# US 2018/0324536 A1 · Multiple Room Communication System and Method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0324536 A1 - Document ID: US20180324536A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/037,276 - Filed: 2018-07-17 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-02 - Assignees: Bose Corporation - Applicants: Bose Corporation - Inventors: Don L. Drinkwater; Naganagouda B. Patil - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180324536A1 ## CPC - 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) - 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 2227/003: Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet - H04R 2227/005: Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use - 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) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A method for operating a wireless audio playback device that has an electro-acoustic transducer and a microphone, wherein the wireless audio playback device is configured for playback of audio signals received from a plurality of digital audio sources and for synchronized audio playback with one or more other wireless audio playback devices. A particular predefined user action is detected. Based on the detection, wireless communication with another wireless audio playback device is enabled. Then an audio signal received by the device microphone is transmitted to and played by the other wireless audio playback device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wireless audio playback device that is configured for playback of audio signals received from a plurality of digital audio sources and for synchronized audio playback with at least one other wireless audio playback device, comprising: an electro-acoustic transducer; a first microphone that is configured to detect speech; a wireless network interface that is configured to accomplish wireless communication with at least one other wireless audio playback device, to support the synchronized audio playback; a user interface comprising a user-operable button; and a processor that is configured to execute instructions that cause the wireless audio playback device to: playback received audio signals; select another wireless audio playback device to communicate with; detect a single operation of the button and in response automatically connect with a particular audio source, such that the particular audio source begins playing on the electro-acoustic transducer; while the wireless audio playback device is playing the particular audio source, detect a double operation of the button, and in response stop playing the particular audio source and establish a wireless local area network communication channel with the selected wireless audio playback device; after establishing a wireless local area network communication channel with the selected wireless audio playback device, wirelessly transmit to the selected wireless audio playback device, over the wireless local area network communication channel, speech detected by the first microphone, where the selected wireless audio playback device has a second microphone that is configured to detect speech; and then receive from the selected wireless audio playback device over the wireless local area network communication channel speech that was detected by the second microphone; and then play the received speech using the electro-acoustic transducer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wireless audio playback device of claim 1, wherein the selected wireless audio playback device is located in a different room than the wireless audio playback device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The wireless audio playback device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions that cause the wireless audio playback device to detect an operation of a portable computing device and in response stop playing the particular audio source and establish a wireless local area network communication channel with the selected wireless audio playback device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The wireless audio playback device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions that cause the wireless audio playback device to detect a voice command and in response stop playing the particular audio source and establish a wireless local area network communication channel with the selected wireless audio playback device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The wireless audio playback device of claim 1, wherein the selected wireless audio playback device comprises wireless headphones. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The wireless audio playback device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to wirelessly transmit to the selected wireless audio playback device speech detected by the first microphone only for a predetermined amount of time after the detection of the double push of the button. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The wireless audio playback device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions that cause the wireless audio playback device to, after detecting a double operation of the button, activate the first microphone so it is configured to detect speech, where the activation is only for a predetermined short time. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The wireless audio playback device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions that cause the wireless audio playback device to, after detecting a double operation of the button, activate the first microphone so it is configured to detect speech, where the activation is only for as long as speech is detected and for a short time thereafter. ### Claim 9 A method that uses first and second wireless audio playback devices that are each configured for playback of audio signals received from a plurality of digital audio sources and for synchronized audio playback with one or more other wireless audio playback devices, where each of the first and second wireless audio playback devices comprises an electro-acoustic transducer, a user interface comprising a user-operable button, a microphone that is configured to detect speech, and a wireless network interface that provides for wireless communication with another wireless audio playback device, the method comprising: detecting a single operation of the button of the first wireless audio playback device and in response automatically connecting the first wireless audio playback device with a particular audio source, such that the particular audio source begins playing on the electro-acoustic transducer of the first wireless audio playback device; while the first wireless audio playback device is playing the particular audio source, detecting a double operation of the button of the first wireless audio playback device, and in response stopping the play of the particular audio source and establishing a wireless local area network communication channel with the second wireless audio playback device; after establishing a wireless local area network communication channel with the second wireless audio playback device, wirelessly transmitting to the second wireless audio playback device, over the wireless local area network communication channel, speech detected by the microphone of the first wireless audio playback device; and then receiving at the first wireless audio playback device from the second wireless audio playback device over the wireless local area network communication channel, speech that was detected by the microphone of the second wireless audio playback device; and then playing the received speech using the electro-acoustic transducer of the first wireless audio playback device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the second wireless audio playback device is located in a different room than the first wireless audio playback device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising causing the first wireless audio playback device to detect an operation of a portable computing device and in response stopping the play of the particular audio source and establishing a wireless local area network communication channel with the second wireless audio playback device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising causing the first wireless audio playback device to detect a voice command and in response stopping the play of the particular audio source and establishing a wireless local area network communication channel with the second wireless audio playback device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the second wireless audio playback device comprises wireless headphones. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising wirelessly transmitting to the second wireless audio playback device speech detected by the microphone of the first wireless audio playback device only for a predetermined amount of time after the detection of the double push of the button. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising causing the first wireless audio playback device to, after detecting a double operation of the button, activate its microphone so it is configured to detect speech, where the activation is only for a predetermined short time. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising causing the first wireless audio playback device to, after detecting a double operation of the button, activate its microphone so it is configured to detect speech, where the activation is only for as long as speech is detected and for a short time thereafter.