IP Library Granted Patent US 11,539,984
Granted Patent B2
US 11,539,984 · App. 17/360,511 · Granted Dec 27, 2022

Grouping in a system with multiple media playback protocols

Inventors: Arthur L. Coburn, IV (Lexington, MA); Jeffrey Torgerson (Stanwood, WA); Robert A. Lambourne (Santa Barbara, CA)
Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
H04N21/21805G06F3/165H04L12/1822H04L12/2803H04L65/61H04L65/613H04L69/08H04L69/18H04N21/2181H04N21/2381H04N21/2668H04N21/4307H04N21/4363H04N21/43076H04N21/43615H04N21/8113H04L65/1069H04L65/65H04L67/51H04L2012/2849H04R27/00H04R2227/005
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,539,984
App. No.
17/360,511
Granted
Dec 27, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

While a first playback device is a member of a synchronous media playback group with a second playback device using a first media playback protocol, and after a particular playback setting is enabled using the first media playback protocol, the first playback device receives, from a media source device, a first media stream using a second media playback protocol. The first and second media playback protocols are incompatible. The first playback device determines that the particular playback setting is enabled and that the synchronous media playback group includes the first playback device and the second playback device. Subsequently, the first playback device (i) generates a second media stream based on the received first media stream, the second media stream including information for synchronous playback with the first playback device, and (ii) transmits, to the second playback device, the second media stream using the second media playback protocol.

Claims (52)

1. A first playback device comprising:

at least one processor;

non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to:

while the first playback device is a member of a synchronous media playback group with a second playback device using a first media playback protocol, and after a particular playback setting is enabled using the first media playback protocol, receive, using a second media playback protocol from a media source device, a first media stream comprising audio data for playback, wherein the first media playback protocol and the second media playback protocol are incompatible;

determine that the particular playback setting is enabled and that the synchronous media playback group comprises the first playback device and the second playback device; and

after determining that the particular playback setting is enabled and that the synchronous media playback group comprises the first playback device and the second playback device, (i) generate a second media stream based on the received first media stream, wherein the second media stream comprises information for synchronous playback with the first playback device, and (ii) transmit, to the second playback device, the second media stream using the second media playback protocol.

2. The first playback device of claim 1 , wherein the first playback device is configured to use both the first media playback protocol and the second media playback protocol, and wherein the second playback device is configured to use the first media playback protocol and not the second media playback protocol.

3. The first playback device of claim 1 , further comprising program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to:

receive, using the first media playback protocol, a command to enable the particular playback setting; and

after receiving the command to enable the particular playback setting, configure the first playback device to transmit a media stream received via the second media playback protocol using the first media playback protocol.

4. The first playback device of claim 3 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to receive, using the first media playback protocol, the command to enable the particular playback setting comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to:

receive, from the media source device using the first media playback protocol, the command to enable the particular playback setting.

5. The first playback device of claim 3 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to receive, using the first media playback protocol, the command to enable the particular playback setting comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to:

receive, from a third playback device using the first media playback protocol, the command to enable the particular playback setting, wherein the third playback device is separate from the media source device, the first playback device, and the second playback device.

6. The first playback device of claim 1 , further comprising program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to:

transmit, to the media source device using the second media playback protocol, a group network identity identifying the first playback device and the second playback device.

7. The first playback device of claim 1 , further comprising program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to:

receive, using the first media playback protocol, a command to form the synchronous media playback group with the second playback device; and

form, using the first media playback protocol, the synchronous media playback group comprising the first playback device and the second playback device.

