Audio associating of computing devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11934740-B2
Application number	US-201916536659-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2019
Priority date	Sep 29, 2015
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

Methods, systems and apparatus for associating electronic devices together based on received audio commands are described. Methods for associating an audio-controlled device with a physically separate display screen device such that information responses can then be provided in both audio and graphic formats using the two devices in conjunction with each other are described. The audio-controlled device can receive audio commands that can be analyzed to determine the author, which can then be used to further streamline the association operation.

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 first data representing a request to associate a first device and a second device, wherein:
the request is associated with a user profile;
the second device has a first hardware capability that is absent from the first device, and
the request to associate corresponds to the second device being a user preferred device to be used in response to an audio input to the first device requesting output of content requiring the first hardware capability;

based at least in part on the request to associate, store second data associating the first device and the second device, the second data representing the request to associate;
after storing the second data, receive audio data representing speech;
determine the audio data was received from the first device;
process the audio data to determine that the audio data represents a first request to output first content;
determine that the output of the first content requires the first hardware capability; and
based at least in part on determining the audio data was received from the first device, determining the output of the first content requires the first hardware capability, and the second data, cause the second device to display the first content using the first hardware capability.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the speech is silent as to which device is to output the first content.

3. 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:
after receiving the first data, cause the second device to display second content;
receive third data acknowledging the second content is being displayed by the second device; and
after receiving the third data, store the second data.

4. 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:
cause the second device to display an image;
receive second audio data representing second speech;
perform speech processing on the second audio data to determine the second speech refers to the image; and
based at least in part on determining the second speech refers to the image, store the second data.

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:
cause the second device to display at least one word;
receive second audio data representing second speech;
perform speech processing on the second audio data to determine the second speech includes the at least one word; and
based at least in part on determining the second speech includes the at least one word, store the second data.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
cause a third device to display at least one second word while the second device is displaying the at least one word.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first device is a portable computing device and the at least one memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
receive the first data from an application installed on the first device, the application being associated with a speech processing system remote from the first device.

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:
receive, from the first device, second audio data representing second speech;
perform speech processing on the second audio data to determine the second speech requests further content to be displayed using a different device;
cause a third device to display second content;
receive, from the first device, third audio data representing third speech;
perform speech processing on the third audio data to determine the third speech refers to the second content; and
store third data associating the first device and the third device, the third data causing the third device to be an active display device for the first device.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first data is second audio data representing second speech, the second audio data is received from the first device, the first device is a displayless device, and the at least one memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to, prior to storing the second data:
determine the user profile is associated with the first device; and
determine, in the first user profile, an indicator of the second device.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first device is a displayless device and the at least one memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
receive from the first device, an indicator of the second device, the first device receiving the indicator from the second device via a Bluetooth signal,
wherein the second data is stored based at least in part on receiving the indicator.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second device is associated with the first hardware capability and the first device is associated with a second hardware capability that is different from the first hardware capability.

12. A method, comprising:
receiving first data representing a request to associate a first device and a second device, wherein:
the request is associated with a user profile;
the second device has a first hardware capability that is absent from the first device, and
the request to associate corresponds to the second device being a user preferred device to be used in response to an audio input to the first device requesting output of content requiring the first hardware capability;

based at least in part on the request to associate, storing second data associating the first device and the second device, the second data representing the request to associate;
after storing the second data, receiving audio data representing speech;
determining the audio data was received from the first device;
processing the audio data to determine that the audio data represents a first request to output first content;
determining that the output of the first content requires the first hardware capability; and
based at least in part on determining the audio data was received from the first device, determining the output of the first content requires the first hardware capability, and the second data, causing the second device to display the first content using the first hardware capability.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the speech is silent as to which device is to output the first content.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
after receiving the first data, causing the second device to display second content;
receiving third data acknowledging the second content is being displayed by the second device; and
after receiving the third data, storing the second data.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
causing the second device to display an image;
receiving second audio data representing second speech;
performing speech processing on the second audio data to determine the second speech refers to the image; and
based at least in part

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Angel Justin-Josef
• Breitbard Eric Alan
• Ryan Sean Robert
• Murdock Robert Steven
• Mcqueen Michael Douglas
• Chase Ryan Charles
• Swann Colin Neil

Classifications

• G06F3/167 Primary

  Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback · CPC title

• G06F3/1407

  General aspects irrespective of display type, e.g. determination of decimal point position, display with fixed or driving decimal point, suppression of non-significant zeros · CPC title

• G06F3/1454 Primary

  involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay · CPC title

• G10L15/22

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

• G10L25/54

  for retrieval · CPC title