# US 2022/0279221 A1 · Supplemental audio content for group communications

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- Number: US 2022/0279221 A1
- Document ID: US20220279221A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/326,750
- Filed: 2021-05-21
- Published: 2022-09-01
- Earliest claimed: 2016-06-07
- Assignees: Orion Labs, Inc.
- Applicants: Orion Labs
- Inventors: Greg Albrecht; Jesse Robbins; Ellen Juhlin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220279221A1

## CPC

- H04N 21/233: Processing of audio elementary streams {(monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58)}
- G06F 3/165: {Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path}
- G06F 16/632: Query formulation
- G06F 16/635: Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
- G10L 17/00: Speaker identification or verification techniques
- H04L 65/4061: Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
- H04L 67/04: specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G10L: SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

Systems, methods, software and apparatus enable providing supplemental audio content to members of a communication group via a group communication service that manages the multiple member user nodes' transmission and receipt of communications between and among the member user nodes. A request for audio content (e.g., from the communication group or a member user node) causes the group communication service to launch a bot node member to locate and deliver the requested audio content. The audio content can be merged with user node communications (e.g., as transmission packets or as streaming audio content). In some implementations each user node includes a wearable push-to-talk end user device linked to a communication device executing a communication application connected to the group communication service.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-19. (canceled)

### Claim 20

A method comprising:
operating a group communication system configured to manage audio communications between user nodes in a communication group, including:
receiving, at the group communication system, audio content from an audio content source; and
delivering, from the group communication system, the audio content to one or more user nodes of the communication group, including merging the audio content with member node communications by mixing the audio content and user communications.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20 further comprising:
receiving, at the group communication system, an audio content request from a user node in the communication group; and
receiving and delivering the audio content in response to the audio content request.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20 further comprising:
launching, at the group communication system, a bot node as a member of the communication group to deliver the audio content from the audio content source to the group communication system; and
receiving, at the group communication system, the audio content from the audio content source via the bot node.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22 further comprising:
delivering the audio content comprises merging the audio content with member user node communications by adding the audio content as a member node audio stream to the communication group from the bot node.

### Claim 24 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20 further comprising:
receiving, at the group communication system, an indication from a user node in the communication group to select a setting for the audio content; and
adjusting the setting for the audio content delivered to the user node based on the indication.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24 further comprising the setting includes the audio content source.

### Claim 26 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24 further comprising the setting includes a volume of the audio content.

### Claim 27 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24 further comprising the setting is received based on a selection made via a user interface of the user node.

### Claim 28 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20 further comprising:
delivering the audio content to the one or more user nodes includes providing the audio content to a communication application executing on the one or more user nodes, wherein the communication application is configured to:
manage bi-directional communications between a first user node on which the communication application is executing and other member nodes of the communication group; and
merge the audio content received by the communication application with the member node communications.

### Claim 29

A memory device storing instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform a method comprising:
operating a group communication system configured to manage audio communications between user nodes in a communication group, including:
receiving, at the group communication system, audio content from an audio content source; and
delivering, from the group communication system, the audio content to one or more user nodes of the communication group, including merging the audio content with member node communications by mixing the audio content and user communications.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The memory device of claim 29 storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform the method further comprising:
receiving, at the group communication system, an audio content request from a user node in the communication group; and
receiving and delivering the audio content in response to the audio content request.

### Claim 31 (depends on 29)

The memory device of claim 29 storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform the method further comprising:
launching, at the group communication system, a bot node as a member of the communication group to deliver the audio content from the audio content source to the group communication system;
receiving, at the group communication system, the audio content from the audio content source via the bot node; and
delivering the audio content comprises merging the audio content with member user node communications by adding the audio content as a member node audio stream to the communication group from the bot node.

### Claim 32 (depends on 29)

The memory device of claim 29 storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform the method further comprising:
receiving, at the group communication system, an indication from a user node in the communication group to select a setting for the audio content; and
adjusting the setting for the audio content delivered to the user node based on the indication.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The memory device of claim 32, wherein the setting includes at least one of:
the audio content source; and
a volume of the audio content.

### Claim 34 (depends on 29)

The memory device of claim 29 storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform the method further comprising:
delivering the audio content to the one or more user nodes includes providing the audio content to a communication application executing on the one or more user nodes, wherein the communication application is configured to:
manage bi-directional communications between a first user node on which the communication application is executing and other member nodes of the communication group; and
merge the audio content received by the communication application with the member node communications.

### Claim 35

An apparatus comprising:
a processor;
a memory storing instructions that cause the processor to implement a group communication system configured to manage audio communications between user nodes in a communication group, including:
receive an audio content request from a user node in the communication group;
in response to the request, receive audio content from an audio content source; and
deliver the audio content to one or more user nodes of the communication group, including merging the audio content with member node communications by mixing the audio content and user communications.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The apparatus of claim 35 comprising the processor configured to implement the group communication system, further including:
in response to the request, launch a bot node as a member of the communication group to deliver the audio content from the audio content source to the group communication system;
receive the audio content from the audio content source via the bot node; and
deliver the audio content, further comprising merging the audio content with member user node communications by adding the audio content as a member node audio stream to the communication group from the bot node.

### Claim 37 (depends on 35)

The apparatus of claim 35 comprising the processor configured to implement the group communication system, further including:
receive an indication from the user node to select a setting for the audio content; and
adjust the setting for the audio content delivered to the user node based on the indication, wherein the setting includes the audio content source.

### Claim 38 (depends on 36)

The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the setting is received based on a selection made via a user interface of the user node.

### Claim 39 (depends on 35)

The apparatus of claim 35 comprising the processor configured to implement the group communication system, further including:
deliver the audio content to the one or more user nodes by providing the audio content to a communication application executing on the one or more user nodes, wherein the communication application is configured to:
manage bi-directional communications between a first user node on which the communication application is executing and other member nodes of the communication group; and
merge the audio content received by the communication application with the member node communications.

### Claim 40 (depends on 35)

The apparatus of claim 35 comprising the processor configured to implement the group communication system, further including:
deliver the audio content to the one or more user nodes on a separate channel from communications between user nodes, to enable continuous play of the received audio content on user nodes without interrupting group communications.