Voice controlled media playback system based on user profile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9965247-B2
Application number	US-201615131776-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2016
Priority date	Feb 22, 2016
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for receiving a voice command and determining an appropriate action for the media playback system to execute based on user identification. The systems and methods receive a voice command for a media playback system, and determines whether the voice command was received from a registered user of the media playback system. In response to determining that the voice command was received from a registered user, the systems and methods configure an instruction for the media playback system based on content from the voice command and information in a user profile for the registered user.

First claim

We claim:

1. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media having instructions encoded thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a computing device to perform a method comprising:
storing in association with a first user profile for a media playback system, (i) a first wakeup word and (ii) a first user account with a music service;
storing in association with a second user profile for the media playback system, (i) a second wakeup word and (ii) a second user account with the music service;
receiving, via a microphone of the computing device, a first voice input comprising (i) the first wakeup word, and (ii) a first voice command for the media playback system;
in response to receiving the first voice input, identifying the first user profile based on the first wakeup word and configuring a first instruction based on (i) the first voice command and (ii) the first user account with the music service;
transmitting the configured first instruction to the music service;
wherein the first wakeup word triggers a time period for the media playback system to receive additional voice commands;
after the time period has expired, receiving, via the microphone of the computing device, a second voice input comprising (i) the second wakeup word, and (ii) a second voice command for the media playback system;
in response to receiving the second voice input, (i) identifying the second user profile based on the second wakeup word and (ii) determining whether the second user profile has permission to control the media playback system;
in response to determining that the second user profile has permission to control the media playback system, configuring a second instruction based on (i) the second voice command and (ii) the second user account at the music service; and
transmitting the configured second instruction to the music service.

2. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the first voice command is a command for the media playback system to play media content, and wherein configuring the first instruction comprises configuring the first instruction to cause the media playback system to obtain the media content from the music service via the first user account with the music service.

3. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the first user profile is further associated with a particular playback zone of the media playback system, wherein the first voice command is a command for the media playback system to play media content, wherein the first voice command does not identify a playback zone, and wherein configuring the first instruction comprises configuring the first instruction to cause the media playback system to play the media content in the particular playback zone of the media playback system.

4. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the first user profile is further associated with one or more playback settings, wherein the first voice command is a command for the media playback system to play media content, and wherein configuring the first instruction comprises configuring the first instruction to cause the media playback system to play the media content according to the one or more playback settings associated with the first user profile.

5. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 4 , wherein the one or more playback settings associated with the first user profile comprise one or more of (i) a preferred playback volume and (ii) a preferred audio equalization setting.

6. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the second user profile has permission to control the media playback system comprises identifying one or more access restrictions associated with the second user profile, and wherein configuring the second instruction comprises configuring the second instruction based on (i) the second voice command and (ii) the identified one or more access restrictions.

7. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
storing data indicating that the computing device corresponds to a default playback zone of the media playback system;
after transmitting the first instruction to the music service, receiving media content corresponding to the first instruction from the music service; and
transmitting the media content corresponding to the first instruction to the default playback zone.

8. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the first user profile is further associated with a first playback zone of the media playback system, wherein the first voice command is a command for the media playback system to play media content in a second playback zone of the media playback system different from the first playback zone, and wherein configuring the first instruction comprises configuring the first instruction to cause the media playback system to play the media content in the second playback zone of the media playback system.

9. A computing device comprising:
one or more processors; and
tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media having instructions encoded thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:
storing in association with a first user profile for a media playback system, (i) a first wakeup word and (ii) a first user account with a music service;
storing in association with a second user profile for the media playback system, (i) a second wakeup word and (ii) a second user account with the music service;
receiving, via a microphone of the computing device, a first voice input comprising (i) the first wakeup word, and (ii) a first voice command for the media playback system;
in response to receiving the first voice input, identifying the first user profile based on the first wakeup word and configuring a first instruction based on (i) the first voice command and (ii) the first user account with the music service;
transmitting the configured first instruction to the music service;
wherein the first wakeup word triggers a time period for the media playback system to receive additional voice commands;
after the time period has expired, receiving, via the microphone of the computing device, a second voice input comprising (i) the second wakeup word, and (ii) a second voice command for the media playback system;
in response to receiving the second voice input, (i) identifying the second user profile based on the second wakeup word and (ii) determining whether the second user profile has permission to control the media playback system;
in response to determining that the second user profile has permission to control the media playback system, configuring a second instruction based on (i) the second voice command and (ii) the second user account at the music service; and
transmitting the configured second instruction to the music service.

10. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the first voice command is a command for the media playback system to play media content, and wherein configuring the first instruction comprises configuring the first instruction to cause the media playback system to obtain the media content from the music service via the first user account with the music service.

11. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the first user profile is further associated with a particular playback zone of the media playback system, wherein the first voice command is a command for the media playback system to play media content, wherein the first voice command does not identify a p

Assignees

• Sonos Inc

Inventors

• Jarvis Simon
• Kadri Romi
• Butts Christopher

Classifications

• G06F3/165

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

• G10L15/222

  Barge in, i.e. overridable guidance for interrupting prompts · CPC title

• G06F3/167 Primary

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

• G10L2015/223

  Execution procedure of a spoken command · CPC title

• G10L15/22

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