Playback Zone Representations

Abstract

Method and systems are provided for displaying a control representation in a playback zone representation provided on a playback zones view interface. The playback zones view interface allows a user to view and navigate between playback zones in a media playback system, and the control representation in the playback zone representation is selectable to allow the user to control playback of media content in the corresponding playback zone from the playback zones view interface without having to navigate to a particular playback control interface corresponding to the playback zone.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 displaying in a playback zones view interface, a playback zone representation corresponding to a playback zone of a media playback system; and   displaying in the playback zone representation, a control representation selectable to modify playback of media content by the playback zone.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 prior to displaying the playback zone view interface, receiving an input to play media content from a service provider in one or more playback zones in the media playback system.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the input is received from an application corresponding to the service provider. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the control representation is a volume representation selectable to modify a playback volume by the playback zone. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 in response to a selection of the of the volume representation, sending a message to one or more playback devices in the playback zone indicating a volume at which the playback zone is to play media content.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein playback modifications caused by a selection of the control representations comprises one or more of the following: (a) playing the media content, (b) pausing playback of the media content, (c) fast forwarding the media content, (d) rewinding the media content, (e) skipping to a next media item in the media content, (f) skipping to a previous media item in the media content, (g) entering a shuffle playback mode, (h) exiting a shuffle playback mode, (i) entering a repeat playback mode, (j) exiting a repeat playback mode, (k) entering a media cross fade mode, and (l) exiting a media crossfade mode. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 receiving an input indicating a selection of the control representation; and   sending a message to one or more playback devices in the playback zone to cause the playback zone to modify playback of media content according to a corresponding modification.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 prior to displaying the control representation, receiving an input indicating that the control representation is to be displayed in the playback zone representation.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the input indicates a selection of the playback zone representation. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the input indicates that the playback zone is associated with media content. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the control representation further comprises:
 modifying a dimensional size of the zone representation.   
     
     
         12 . A device comprising:
 a processor; and   memory having stored thereon instructions executable by the processor to cause the device to perform functions comprising:
 displaying in a playback zones view interface, a playback zone representation corresponding to a playback zone of a media playback system; and 
 displaying in the playback zone representation, a control representation selectable to modify playback of media content by the playback zone. 
   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the functions further comprise:
 prior to displaying the playback zone view interface, receiving an input to play media content from a service provider in one or more playback zones in the media playback system.   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the control representation is a volume representation selectable to modify a playback volume by the playback zone. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein playback modifications caused by a selection of the control representations comprises one or more of the following: (a) playing the media content, (b) pausing playback of the media content, (c) fast forwarding the media content, (d) rewinding the media content, (e) skipping to a next media item in the media content, (f) skipping to a previous media item in the media content, (g) entering a shuffle playback mode, (h) exiting a shuffle playback mode, (i) entering a repeat playback mode, (j) exiting a repeat playback mode, (k) entering a media cross fade mode, and (l) exiting a media crossfade mode. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the functions further comprise:
 prior to displaying the control representation, receiving an input indicating that the control representation is to be displayed in the playback zone representation.   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the functions of displaying the control representation further comprise:
 modifying a dimensional size of the zone representation.   
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a processor of a computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:
 displaying in a playback zones view interface, a playback zone representation corresponding to a playback zone of a media playback system; and   displaying in the playback zone representation, a control representation selectable to modify playback of media content by the playback zone.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the functions further comprise:
 prior to displaying the playback zone view interface, receiving an input to play media content from a service provider in one or more playback zones in the media playback system.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the control representation is a volume representation selectable to modify a playback volume by the playback zone.