Adjusting Volume Levels
In general, user interfaces for controlling a plurality of multimedia players in groups are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a user interface is provided to allow a user to group some of the players according to a theme or scene, where each of the players is located in a zone. When the scene is activated, the players in the scene react in a synchronized manner. For example, the players in the scene are all caused to play a multimedia source or music in a playlist, wherein the multimedia source may be located anywhere on a network. The user interface is further configured to illustrate graphically a size of a group, the larger the group appears relatively, the more plays there are in the group.
1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
providing, by a computing device, a group volume control and a plurality of individual volume controls, wherein each individual volume control includes a setting to control a volume of a respective individual audio output device and the group volume control including a setting for controlling at least two of the plurality of individual volume controls, each having an initial relationship with the group volume control; and
receiving an adjustment of a setting of a volume control, wherein:
in response to receiving the adjustment:
adjusting a setting of at least one individual volume control of the plurality of individual volume controls in proportion to the adjustment of the setting of the group volume control.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the setting of the at least one individual volume control of the plurality of individual volume controls in proportion to the adjustment of the setting of the group volume control comprises:
adjusting the setting of the at least one individual volume control in proportion to the adjustment of the setting of the group volume control to preserve a relative volume difference between the at least one individual volume control and the group volume control.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the setting of the individual volume control is configured to indicate a current volume level of the individual audio output device.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the setting of the group volume control is adjusted in response to receiving the adjustment of the setting of the individual volume control.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving an adjustment of the setting of the group volume control; and
adjusting the setting of the other individual volume controls in proportion to the adjustment of the setting of the group volume control on a graphical interface including the other individual volume controls.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
recalculating a correlation between the one or more individual volume controls and the group volume control, the recalculating including calculating one or more new relationships between the group volume control and the one or more individual volume controls.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the one or more initial relationships is different from at least one of the one or more new relationships.
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the new relationships between the group volume control and the other individual volume controls are different from the initial relationships between the group volume control and the other individual volume controls.
9 . A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, 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 local area network;
receiving a first input to adjust a first-media-player-specific volume indicator representing a first volume level of a first media player in the media player group;
in response to receiving the first input, transmitting, to the first media player, a first instruction, wherein the first instruction causes the first media player to adjust its volume;
receiving a second input to adjust a group volume indicator having a volume level that is determined based on the volume levels of the at least two media players; and
in response to receiving the second input, (i) sending, to the first media player, a second instruction, wherein the second instruction causes the first media player to adjust its volume in proportion to the adjustment of the group volume indicator and (ii) sending, to the second media player, a third instruction, wherein the third instruction causes the second media player to adjust its volume in proportion to the adjustment of the group volume indicator.
10 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein providing a user interface for a media player group comprises:
displaying, on the user interface, the group volume indicator, the first-media-player-specific volume indicator, and a second-media-player-specific volume indicator.
11 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein in response to receiving the second input, (i) sending, to the first media player, a second instruction, wherein the second instruction causes the first media player to adjust its volume in proportion to the adjustment of the group volume indicator and (ii) sending, to the second media player, a third instruction, wherein the third instruction causes the second media player to adjust its volume in proportion to the adjustment of the group volume indicator comprises:
in response to receiving the second input:
(i) sending the second instruction to the first media player, wherein the second instruction causes the first media player to adjust its volume in proportion to the adjustment of the group volume indicator,
(ii) sending the third instruction to the second media player, wherein the third instruction causes the second media player to adjust its volume in proportion to the adjustment of the group volume indicator,
(iii) adjusting the first-media-player-specific volume indicator in proportion to the adjustment of the group volume indicator, and
(iv) adjusting the second-media-player-specific volume indicator in proportion to the adjustment of the group volume indicator.
12 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein adjusting the displayed first-media-player-specific volume indicator in proportion to the adjustment of the group volume indicator comprises:
adjusting the first-media-player-specific volume indicator in proportion to the adjustment of the group volume indicator to preserve a relative volume difference between the first-media-player-specific volume indicator and the group volume indicator, and
wherein adjusting the second-media-player-specific volume indicator in proportion to the adjustment of the group volume indicator comprises:
adjusting the second-media-player-specific volume indicator in proportion to the adjustment of the group volume indicator to preserve a relative volume difference between the second-media-player-specific volume indicator and the group volume indicator.
