# US 12,118,995 B1 · Identifying a location of a voice-input device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,118,995 B1 - Document ID: US12118995B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/935,486 - Filed: 2022-09-26 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2012-09-21 - Assignees: Amazon Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Amazon Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Scott Ian Blanksteen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12118995B1 ## CPC - G10L 15/22: Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue - 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} - H04R 29/00: Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements {(for hearing aids H04R25/30; detection of loudspeaker connection H04R5/04; sound-field adaptation dependent on speaker detection H04S7/308)} - H04S 7/302: {Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation (H04S7/301 takes precedence)} - G10L 2015/223: {Execution procedure of a spoken command} - G10L 2015/226: {using non-speech characteristics} - H04R 2227/005: Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use - H04S 7/305: {Electronic adaptation of stereophonic audio signals to reverberation of the listening space (H04S7/301 takes precedence)} - G10L: SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING - 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) - H04S: STEREOPHONIC SYSTEMS ## Abstract Techniques for identifying a location of a voice-controlled device within an environment. After identifying a location of the device, the device may receive a voice command from a user within the environment and may determine a response to the command based in part on the location, may determine how to output a response based in part on the location or may determine how to interact with the user based in part on the location. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: one or more processors; and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: receiving sensor data generated by one or more sensors of a first electronic device residing in an environment; analyzing the sensor data to determine a location of the first electronic device in the environment; storing location data indicating the location of the first electronic device in the environment; receiving, from the first electronic device, request data representing a request to perform an operation; causing the first electronic device or a second electronic device in the environment to perform the operation based at least in part on the request and the location data. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor data comprises first sensor data, the location comprises a first location, the location data comprises first location data, and the operations further comprise: receiving second sensor data generated by the one or more sensors of the first electronic device; analyzing the second sensor data to determine a second location of the first electronic device in the environment; and storing second location data indicating the second location of the first electronic device in the environment. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the request data comprises first request data, the request comprises a first request, the operation comprises a first operation, and the operations further comprise: receiving, from the first electronic device, second request data representing a second request to perform a second operation; causing the first electronic device or the second electronic device to perform the second operation based at least in part on the second request and the second location data. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a camera, the sensor data comprises image data generated by the camera, and the analyzing comprises analyzing the image data to determine the location of the first electronic device in the environment. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a microphone, the sensor data comprises audio data generated by the microphone, and the analyzing comprises analyzing the audio data to determine the location of the first electronic device in the environment. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein: the one or more sensors comprise a microphone; the sensor data comprises audio data generated by the microphone; and the analyzing comprises analyzing the audio data to determine an echo characteristic of the environment, the determining of the location based at least in part on the echo characteristic. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein: the one or more sensors comprise a microphone; the sensor data comprises audio data generated by the microphone; and the analyzing comprises analyzing the audio data to determine background noise of the environment, the determining of the location based at least in part on the background noise. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, the operations further comprising determining, based at least in part on at least one of the sensor data, an identity of a user associated with the request, and wherein causing the first electronic device or the second electronic device to perform the operation is further based at least in part on the identity of the user. ### Claim 9 A method comprising: receiving sensor data generated by one or more sensors of a first electronic device residing in an environment; analyzing the sensor data to determine a location of the first electronic device in the environment; storing location data indicating the location of the first electronic device in the environment; receiving, from the first electronic device, request data representing a request to perform an operation; causing the first electronic device or a second electronic device in the environment to perform the operation based at least in part on the request and the location data. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the sensor data comprises first sensor data, the location comprises a first location, the location data comprises first location data, and the method further comprises: receiving second sensor data generated by the one or more sensors of the first electronic device; analyzing the second sensor data to determine a second location of the first electronic device in the environment; and storing second location data indicating the second location of the first electronic device in the environment. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the request data comprises first request data, the request comprises a first request, the operation comprises a first operation, and the method further comprises: receiving, from the first electronic device, second request data representing a second request to perform a second operation; causing the first electronic device or the second electronic device to perform the second operation based at least in part on the second request and the second location data. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a camera, the sensor data comprises image data generated by the camera, and the analyzing comprises analyzing the image data to determine the location of the first electronic device in the environment. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a microphone, the sensor data comprises audio data generated by the microphone, and the analyzing comprises analyzing the audio data to determine the location of the first electronic device in the environment. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method as recited in claim 9, wherein: the one or more sensors comprise a microphone; the sensor data comprises audio data generated by the microphone; and the analyzing comprises analyzing the audio data to determine an echo characteristic of the environment, the determining of the location based at least in part on the echo characteristic. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method as recited in claim 9, wherein: the one or more sensors comprise a microphone; the sensor data comprises audio data generated by the microphone; and the analyzing comprises analyzing the audio data to determine background noise of the environment, the determining of the location based at least in part on the background noise. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising determining, based at least in part on at least one of the sensor data, an identity of a user associated with the request, and wherein causing the first electronic device or the second electronic device to perform the operation is further based at least in part on the identity of the user. ### Claim 17 One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: receiving sensor data generated by one or more sensors of a first electronic device residing in an environment; analyzing the sensor data to determine a location of the first electronic device in the environment; storing location data indicating the location of the first electronic device in the environment; receiving, from the first electronic device, request data representing a request to perform an operation; causing the first electronic device or a second electronic device in the environment to perform the operation based at least in part on the request and the location data. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 17, wherein the sensor data comprises first sensor data, the location comprises a first location, the location data comprises first location data, and the operations further comprise: receiving second sensor data generated by the one or more sensors of the first electronic device; analyzing the second sensor data to determine a second location of the first electronic device in the environment; and storing second location data indicating the second location of the first electronic device in the environment. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 18, wherein the request data comprises first request data, the request comprises a first request, the operation comprises a first operation, and the operations further comprise: receiving, from the first electronic device, second request data representing a second request to perform a second operation; causing the first electronic device or the second electronic device to perform the second operation based at least in part on the second request and the second location data. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 17, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a camera, the sensor data comprises image data generated by the camera, and the analyzing comprises analyzing the image data to determine the location of the first electronic device in the environment.