Default playback devices

• US 10,212,512 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2017
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Lang, Jonathan P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-See
• Application Number:
  US15/811,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20180070171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 381 92, 381 56- 59, 381 81, 381314, 381300, 381303, 381 61, 381 77, 381 96, 381 79, 700 94, 715736, 715716, 370338, 4554143
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/14 using statistical models, e.g. Hidden Markov Models [HMMs] G10L15/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/02 Speech enhancement, e.g. noise reduction or echo cancellation reducing echo effects in line transmission systems H04B3/20; echo suppression in hands-free telephones H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/007 for public address systems public address systems per se H04R27/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/303 Tracking of listener position or orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 : Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Systems and method discussed herein involve applying a designation of a default playback device in a media playback system. One method may involve maintaining a database comprising data indicating an assignment of an identification of a network microphone device to a playback zone of a media playback system, receiving a message indicating (i) the identification of the network microphone device and (ii) a media playback command, identifying the playback zone in the media playback system based on the data in the database and the received message, and transmitting to the playback zone, a message indicating the media playback command.

Claims

1. A system comprising a computing device and a network microphone device coupled to the computing device over a network, wherein the network microphone device is configured to receive voice inputs, and wherein the computing device comprises:

at least one processor; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising;

receiving from the network microphone device, at least one message comprising an indication of the network microphone device and data indicating voice input, wherein the voice input comprises a media playback command associated with a media playback system comprising a plurality of playback devices;

based on the received at least one message, determining that the voice input does not identify any playback device of the media playback system that is to execute the media playback command;

in response to the determining, identifying a particular set of two or more playback devices of the media playback system based on the indication of the network microphone device;

further determining a first playback state of a first playback device in the identified set of two or more playback devices and a second playback state of a second playback device in the identified set of two or more playback devices;

based on the further determining, selecting the first playback device to execute the media playback command and foregoing selection of the second playback device to execute the media playback command; and

transmitting an instruction to the media playback system to cause the first playback device to execute the media playback command.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the media playback command comprises a pause command, wherein the first playback device is playing back media content in the first playback state, and wherein the second playback device is not playing back audio content in the second playback state.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first playback device is associated with a playback queue in the first playback state, and wherein the second playback device is not associated with a playback queue in the second playback state.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the first playback device or the second playback device comprises the network microphone device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein transmitting the instruction to the media playback system comprises transmitting the instruction to a remote server associated with the media playback system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein transmitting the instruction to the media playback system comprises transmitting the instruction to the first playback device via playback device of the media playback system.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one other playback device is a member of the identified set of two or more playback devices.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one other playback device, wherein the at least one other playback device comprises the network microphone device.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving, via a computing device, a message comprising an indication of a network microphone device and data indicating voice input, wherein the voice input comprises a media playback command associated with a media playback system comprising a plurality of playback devices;

based on the received at least one message, determining, via the computing device, that the voice input does not identify any playback device of the media playback system that is to execute the media playback command;

in response to the determining, identifying, via the computing device, a particular set of two or more playback devices of the media playback system based on the indication of the network microphone device;

further determining, via the computing device, a first playback state of a first playback device in the identified set of two or more playback devices and a second playback state of a second playback device in the identified set of two or more playback devices;

based on the further determining, selecting, via the computing device, the first playback device to execute the media playback command and foregoing selection of the second playback device to execute the media playback command; and

transmitting, via the computing device, an instruction to the media playback system to cause the first playback device to execute the media playback command.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the media playback command comprises a pause command, wherein the first playback device is playing back media content in the first playback state, and wherein the second playback device is not playing back audio content in the second playback state.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first playback device is associated with a playback queue in the first playback state, and wherein the second playback device is not associated with a playback queue in the second playback state.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein one of the first playback device or the second playback device comprises the network microphone device.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein transmitting the instruction to the media playback system comprises transmitting the instruction to a remote server associated with the media playback system.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein transmitting the instruction to the media playback system comprises transmitting the instruction to the first playback device via playback device of the media playback system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one other playback device is a member of the identified set of two or more playback devices.

16. A computing device comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising;

receiving, from a network microphone device that is coupled to the computing device over a network and is configured to receive voice inputs, at least one message comprising an indication of the network microphone device and data indicating a voice input, wherein the voice input comprises a media playback command associated with a media playback system comprising a plurality of playback devices;

based on the received at least one message, determining that the voice input does not identify any playback device of the media playback system that is to execute the media playback command;

in response to the determining, identifying a particular set of two or more playback devices of the media playback system based on the indication of the network microphone device;

further determining a first playback state of a first playback device in the identified set of two or more playback devices and a second playback state of a second playback device in the identified set of two or more playback devices;

based on the further determining, selecting the first playback device to execute the media playback command and foregoing selection of the second playback device to execute the media playback command; and

transmitting an instruction to the media playback system to cause the first playback device to execute the media playback command.

17. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the media playback command comprises a pause command, wherein the first playback device is playing back media content in the first playback state, and wherein the second playback device is not playing back audio content in the second playback state.

18. The computing device of claim 16, wherein one of the first playback device or the second playback device comprises the network microphone device.

19. The computing device of claim 16, wherein transmitting the instruction to the media playback system comprises transmitting the instruction to a remote server associated with the media playback system.

20. The computing device of claim 16, wherein transmitting the instruction to the media playback system comprises transmitting the instruction to the first playback device via at least one other playback device of the media playback system.