Grouped Speaker Volume Control Without Playback Hiccups
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing media playback systems lack seamless volume control across multiple playback devices in a synchronized audio environment, leading to audible delays or hiccups when adjusting volume settings.
Innovation Solution
A satellite volume control method where user input at a secondary playback device generates an information packet sent to a primary playback device within a bonded zone, allowing synchronized volume adjustments across all devices in the zone without affecting the secondary device's volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If volume control is implemented independently at each playback device, then each device can be controlled individually, but synchronized volume adjustment across multiple devices cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a master playback device as an intermediary that receives volume control inputs and distributes volume adjustment commands to all slave playback devices in the bonded zone. This mediator architecture enables centralized volume control while maintaining synchronized playback across all devices, resolving the contradiction between individual control ease and synchronized playback reliability.
2Reliability
If volume adjustments are propagated across all playback devices, then synchronized volume control is achieved, but processing delays and hiccups may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing bonded zones and configuring master-slave relationships between playback devices before volume adjustments are needed. This pre-configuration ensures that when volume changes occur, the master device can immediately propagate commands to slave devices without delay, reducing processing time and eliminating hiccups while maintaining synchronized control.
3Reliability
If a master-slave architecture is used for volume control, then synchronized playback is maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The master playback device performs multiple functions: it acts as a volume control receiver, a command distributor, and a synchronization coordinator for all slave devices. By consolidating these control functions into a single multi-functional master device, the system achieves synchronized playback reliability without requiring complex control logic in each individual device, thus managing overall system complexity effectively.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments are provided for satellite volume control. An example method includes receiving an input at a playback device to adjust a volume for a plurality of playback devices that are grouped for synchronous playback of audio content, wherein the plurality of playback devices includes the playback device. The method also includes sending a first message over a network from the playback device to a device associated with the plurality of playback devices, the first message including information based on the input, wherein the information is used to adjust the volume of the plurality of playback devices. The method also includes receiving a second message at the playback device over the network, the second message including information for the volume of the playback device, wherein the volume is based on the adjusted volume of the plurality of playback devices.