Control based on proximity
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A playback device comprising:
- a housing configured to be supported by a substantially horizontal surface;
a network interface carried by the housing and configured to communicate with an external device over a local area network;
a screen-less capacitive touch-control interface carried on an exterior surface of the housing, wherein the screen-less capacitive touch-control interface comprises a play/pause control, that when selected, (a) stops audio playback or (b) starts playback if the audio playback is stopped;
a proximity sensor carried on the exterior surface of the housing and calibrated to detect presence of a hand at a greater range than a capacitive range of the screen-less capacitive touch-control interface;
one or more amplifiers carried by the housing, the one or more amplifiers configured to drive one or more speakers;
one or more processors carried by the housing;
data storage carried by the housing and having stored therein instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the playback device to perform a method comprising;
playing back audio content via the one or more amplifiers and the one or more speakers;
while the playback device is playing back the audio content, detecting, via the proximity sensor, presence of a hand in proximity to the playback device; and
in response to detecting the presence of the hand in proximity to the playback device,stopping the playing back of audio content; and
transmitting, via the network interface, a message to the external device over the local area network that causes the external device to modify an output.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments described herein provide for detecting presence of an object in proximity to a playback device and responsively performing one or more operations. In an example implementation, a playback device detects, via a proximity detector of the playback device, presence of an object in proximity to the playback device. In response to detecting the presence of the object, the playback device performs one or more operations.
112 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A playback device comprising:
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a housing configured to be supported by a substantially horizontal surface; a network interface carried by the housing and configured to communicate with an external device over a local area network; a screen-less capacitive touch-control interface carried on an exterior surface of the housing, wherein the screen-less capacitive touch-control interface comprises a play/pause control, that when selected, (a) stops audio playback or (b) starts playback if the audio playback is stopped; a proximity sensor carried on the exterior surface of the housing and calibrated to detect presence of a hand at a greater range than a capacitive range of the screen-less capacitive touch-control interface; one or more amplifiers carried by the housing, the one or more amplifiers configured to drive one or more speakers; one or more processors carried by the housing; data storage carried by the housing and having stored therein instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the playback device to perform a method comprising; playing back audio content via the one or more amplifiers and the one or more speakers; while the playback device is playing back the audio content, detecting, via the proximity sensor, presence of a hand in proximity to the playback device; and in response to detecting the presence of the hand in proximity to the playback device, stopping the playing back of audio content; and transmitting, via the network interface, a message to the external device over the local area network that causes the external device to modify an output. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method to be performed by a playback device comprising:
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a housing configured to be supported by a substantially horizontal surface; a network interface carried by the housing and configured to communicate with an external device over a local area network; a screen-less capacitive touch-control interface carried on an exterior surface of the housing, wherein the screen-less capacitive touch-control interface comprises a play/pause control, that when selected, (a) stops audio playback or (b) starts playback if the audio playback is stopped; a proximity sensor carried on the exterior surface of the housing and calibrated to detect presence of a hand at a greater range than a capacitive range of the screen-less capacitive touch-control interface; one or more amplifiers carried by the housing, the one or more amplifiers configured to drive one or more speakers; one or more processors carried by the housing; the method comprising; playing back audio content via the one or more amplifiers and the one or more speakers; while the playback device is playing back the audio content, detecting, via the proximity sensor, presence of a hand in proximity to the playback device; and in response to detecting the presence of the hand in proximity to the playback device, stopping the playing back of audio content; and transmitting, via the network interface, a message to the external device over the local area network that causes the external device to modify an output. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a processor of a playback device to cause the processor to perform functions comprising:
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playing back audio content via one or more amplifiers carried in a housing configured to be supported by a substantially horizontal surface, the one or more amplifiers configured to drive one or more speakers; while the playback device is playing back the audio content, detecting, via a proximity sensor, presence of a hand in proximity to the playback device, wherein the proximity sensor is carried on an exterior surface of the housing and calibrated to detect the presence of a hand at a greater range than a capacitive range of a screen-less capacitive touch-control interface carried by the housing, wherein the screen-less capacitive touch-control interface comprises a play/pause control, that when selected, (a) stops audio playback or (b) starts playback if the audio playback is stopped; and in response to detecting the presence of the hand in proximity to the playback device, stopping the playing back of audio content; and transmitting, via a network interface configured to communicate with an external device over a local area network, a message to the external device over the local area network that causes the external device to modify an output. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification