IP Library Granted Patent US 12,093,513
Granted Patent B2
US 12,093,513 · App. 18/349,769 · Granted Sep 17, 2024

Controlling and displaying zones in a multi-zone system

Inventors: Abhishek Kumar (Santa Barbara, CA); Amber Brown (Santa Barbara, CA)
Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
G06F3/0484H04N21/43615H04N21/4622H04N21/485
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,093,513
App. No.
18/349,769
Granted
Sep 17, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A multimedia controller for controlling and displaying zones in a multi-zone system is provided. In one example the controller provides a user interface for multiple zones of a media playback system comprising multiple playback devices. The controller identifies respective states associated with each zone of the multiple zones and detects an input to display a list of the multiple zones. In response to detecting the input, the controller determines an order of the multiple zones within the list of the multiple zones and displays, via the user interface, the list of the multiple zones, wherein the list of the multiple zones identifies each zone of the multiple zones in the determined order.

Claims (38)

1. A control device comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the control device is configured to:

display, via a user interface, a list of one or more groups of playback devices and corresponding state information associated with each group of playback devices, wherein the list comprises selectable graphical representations corresponding to each group of playback devices;

based on a selection of a particular selectable graphical representation from the list, communicate an instruction to a remote system to change a state of a particular group corresponding to the particular selectable graphical representation; and

after receiving an indication from the remote system that the particular group is in a particular state, update the user interface to display an indication of the particular state in association with the particular selectable graphical representation corresponding to the particular group.

2. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more groups of playback devices communicate state information to the remote system.

3. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the particular state comprises that the particular group is currently playing media content.

4. The control device of claim 3 , wherein the indication of the particular state comprises an icon indicating that the particular group is currently playing media content.

5. The control device of claim 3 , wherein the indication of the particular state comprises an indication of the media content being played back by the particular group.

6. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the particular state comprises that the particular group has media content queued for playback.

7. The control device of claim 6 , wherein the indication of the particular state comprises an indication of the media content queued for playback by the particular group.

8. The control device of claim 1 , further comprising facilitating the change in the state of the respective particular group, wherein facilitating the change in the state of the respective particular group comprises:

displaying a playback control option on the user interface; and

in response to receiving an input via the playback control option, causing the respective particular group to modify media content playback.

9. The control device of claim 8 , wherein:

causing the respective particular group to modify media content playback comprises causing the respective particular group to start media content playback.

10. The control device of claim 8 , wherein:

the particular group comprises at least two playback devices; and

causing the respective particular group to start media content playback comprises causing the at least two playback devices to start media content playback in synchrony.

11. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by one or more processors to cause a control device to perform functions comprising:

displaying, via a user interface, a list of one or more groups of playback devices and corresponding state information associated with each group of playback devices, wherein the list comprises selectable graphical representations corresponding to each group of playback devices;

based on a selection of a particular selectable graphical representation from the list, communicate an instruction to a remote system to change in a state of a particular group corresponding to the particular selectable graphical representation; and

after receiving an indication from the remote system that the particular group is in a particular state, update the user interface to displaying an indication of the particular state in association with the particular selectable graphical representation corresponding to the particular group.

12. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the one or more groups of playback devices communicate state information to the remote system.

13. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the particular state comprises that the particular group is currently playing media content.

14. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the indication of the particular state comprises an icon indicating that the particular group is currently playing media content.

15. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the indication of the particular state comprises an indication of the media content being played back by the particular group.

16. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the particular state comprises that the particular group has media content queued for playback.

17. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the indication of the particular state comprises an indication of the media content queued for playback by the particular group.

18. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising facilitating the change in the state of the respective particular group, wherein facilitating the change in the state of the respective particular group comprises:

displaying a playback control option on the user interface; and

in response to receiving an input via the playback control option, causing the respective particular group to modify media content playback.

19. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein:

causing the respective particular group to modify media content playback comprises causing the respective particular group to start media content playback.

20. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein:

the particular group comprises at least two playback devices; and

causing the respective particular group to start media content playback comprises causing the at least two playback devices to start media content playback in synchrony.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 30, 2026
From: SONOS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 074533/0615 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 10, 2023
From: KUMAR, ABHISHEK; BROWN, AMBER
To: SONOS, INC.
Reel/Frame 064203/0517 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 18052936 · Nov 7, 2022
Continuation 17524608 · Nov 11, 2021
Continuation 17019648 · Sep 14, 2020
Continuation 15664518 · Jul 31, 2017
Continuation 14041158 · Sep 30, 2013
Related Publication 20240045577A1 · Feb 8, 2024