# US 11,451,908 B2 · Network microphone devices with automatic do not disturb actuation capabilities > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,451,908 B2 - Document ID: US11451908B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/135,123 - Filed: 2020-12-28 - Published: 2021-07-22 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-10 - Assignees: Sonos, Inc. - Applicants: Sonos, Inc. - Inventors: Sein Woo; Ryan Myers; Charles Freedman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11451908B2 ## CPC - G06F 9/485: {Task life-cycle, e.g. stopping, restarting, resuming execution (G06F9/4881 takes precedence)} - H04R 5/04: Circuit arrangements, {e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments (combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S)} - G06F 3/165: {Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path} - G06F 3/167: {Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback} - G06F 9/542: {Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications} - G10L 21/055: for synchronising with other signals, e.g. video signals - H04R 3/005: {for combining the signals of two or more microphones (specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407)} - H04R 27/00: 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) - H04N 21/4302: {Content synchronisation processes, e.g. decoder synchronisation} - H04R 2227/005: Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use - H04R 2430/01: Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) - G10L: SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Embodiments disclosed herein include networked microphone devices (NMD) determining whether a Do Not Disturb (DND) feature should be activated, in response to determining that the DND feature should be activated, activating the DND feature. In some embodiments, the NMD determines whether to activate the DND feature based on various configuration and operational states. And in some embodiments, activating the DND feature includes activating the DND feature includes activating the DND feature at one or more additional NMDs based on the configuration and operational state of the NMD and the one or more additional NMDs. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A playback device comprising: one or more processors; and a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the playback device to perform operations comprising: determining that the playback device is playing a particular type of content; and in response to determining that the playback device is playing the particular type of content, activating a Do Not Disturb (DND) feature on the playback device and playing the particular type of content while the DND feature is activated. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The playback device of claim 1, wherein the particular type of content comprises media from one or more of a lullaby playlist, a sleep playlist, a relaxation playlist, a dinner playlist, a party playlist, a quiet playlist, or a focus playlist. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The playback device of claim 1, wherein determining that the playback device is playing the particular type of content comprises inferring the particular type of content from one or more of a name of a playlist or metadata associated with a playlist. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The playback device of claim 1, wherein determining that the playback device is playing the particular type of content comprises receiving a command to play the particular type of content from a controller device configured to control the playback device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The playback device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: determining that the playback device is no longer playing the particular type of content; and in response to determining that the playback device is no longer playing the particular type of content, deactivating the DND feature on the playback device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The playback device of claim 1, wherein one or more microphones of the playback device are deactivated while the DND feature is activated on the playback device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The playback device of claim 1, wherein activating the Do Not Disturb (DND) feature on the playback device comprises playing an audible notification that indicates that the DND feature has been activated on the playback device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The playback device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: while the DND feature is activated on the playback device, (i) receiving a request to start a communication session from a computing device, and (ii) in response to receiving the request to start the communication session from the computing device, logging the request as a request received while the DND feature was activated on the playback device. ### Claim 9 Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions, which, when executed by a playback device, cause the playback device to perform operations comprising: determining that the playback device is playing a particular type of content; and in response to determining that the playback device is playing the particular type of content, activating a Do Not Disturb (DND) feature on the playback device and playing the particular type of content while the DND feature is activated. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the particular type of content comprises media from one or more of a lullaby playlist, a sleep playlist, a relaxation playlist, a dinner playlist, a party playlist, a quiet playlist, or a focus playlist. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein determining that the playback device is playing the particular type of content comprises inferring the particular type of content from one or more of a name of a playlist or metadata associated with a playlist. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein determining that the playback device is playing the particular type of content comprises receiving a command to play the particular type of content from a controller device configured to control the playback device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise: determining that the playback device is no longer playing the particular type of content; and in response to determining that the playback device is no longer playing the particular type of content, deactivating the DND feature on the playback device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein one or more microphones of the playback device are deactivated while the DND feature is activated on the playback device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein activating the Do Not Disturb (DND) feature on the playback device comprises playing an audible notification that indicates that the DND feature has been activated on the playback device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise: while the DND feature is activated on the playback device, (i) receiving a request to start a communication session from a computing device, and (ii) in response to receiving the request to start the communication session from the computing device, logging the request as a request received while the DND feature was activated on the playback device. ### Claim 17 A system comprising: a first playback device; and a second playback device comprising (i) one or more processors and (ii) tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the second playback device to perform functions comprising: determining that the second playback device is playing a particular type of content in a group with the first playback device; and in response to determining that the second playback device is playing the particular type of content in the group with the first playback device, (i) activating a Do Not Disturb (DND) feature on the second playback device, (ii) causing the first playback device to activate a DND feature on the first playback device, and (iii) playing the particular type of content in the group with the first playback device while the DND feature is activated on the first playback device and the second playback device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the particular type of content comprises media from one or more of a lullaby playlist, a sleep playlist, a relaxation playlist, a dinner playlist, a party playlist, a quiet playlist, or a focus playlist. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the second playback device determining that it is playing the particular type of content comprises the second playback device inferring the particular type of content from one or more of a name of a playlist or metadata associated with a playlist. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein one or more microphones of the first playback device and the second playback device are deactivated while the DND feature is activated on the first playback device and the second playback device.