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US 11,689,858 B2Granted
Device designation of playback and network microphone device arrangements
AssigneeSonos, Inc.
InventorsSein Woo, Andrew Lindley, Ryan Myers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Example techniques relate to device spaces and default designations in a media playback system. A device space may create an association between a networked microphone device and one or more playback devices such that certain voice commands (e.g., playback commands) received by the networked microphone device are used to control the one or more playback devices (unless otherwise designated in the voice command). Furthermore, in bonded pairs and bonded groups of playback devices that include at least one NMD, certain playback devices within the bonded pair or group may be designated as default so as to avoid multiple responses to a voice input.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a first playback device comprising at least one microphone, at least one first audio transducer, and a first housing carrying the at least one microphone and the at least one first audio transducer;
- a second playback device comprising at least one second audio transducer and a second housing carrying the at least one second audio transducer;
- at least one processor;
- and
- data storage including instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
- form a bonded zone that includes the first playback device and the second playback device, the first playback device configured to output at least one first channel of multi-channel audio content in the bonded zone and the second playback device configured to output at least one second channel of the multi-channel audio content in the bonded zone, wherein the first playback device is configured as a default network microphone device (NMD) for first voice inputs and the second playback device is configured as a default NMD for second voice inputs;
- receive, via the at least one microphone, first voice data comprising a particular first voice input;
- after the particular first voice input is processed via a voice assistant, select the first playback device for output of an audio response to the particular first voice input based on configuration of the first playback device as the default NMD for first voice inputs;
- output the audio response to the particular first voice input via the at least one first audio transducer of the first playback device;
- receive, via the at least one microphone, second voice data comprising a particular second voice input;
- after the particular second voice input is processed via the voice assistant, select the second playback device for output of an audio response to the particular second voice input based on configuration of the second playback device as the default NMD for second voice inputs;
- and
- output the audio response to the particular second voice input via the at least one second audio transducer of the second playback device.
10 more elements
A first playback device comprising:
- at least one microphone;
- at least one first audio transducer,
- a first housing carrying the at least one microphone and the at least one first audio transducer;
- at least one processor;
- and
- data storage including instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to:
- form a bonded zone that includes the first playback device and a second playback device, the first playback device configured to output at least one first channel of multi-channel audio content in the bonded zone and the second playback device configured to output at least one second channel of the multi-channel audio content in the bonded zone, wherein the second playback device comprises at least one second audio transducer and a second housing carrying the at least one second audio transducer, and wherein the first playback device is configured as a default network microphone device (NMD) for first voice inputs and the second playback device is configured as a default NMD for second voice inputs;
- receive, via the at least one microphone, first voice data comprising a particular first voice input;
- after the particular first voice input is processed via a voice assistant, select the first playback device for output of an audio response to the particular first voice input based on configuration of the first playback device as the default NMD for first voice inputs;
- output the audio response to the particular first voice input via the at least one first audio transducer of the first playback device;
- receive, via the at least one microphone, second voice data comprising a particular second voice input;
- after the particular second voice input is processed via the voice assistant, select the second playback device for output of an audio response to the particular second voice input based on configuration of the second playback device as the default NMD for second voice inputs;
- and
- cause the second playback device to output the audio response to the particular second voice input via the at least one second audio transducer of the second playback device.
11 more elements
A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that are executable by at least one processor of a first playback device such that the first playback device is configured to:
- form a bonded zone that includes the first playback device and a second playback device, the first playback device configured to output at least one first channel of multi-channel audio content in the bonded zone and the second playback device configured to output at least one second channel of the multi-channel audio content in the bonded zone, wherein the first playback device comprises at least one microphone, at least one first audio transducer, and a first housing carrying the at least one microphone and at least one first audio transducer;
- wherein the second playback device comprises at least one second audio transducer and a second housing carrying the at least one second audio transducer, and wherein the first playback device is configured as a default network microphone device (NMD) for first voice inputs and the second playback device is configured as a default NMD for second voice inputs;
- receive, via the at least one microphone, first voice data comprising a particular first voice input;
- after the particular first voice input is processed via a voice assistant, select the first playback device for output of an audio response to the particular first voice input based on configuration of the first playback device as the default NMD for first voice inputs;
- output the audio response to the particular first voice input via the at least one first audio transducer of the first playback device;
- receive, via the at least one microphone, second voice data comprising a particular second voice input;
- after the particular second voice input is processed via the voice assistant, select the second playback device for output of an audio response to the particular second voice input based on configuration of the second playback device as the default NMD for second voice inputs;
- and
- cause the second playback device to output the audio response to the particular second voice input via the at least one second audio transducer of the second playback device.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.