Patent · US Active

Method and apparatus for controlling multimedia players in a multi-zone system

US7571014B1 · kind B1 · utility

1,954Cited by
4References
44Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 5, 2004
Grant dateAug 4, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 1, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04R2227/005
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Techniques for controlling zone group and zone group characteristics such as audio volume in a multi-zone system are disclosed. The multi-zone system includes a number of multimedia players, each preferably located in a zone. A controller may control the operations of all of the zone players remotely from any one of the zones. Two or more zone players may be dynamically grouped as a zone group for synchronized operations. According to one aspect of the techniques, a zone group configuration can be managed, updated, modified via an interactive user interface provided in a controlling device. The zone group configuration may be saved in one of zone players. According to another aspect of the techniques, the audio volume control of a zone group can be performed individually or synchronously as a group.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.