Method and apparatus for obtaining audio content and providing the audio content to a plurality of audio devices in a multi-zone system

摘要

An audio processing device comprising: a network interface configured to receive audio information from a network; a user interface module that includes a display configured to display a plurality of audio information sources available via the network; a control module configured to receive control input from the user interface module indicating a selection of one of the plurality of audio information sources; an audio information channelization device connected to the network interface configured (i) to receive a list of audio tracks to be played, (ii) to request the audio information from the selected one of the plurality of audio information sources according to the list, and (iii) to transmit the audio information in packet form via the network interface to two or more audio playback devices.

主权项

1. A method performed by a computing device, the method comprising:
configuring two or more audio playback devices to playback audio in synchrony; transmitting computing device clock information to the two or more audio playback devices; receiving a control input indicating a selection of one of a plurality of audio information sources, wherein each of the plurality of audio information sources is accessible over a network; and in response to receiving the control input, (i) requesting audio information from the selected audio information source, (ii) receiving the requested audio information from the selected audio information source, (iii) after receiving at least some of the requested audio information, generating a plurality of frames comprising the requested audio information and playback timing information, wherein at least one packet comprises at least a portion of the requested audio information and playback timing information for the at least one packet, and (iv) streaming the generated frames comprising the audio information and the playback timing information from a network interface to the two or more audio playback devices for playback in synchrony by the two or more audio playback devices, wherein the two or more audio playback devices remain independently clocked while playing back the requested audio information in synchrony.