8. The first playback device of claim 7 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to receive, using the first media playback protocol, the command to form the synchronous media playback group with the second playback device comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to:

receive, from the media source device using the first media playback protocol, the command to form the synchronous media playback group with the second playback device.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a first playback device to:

while the first playback device is a member of a synchronous media playback group with a second playback device using a first media playback protocol, and after a particular playback setting is enabled using the first media playback protocol, receive, using a second media playback protocol from a media source device, a first media stream comprising audio data for playback, wherein the first media playback protocol and the second media playback protocol are incompatible;

determine that the particular playback setting is enabled and that the synchronous media playback group comprises the first playback device and the second playback device; and

after determining that the particular playback setting is enabled and that the synchronous media playback group comprises the first playback device and the second playback device, (i) generate a second media stream based on the received first media stream, wherein the second media stream comprises information for synchronous playback with the first playback device, and (ii) transmit, to the second playback device, the second media stream using the second media playback protocol.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the first playback device is configured to use both the first media playback protocol and the second media playback protocol, and wherein the second playback device is configured to use the first media playback protocol and not the second media playback protocol.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is also provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the first playback device to:

receive, using the first media playback protocol, a command to enable the particular playback setting; and

after receiving the command to enable the particular playback setting, configure the first playback device to transmit a media stream received via the second media playback protocol using the first media playback protocol.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the first playback device to receive, using the first media playback protocol, the command to enable the particular playback setting comprise program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the first playback device to:

receive, from the media source device using the first media playback protocol, the command to enable the particular playback setting.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is also provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the first playback device to:

transmit, to the media source device using the second media playback protocol, a group network identity identifying the first playback device and the second playback device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is also provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the first playback device to:

receive, using the first media playback protocol, a command to form the synchronous media playback group with the second playback device; and

form, using the first media playback protocol, the synchronous media playback group comprising the first playback device and the second playback device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the first playback device to receive, using the first media playback protocol, the command to form the synchronous media playback group with the second playback device comprise program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the first playback device to:

receive, from the media source device using the first media playback protocol, the command to form the synchronous media playback group with the second playback device.

16. A method carried out by a first playback device, the method comprising:

while the first playback device is a member of a synchronous media playback group with a second playback device using a first media playback protocol, and after a particular playback setting is enabled using the first media playback protocol, receiving, using a second media playback protocol from a media source device, a first media stream comprising audio data for playback, wherein the first media playback protocol and the second media playback protocol are incompatible;

determining that the particular playback setting is enabled and that the synchronous media playback group comprises the first playback device and the second playback device; and

after determining that the particular playback setting is enabled and that the synchronous media playback group comprises the first playback device and the second playback device, (i) generating a second media stream based on the received first media stream, wherein the second media stream comprises information for synchronous playback with the first playback device, and (ii) transmitting, to the second playback device, the second media stream using the second media playback protocol.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first playback device is configured to use both the first media playback protocol and the second media playback protocol, and wherein the second playback device is configured to use the first media playback protocol and not the second media playback protocol.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

receiving, using the first media playback protocol, a command to enable the particular playback setting; and

after receiving the command to enable the particular playback setting, configuring the first playback device to transmit a media stream received via the second media playback protocol using the first media playback protocol.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein receiving, using the first media playback protocol, the command to enable the particular playback setting comprises:

receiving, from the media source device using the first media playback protocol, the command to enable the particular playback setting.

20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

receiving, using the first media playback protocol, a command to form the synchronous media playback group with the second playback device; and

forming, using the first media playback protocol, the synchronous media playback group comprising the first playback device and the second playback device.

Assignments (3)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 30, 2026
From: SONOS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 074533/0615 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE FIRST INVENTORS NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 057319 FRAME: 0400. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Nov 16, 2021
From: COBURN, ARTHUR L., IV; TORGERSON, JEFFREY; LAMBOURNE, ROBERT A.
To: SONOS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058151/0121 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 27, 2021
From: COBURN, ARTHUR L.; TORGERSON, JEFFREY; LAMBOURNE, ROBERT A.
To: SONOS, INC.
Reel/Frame 057319/0400 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 16853429 · Apr 20, 2020
Continuation 16215013 · Dec 10, 2018
Continuation 15714950 · Sep 25, 2017
Provisional Application 62554566 · Sep 5, 2017
Related Publication 20210329309A1 · Oct 21, 2021