Patent ID: 9237384
Filing Date: 2016-01-12
CPC Classification: G06F,H04N

Claim Text:
1. A method for automatically configuring a first playback device in a playback network, the method comprising: receiving, by a controller device connected to the playback network, a message indicating that the first playback device is available to join the playback network, wherein the playback network is divided into one or more zones that each include at least one playback device; receiving, by a controller device, a configuration table indicating that the given playback device is designated as a member of a particular zone of the one or more zones, wherein the particular zone includes at least one second playback device; upon receiving the message indicating that the first playback device is available to join the playback network and the configuration table, transmitting, from the controller device to the playback device, a message directing the first playback device to join the particular zone of the media playback system such that the at least one second playback device and the first playback device are configured to play back audio in synchrony in response to one or more subsequent audio playback commands transmitted by the controller device.