IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,273,084
Granted Patent B2
US 12,273,084 · App. 18/149,211 · Granted Apr 8, 2025

Playback device group volume control

Inventors: Bob Dizon (Cambridge, MA); Neil Griffiths (Cambridge, MA); Luis R. Vega Zayas (Cambridge, MA)
Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
H03G1/02H03G3/02H03G3/3005H03G3/3089H04N21/43615H04N21/4852H04L12/282H04N21/42204H04N21/47H04R2227/005H04R2420/07
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,273,084
App. No.
18/149,211
Granted
Apr 8, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments are provided for satellite volume control. An example method includes receiving an input at a playback device to adjust a volume for a plurality of playback devices that are grouped for synchronous playback of audio content, wherein the plurality of playback devices includes the playback device. The method also includes sending a first message over a network from the playback device to a device associated with the plurality of playback devices, the first message including information based on the input, wherein the information is used to adjust the volume of the plurality of playback devices. The method also includes receiving a second message at the playback device over the network, the second message including information for the volume of the playback device, wherein the volume is based on the adjusted volume of the plurality of playback devices.

Claims (38)

1. A first playback device comprising:

one or more processors; and

at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that, while the first playback device is configured to play audio content in a playback group with at least a second playback device, the first playback device is configured to:

after receiving a volume adjustment message via a user interface associated with the first playback device when the first playback device is configured as a primary playback device for the playback group and the second playback device is configured as a secondary playback device for the playback group, (i) play audio content at a volume based on the volume adjustment message, and (ii) send volume-adjusted audio content to the second playback device, wherein the volume-adjusted audio content is based on the volume adjustment message; and

after receiving a volume adjustment message via the user interface associated with the first playback device when the first playback device is configured as the secondary playback device for the playback group and the second playback device is configured as the primary playback device for the playback group, (i) generate one or more packets comprising information corresponding to the volume adjustment message, (ii) transmit the one or more packets comprising the information corresponding to the volume adjustment message to the second playback device configured to operate as the primary playback device for the playback group, and (iii) play volume-adjusted audio content received from the second playback device configured to operate as the primary playback device for the playback group, wherein the volume-adjusted audio content is based on the volume adjustment message.

2. The first playback device of claim 1 , wherein the audio content comprises a first channel and a second channel, and wherein one of (i) the first playback device is configured to play the first channel and the second playback device is configured to play the second channel or (ii) the first playback device is configured to play the second channel and the second playback device is configured to play the first channel.

3. The first playback device of claim 1 , wherein the user interface associated with the first playback device comprises one of a touch screen, a button, a control, or a microphone.

4. The first playback device of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions comprise program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that, while the first playback device is configured to play audio content in a playback group with at least a second playback device, the first playback device is configured to:

determine whether the first playback device is configured as either (i) the primary playback device for the playback group or (ii) the secondary playback device for the playback group.

5. The first playback device of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions comprise program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that, while the first playback device is configured to play audio content in a playback group with at least a second playback device, the first playback device is configured to:

receive the volume adjustment message via the user interface associated with the first playback device.

6. The first playback device of claim 5 , wherein the program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that, while the first playback device is configured to play audio content in a playback group with at least a second playback device, the first playback device is configured to receive the volume adjustment message via the user interface associated with the first playback device comprise program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that the first playback device is configured to:

when the first playback device is configured as the secondary playback device for the playback group and the second playback device is configured as the primary playback device for the playback group, receive the volume adjustment message during a collection period.

7. The first playback device of claim 6 , wherein the program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that, while the first playback device is configured to play audio content in a playback group with at least a second playback device, the first playback device is configured to generate one or more packets comprising information corresponding to the volume adjustment message comprise program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that the first playback device is configured to:

generate the one or more packets comprising information corresponding to the volume adjustment message after the collection period has ended.

8. The first playback device of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that, while the first playback device is configured to play audio content in a playback group with at least a second playback device, the first playback device is configured to transmit the one or more packets comprising the information corresponding to the volume adjustment message to the secondary playback device comprise program instructions executable by the one or more processors such that the first playback device is configured to:

transmit the one or more packets comprising the information corresponding to the volume adjustment message to the secondary playback device via a first intermediary device, wherein the first intermediary device comprises any of a second secondary playback device, a controller, a server, or a repeater, and wherein the first intermediary device is configured to forward the one or more packets comprising the information corresponding to the volume adjustment message to one of (i) the primary playback device or (ii) a second intermediary device.

