Audio response playback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11513763-B2
Application number	US-202117222151-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2021
Priority date	Feb 22, 2016
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

A computing device is configured to perform functions comprising: receiving via a network microphone device of a media playback system, a voice command detected by at least one microphone of the network microphone device, wherein the media playback system comprises a plurality of zones, and the network microphone device may be a member of a default playback zone. The computing device may be further configured to perform functions comprising: dynamically selecting an audio response zone from the plurality of zones to play an audio response to the voice input and foregoing selection of the default playback zone. The selected zone may comprise a playback device, and the dynamically selecting may comprise determining that the network microphone device is paired with the playback device. The computing device may cause the playback device of the selected zone to play the audio response.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
at least one network microphone device;
at least one processor;
at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium; and
program instructions stored on the at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
receive, via the at least one network microphone device, a voice command for a given playback device and one or more other playback devices to be grouped for synchronous playback of audio content, wherein the voice command identifies the given playback device and does not identify the one or more other playback devices;
based on context information:
identify a first playback device of the one or more other playback devices that is to be grouped with the given playback device for synchronous playback of audio content; and
dynamically select the first playback device to be grouped with the given playback device for synchronous playback of audio content; and

based on the voice command, cause the first playback device and the given playback device to form a synchrony group such that the first playback device and the given playback device are configured to coordinate for (i) synchronous playback of audio content, and (ii) synchronous execution of playback control commands.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the voice command comprises a command to play back audio content, the system further comprising program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
based on the command, cause the first playback device and the given playback device to play back the audio content in synchrony.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one network microphone device comprises one of (i) a controller device, (ii) the given playback device, or (iii) another playback device.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the context information includes information regarding user location relative to at least one of the one or more other playback devices.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the context information comprises an indication that the first playback device is currently playing back first audio content.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause the first playback device and the given playback device to form the synchrony group comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
cause the first playback devices and the given playback device to play back the first audio content in synchrony.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the context information comprises an indication that the first playback device most recently played back audio content.

8. At least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium is provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a system to:
receive, via at least one network microphone device, a voice command for a given playback device and one or more other playback devices to be grouped for synchronous playback of audio content, wherein the voice command identifies the given playback device and does not identify the one or more other playback devices;
based on context information:
identify a first playback device of the one or more other playback devices that is to be grouped with the given playback device for synchronous playback of audio content; and
dynamically select the first playback device to be grouped with the given playback device for synchronous playback of audio content; and

based on the voice command, cause the first playback device and the given playback device to form a synchrony group such that the first playback device and the given playback device are configured to coordinate for (i) synchronous playback of audio content, and (ii) synchronous execution of playback control commands.

9. The at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the voice command comprises a command to play back audio content, and wherein the at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium is also provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to:
based on the command, cause the first playback devices and the given playback device to play back the audio content in synchrony.

10. The at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the at least one network microphone device comprises one of (i) a controller device, (ii) the given playback device, or (iii) another playback device.

11. The at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the context information includes information regarding user location relative to at least one of the one or more other playback devices.

12. The at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the context information comprises an indication that the first playback device is currently playing back first audio content.

13. The at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the first playback device and the given playback device to form the synchrony group comprise program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to:
cause the first playback devices and the given playback device to play back the first audio content in synchrony.

14. The at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the context information comprises an indication that the first playback device most recently played back audio content.

15. A method carried out by a system, the method comprising:
receiving, via at least one network microphone device, a voice command for a given playback device and one or more other playback devices to be grouped for synchronous playback of audio content, wherein the voice command identifies the given playback device and does not identify the one or more other playback devices;
based on context information:
identifying a first playback device of the one or more other playback devices that is to be grouped with the given playback device for synchronous playback of audio content; and
dynamically selecting the first playback device to be grouped with the given playback device for synchronous playback of audio content; and

based on the voice command, causing the first playback device and the given playback device to form a synchrony group such that the first playback device and the given playback device are configured to coordinate for (i) synchronous playback of audio content, and (ii) synchronous execution of playback control commands.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the voice command comprises a command to play back audio content, the method further comprising:
based on the command, causing the first playback devices and the given playback device to play back the audio content in synchrony.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least one network microphone device comprises one of (i) a controller device, (ii) the given playback device, or (iii) another playback device.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the context information includes

Assignees

• Sonos Inc

Inventors

• Lang Jonathan P
• Plagge Mark

Classifications

• H04R2227/005

  Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use · CPC title

• H04S7/301

  Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone · CPC title

• G10L15/1822

  Parsing for meaning understanding · CPC title

• G10L2015/223

  Execution procedure of a spoken command · CPC title

• H04R2420/01

  Input selection or mixing for amplifiers or loudspeakers · CPC title