Playback Group Management via Segmented Control Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for managing wireless audio/video devices lack efficient configuration, monitoring, and control across networked playback devices, particularly in home environments, leading to complexities in pairing devices and routing media effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system that allows remote control devices to establish quiet control connections with playback devices to obtain status information and send commands without interrupting media streaming, enables dynamic grouping of devices, automatic pairing of authorized users, and routes media based on context, using graphical user interfaces to manage and control playback across multiple devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a playback device accepts multiple streaming connections, then more remote control devices can connect, but the master connection may be interrupted and system stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the connection types into two distinct categories: master streaming connections and quiet control connections. Playback devices maintain a single master streaming connection for media playback while accepting multiple quiet control connections for remote control. This segmentation allows different connection types to coexist without interfering with each other, resolving the contradiction between allowing multiple remote controls and maintaining master connection stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where quiet control connections communicate through the playback device's control interface without establishing full streaming connections. This intermediary approach allows remote control devices to send commands and receive status information without becoming master streaming connections, thus preserving the original master connection while enabling multiple controllers.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple authorized users pair with playback devices individually, then each user has device access, but the pairing process becomes time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having one authorized user perform the pairing process in advance. When an authorized user pairs with a playback device, the system automatically extends access to other authorized users associated with the same account or household. This preliminary pairing action eliminates the need for each user to individually pair their devices, significantly reducing the time required while maintaining comprehensive user access.
3Measurement precision
If playback devices are managed individually, then each device can be controlled precisely, but the overall system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple playback devices into a unified group that can be controlled as a single entity. Remote control devices can send commands to the entire group simultaneously, and all devices in the group receive and execute the same playback commands. This merging approach maintains precise control over individual devices while simplifying the overall system management by allowing batch operations and unified control interfaces.
Data Source
AI summary
In some implementations, a system can be configured to manage groups of playback devices. For example, playback devices can be dynamically grouped in a variety of ways. Each playback device can store attributes that define the group to which the playback device belongs. Each playback device can send its group attributes to remote control devices and the remote control devices can determine groups of playback devices based on the group attributes. The remote control devices can then configure and present graphical user interfaces that represent the various groups of playback devices. In some implementations, a group of playback devices can be configured as a persistent group. For example, a pair of playback devices (e.g., wireless speakers) can store and send attribute data indicating that the pair of playback devices is a persistent group so that remote control devices can present and control the persistent group as a single device.