Identification of preferred communication devices

A communication method, comprising:

• receiving a user spoken phrase that is a trigger phrase;
• associating an audio volume signature with the trigger phrase;
• obtaining volume level information for each of a set of connected communication devices that include a microphone and a speaker;
• comparing the obtained volume level information to the audio volume signature to determine the volume level information is indicative of a spoken trigger phrase;
• and
• identifying a preferred communication device among the set of communication devices according to an audio volume preference rule.

A memory resource storing instructions that when executed cause a processing resource to effect a communication operation at a computing device, the instructions comprising:

• a volume level receipt module that when executed causes the processing resource to obtain volume level information for each of a set of connected communication devices that include a microphone and a speaker;
• a trigger phrase identification module that when executed causes the processing resource to analyze the obtained volume level information to determine the volume level information is indicative of a spoken trigger phrase;
• a preferred communication device identification module that when executed causes the processing resource to identify a preferred communication device among the set of communication devices according to an audio preference rule;
• a trigger phrase sending module that when executed causes the processing resource to send trigger data indicative of the trigger phrase to a system hosting a virtual assistant service;
• a response receipt module that when executed causes the processing resource to receive from the system a response phrase determined by the virtual assistant service;
• and
• a response sending module that when executed causes the processing resource to send the response phrase to the preferred communication device for output via a speaker.