Audio response playback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11947870-B2
Application number	US-202218070024-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 28, 2022
Priority date	Feb 22, 2016
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

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 state information for one or more devices of the system:
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
select the identified 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 identified first playback device and the given playback device to form a synchrony group such that the identified 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 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:
based on the command, cause the identified 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, (iii) the identified first playback device, or (iv) another playback device.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the state information for one or more devices of the system includes information regarding at least one of a user location or a user orientation relative to the first playback device.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the state information for one or more devices of the system includes information regarding a proximity of the at least one network microphone device to the first playback device.

6. The system of claim 5 , the system further comprising 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:
cause the one or more other playback devices to emit respective audio tones, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to identify the first playback device comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to detect, via the at least one network microphone device, the respective audio tone emitted by the first playback device.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one network microphone device is a portable device.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the state information for one or more devices of the system includes information identifying the first playback device as a default device.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the state information for one or more devices of the system comprises an indication that the first playback device is currently playing back audio content.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause the identified 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 identified first playback device and the given playback device to play back the audio content in synchrony.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the state information for one or more devices of the system comprises an indication that the first playback device most recently played back audio content.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the 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 of the system, 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 state information for one or more devices of the system:
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
select the identified 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 identified first playback device and the given playback device to form a synchrony group such that the identified 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.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the voice command comprises a command to play back audio content, and wherein the 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 identified first playback device and the given playback device to play back the audio content in synchrony.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the at least one network microphone device comprises one of (i) a controller device, (ii) the given playback device, (iii) the identified first playback device, or (iv) another playback device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the state information for one or more devices of the system includes information regarding at least one of a user location or a user orientation relative to the identified first playback device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the state information for one or more devices of the system includes information regarding a proximity of the at least one network microphone device to the first playback device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is also provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to:
cause the one or more other playback devices to emit respective audio tones, wherein the program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to identify the first playback device comprise program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to detect, via the at least one network microphone device, the respective audio tone emitted by the first playback device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1

Assignees

• Sonos Inc

Inventors

• Lang Jonathan P
• Plagge Mark

Classifications

• G06F3/165 Primary

  Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path · CPC title

• G06F3/167

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

• G10L15/1822

  Parsing for meaning understanding · CPC title

• H04R27/00

  Public address systems (circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; {monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007}; amplifiers H03F) · CPC title

• H04R29/007

  for public address systems (public address systems per se H04R27/00) · CPC title