US 12,244,895 B2
Group coordinator selection
Hrishikesh Gossain, Santa Barbara, CA (US); and Jonathan Lang, Santa Barbara, CA (US)
Assigned to Sonos, Inc., Goleta, CA (US)
Filed by Sonos, Inc., Santa Barbara, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 13, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/508,035.
Application 18/508,035 is a continuation of application No. 17/728,311, filed on Apr. 25, 2022, granted, now 11,818,430.
Application 17/728,311 is a continuation of application No. 16/902,247, filed on Jun. 15, 2020, granted, now 11,317,149, issued on Apr. 26, 2022.
Application 16/902,247 is a continuation of application No. 16/148,111, filed on Oct. 1, 2018, granted, now 10,687,110, issued on Jun. 16, 2020.
Application 16/148,111 is a continuation of application No. 15/259,692, filed on Sep. 8, 2016, granted, now 10,091,548, issued on Oct. 2, 2018.
Application 15/259,692 is a continuation of application No. 14/955,715, filed on Dec. 1, 2015, granted, now 10,142,688, issued on Nov. 27, 2018.
Application 14/955,715 is a continuation of application No. 14/042,001, filed on Sep. 30, 2013, granted, now 9,288,596, issued on Mar. 15, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2024/0089536 A1, Mar. 14, 2024
Int. Cl. H04N 21/442 (2011.01); G11B 27/00 (2006.01); G11B 27/10 (2006.01); H04B 17/318 (2015.01); H04L 1/00 (2006.01); H04L 43/00 (2022.01); H04L 65/1101 (2022.01); H04R 27/00 (2006.01); H04R 29/00 (2006.01); H04W 40/12 (2009.01)
CPC H04N 21/44227 (2013.01) [G11B 27/002 (2013.01); G11B 27/10 (2013.01); H04B 17/318 (2015.01); H04L 65/1101 (2022.05); H04R 27/00 (2013.01); H04R 29/00 (2013.01); H04R 29/007 (2013.01); H04W 40/12 (2013.01); H04L 1/0001 (2013.01); H04L 43/00 (2013.01); H04R 2227/003 (2013.01); H04R 2227/005 (2013.01); H04R 2420/07 (2013.01); H04R 2499/11 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A first playback device comprising:
at least one network interface;
at least one processor;
at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium; and
program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to:
while connected to a local data network via the at least one network interface using a first wireless networking protocol, receive a command to begin communicating with at least a second playback device in a group of playback devices for synchronous playback of audio content from an audio source;
based on the received command, begin communicating with at least the second playback device in the group of playback devices for synchronous playback of the audio content from the audio source;
determine that at least the second playback device is connected to the local data network using a second wireless networking protocol different from the first wireless networking protocol;
based on determining that at least the second playback device is connected to the local data network using the second wireless networking protocol different from the first wireless networking protocol, cause the second playback device to operate as a group coordinator of the group of playback devices, wherein the group coordinator (a) receives the audio content from the audio source, and (b) transmits at least a portion of the received audio content to at least the first playback device during rendering of the audio content by the group of playback devices; and
after causing the second playback device to operate as the group coordinator and while rendering the audio content, receive at least the portion of the audio content from the second playback device.
 
10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a first playback device to:
while connected to a local data network via at least one network interface of the first playback device using a first wireless networking protocol, receive a command to begin communicating with at least a second playback device in a group of playback devices for synchronous playback of audio content from an audio source;
based on the received command, begin communicating with at least the second playback device in the group of playback devices for synchronous playback of the audio content from the audio source;
determine that at least the second playback device is connected to the local data network using a second wireless networking protocol different from the first wireless networking protocol;
based on determining that at least the second playback device is connected to the local data network using the second wireless networking protocol different from the first wireless networking protocol, cause the second playback device to operate as a group coordinator of the group of playback devices, wherein the group coordinator (a) receives the audio content from the audio source, and (b) transmits at least a portion of the received audio content to at least the first playback device during rendering of the audio content by the group of playback devices; and
after causing the second playback device to operate as the group coordinator and while rendering the audio content, receive at least the portion of the audio content from the second playback device.
 
19. A method implemented by a first playback device, the method comprising:
while connected to a local data network via at least one network interface of the first playback device using a first wireless networking protocol, receiving a command to begin communicating with at least a second playback device in a group of playback devices for synchronous playback of audio content from an audio source;
based on the received command, beginning to communicate with at least the second playback device in the group of playback devices for synchronous playback of the audio content from the audio source;
determining that at least the second playback device is connected to the local data network using a second wireless networking protocol different from the first wireless networking protocol;
based on determining that at least the second playback device is connected to the local data network using the second wireless networking protocol different from the first wireless networking protocol, causing the second playback device to operate as a group coordinator of the group of playback devices, wherein the group coordinator (a) receives the audio content from the audio source, and (b) transmits at least a portion of the received audio content to at least the first playback device during rendering of the audio content by the group of playback devices; and
after causing the second playback device to operate as the group coordinator and while rendering the audio content, receiving at least the portion of the audio content from the second playback device.