Systems and methods for routing content to an associated output device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12192570-B2
Application number	US-202217828406-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2022
Priority date	Jun 27, 2016
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

Devices and methods for routing content are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for routing content include receiving audio data representing a command from a first electronic device, determining content that is associated with the command, sending responsive audio data to the first electronic device, and sending instructions to the second electronic device to output the content associated with the command. In some embodiments, a method for routing contents includes determining a state of the second electronic device and sending instructions to output the content to a selected one of the first and second electronic devices based on the state of the second electronic device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
determining that first audio detected by a first device represents a first request to perform a first action; and
after determining that the first audio represents the first request:
determining that a second device, which is remote from the first device, is able to perform the first action when the second device is in a first operational state,
determining that the second device is in a second operational state in which the second device is unable to perform the first action,
based at least in part on the second device being in the second operational state, causing the first device to begin performance of the first action,
after the first device has begun performance of the first action, determining that the second device has transitioned from the second operational state to the first operational state, and
based at least in part on the second device having transitioned from the second operational state to the first operational state, causing the second device to perform the first action corresponding to the first request.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that a user account is associated with the first device; and
determining that the second device is associated with the user account,
wherein causing the second device to perform the first action is further based on the user account being associated with the first device and the second device being associated with the user account.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising:
determining that the user account indicates a preference that the second device be used to perform actions of a same type as the first action;
wherein causing the second device to perform the first action is further based on the preference.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
after determining that the second device is in the second operational state, instructing the second device to transition from the second operational state to the first operational state.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
causing the first device to output an indication that the second device is unable to perform the first action.

6. A system, comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one computer-readable medium encoded with instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:
determine that first audio detected by a first device represents a first request to perform a first action; and
after determining that the first audio represents the first request:
determine that a second device, which is remote from the first device, is able to perform the first action when the second device is in a first operational state,
determine that the second device is in a second operational state in which the second device is unable to perform the first action,
based at least in part on the second device being in the second operational state, cause the first device to begin performance of the first action,
after the first device has begun performance of the first action, determine that the second device has transitioned from the second operational state to the first operational state, and
based at least in part on the second device having transitioned from the second operational state to the first operational state, cause the second device to perform the first action.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one computer-readable medium is further encoded with additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
determine that a user account is associated with the first device;
determine that the second device is associated with the user account; and
cause the second device to perform the first action further based on the user account being associated with the first device and the second device being associated with the user account.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one computer-readable medium is further encoded with additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
determine that the user account indicates a preference that the second device be used to perform actions of a same type as the first action; and
cause the second device to perform the first action further based on the preference.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one computer-readable medium is further encoded with additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
after determining that the second device is in the second operational state, instruct the second device to transition from the second operational state to the first operational state.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one computer-readable medium is further encoded with additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
cause the first device to output an indication that the second device is unable to perform the first action.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one computer-readable medium is further encoded with additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
based at least in part on the second device having transitioned from the second operational state to the first operational state, causing the first device to cease performing the first action.

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one computer-readable medium is further encoded with additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
in response to determining that the second device has transitioned from the second operational state to the first operational state, sending first data to the first device that causes the first device to a prompt for an instruction to cause the second device to perform the first action; and
determining that an input detected by the first device represents the instruction,
wherein causing the second device to perform the first action is further based at least in part on the input representing the instruction.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one computer-readable medium is further encoded with additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
the first data comprises first audio data; and
in input comprises an audio input detected by the first device.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one computer-readable medium is further encoded with additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
based at least in part on the second device being in the second operational state, and prior to determining that the second device has transitioned from the second operational state to the first operational state, sending second data to the first device that causes the first device to output an indication that the second device is currently unable to perform the first action.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
based at least in part on the second device having transitioned from the second operational state to the first operational state, causing the first device to cease performing the first action.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to determining that the second device has transitioned from the second operational sta

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Jobanputra Soniya
• Typrin Marcello
• Trudell Mallory

Classifications

• G06F40/35

  Discourse or dialogue representation · CPC title

• G06F16/3329

  Natural language query formulation · CPC title

• G06F3/167

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

• H04N21/4516

  involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available · CPC title

• G10L25/51

  for comparison or discrimination · CPC title