13 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the computing device comprises at least one volume control button, and wherein receiving a second input to adjust a group volume indicator representing the volume levels of the at least two media players comprises:
receiving a selection of a volume control button of the computing device, wherein the selection causes the group volume indicator to be adjusted by a given percentage.
14 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein in response to receiving the second input, (i) sending, to the first media player, a second instruction, wherein the second instruction causes the first media player to adjust its volume in proportion to the adjustment of the group volume indicator and (ii) sending, to the second media player, a third instruction, wherein the third instruction causes the second media player to adjust its volume in proportion to the adjustment of the group volume indicator comprises:
in response to receiving the selection of the volume control button, (i) sending, to the first media player, the second instruction that causes the first media player to adjust its volume by the given percentage and (ii) sending, to the second media player, the third instruction that causes the second media player to adjust its volume by the given percentage.
15 . A computing device, comprising:
a processor; and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:
displaying, via a user interface, a first volume indicator representing volume levels of at least two media players forming a media player group, a first individual volume indicator representing a volume level of a first media player, and a second individual volume indicator representing a volume of a second media player, wherein the at least two media players comprises the first media player and the second media player;
receiving a first input to adjust the displayed first individual volume indicator of the first media player in the media player group;
in response to receiving the first input, adjusting the displayed first individual volume indicator;
receiving a second input to adjust the displayed first volume indicator; and
in response to receiving the second input, (i) adjusting the displayed first individual volume indicator in proportion to the adjustment of the displayed first volume indicator and (ii) adjusting the displayed second individual volume indicator in proportion to the adjustment of the displayed first volume indicator.
16 . The computing device of claim 15 , wherein the functions further comprise:
in response to receiving the second input, (i) sending a second instruction to the first media player, wherein the second instruction causes the second media player to adjust its volume in proportion to the adjustment of the displayed first volume indicator, and (ii) sending a third instruction to the second media player, wherein the second instruction causes the second media player to adjust its volume in proportion to the adjustment of the displayed first volume indicator.
17 . The computing device of claim 15 , wherein adjusting the displayed first individual volume indicator in proportion to the adjustment of the displayed first volume indicator comprises adjusting the displayed first individual volume indicator in proportion to the adjustment of the displayed first volume indicator to preserve a relative volume difference between the displayed first individual volume indicator and the displayed first volume indicator, and wherein adjusting the displayed second individual volume indicator in proportion to the adjustment of the displayed first volume indicator comprises adjusting the displayed second individual volume indicator in proportion to the adjustment of the displayed first volume indicator to preserve a relative volume difference between the displayed second individual volume indicator and the displayed first volume indicator.
18 . The computing device of claim 15 , further comprising:
at least one volume control button, and
wherein receiving a second input to adjust the displayed first volume indicator comprises:
receiving a selection of a volume control button, wherein the selection causes the displayed first volume indicator to be adjusted by a given percentage.
19 . The computing device of claim 18 , wherein in response to receiving the second input, (i) adjusting the displayed first individual volume indicator in proportion to the adjustment of the displayed first volume indicator and (ii) adjusting the displayed second individual volume indicator in proportion to the adjustment of the displayed first volume indicator comprises:
in response to receiving the second input, (i) adjusting the displayed first individual volume indicator by the given percentage and (ii) adjusting the displayed second individual volume indicator by the given percentage.
20 . The computing device of claim 15 , further comprising:
a volume up button; and
a volume down button,
wherein receiving a second input to adjust the displayed first volume indicator representing the volume level of the media player group comprises:
receiving a selection of a volume up button, wherein the selection causes the displayed first volume indicator to be increased by a given percentage, and
wherein in response to receiving the second input, (i) adjusting the displayed first individual volume indicator in proportion to the adjustment of the displayed first volume indicator and (ii) adjusting the displayed second individual volume indicator in proportion to the adjustment of the displayed first volume indicator comprises:
in response to receiving the second input, (i) increasing the displayed first individual volume indicator by the given percentage and (ii) increasing the displayed second individual volume indicator by the given percentage.