Patent ID: 9438193
Filing Date: 2016-09-06
CPC Classification: H03G,H04L,H04N,H04R

Claim Text:
1. A method comprising: receiving, at a first playback device having a first volume level, an input to adjust a volume for a plurality of playback devices that are grouped for synchronous playback of audio content comprising a set of channels, wherein the plurality of playback devices are grouped such that each of the plurality of playback devices is configured to play different channels of the set of channels, wherein the plurality of playback devices includes the first playback device; determining, at the first playback device, that the first playback device is configured to play at least a first channel of the set of channels different from channels of other playback devices of the plurality of playback devices; responsive to determining that the first playback device is configured to play at least the first channel, sending, while the first playback device has the first volume level, a first message over a network from the first playback device to a primary device associated with the plurality of playback devices, the first message including volume adjustment information for the plurality of playback devices based on the input; after sending the first message, receiving a second message at the first playback device over the network, the second message including information for controlling the volume of the first playback device; and based on the received second message, adjusting the first volume level of the first playback device to a second volume level, wherein the second volume level of the first playback device is based on the information for controlling the volume of the first playback device included in the second message.