IP Library Granted Patent US 9,223,490
Granted Patent B2
US 9,223,490 · App. 13/915,238 · Granted Dec 29, 2015

Methods and apparatus to manage zones of a multi-zone media playback system

Inventors: Robert Reimann (Newton, MA); Joni Hoadley (Santa Barbara, CA)
Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
G06F3/0486G06F3/04817G08C17/02G08C23/04G11B19/025
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,223,490
App. No.
13/915,238
Granted
Dec 29, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus to manage zones of a multi-zone media playback system are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a user interface; a controller to configure one or more zone groups each associated with one or more media playback devices; a detector to monitor the user interface for a drag of an icon representative of a first one of the zone groups on the user interface from a first position to a second position; and a configuration implementer to change a configuration of the one or more zone groups in response to a detected drag of the icon.

Claims (48)

1. An apparatus including a processor, the apparatus configured to:

display a first zone group display region including a first status icon and a first zone icon identifying at least one first zone player, the first status icon representative of a first playback status of a first zone group;

display a second zone group display region including a second status icon and a second zone icon identifying at least one second zone player, the second status icon representative of a second playback status of a second zone group; and

in response to a first drag of the first zone icon from a first position to a second position inside the second zone group display region:

cause the at least one first zone player to join the second zone group with the at least one second zone player;

cause the first zone icon to be displayed in the second zone group display region; and

cause the at least one first zone player to adopt the second playback status of the second zone group.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to change the second playback status of the second zone group in response to a second drag of the first status icon inside the second zone group display region.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 , wherein changing of the second playback status comprises causing the second playback status to correspond to the first playback status.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 , wherein changing of the second playback status comprises causing the at least one second zone player to present media being presented by the at least one first zone player.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to monitor a user interface including the first and second zone group display regions for a drag input.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first status icon is indicative of a song being played by the at least one first zone player.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein:

the first playback status indicates first media being played in the first zone group;

the second playback status indicates second media being played in the second zone group; and

the apparatus is further configured to cause the at least one first zone player to play the second media in response to the first drag.

8. A method, comprising:

displaying, via a controller device, a first zone group display region including a first status icon and a first zone icon identifying at least one first zone player, the first status icon representative of a first playback status of a first zone group;

displaying, via the controller device, a second zone group display region including a second status icon and a second zone icon identifying at least one second zone player, the second status icon representative of a second playback status of a second zone group; and

in response to a first drag of the first zone icon from a first position to a second position inside the second zone group display region:

causing, via the controller device, the at least one first zone player to join the at least one second zone player in the second zone group;

causing, via the controller device, the first zone icon to be displayed in the second zone group display region; and

causing, via the controller device, the at least one first zone player to adopt the second playback status of the second zone group.

9. The method as defined in claim 8 , further comprising changing the second playback status of the second zone group in response to a second drag of the first status icon inside the second zone group display region.

10. The method as defined in claim 9 , wherein the changing of the second playback status comprises causing the second playback status to correspond to the first playback status.

11. The method as defined in claim 9 , wherein the changing of the second playback status comprises causing the at least one second zone player to present media being presented by the at least one first zone player.

12. The method as defined in claim 8 , further comprising monitoring a user interface including the first and second zone group display regions for a drag input.

13. The method as defined in claim 8 , wherein the first status icon is indicative of a song being played by the at least one first zone player.

14. The method as defined in claim 8 , wherein:

the first playback status indicates first media being played in the first zone group;

the second playback status indicates second media being played in the second zone group; and

wherein the method further comprises causing the at least one first zone player to play the second media in response to the first drag.

15. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed, cause a computing device to perform a method comprising:

displaying a first zone group display region including a first status icon and a first zone icon identifying at least one first zone player, the first status icon representative of a first playback status of a first zone group;

displaying a second zone group display region including a second status icon and a second zone icon identifying at least one second zone player, the second status icon representative of a second playback status of a second zone group; and

in response to a first drag of the first zone icon from a first position to a second position inside the second zone group display region:

causing the at least one first zone player to join the at least one second zone player in the second zone group;

causing the first zone icon to be displayed in the second zone group display region; and

causing the at least one first zone player to adopt the second playback status of the second zone group.

16. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises changing the second playback status of the second zone group in response to a second drag of the first status icon inside the second zone group display region.

17. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the changing of the second playback status comprises causing the second playback status to correspond to the first playback status.

18. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the changing of the second playback status comprises causing the second zone player to present media being presented by the first zone player.

19. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises monitoring a user interface including the first and second zone group display regions for a drag input.

20. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the first status icon is indicative of a song being played by the at least one first zone player.

21. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein:

the first playback status indicates first media being played in the first zone group;

the second playback status indicates second media being played in the second zone group; and

wherein the method further comprises causing the at least one first zone player to play the second media in response to the first drag.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 18, 2021
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: SONOS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058213/0597 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 15, 2021
From: SONOS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 058123/0206 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 30, 2018
From: SONOS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 046991/0433 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 25, 2018
From: GORDON BROTHERS FINANCE COMPANY
To: SONOS, INC.
Reel/Frame 046625/0882 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2016
From: SONOS, INC.
To: GORDON BROTHERS FINANCE COMPANY
Reel/Frame 038329/0253 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2014
From: REIMANN, ROBERT; HOADLEY, JONI
To: SONOS, INC.
Reel/Frame 032321/0327 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 13247754 · Sep 28, 2011
Related Publication 20130283161A1 · Oct 24, 2013