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US 12,745,041 B2Granted
Playback device pairing
AssigneeSonos, Inc.
InventorsChristopher Kallai, Michael Darrell Andrew Ericson, Robert A. Lambourne, Robert Reimann, Mark Triplett
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present application discloses playback devices and networks, software for operating playback devices and playback device networks, and methods of operating playback devices and networks, where an individual network device is configured to switch between operating various operating modes comprising a non-paired mode and a paired mode, where the playback device is configured to output various channels of audio content within various audio frequency ranges while operating in the various operating modes.
Claims28
A first playback device comprising:
- one or more processors;
- at least one user-operable button;
- and
- tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media having program instructions stored thereon, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first playback device to:
- operate in a standalone mode, wherein when operating in the standalone mode, the first playback device is configured to play multi-channel audio comprising a first channel and a second channel;
- operate in a grouped mode, wherein when operating in the grouped mode, the first playback device is configured to play the first channel and the second channel of the multi-channel audio with at least a second playback device that is configured to play the first channel and the second channel of the multi-channel audio;
- operate in a stereo-paired mode that is separate from the grouped mode, wherein when operating in the stereo-paired mode, the first playback device is configured to play at least the first channel but not the second channel of the multi-channel audio with the second playback device configured to play at least the second channel but not the first channel of the multi-channel audio based at least in part on timing information exchanged between the first playback device and the second playback device;
- while operating in one of the grouped mode or the stereo-paired mode, switch to operating in the standalone mode instead of the grouped mode or the stereo-paired mode after receiving a command to operate in the standalone mode from a controller device separate from the first playback device;
- while operating in one of the standalone mode or the grouped mode, switch to operating in the stereo-paired mode instead of the standalone mode or the grouped mode after receiving a command to operate in the stereo-paired mode from the controller device;
- while operating in one of the standalone mode or the stereo-paired mode, switch to operating in the grouped mode instead of the standalone mode or the stereo-paired mode after receiving a command to operate in the grouped mode from the controller device;
- and
- while operating in the standalone mode, switch to operating in one of the grouped mode or the stereo-paired mode based on a command received from the controller device after detecting actuation of the at least one user-operable button.
9 more elements
Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media having program instructions stored thereon, wherein the program instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a first playback device to perform functions comprising:
- operating in a standalone mode, wherein when operating in the standalone mode, the first playback device is configured to play multi-channel audio comprising a first channel and a second channel;
- operating in a grouped mode, wherein when operating in the grouped mode, the first playback device is configured to play the first channel and the second channel of the multi-channel audio with at least a second playback device that is configured to play the first channel and the second channel of the multi-channel audio;
- operating in a stereo-paired mode that is separate from the grouped mode, wherein when operating in the stereo-paired mode, the first playback device is configured to play the first channel but not the second channel of the multi-channel audio with the second playback device configured to play the second channel but not the first channel of the multi-channel audio based at least in part on timing information exchanged between the first playback device and the second playback device;
- while operating in one of the grouped mode or the stereo-paired mode, switching to operating in the standalone mode instead of the grouped mode or the stereo-paired mode after receiving a command to operate in the standalone mode from a controller device separate from the first playback device;
- while operating in one of the standalone mode or the grouped mode, switching to operating in the stereo-paired mode instead of the standalone mode or the grouped mode after receiving a command to operate in the stereo-paired mode from the controller device;
- while operating in one of the standalone mode or the stereo-paired mode, switching to operating in the grouped mode instead of the standalone mode or the stereo-paired mode after receiving a command to operate in the grouped mode from the controller device;
- and
- while operating in the standalone mode, switching to operating in one of the grouped mode or the stereo-paired mode based on a command received from the controller device after detecting actuation of a user-operable button on the first playback device.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.