Systems and methods for providing dual-control functionality in a networked digital media device
View Patent ↗Described herein are systems and methods for providing dual control functionality in a networked digital media device. In overview, a networked digital media device advertises a standard digital media device, which is discoverable and controllable by a standard control device in accordance with a standard media control protocol (also referred to as a Device Control Protocol, or DCP). The networked digital media device also advertises a non-standard digital media playback device, the non-standard device being discoverable and controllable by a non-standard control device in accordance with a non-standard media control protocol. These two devices are manifested in the same device hardware, essentially allowing the device to implement dual-control such that it is able to be controlled both as a standard device and a non-standard device.
1. A method performed by a networked digital media device for providing dual-control functionality, the method including the steps of:
advertising a standard digital media playback device, the standard digital media playback device being discoverable and controllable by a standard control device in accordance with a standard media control protocol;
(ii) advertising a non-standard digital media playback device, the non-standard device being discoverable and controllable by a non-standard control device in accordance with a non-standard media control protocol;
(iii) receiving, in accordance with the non-standard media control protocol, a first control signal;
(iv) being responsive to the first control signal for adopting a first state corresponding to the first control signal;
(v) receiving, in accordance with the standard media control protocol, a second control signal;
(vi) being responsive to the second control signal for adopting a second state corresponding to the second control signal,
(vii) being responsive to a timeout condition, or a third control signal indicative of an instruction to adopt a dormant state, for identifying a fourth state related to the first state; and
(viii) selectively adopting the fourth state;
wherein the standard digital media playback device and the non-standard digital media playback device share common hardware.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the standard and non-standard devices are embedded devices of a root device.
3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the standard digital media playback device and the non-standard digital media playback device are each advertised in accordance with a common open connectivity protocol.
4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the common open connectivity protocol is UPnP.
5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the standard media control protocol is compliant with the UPnP AV standard.
6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the non-standard multimedia protocol provides control access to one or more advanced services.
7. A method according to claim 6 wherein the one or more advanced services relate to group and/or zone interoperability, or to surround sound functionality.
8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the non-standard device is an embedded services device for encapsulating one or more non-standard UPnP services.
9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the one or more non-standard UPnP services relate to group and/or zone interoperability, or to surround sound functionality.
10. A method according to claim 1 wherein the networked digital media device is a virtual device representative of a networked media system including by a plurality of distributed hardware devices.
11. A method according to claim 1 wherein a control signal received in accordance with the standard media control protocol is prioritised over a control signal received in accordance with the non-standard media control protocol.
12. A method according to claim 1 wherein a control signal received in accordance with the standard media control protocol is temporarily prioritised over one or more control signals received in accordance with the non-standard media control protocol.
13. A method according to claim 1 including receiving, in accordance with the standard media control protocol, the third control signal.
14. A method according to claim 1 wherein the networked media playback device is a networked speaker subsystem unit.
15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the networked media playback device is a wireless speaker subsystem unit.
16. A method according to claim 15 wherein the common hardware includes a network device for receiving streamed media data, a processor for rendering that streamed media data, and an analogue output for providing analogue data based on the rendering of the streamed media data.
17. A method according to claim 1 wherein the networked media device is media server.
18. A networked digital media device for providing dual-control functionality, the device being configured to:
(i) advertise a standard digital media playback device, the standard digital media playback device being discoverable and controllable by a standard control device in accordance with a standard media control protocol;
(ii) advertise a non-standard digital media playback device, the non-standard device being discoverable and controllable by a non-standard control device in accordance with a non-standard media control protocol;
(iii) receive, in accordance with the non-standard media control protocol, a first control signal;
(iv) in response to the first control signal, adopt a first state corresponding to the first control signal;
(v) receive, in accordance with the standard media control protocol, a second control signal;
(vi) in response to the second control signal, adopt a second state corresponding to the second control signal;
(vii) in response to a timeout condition, or a third control signal indicative of an instruction to adopt a dormant state, identify a fourth state related to the first state; and
(viii) selectively adopt the fourth state;
wherein the standard digital media playback device and the non-standard digital media playback device share common hardware of the networked digital media device.
19. A media playback unit including:
a networking interface for connecting to a computer network over which streamed media data is transported for rendering at distributed locations; and
one or more processors configured for:
carrying out a discovery process on the computer network for allowing mutual discovery of the device, none or more complementary devices, and none or more complimentary multimedia systems;
advertising a standard digital media playback device, the standard digital media playback device being discoverable and controllable by a standard control device in accordance with a standard media control protocol; and
advertising a non-standard digital media playback device, the non-standard device being discoverable and controllable by a non-standard control device in accordance with a non-standard media control protocol;
receiving, in accordance with the non-standard media control protocol, a first control signal;
being responsive to the first control signal for adopting a first state corresponding to the first control signal;
receiving, in accordance with the standard media control protocol, a second control signal;
being responsive to the second control signal for adopting a second state corresponding to the second control signal;
being responsive to a timeout condition, or a third control signal indicative of an instruction to adopt a dormant state, for identifying a fourth state related to the first state; and selectively adopting the fourth state.