US 12,034,994 B2
Remotely controlling playback devices
Deepak Iyer, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Thomas Alsina, Burlingame, CA (US); Edward T. Schmidt, Burlingame, CA (US); Elena Leyfman, Los Gatos, CA (US); David P. Saracino, Alameda, CA (US); Astrid Yi, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Adam A. Sonnanstine, San Francisco, CA (US); Jonathan A. Bennett, San Francisco, CA (US); Gregory R. Chapman, San Jose, CA (US); Aparna S. Akella, Mountain View, CA (US); Shreyas Nandagudi Sreesha, Los Altos, CA (US); and Johannes P. Schmidt, Los Altos Hills, CA (US)
Assigned to Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 5, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/713,966.
Application 17/713,966 is a continuation of application No. 16/287,960, filed on Feb. 27, 2019, granted, now 11,297,369.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/679,967, filed on Jun. 3, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/650,728, filed on Mar. 30, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0232276 A1, Jul. 21, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04N 21/436 (2011.01); H02J 13/00 (2006.01); H04L 67/104 (2022.01); H04L 67/1061 (2022.01); H04L 67/1087 (2022.01); H04N 21/41 (2011.01); H04N 21/4363 (2011.01); H04N 21/482 (2011.01); H04W 84/18 (2009.01); H04W 84/20 (2009.01)
CPC H04N 21/41265 (2020.08) [H02J 13/00026 (2020.01); H04L 67/104 (2013.01); H04L 67/1051 (2013.01); H04L 67/1061 (2013.01); H04L 67/1068 (2013.01); H04L 67/1093 (2013.01); H04N 21/4104 (2013.01); H04N 21/4126 (2013.01); H04N 21/4131 (2013.01); H04N 21/43615 (2013.01); H04N 21/4363 (2013.01); H04N 21/482 (2013.01); H04W 84/18 (2013.01); H04W 84/20 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
establishing, by a playback device of a group of playback devices, a wireless master connection with a streaming device, wherein the master connection is configured for the playback device to wirelessly receive media data corresponding to a media item from the playback device to enable presentation of the media item by one or more of the group of playback devices;
receiving, by the playback device, the media data corresponding to the media item from the streaming device through the master connection;
establishing, by the playback device, a control connection with a remote control device, wherein the control connection is configured for the playback device to receive media commands related to the media item from the remote control device;
determining, by the playback device, respective capabilities of a first playback device and a second playback device in the group of playback devices;
transmitting, by the playback device based on the respective capabilities of the first playback device, at least a first portion of the media data to the first playback device;
transmitting, by the playback device based on the respective capabilities of the second playback device, at least a second portion of the media data to the second playback device;
receiving, by the playback device, a media command from the remote control device through the control connection;
transmitting, by the playback device, a first control command to the first selected playback device, the first control command being based on the media command; and
transmitting, by the playback device, a second control command to the second selected playback device, the second control command being based on the media command;
determining, by the playback device, respective capabilities of a first playback device and a second playback device in the group of playback devices;
transmitting, by the playback device based on the respective capabilities of the first playback device, at least a first portion of the media data to the first playback device;
transmitting, by the playback device based on the respective capabilities of the second playback device, at least a second portion of the media data to the second playback device;
receiving, by the playback device, a media command from the remote control device through the control connection;
transmitting, by the playback device, a first control command to the first playback device, the first control command being based on the media command; and
transmitting, by the playback device, a second control command to the second playback device, the second control command being based on the media command.