# US 11,910,181 B2 · Media playback based on sensor data > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,910,181 B2 - Document ID: US11910181B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/189,869 - Filed: 2023-03-24 - Published: 2023-07-27 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-29 - Assignees: Sonos, Inc. - Applicants: Sonos, Inc. - Inventors: Jonathon Reilly; Niels Van Erven - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11910181B2 ## CPC - H04S 7/303: {Tracking of listener position or orientation} - G01S 3/023: {Monitoring or calibrating} - G01S 3/80: using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves - G06F 3/165: {Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path} - H04L 41/22: comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI] - H04L 67/1042: using topology management mechanisms - H04R 3/04: for correcting frequency response - 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) - H04R 29/001: {for loudspeakers (H04R29/007 takes precedence)} - H04R 29/008: {Visual indication of individual signal levels (visual indication of stereophonic sound image H04S7/40)} - H04S 7/302: {Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation (H04S7/301 takes precedence)} - 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 - H04S 7/301: {Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone} - Y02B 20/40: Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection - H04S: STEREOPHONIC SYSTEMS - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - 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) - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract Example techniques relate to playback based on acoustic signals in a system including a first network device and a second network device. A first network device may detect a presence of a user using a camera and/or infrared sensors. The first network device sends, in response to detecting the presence of the user, a particular signal via the first network interface. The second network device receives data corresponding to the particular signal and plays back an audio output corresponding to the particular signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising a first network device and a second network device, the first network device comprising: a first network interface; at least one first processor; and at least one first non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions that are executable by the at least one first processor such that the first network device is configured to perform first functions comprising: receiving, via the first network interface, a first signal, wherein the first signal is representative of an utterance; and after receiving the first signal, causing a third network device to change an operating state, wherein causing the third network device to change the operating state comprises sending, to the third network device via the first network interface, a second signal; and after sending the second signal, causing the second network device to output, via an audio transducer of the second network device, audio associated with a third signal, wherein causing the second network device to output the audio associated with the third signal comprises: sending, via the first network interface, the third signal to the second network device, and the second network device comprising: one or more microphones; a second network interface; at least one second processor; at least one second tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium; and second program instructions stored on the at least one second tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the at least one second processor, cause the second network device to perform second functions comprising: detecting, via the one or more microphones, the utterance; and sending, via the second network interface, the first signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein sending the second signal comprises sending the second signal over a first data network. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the first data network comprises a wide area network. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the second network device and the third network device are connected to a second data network that includes a router, and wherein sending the second signal comprises sending the second signal over the first data network and the second data network via the router. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein sending the second signal comprises sending the second signal over the first data network via an internet service provider connected to the router. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the second data network comprises a mesh network. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein causing the third network device to change the operating state comprises causing the third network device to power on or power off. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein causing the third network device to change the operating state comprises causing the third network device to adjust, based on the second signal, a characteristic of a sound field output via at least one audio transducer of the third network device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein causing the third network device to change the operating state comprises causing the third network device to form a synchronous playback group with at least one additional network device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising the third network device, wherein the second network device comprises a first audio transducer, and wherein the third network device comprises a video display and a second audio transducer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising the third network device, wherein the third network device comprises a light source. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first signal is identical to the second signal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first functions comprise: after sending the second signal and before sending the third signal to the second network device, receiving, via the first network interface, a fourth signal from the third network device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the third network device is configured for outdoor use. ### Claim 15 A system comprising: at least one first network device; a network interface; at least one processor; and at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the at least one first network device is configured to perform functions comprising: receiving, via the network interface, a first signal, wherein the first signal is representative of an utterance detected via a microphone of a second network device; determine a second signal based on the first signal; after receiving the first signal, causing a third network device to change an operating state, wherein causing the third network device to change the operating state comprises sending, to the third network device via the network interface, the second signal; and after sending the second signal, causing the second network device to output, via an audio transducer of the second network device, audio corresponding to a third signal, wherein causing the second network device to output the audio associated with the third signal comprises: sending, via the network interface, the third signal to the second network device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein sending the second signal comprises sending the second signal over a first data network. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the first data network comprises a wide area network. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the second network device and the third network device are connected to a second data network that includes a router, and wherein sending the second signal comprises sending the second signal over the first data network and the second data network via the router. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein sending the second signal comprises sending the second signal over the first data network via an internet service provider connected to the router. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the second data network comprises a mesh network. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein causing the third network device to change the operating state comprises causing the third network device to power on or power off. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein causing the third network device to change the operating state comprises causing the third network device to adjust, based on the second signal, a characteristic of a sound field output via at least one audio transducer of the third network device. ### Claim 23 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein causing the third network device to change the operating state comprises causing the third network device to form a synchronous playback group with at least one additional network device. ### Claim 24 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the second network device comprises a first audio transducer, and wherein the third network device comprises a video display and a second audio transducer. ### Claim 25 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the third network device comprises a light source. ### Claim 26 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the first signal is identical to the second signal. ### Claim 27 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the functions comprise: after sending the second signal and before sending the third signal, receiving, via the network interface, a fourth signal from the third network device. ### Claim 28 A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by at least one processor to configure at least one first network device to: receive, via a network interface, a first signal, wherein the first signal is representative of an utterance detected via a microphone of a second network device; determine a second signal based on the first signal; and after receipt of the first signal corresponding to the first signal, cause a third network device to change an operating state, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to cause the third network device to change the operating state comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to: send, to the third network device via the network interface, the second signal; and after sending the second signal, cause the second network device to output, via an audio transducer of the second network device, audio corresponding to a third signal, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to cause the second network device to output the audio associated with the third signal comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to: send, via the network interface, the third signal to the second network device. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first network device is configured to: after sending the second signal and before sending the third signal, receive, via the network interface, a fourth signal from the third network device. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the at least one first network device is configured to cause the third network device to change the operating state comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the at least one first network device is configured to: cause the third network device to adjust, based on the second signal, a characteristic of a sound field output via at least one audio transducer of the third network device.