Multi-Zone Audio Scene Control for Dynamic Player Grouping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional multi-zone audio systems are inflexible in managing dynamic groupings of audio players, requiring manual adjustment of each player and lacking efficient volume control, making it difficult to accommodate varying audio preferences across different zones in a home or residential setting.
Innovation Solution
A system that allows users to create and manage groups of multimedia players, referred to as 'scenes,' which can be activated at specific times or on demand, enabling synchronized playback of audio sources across multiple zones, with a controller facilitating the grouping and volume adjustments of players through a graphical user interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional multi-zone audio systems use pre-configured and pre-programmed controllers, then the system can provide stable audio playback, but the system lacks flexibility to dynamically manage ad hoc creation and deletion of groups
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static pre-programmed controller configurations to dynamic group management where zones can be added, removed, and reconfigured in real-time. The controller allows users to dynamically create and modify groupings of zones based on current needs, enabling ad hoc creation and deletion of groups without reprogramming the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The audio system is divided into independent controllable zones that can be individually managed and grouped. Each zone represents a separate segment that can be dynamically assigned to different groups, allowing flexible reconfiguration without affecting other zones. This segmentation enables independent control while maintaining system-wide coordination.
2Ease of operation
If audio players are adjusted one at a time in traditional systems, then individual player control is maintained, but the adjustment process becomes inconvenient and non-homogenous audio environment results
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual zone controls are merged into a single group control mechanism. When zones are grouped together, a single volume adjustment command applied to the group simultaneously adjusts all member zones, eliminating the need to manually adjust each player individually. This merging maintains individual zone control capabilities while adding efficient bulk adjustment functionality.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a centralized location provides audio sources to multiple audio players, then source sharing is enabled, but the system requires cross-bar type devices and complex routing to prevent audio sources from going to wrong players
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces a centralized controller as an intermediary that manages audio source distribution to multiple zones. Instead of using complex cross-bar switching devices, the controller acts as a smart mediator that receives audio sources and intelligently routes them to appropriate zones based on group configurations and user preferences, simplifying the routing architecture while maintaining flexible source sharing.
Data Source
AI summary
In general, techniques of controlling a plurality of multimedia players in groups are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a mechanism is provided to allow a user to group some of the players according to a theme or scene, where each of the players is located in a zone. When the scene is activated, the players in the scene react in a synchronized manner. For example, the players in the scene are all caused to play a multimedia source or music in a playlist, wherein the multimedia source may be located anywhere on a network.