9. The first playback device of claim 1 , wherein the playback group comprises one of (i) a stereo pair playback group or (ii) a home theater playback group.

10. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a first playback device configured to play audio content in a playback group with at least a second playback device to perform functions comprising:

after receiving a volume adjustment message via a user interface associated with the first playback device when the first playback device is configured as a primary playback device for the playback group and the second playback device is configured as a secondary playback device for the playback group, (i) playing audio content at a volume based on the volume adjustment message, and (ii) sending volume-adjusted audio content to the second playback device, wherein the volume-adjusted audio content is based on the volume adjustment message; and

after receiving a volume adjustment message via the user interface associated with the first playback device when the first playback device is configured as the secondary playback device for the playback group and the second playback device is configured as the primary playback device for the playback group, (i) generating one or more packets comprising information corresponding to the volume adjustment message, (ii) transmitting the one or more packets comprising the information corresponding to the volume adjustment message to the second playback device configured to operate as the primary playback device for the playback group, and (iii) playing volume-adjusted audio content received from the second playback device configured to operate as the primary playback device for the playback group, wherein the volume-adjusted audio content is based on the volume adjustment message.

11. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the audio content comprises a first channel and a second channel, and wherein one of (i) the first playback device is configured to play the first channel and the second playback device is configured to play the second channel or (ii) the first playback device is configured to play the second channel and the second playback device is configured to play the first channel.

12. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the user interface associated with the first playback device comprises one of a touch screen, a button, a control, or a microphone.

13. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the functions further comprise:

determining whether the first playback device is configured as either (i) the primary playback device for the playback group or (ii) the secondary playback device for the playback group.

14. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving the volume adjustment message via the user interface associated with the first playback device.

15. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14 , wherein receiving the volume adjustment message via the user interface associated with the first playback device comprises receiving the volume adjustment message during a collection period.

16. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein generating one or more packets comprising information corresponding to the volume adjustment message comprises generating the one or more packets comprising information corresponding to the volume adjustment message after the collection period has ended.

17. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein transmitting the one or more packets comprising the information corresponding to the volume adjustment message to the secondary playback device comprises:

transmitting the one or more packets comprising the information corresponding to the volume adjustment message to the secondary playback device via a first intermediary device, wherein the first intermediary device comprises any of a second secondary playback device, a controller, a server, or a repeater, and wherein the first intermediary device is configured to forward the one or more packets comprising the information corresponding to the volume adjustment message to one of (i) the primary playback device or (ii) a second intermediary device.

18. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the playback group comprises one of (i) a stereo pair playback group or (ii) a home theater playback group.

19. A method performed by a first playback device configured to play audio content in a playback group with at least a second playback device, wherein the method comprises:

after receiving a volume adjustment message via a user interface associated with the first playback device when the first playback device is configured as a primary playback device for the playback group and the second playback device is configured as a secondary playback device for the playback group, (i) playing audio content at a volume based on the volume adjustment message, and (ii) sending volume-adjusted audio content to the second playback device, wherein the volume-adjusted audio content is based on the volume adjustment message; and

after receiving a volume adjustment message via the user interface associated with the first playback device when the first playback device is configured as the secondary playback device for the playback group and the second playback device is configured as the primary playback device for the playback group, (i) generating one or more packets comprising information corresponding to the volume adjustment message, (ii) transmitting the one or more packets comprising the information corresponding to the volume adjustment message to the second playback device configured to operate as the primary playback device for the playback group, and (iii) playing volume-adjusted audio content received from the second playback device configured to operate as the primary playback device for the playback group, wherein the volume-adjusted audio content is based on the volume adjustment message.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

receiving the volume adjustment message via the user interface associated with the first playback device, wherein the user interface associated with the first playback device comprises one of a touch screen, a button, a control, or a microphone; and

determining whether the first playback device is configured as either (i) the primary playback device for the playback group or (ii) the secondary playback device for the playback group.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 30, 2026
From: SONOS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 074533/0615 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 3, 2023
From: DIZON, BOB; GRIFFITHS, NEIL; VEGA ZAYAS, LUIS R.
To: SONOS, INC.
Reel/Frame 062257/0498 →
Continuity (7)
Continuation 17099253 · Nov 16, 2020
Continuation 16653516 · Oct 15, 2019
Continuation 16102554 · Aug 13, 2018
Continuation 15620324 · Jun 12, 2017
Continuation 15217670 · Jul 22, 2016
Continuation 13910608 · Jun 5, 2013
Related Publication 20230327625A1 · Oct 12, 2023
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