IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,395,877

Granted Patent B2

US 9,395,877 · App. 14/852,180 · Granted Jul 19, 2016

Grouping zones

Inventors: Robert M. Reimann (Newton, MA); Joni R. Hoadley (Santa Barbara, CA)

Assignee: Sonos, Inc.

G06F3/04817 G06F3/0482 G06F3/0486 G06F3/04842 G06F3/04847 G06F3/165 G06F17/30058 G08C17/02 G08C23/04 G11B19/025

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 9,395,877
App. No.: 14/852,180
Granted: Jul 19, 2016
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to manage zones of a playback system are disclosed. An example method includes displaying a plurality of zone icons, including a first zone icon and a second zone icon, each of the zone icons representing zone player(s) operable to play back multimedia content in a local area network, wherein the first and second zone icons are currently located in a first zone group region, and wherein the zone players associated with the first and second zone icons are members of a first zone group, the first zone group synchronously playing back a first multimedia content; receiving a first drag and drop input to select the second zone icon and drag the second zone icon from inside the first zone group region to outside the first zone region; and, based on the first drag and drop input, causing the zone player(s) associated with the second zone icon to be disassociated with the first zone group.

Claims (46)

1. A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a device to perform a method comprising:

displaying, via the device, a plurality of zone icons, including a first zone icon and a second zone icon, each of the plurality of zone icons identifying one or more zone players operable to playback multimedia content in a local area network, wherein the first zone icon is displayed in a first zone group display region and the second zone icon is displayed outside of the first zone group display region;

receiving, via the device, a first input, wherein the first input comprises a selection of the second zone icon;

receiving, via the device, a second input, wherein the second input comprises a selection of the first zone group display region; and

after receiving the first and second inputs, (i) grouping, via the device, the zone players identified by the first and second zone icons into a first zone group, wherein after grouping the zone players into the first zone group, the zone players in the first zone group are configured to playback a first multimedia content in synchrony, and (ii) displaying, via the device, the second zone icon in the first zone group display region.

2. The computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the selection of the second zone icon comprises a drag of the second zone icon, and wherein the selection of the first zone group display region comprises a destination of the drag of the second zone icon.

3. The computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the first zone group display region comprises a first zone group icon.

4. The computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

displaying, via the device, a first status indicator associated with the first zone group display region, wherein the first status indicator identifies the first multimedia content.

5. The computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

displaying, via the device, a third zone icon, wherein the third zone icon is displayed in a second zone group display region.

6. The computer-readable media of claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, via the device, a third input, wherein the third input comprises a selection of the first zone icon;

receiving, via the device, a fourth input, wherein the fourth input comprises a selection of the second zone group display region; and

after receiving the third and fourth inputs, (i) grouping, via the device, the zone players identified by the first zone icon and third zone icon into a second zone group, wherein after grouping the zone players into the second zone group, the zone players in the second zone group are configured to playback a second multimedia content in synchrony, and (ii) displaying, via the device, the first zone icon in the second zone group display region.

7. The computer-readable media of claim 6 , wherein the selection of the first zone icon comprises a drag of the first zone icon, and wherein the selection of the second zone group display region comprises a destination of the drag of the first zone icon.

8. The computer-readable media of claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, via the device, a fifth input, wherein the fifth input comprises a selection of the second zone group display region;

receiving, via the device, a sixth input, wherein the sixth input comprises a selection of the first zone group display region; and

after receiving the fifth and sixth inputs, (i) grouping, via the device, the zone players identified by the first, second, and third zone icons into the first zone group, and (ii) displaying, via the device, the first and third zone icons in the first zone group display region.

9. A device comprising one or more processors, the device configured to:

display a plurality of zone icons, including a first zone icon and a second zone icon, each of the plurality of zone icons identifying one or more zone players operable to playback multimedia content in a local area network, wherein the first zone icon is displayed in a first zone group display region and the second zone icon is displayed outside of the first zone group display region;

receive a first input, wherein the first input comprises a selection of the second zone icon;

receive a second input, wherein the second input comprises a selection of the first zone group display region; and

after receiving the first and second inputs, (i) group the zone players identified by the first and second zone icons into a first zone group, wherein after grouping the zone players into the first zone group, the zone players in the first zone group are configured to playback a first multimedia content in synchrony, and (ii) display the second zone icon in the first zone group display region.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the selection of the second zone icon comprises a drag of the second zone icon, and wherein the selection of the first zone group display region comprises a destination of the drag of the second zone icon.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein the first zone group display region comprises a first zone group icon.

12. The device of claim 9 , wherein the device is further configured to:

display a first status indicator associated with the first zone group display region, wherein the first status indicator identifies the first multimedia content.

13. The device of claim 9 , wherein the device is further configured to:

display a third zone icon, wherein the third zone icon is displayed in a second zone group display region.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the device is further configured to:

receive a third input, wherein the third input comprises a selection of the first zone icon;

receive a fourth input, wherein the fourth input comprises a selection of the second zone group display region; and

after receiving the third and fourth inputs, (i) group the zone players identified by the first zone icon and third zone icon into a second zone group, wherein after grouping the zone players into the second zone group, the zone players in the second zone group are configured to playback a second multimedia content in synchrony, and (ii) display the first zone icon in the second zone group display region.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the selection of the first zone icon comprises a drag of the first zone icon, and wherein the selection of the second zone group display region comprises a destination of the drag of the first zone icon.

16. A method comprising:

displaying, via a device, a plurality of zone icons, including a first zone icon and a second zone icon, each of the plurality of zone icons identifying one or more zone players operable to playback multimedia content in a local area network, wherein the first zone icon is displayed in a first zone group display region and the second zone icon is displayed outside of the first zone group display region;

receiving, via the device, a first input, wherein the first input comprises a selection of the second zone icon;

receiving, via the device, a second input, wherein the second input comprises a selection of the first zone group display region; and

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the selection of the second zone icon comprises a drag of the second zone icon, and wherein the selection of the first zone group display region comprises a destination of the drag of the second zone icon.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first zone group display region comprises a first zone group icon.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

displaying, via the device, a first status indicator associated with the first zone group display region, wherein the first status indicator identifies the first multimedia content.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first zone group is associated with a queue of media items to be played back.

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.