Patent ID: 8290603
Filing Date: 2012-10-16
Classification: G05B,G06F,G11B,H04R,H04S

Abstract:
1. A multimedia controller including a processor, the controller configured to: provide a user interface in association with a zone group configuration, the zone group configuration characterizing a first zone group including at least two zones in a local area network, each zone containing at least one player configured to playback a multimedia output from a multimedia source; accept user input via the user interface to facilitate formation of a zone scene configuration by selecting: 1) a plurality of players in the local area network to form at least a second zone group associated with the zone scene, 2) the multimedia source for playback, and 3) the duration of playback, and the zone scene configuration identifying the selected players, the multimedia source to playback and the duration of playback; and transmit the zone scene configuration to a player of a zone in the zone scene to save the zone scene configuration and to, when the zone scene is activated, cause the player to configure the players in the second zone group to synchronize playback of the multimedia output from the selected multimedia source in accordance with the zone scene configuration, wherein the zone scene configuration also includes activation of the second zone group automatically at a specified time, and wherein upon completion of the duration of playback associated with the activated zone scene, the players automatically reconfigure into the first zone group in which the players were arranged prior to activation of the zone scene.