Networked microphone device control

• US 10,264,030 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2017
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Kusano, Mieko, Wilberding, Dayn, Wenocur, Jonathan, Lang, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Gay, Sonia L
• Application Number:
  US15/438,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20170245076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1059 End-user terminal functionalities specially adapted for real-time communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• 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 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones

Abstract

Systems and methods disclosed herein include, while a microphone of a first networked microphone device is enabled, determining whether a first reference device is in a specific state, and in response to determining that the first reference device is in the specific state, disabling the microphone of the first networked microphone device. Some embodiments further include, while the microphone of the first networked microphone device is enabled, receiving a command to disable the microphone of the first networked microphone device via one of the microphone of the networked microphone device or a network interface of the networked microphone device, and in response to receiving the command to disable the microphone of the networked microphone device via one of the microphone of the networked microphone device or the network interface of the networked microphone device, disabling the microphone of the networked microphone device.

Claims

1. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a first networked microphone device to perform a method comprising:

while a microphone of the first networked microphone device is enabled, determining whether a first reference device is in a specific state; and

in response to determining that the first reference device is in the specific state, disabling the microphone of the first networked microphone device, wherein the first reference device comprises a media playback device comprising a microphone, and wherein the specific state of the media playback device comprises the media playback device in a microphone disabled state.

2. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

while the microphone of the first networked microphone device is disabled, determining that the first reference device is no longer in the specific state; and

in response to determining that the first reference device is no longer in the specific state, enabling the microphone of the first networked microphone device.

3. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

while the microphone of the first networked microphone device is disabled, determining that a second reference device is in a particular state; and

in response to determining that the second reference device is in the particular state, enabling the microphone of the first networked microphone device.

4. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 3, wherein the second reference device comprises a home security system, and wherein the particular state of the home security system comprises an alarm-activated state.

5. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 3, wherein the second reference device comprises a motion sensor, and wherein the particular state of the motion sensor comprises a motion-detected state.

6. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein determining whether the first reference device is in the specific state comprises querying the first reference device.

7. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein determining whether the first reference device is in the specific state comprises querying a computing device associated with the first reference device.

8. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein determining whether the first reference device is in the specific state comprises the first networked microphone device receiving a message via a network interface of the first networked microphone device, wherein the message indicates that the first reference device is in the specific state.

9. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the first reference device comprises one or more lights, and wherein the specific state of the first reference device comprises one or more lights that are in a powered-off state.

10. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the media playback device is configured to play content in synchrony with one or more additional media playback devices.

11. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the media playback device is configured to play content in synchrony with at least the first networked microphone device.

12. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the media playback device is a member of a grouping of media playback devices.

13. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the media playback device is a member of one of (i) a zone group comprising two or more media playback devices, (ii) a bonded playback device, and (iii) a consolidated playback device.

14. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the first reference device comprises a second networked microphone device, and wherein the specific state of the second networked microphone device comprises a microphone of the second networked microphone device is disabled.

15. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the media playback device is associated with the first networked microphone device, and wherein the specific state of the media playback device further comprises the media playback device playing a first type of media content.

16. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the first networked microphone device and the first reference device are contained within a common enclosure.

17. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the first networked microphone device and the media playback device are contained within a common enclosure, and wherein the specific state of the media playback device further comprises the media playback device playing a first type of media content.

18. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the first reference device is configured to provide a time of day, and wherein the specific state of the first reference device further comprises a time of day within a predefined range of times.

19. A first networked microphone device comprising:

one or more processors;

a microphone; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first networked microphone device to perform a method comprising;

while the microphone of the first networked microphone device is enabled, determining whether a first reference device is in a specific state; and

in response to determining that the first reference device is in the specific state, disabling the microphone of the first networked microphone device, wherein the first reference device comprises a media playback device comprising a microphone, and wherein the specific state of the media playback device comprises the media playback device in a microphone disabled state.

20. The first networked microphone device of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises:

while the microphone of the first networked microphone device is disabled, determining that the first reference device is no longer in the specific state; and

in response to determining that the first reference device is no longer in the specific state, enabling the microphone of the first networked microphone device.

21. The first networked microphone device of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises:

while the microphone of the first networked microphone device is disabled, determining that a second reference device is in a particular state; and

in response to determining that the second reference device is in the particular state, enabling the microphone of the first networked microphone device.

22. The first networked microphone device of claim 21, wherein the second reference device comprises at least one of (i) a home security system, and wherein the particular state of the home security system comprises an alarm-activated state, or (ii) a motion sensor, and wherein the particular state of the motion sensor comprises a motion-detected state.

23. The first networked microphone device of claim 19, wherein the first networked microphone device and the media playback device are contained within a common enclosure, and wherein the specific state of the media playback device further comprises the media playback device playing a first type of media content.