Sonos, Inc.

Gary Fox

Jeffrey M Peters

Hrishikesh Gossain

Jeff Derderian

A playback device comprising a first spectrum radio for communication via a first wireless spectrum and a second spectrum radio for communication via a second wireless spectrum operates in a first mode in which the first spectrum radio is enabled and the second spectrum radio is disabled. While operating in the first mode, the playback device receives a command to join a synchrony group with a display device. Based on the command, the playback device begins to operate in a second mode in which the second spectrum radio is enabled. The playback device receives audio content for playback, wherein the audio content corresponds to video content being displayed at a display device. Using the second spectrum radio, the playback device coordinates with the display device for playing back the audio content in synchrony with the video content.

Wireless radio switching

A first playback device is configured to (1) determine, based on a group configuration of a synchrony group including the first playback device and a second playback device, that the first playback device, and not the second playback device, is to operate as a group coordinator for the synchrony group, wherein the group coordinator transmits audio content and playback timing information, (2) begin to operate as the group coordinator, (3) while operating as the group coordinator, determine respective battery state variable values for the first and second playback devices, (4) based on the respective battery state variable values, determine that a computing device other than the first playback device is to operate as the group coordinator, and (5) based on the determining, (i) discontinue operating as the group coordinator and (ii) cause the computing device to operate as the group coordinator instead of the first playback device.

Group coordinator selection

Examples are provided for establishing a bonded zone comprising a first playback device comprising a respective first wireless radio and a second playback device comprising a second respective wireless radio. The first and second playback devices may establish a bonded zone comprising at least the first and second playback device. While in the established bonded zone, the first playback device may determine that the first playback device is in the established bonded zone and that the first playback device is not currently playing audio in synchrony with the second playback device. Responsive to determining that the first playback device is not playing audio in synchrony, the first playback device may disable communicating via the first wireless radio of the first playback device and send a message to the second playback device to disable communicating via the first wireless radio of the second playback device.

A first playback device may include at least one battery, a network interface, at least one processor, a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium. The program instructions may be executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to (i) receive an instruction to operate as a group coordinator of a synchrony group, (ii) determine a value of a battery state variable of the at least one battery, (iii) based on the value of the battery state variable of the at least one battery, select a second playback device from one or more other members of the synchrony group to operate as the group coordinator of the synchrony group, and (iv) cause the second playback device to operate as the group coordinator of the synchrony group.

A network device is arranged to identify a group coordinator for a group of networked playback devices. The network device may have a network interface configured to communicate with first playback device and a second playback device over a network. A processor may execute instructions to cause the processor to receive a command to cause a group of one or more playback devices to play audio content, wherein the group of one or more playback devices comprises the first playback device. In response to the command, the processor is to determine that the first playback device is battery-powered. The processor is to identify the second playback device to provide audio content data and audio content playback timing information to the group of the one or more playback devices based on the determination that the first playback device is battery-powered.

Embodiments are provided for wireless radio switching in a playback device. An example playback device includes an audio interface to communicate audio information. The example playback device also includes a radio manager to determine, while the playback device is in a bonded zone, that the playback device is not playing audio based on the audio information. The radio manager to also disable communicating via a wireless radio of the playback device when the playback device is not playing audio.

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Santa Barbara, CA, United States of America

Gary Fox