IP Library Granted Patent US 11,080,000
Granted Patent B2
US 11,080,000 · App. 16/422,431 · Granted Aug 3, 2021

Multiple-device setup

Inventors: Sein Woo (Somerville, MA); Liesbeth van den Berg (Medford, MA); Roy Pollock (Santa Barbara, CA)
Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
G06F3/162G06F3/165H04N21/4307H04N21/439H04N21/43615H04N21/4852
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,080,000
App. No.
16/422,431
Granted
Aug 3, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An example implementation may involve a media playback system detecting two or more playback devices of a given type. The implementation may further involve transmitting, to a particular playback device of the detected playback devices, an instruction that causes the particular playback device to emit a given sound. The implementation may also involve receiving an identification of the particular playback device and displaying, via a graphical interface, one or more prompts to join the particular playback device into the media playback system.

Claims (40)

1. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a control device of an environment that includes one or more playback devices configured to playback streamed audio content to perform a method comprising:

detecting a particular playback device;

after detecting the particular playback device, transmitting an instruction that causes the particular playback device to emit one or more sounds;

displaying, via a graphical interface, a prompt to identify the particular playback device by pressing a given button on the particular playback device that is emitting the one or more sounds;

receiving an identification of the particular playback device, wherein receiving the identification of the particular playback device comprises receiving a message from the particular playback device indicating that the particular playback device was identified; and

based on receiving the identification of the particular playback device, displaying, via the graphical interface, one or more prompts to join the particular playback device into a media playback system to facilitate playback, by the particular playback device, of audio content in synchrony with other playback devices of the media playback system.

2. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the media playback system comprises one or more pre-existing playback devices that have been configured into one or more zones of the media playback system, wherein the control device is connected with the one or more pre-existing playback devices via a particular wireless network, and wherein the method further comprises:

based on receiving the identification of the particular playback device, transmitting an instruction that causes the particular playback device to connect with the one or more pre-existing playback devices via the particular wireless network using (i) an identifier of the particular wireless network and (ii) a key of the particular wireless network.

3. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises: displaying, via the graphical interface, a prompt to identify the particular playback device by inputting data indicating a serial number of the particular playback device; and

receiving an identification of the particular playback device, wherein receiving the identification of the particular playback device comprises receiving a message from the particular playback device indicating that the particular playback device was identified.

4. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein detecting the particular playback device comprises detecting two or more playback devices of a given type; and wherein transmitting the instruction that causes the particular playback device to emit one or more sounds comprises transmitting an instruction that causes a particular playback device of the two or more playback devices to emit one or more sounds.

5. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4 , wherein detecting two or more playback devices of a given type comprises detecting two or more playback devices of a same model.

6. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4 , wherein detecting two or more playback devices of a given type comprises detecting two or more playback devices of different models.

7. A method performed by a control device of an environment that includes one or more playback devices configured to playback streamed audio content, the method comprising:

detecting, via the control device, a particular playback device;

after detecting the particular playback device, transmitting an instruction that causes the particular playback device to emit one or more sounds;

displaying, via a graphical interface, a prompt to identify the particular playback device by pressing a given button on the particular playback device that is emitting the one or more sounds;

receiving an identification of the particular playback device, wherein receiving the identification of the particular playback device comprises receiving a message from the particular playback device indicating that the particular playback device was identified; and

based on receiving the identification of the particular playback device, displaying, via the graphical interface, one or more prompts to join the particular playback device into a media playback system to facilitate playback, by the particular playback device, of audio content in synchrony with other playback devices of the media playback system.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the media playback system comprises one or more pre-existing playback devices that have been configured into one or more zones of the media playback system, wherein the control device is connected with the one or more pre-existing playback devices via a particular wireless network, and wherein the method further comprises:

based on receiving the identification of the particular playback device, transmitting an instruction that causes the particular playback device to connect with the one or more pre-existing playback devices via the particular wireless network using (i) an identifier of the particular wireless network and (ii) a key of the particular wireless network.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises: displaying, via the graphical interface, a prompt to identify the particular playback device by inputting data indicating a serial number of the particular playback device; and

receiving an identification of the particular playback device, wherein receiving the identification of the particular playback device comprises receiving a message from the particular playback device indicating that the particular playback device was identified.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein detecting the particular playback device comprises detecting two or more playback devices of a given type; and wherein transmitting the instruction that causes the particular playback device to emit one or more sounds comprises transmitting an instruction that causes a particular playback device of the two or more playback devices to emit one or more sounds.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein detecting two or more playback devices of a given type comprises detecting two or more playback devices of a same model.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein detecting two or more playback devices of a given type comprises detecting two or more playback devices of different models.

13. A control device that operates in an environment that includes one or more playback devices configured to playback streamed audio content, the control device comprising:

one or more processors: and

tangible, non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the control device to perform a method comprising:

detecting a particular playback device;

after detecting the particular playback device, transmitting an instruction that causes the particular playback device to emit one or more sounds;

displaying, via a graphical interface, a prompt to identify the particular playback device by pressing a given button on the particular playback device that is emitting the one or more sounds;

receiving an identification of the particular playback device, wherein receiving the identification of the particular playback device comprises receiving a message from the particular playback device indicating that the particular playback device was identified; and

based on receiving the identification of the particular playback device, displaying, via the graphical interface, one or more prompts to join the particular playback device into a media playback system to facilitate playback, by the particular playback device, of audio content in synchrony with other playback devices of the media playback system.

14. The control device of claim 13 , wherein the media playback system comprises one or more pre-existing playback devices that have been configured into one or more zones of the media playback system, wherein the control device is connected with the one or more pre-existing playback devices via a particular wireless network, and wherein the method further comprises:

based on receiving the identification of the particular playback device, transmitting an instruction that causes the particular playback device to connect with the one or more pre-existing playback devices via the particular wireless network using (i) an identifier of the particular wireless network and (ii) a key of the particular wireless network.

15. The control device of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises: displaying, via a graphical interface, a prompt to identify the particular playback device by inputting data indicating a serial number of the particular playback device; and

receiving an identification of the particular playback device, wherein receiving the identification of the particular playback device comprises receiving a message from the particular playback device indicating that the particular playback device was identified.

16. The control device of claim 13 , wherein detecting the particular playback device comprises detecting two or more playback devices of a given type; and wherein transmitting the instruction that causes the particular playback device to emit one or more sounds comprises transmitting an instruction that causes a particular playback device of the two or more playback devices to emit one or more sounds.

17. The control device of claim 16 , wherein detecting two or more playback devices of a given type comprises detecting two or more playback devices of a same model.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 15, 2021
From: SONOS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 058123/0206 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 28, 2019
From: WOO, SEIN; VAN DEN BERG, LIESBETH; POLLOCK, ROY
To: SONOS, INC.
Reel/Frame 049296/0392 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 14988524 · Jan 5, 2016
Related Publication 20200004494A1 · Jan 2, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,677,028