Volume initiated communications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11348579-B1
Application number	US-201916538045-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 12, 2019
Priority date	Sep 29, 2015
Publication date	May 31, 2022
Grant date	May 31, 2022

Abstract

A system incorporating volume activated communications. A system with local devices linked to a remote server that is capable of processing voice commands is capable of linking local devices in a communications link where the link is initiated upon high volume speech being detected by a receiving device. A target device is determined based on an estimated connection between users at the respective devices. Audio is then sent from the receiving device to the target device resulting in a communication link between the two devices, allowing communication between the users.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:
receive, by a first device, audio data representing speech satisfying a volume threshold;
determine, based at least in part on the speech satisfying the volume threshold, that a two-way communication session is to be established;
determine a first intended recipient user of the two-way communication session;
determine the first intended recipient user is within a physical proximity to a second device;
establish the two-way communication session using the first device and the second device, the two-way communication session being established without receiving an acceptance of the two-way communication session from the first intended recipient user;
determine, after establishing the two-way communication session, that the first intended recipient user is within a physical proximity to a third device;
add, based at least in part on determining the first intended recipient user is within a physical proximity to the third device, the third device to the two-way communication session;
determine, after establishing the two-way communication session, that the first intended recipient user is no longer within a physical proximity to the second device; and
end, based at least in part on determining that the first intended recipient user is no longer within a physical proximity to the second device, the second device from the two-way communication session.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
determine, prior to receiving the audio data, that a first user, corresponding to the first device, and the first intended recipient user are within a location for at least a threshold amount of time;
store, prior to receiving the audio data and based at least in part on determining the first user and the first intended recipient user are within the location for at least the threshold amount of time, first data associating the first user and the first intended recipient user; and
determine the first intended recipient user based at least in part on the first data.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
determine a first wearable device of the first user was within the location with a second wearable device of the first intended recipient user for at least the threshold amount of time; and
store the first data further based at least in part on determining the first wearable device was within the location with the second wearable device for at least the threshold amount of time.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
determine the second wearable device is no longer in the location,
wherein the audio data is received after the second wearable device is no longer in the location.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
determine a second intended recipient user of the two-way communication session;
determine the second intended recipient user is within a physical proximity to a fourth device; and
establish the two-way communication session further using the fourth device.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first device is a headless device;
the second device is a headless device; and
the first device and the second device are associated with a same speech processing system.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
determine, after establishing the two-way communication session, that the first intended recipient user is in a same location as a first user corresponding to the first device; and
end the two-way communication session based at least in part on determining the first intended recipient user is in the same location as the first user.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
determine a second intended recipient user;
determine the second intended recipient user is within a physical proximity to the second device and a fourth device; and
establish the two-way communication session without using the fourth device based at least in part on:
the two-way communication session being established using the first device and the second device, and
the second intended recipient user being within the physical proximity to the second device.

9. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a first device, audio data representing speech satisfying a volume threshold;
determining, based at least in part on the speech satisfying the volume threshold, that a two-way communication session is to be established;
determining a first intended recipient user of the two-way communication session;
determining the first intended recipient user is proximate to a second device;
establishing the two-way communication session using the first device and the second device, the two-way communication session being established without receiving an acceptance of the two-way communication session from the first intended recipient user;
determining, after establishing the two-way communication session, that both the first intended recipient user and a first user corresponding to the first device are within a first location; and
ending the two-way communication session based at least in part on determining both the first intended recipient user and the first user are in the first location, wherein ending the two-way communication session comprises ceasing an exchange of data between the first device and the second device.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining, prior to receiving the audio data, that both the first user and the first intended recipient user are within a second location for at least a threshold amount of time;
storing, prior to receiving the audio data and based at least in part on determining the first user and the first intended recipient user are within the second location for at least the threshold amount of time, first data associating the first user and the first intended recipient user; and
determining the first intended recipient user based at least in part on the first data.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining a first wearable device of the first user was within the second location with a second wearable device of the first intended recipient user for at least the threshold amount of time; and
storing the first data further based at least in part on determining the first wearable device was within the second location with the second wearable device for at least the threshold amount of time.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining the second wearable device is no longer in the second location,
wherein the audio data is received after the second wearable device is no longer in the second location.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining, after establishing the two-way communication session, that the first intended recipient user is detected by a third device; and
adding the third dev

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Strand William Alexander
• Porter Brandon William

Classifications

• H04M2203/2094

  Proximity · CPC title

• H04M3/42263

  where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism · CPC title

• H04M3/42204

  Arrangements at the exchange for service or number selection by voice (at the terminal H04M1/27) · CPC title

• H03G3/20 Primary

  Automatic control ({H03G3/005 takes precedence;} combined with volume compression or expansion H03G7/00) · CPC title

• G10L15/22 Primary

  Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue · CPC title