Sonos, Inc.

Jeff Derderian

Hrishikesh Gossain

Jeffrey M Peters

Gary Fox

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

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.

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Ashburn, VA, United States of America

Jeff Derderian