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US 11,445,301 B2Granted
Portable playback devices with network operation modes
AssigneeSonos, Inc.
InventorsSangah Park, Ryan Myers, John Tolomei
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Examples described herein relate to portable playback devices, such as smart headphones and earbuds, and ultra-portable devices having built-in voice assistants. Some example techniques relate to user interaction with voice assistants. Further example techniques relate to voice guidance played back by the headphones to guide the user under certain conditions.
Claims20
A system comprising a portable playback device, the portable playback device comprising:
- at least one microphone;
- at least one audio transducer;
- at least one battery;
- a first network interface comprising at least one first antenna;
- a second network interface comprising at least one second antenna;
- at least one processor;
- a housing carrying the at least one microphone, the at least one audio transducer, the at least one battery, the first network interface, the second network interface, and the at least one processor;
- data storage;
- and
- program instructions stored on the data storage that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the portable playback device to perform functions comprising:
- while in a first connection mode of a set of connection modes, detecting a first input to invoke voice assistance, wherein the set of connection modes comprises:
- (i) the first connection mode wherein the portable playback device connects to a wireless local area network (WLAN) via the first network interface, (ii) a second connection mode wherein the portable playback device connects to a personal area network (PAN) via the second network interface, and (iii) a concurrent connection mode wherein the portable playback device concurrently connects to the WLAN via the first network interface and the PAN via the second network interface;
- in response to detecting the first input, invoking a first voice assistant of a set of voice assistants, the first voice assistant corresponding to the first connection mode, wherein the first voice assistant is native to the portable playback device;
- after invoking the first voice assistant, capturing a first voice input via the at least one microphone;
- processing the first voice input via the first voice assistant;
- switching to the second connection mode;
- while in the second connection mode, detecting a second input to invoke voice assistance;
- in response to detecting the second input, invoking a second voice assistant of the set of voice assistants, the second voice assistant corresponding to the second connection mode, wherein the second voice assistant is native to a mobile device connected to the portable playback device over the PAN;
- after invoking the second voice assistant, capturing a second voice input via the at least one microphone;
- and
- sending, over the PAN via the second network interface to the mobile device, data representing the second voice input for processing of the second voice input.
18 more elements
A portable playback device comprising:
- at least one microphone;
- at least one audio transducer;
- at least one battery;
- a first network interface comprising at least one first antenna;
- a second network interface comprising at least one second antenna;
- at least one processor;
- a housing carrying the at least one microphone, the at least one audio transducer, the at least one battery, the first network interface, the second network interface, and the at least one processor;
- data storage;
- and
- program instructions stored on the data storage that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the portable playback device to perform functions comprising:
- while in a first connection mode of a set of connection modes, detecting a first input to invoke voice assistance, wherein the set of connection modes comprises:
- (i) the first connection mode wherein the portable playback device connects to a wireless local area network (WLAN) via the first network interface, (ii) a second connection mode wherein the portable playback device connects to a personal area network (PAN) via the second network interface, and (iii) a concurrent connection mode wherein the portable playback device concurrently connects to the WLAN via the first network interface and the PAN via the second network interface;
- in response to detecting the first input, invoking a first voice assistant of a set of voice assistants, the first voice assistant corresponding to the first connection mode, wherein the first voice assistant is native to the portable playback device;
- after invoking the first voice assistant, capturing a first voice input via the at least one microphone;
- processing the first voice input via the first voice assistant;
- switching to the second connection mode;
- while in the second connection mode, detecting a second input to invoke voice assistance;
- in response to detecting the second input, invoking a second voice assistant of the set of voice assistants, the second voice assistant corresponding to the second connection mode, wherein the second voice assistant is native to a mobile device connected to the portable playback device over the PAN;
- after invoking the second voice assistant, capturing a second voice input via the at least one microphone;
- and
- sending, over the PAN via the second network interface to the mobile device, data representing the second voice input for processing of the second voice input.
18 more elements
A method to be performed by a portable playback device, the method comprising:
- while in a first connection mode of a set of connection modes, detecting a first input to invoke voice assistance, wherein the set of connection modes comprises:
- (i) the first connection mode wherein the portable playback device connects to a wireless local area network (WLAN) via a first network interface, (ii) a second connection mode wherein the portable playback device connects to a personal area network (PAN) via a second network interface, and (iii) a concurrent connection mode wherein the portable playback device concurrently connects to the WLAN via the first network interface and the PAN via the second network interface;
- in response to detecting the first input, invoking a first voice assistant of a set of voice assistants, the first voice assistant corresponding to the first connection mode, wherein the first voice assistant is native to the portable playback device;
- after invoking the first voice assistant, capturing a first voice input via at least one microphone;
- processing the first voice input via the first voice assistant;
- switching to the second connection mode;
- while in the second connection mode, detecting a second input to invoke voice assistance;
- in response to detecting the second input, invoking a second voice assistant of the set of voice assistants, the second voice assistant corresponding to the second connection mode, wherein the second voice assistant is native to a mobile device connected to the portable playback device over the PAN;
- after invoking the second voice assistant, capturing a second voice input via the at least one microphone;
- and
- sending, over the PAN via the second network interface to the mobile device, data representing the second voice input for processing of the second voice input.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.