IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,036,461

Granted Patent B2

US 11,036,461 · App. 15/613,471 · Granted Jun 15, 2021

Zone grouping

Inventor: Mark W. Triplett (St. Charles, IL)

Assignee: Sonos, Inc.

G06F3/165

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 11,036,461
App. No.: 15/613,471
Granted: Jun 15, 2021
Kind: B2

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Abstract

An example method involves causing a control device to display a graphical user interface that comprises an indication of a first zone of a media playback system, wherein the media playback system comprises the first zone and a second zone, and wherein the graphical user interface does not comprise an indication of the second zone. The example method further involves detecting, by the control device, an input that indicates a command to cause the first zone to form a zone group with the second zone and play back a target media in synchrony with the second zone. The method further comprises, based on the detected input, causing the first zone to form a zone group with the second zone and play back the target media in synchrony with the second zone.

Claims (40)

1. A method carried out by a computing device for controlling a media playback system comprising a first zone player and a second zone player, the method comprising:

displaying a first graphical user interface that comprises an indication of the first zone player and an indication of a given media currently being played back by the first zone player, wherein the first zone player is not grouped with any other zone player for synchronous playback of the given media, and wherein the first graphical user interface does not comprise an indication of the second zone player;

while displaying the first graphical user interface, detecting a first input that indicates a command to display a second graphical user interface comprising a list of one or more zone players as a pop-up window with respect to the first graphical user interface, wherein the list of one or more zone players comprises the second zone player;

responsive to the first input, displaying the second graphical user interface comprising the list of one or more zone players as a pop-up window with respect to the first graphical user interface;

while displaying the second graphical user interface, detecting a second input that indicates a command to (1) cause the first zone player to discontinue playing back the given media that is currently being played back and (2) cause the second zone player to begin playing back the given media that is currently being played back; and

responsive to the second input, (1) causing the first zone player to discontinue playing back the given media that is currently being played back and (2) causing the second zone player to begin playing back the given media that is currently being played back.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first graphical user interface further comprises a list of media sources.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first graphical user interface further comprises album art corresponding to the media currently being played back by the first zone player.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the list of one or more zone players further comprises a third zone player, wherein the command to cause the second zone player to begin playing back the given media that is currently being played back comprises a command to cause the second zone player and the third zone player to play back the given media that is currently being played back in synchrony, and wherein causing the second zone player to begin playing back the given media that is currently being played back comprises causing the second zone player and the third zone player to play back the given media that is currently being played back in synchrony.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second graphical user interface comprises an overlaid menu.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second graphical user interface comprises a user interface that replaces the first graphical user interface.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second graphical user interface further comprises an indication of any media currently being played back by each zone player in the list of one or more zone players.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second graphical user interface further comprises an indication of additional media that is not currently being played back by any zone player of the media playback system.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the list of one or more zone players consists of active zone players that are currently playing back media.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first input comprises a touch-and-hold input.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second input comprises a touch of the second zone player in the list of one or more zone players.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a computing device to perform functions for controlling a media playback system comprising a first zone player and a second zone player, the functions comprising:

responsive to the first input, displaying the second graphical user interface comprising the list of one or more zone players as a pop-up window with respect to the first graphical user interface;

while displaying the second graphical user interface, detecting a second input that indicates a command to (1) cause the first zone player to discontinue playing back the given media that is currently being played back and (2) cause the second zone player to begin laying back the given media that is currently being played back; and

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the second graphical user interface further comprises an indication of additional media that is not currently being played back by any zone player of the media playback system.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the second graphical user interface further comprises an indication of any media currently being played back by each zone player in the list of one or more zone players.

15. A computing device comprising:

a processor,

a non-transitory computer readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to perform functions for controlling a media playback system comprising a first zone player and a second zone player, the functions comprising:

responsive to the first input, displaying the second graphical user interface comprising the list of one or more zone players as a pop-up window with respect to the first graphical user interface;

16. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein the list of one or more zone players further comprises a third zone player, wherein the command to cause the second zone player to begin playing back the given media that is currently being played back comprises a command to cause the second zone player and the third zone player to play back the given media that is currently being played back in synchrony, and wherein causing the second zone player to begin playing back the given media that is currently being played back comprises causing the second zone player and the third zone player to play back the given media that is currently being played back in synchrony.

17. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein the second graphical user interface further comprises an indication of any media currently being played back by each zone player in the list of one or more zone players.

18. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein the second graphical user interface further comprises an indication of additional media that is not currently being played back by any zone player of the media playback system.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the list of one or more zone players further comprises a third zone player, wherein the command to cause the second zone player to begin playing back the given media that is currently being played back comprises a command to cause the second zone player and the third zone player to play back the given media that is currently being played back in synchrony, and wherein causing the second zone player to begin playing back the given media that is currently being played back comprises causing the second zone player and the third zone player to play back the given media that is currently being played back in synchrony.

20. The computing device of claim 15 , further comprising program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

determining a signal strength corresponding to at least the second zone player; and

determining the list of one or more zone players based on the determined signal strength corresponding to each respective zone player in the list.

Assignments (4)

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