parent of this continuation · filed 21 Oct 2019
US 10,452,346 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Oct 2019
Application17/562,078Parent of this continuation · filed 27 Dec 2021
US 11,210,053 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 28 Dec 2021
Application18/051,383Parent of this continuation · filed 31 Oct 2022
US 11,487,500 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Nov 2022
Application18/503,096Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Nov 2023
US 11,809,781 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 7 Nov 2023
US 2025/0190168 A1Pre-grant publication · published 12 Jun 2025
US 12,147,731 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2014/0006587 A1Published application
US 2016/0112745 A1Published application
US 2018/0173491 A1Published application
US 2019/0026070 A1Published application
US 2020/0117419 A1Published application
US 2022/0197591 A1Published application
US 2023/0153055 A1Published application
US 2024/0220191 A1Published application
US 12,710,920 B2This patent

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