Network Media System Zone Playback Queue Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital audio systems lack seamless integration and control for accessing and playing digital media across multiple zones in a home environment, limiting the flexibility and convenience of media playback.
Innovation Solution
A network media system that allows a mobile device to establish a connected state with zone players, enabling actions on a playlist to be synchronized across multiple playback queues, with automatic reconnection and modification capabilities, and private queue indicators for secure access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a mobile device establishes a connected state with zone players to enable synchronized playback across multiple zones, then media playback flexibility and control capability are improved, but system complexity and connection management burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a control device as an intermediary between the mobile device and multiple zone players. The control device receives playback requests from the mobile device, manages the connected state with zone players, and coordinates synchronized playback across zones. This intermediary approach allows the mobile device to maintain a simple connected state while the control device handles the complexity of multi-zone coordination, thus improving playback flexibility without excessively increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the control functions for multiple zone players into a single control device that manages all zone connections and playback coordination centrally. By combining the connection management and playback control capabilities in one device rather than requiring the mobile device to maintain separate connections with each zone player, the system achieves multi-zone playback flexibility while keeping the connection management burden concentrated and manageable.
2Ease of operation
If the system maintains a connected state between mobile device and zone players for seamless playback, then user convenience and playback continuity are improved, but energy consumption and connection maintenance overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the control device pre-establish connected states with all zone players before media playback begins. The control device proactively manages connections and prepares the playback infrastructure in advance, so that when the user initiates playback, the connected state is already in place. This eliminates the need for the mobile device to continuously maintain active connections during playback, reducing energy consumption while preserving user convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device performs self-service by automatically managing the connected state with zone players without requiring continuous user intervention. The system autonomously maintains connections, handles zone player communications, and coordinates playback synchronization. This self-managing approach allows the mobile device to enter low-power states during playback while the control device independently maintains the necessary connections, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while preserving seamless playback capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the system allows playlist modifications during playback across zones, then adaptability and user control are improved, but synchronization complexity and potential playback interruptions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control device serves as an intermediary that receives playlist modification requests from the mobile device and distributes updated playback information to all connected zone players. This centralized mediation approach allows playlist adaptability while the control device handles the synchronization complexity, managing the coordination between multiple zones to ensure consistent playback across all connected players without requiring the mobile device to directly manage complex synchronization protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the control device monitors the playback state of all zone players and automatically adjusts synchronization based on real-time status information. When playlist modifications occur, the control device receives feedback from zone players about their current playback state and uses this information to coordinate synchronized updates across all zones. This feedback-driven approach enables playlist adaptability while automatically managing synchronization complexity through real-time status awareness and coordinated response.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments provided herein involve connected states between a mobile device and one or more zones in a network media system and different interactions between the mobile device and the network media system involving the connected states. The connected states may be established between the mobile device and the one or more zones such that further actions taken on media items identified in the playlist on the mobile device may also be taken on corresponding media items in a playback queue associated with the one or more zones. The interface on the mobile device may display various graphical representations to indicate the different interactions involving the connected states, including when a connected state is established, when a connected state is lost, and when a reconnected state is reestablished. The interface may further provide selectable icons to allow a user to navigate among the different media playback options involving the connected states.