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Acoustic signatures

  • US 9,998,841 B2
  • Filed: 10/20/2016
  • Issued: 06/12/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a controller device, cause the controller device to perform functions comprising:

  • receiving, via a wireless network interface of the controller device, at least one periodic message transmitted by an unidentified multimedia unit, each periodic message indicating that the unidentified multimedia unit is available for media playback control;

    in response to receiving a given periodic message transmitted by the unidentified multimedia unit, causing, via a user interface of a control application, a graphical display to display one or more icons, that when selected, select the unidentified multimedia unit for playback, wherein playback on the controller device is disabled when any multimedia unit is selected for playback;

    in response to detecting selection of the one or more selectable icons, that when selected, select the unidentified multimedia unit for playback, (i) transmitting, via the wireless network interface, a request to connect to the unidentified multimedia unit for media playback control and (ii) enabling a microphone of the controller device to listen for audio signals;

    thereafter, detecting via the microphone of the controller device, an audio signal emitted by a particular multimedia unit in response to the request to connect to the unidentified multimedia unit, wherein the audio signal comprises an acoustic signature component that includes a series of inaudible tones corresponding to the particular multimedia unit;

    identifying the particular multimedia unit from among at least one other multimedia unit based on the series of inaudible tones included in the acoustic signature component; and

    based on the identification of the particular multimedia unit, causing, via the user interface of the control application, the graphical display to display icons selectable to control, via the wireless network interface, playback of media content by the particular multimedia unit.

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