Sonos, Inc.

Benjamin Ari Tober

Hrishikesh Gossain

Mark Viscusi

Rajasekaran Ramasubramanian

Allen Antony

James M Dolan

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to power management techniques for reducing the power consumption of playback devices. Additionally, aspects of the present disclosure related to distributed processing techniques for processing audio across two or more processors.

Power management and distributed audio processing techniques for playback devices

Example embodiments involve a standby mode of a playback device. An example implementation involves a first playback device receiving, while an audio processing component of the first playback device is in standby, a first packet over a network. The audio processing component consumes relatively less power in standby compared with not operating in standby. In response to receiving the first packet, the first playback device exits standby, and enters a non-standby mode. Entering the non-standby mode enables the audio processing component of the first playback device. The first playback device also broadcasts over the network a second packet comprising a payload that is associated with a destination address. After receiving the first packet, the first playback device forwards packets to a second playback device. Once the first playback device is no longer forwarding the packets, the first playback device enters standby.

Playback device using standby in a media playback system

Example embodiments involve a standby mode of a playback device. An example implementation involves a first playback device receiving, while an audio processing component of the first playback device is in a standby mode, a first packet over a network. The audio processing component consumes relatively less power in standby mode compared with an active mode. In response to receiving the first packet, the first playback device exits the standby mode, and enters the active mode. Entering the active mode enables the audio processing component of the first playback device. The first playback device also broadcasts over the network a second packet comprising a payload that is associated with a destination address. After receiving the first packet, the first playback device forwards packets to a second playback device. Once the first playback device is no longer forwarding the packets, the first playback device enters the standby mode.

Playback device using standby mode in a media playback system

An example implementation involves a first playback device maintaining a list of MAC addresses. While one or more components of the first playback device are disabled, the first playback device may receive a data packet that comprises a payload associated with a MAC address. The MAC address may correspond to a network interface of a second playback device. The first playback device may identify the MAC address in the list of MAC addresses, and based on identifying the MAC address in the list of MAC addresses, enable at least one of the one or more components of the first playback device.

Enabling components of a playback device

Embodiments described herein involve mechanisms to wake-up a media playback device that is interconnected with other media playback devices to form a networked media system from a standby mode using a network message. In one embodiment, a media playback device receives a first wake-up packet associated with a MAC address; and in response, exits a standby mode and enters an active mode, and broadcasts a second wake-up packet associated with the MAC address. In another embodiment, a media playback device receives a first wake-up packet associated with a MAC address; and in response, determines whether the first MAC address is included in a list of MAC addresses maintained by the first media playback device; and when the first MAC address is included in the list of MAC addresses, exits a standby mode and enters an active mode, and broadcasts a second wake-up packet associated with the MAC address.

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Cambridge, MA, United States of America

Benjamin Ari Tober