Network Identification of Portable Electronic Devices While Changing Power States
Systems and methods for maintaining knowledge of a network address (e.g., a MAC address) for a playback device while changing power states are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for maintaining knowledge of the network identity of a playback device while changing power states includes determining that a playback device is entering a sleep state, sending state information from the playback device to a central data repository over a network responsive to the determination that the playback device is entering sleep state, where state information includes a MAC address, receiving the state information about the playback device at a waking device from the central data repository, waking the playback device periodically at predetermined time intervals while in sleep state to listen for messages addressed to the MAC address, and receiving a wake-up message at the playback device from the waking device and responding by changing from sleep to active state.
1 . A system comprising:
at least one processor;
at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium; and
program instructions stored on the at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
detect a command to control playback of given media content at a first computing device;
determine that the first computing device is in a first power state wherein (i) the first computing device consumes less power than in a second power state and (ii) the first computing device is not configured to receive commands to control playback of media content;
after determining that the first computing device is in the first power state:
receive, from a second computing device that is in the second power state, a request for the first computing device to transition from the first power state to the second power state, wherein the request comprises state information for the first computing device obtained from a central data repository; and
based on the request, cause the first computing device to transition from the first power state to the second power state for playback of the given media content.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first power state is one of a standby state or a sleep state and the second power state is an active state, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to receive, from the second computing device, the request for the first computing device to transition from the first power state to the second power state comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
receive, by the first computing device, a wake-up message.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first computing device is a playback device of a media playback system, and wherein the second computing device is a control device configured to communicate with the playback device for controlling playback of media content by the playback device.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first computing device is a first playback device of a media playback system, and wherein the second computing device is a second playback device configured to communicate with the first playback device for controlling playback of media content by the first playback device.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first computing device is a first playback device of a media playback system and the second computing device is a second playback device of the media playback system; and
the system further comprises program instructions stored on the at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
maintain respective state information for one or more playback devices of the media playback system in the central data repository; and
before the first playback device enters the first power state, receive an indication of the state information for the first playback device and cause the state information for the first playback device to be stored in the central data repository.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the central data repository is provided via a cloud network.
7 . The system of claim 6 , further comprising program instructions stored on the at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
determine a request from the second playback device to the cloud network for the state information for the first playback device, wherein the state information for the first playback device includes a MAC address associated with the first playback device.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the command to control the playback of the given media content at the first computing device comprises a command received via a user interface of the first computing device.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are grouped for synchronous playback of media content, and wherein the command to control the playback of the given media content at the first computing device comprises a command received via a user interface of the second computing device.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first computing device is configured to (i) reduce power to at least one electrical component of the first computing device when in the first power state and (ii) increase power to the at least one electrical component of the first computing device when in the second power state.
11 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising program instructions stored on the at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
after causing the first computing device to transition from the first power state to the second power state, cause the second computing device to display, via a user interface, an indication that the first computing device is available for playback of media content.
12 . A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium is provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a system to:
detect a command to control playback of given media content at a first computing device;
determine that the first computing device is in a first power state wherein (i) the first computing device consumes less power than in a second power state and (ii) the first computing device is not configured to receive commands to control playback of media content;
after determining that the first computing device is in the first power state:
receive, from a second computing device that is in the second power state, a request for the first computing device to transition from the first power state to the second power state, wherein the request comprises state information for the first computing device obtained from a central data repository; and
based on the request, cause the first computing device to transition from the first power state to the second power state for playback of the given media content.
13 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the first power state is one of a standby state or a sleep state and the second power state is an active state, and wherein the program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to receive, from the second computing device, the request for the first computing device to transition from the first power state to the second power state comprise program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to:
receive, by the first computing device, a wake-up message.
14 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the first computing device is a playback device of a media playback system, and wherein the second computing device is a control device configured to communicate with the playback device for controlling playback of media content by the playback device.
15 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the first computing device is a first playback device of a media playback system, and wherein the second computing device is a second playback device configured to communicate with the first playback device for controlling playback of media content by the first playback device.
16 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein:
the first computing device is a first playback device of a media playback system and the second computing device is a second playback device of the media playback system; and
the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium is also provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to:
maintain respective state information for one or more playback devices of the media playback system in the central data repository; and
before the first playback device enters the first power state, receive an indication of the state information for the first playback device and cause the state information for the first playback device to be stored in the central data repository.
17 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the central data repository is provided via a cloud network.
18 . A method carried out by a system, the method comprising:
detecting a command to control playback of given media content at a first computing device;
determining that the first computing device is in a first power state wherein (i) the first computing device consumes less power than in a second power state and (ii) the first computing device is not configured to receive commands to control playback of media content;
after determining that the first computing device is in the first power state:
receiving, from a second computing device that is in the second power state, a request for the first computing device to transition from the first power state to the second power state, wherein the request comprises state information for the first computing device obtained from a central data repository; and
based on the request, causing the first computing device to transition from the first power state to the second power state for playback of the given media content.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the first power state is one of a standby state or a sleep state and the second power state is an active state, and wherein receiving, from the second computing device, the request for the first computing device to transition from the first power state to the second power state comprises:
receiving, by the first computing device, a wake-up message.
20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the first computing device is a first playback device of a media playback system and the second computing device is a second playback device of the media playback system, the method further comprising:
maintaining respective state information for one or more playback devices of the media playback system in the central data repository; and
before the first playback device enters the first power state, receiving an indication of the state information for the first playback device and causing the state information for the first playback device to be stored in the central data repository.