Providing hands-free service to multiple devices

• US 8,983,383 B1
• Filed: 09/25/2012
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rawles, LLC (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Haskin, Menashe
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsieh, Ping
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yang, James
• Application Number:
  US13/626,624
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00

Abstract

Techniques for providing audio services to multiple devices are described. For instance, connections between a hands-free unit and multiple wireless devices are established. The connections are themselves used to establish active communication channels, such as active audio communication channels, between the hands-free unit and the wireless devices, such as during a phone call. Upon establishment of an active communication channel with one of the wireless devices, the connections to the other wireless devices are disconnected—and/or additional connections refused—for the duration of the active communication channel. Furthermore, a routing module in various embodiments permits multiple hands-free units to route active communication channels to each other depending on user location.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a microphone;

a speaker;

one or more processors; and

a hands-free module executable by the one or more processors to;

establish a first hands-free service connection to a first wireless device and a second hands-free service connection to a second wireless device, wherein the hands-free module provides hands-free functions, including at least initiating phone calls and answering phone calls via the first hands-free service connection and the second hands-free service connection;

utilize the first hands-free service connection to establish an active audio communication channel with the first wireless device;

disconnect the second hands-free service connection at least partly in response to establishment of the active audio communication channel with the first wireless device, the hands-free module refraining from re-establishing the second hands-free service connection with the second wireless device during a time that the active audio communication channel with the first wireless device is active;

transmit, to the first wireless device and via the active audio communication channel, audio data generated based, at least in part, on input provided by the microphone; and

cause the speaker to produce sound based, at least in part, on audio data received via the active audio communication channel to the first wireless device; and

a hands-free routing module executable by the one or more processors to route the active audio communication channel to another apparatus having a second microphone and a second speaker at least partly in response to receiving an indication from the other apparatus that a first user associated with the first wireless device is closer to the other apparatus than to the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hands-free routing module is further executable to route the active audio communication channel to another apparatus based at least on comparison of a first audio signal strength associated with the input provided by the microphone and a second audio signal strength associated with an audio signal captured by a microphone of the other apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hands-free module is further executable to re-establish the second hands-free service connection with the second wireless device upon disconnect of the active audio communication channel to the first wireless device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a user proximity module executable by the one or more processors to;

determine that a second user associated with the second wireless device is closer to the apparatus than to another apparatus; and

transmit a message to the other apparatus indicating that the second user is proximal to the apparatus; and

wherein the hands-free routing module is further executable by the one or more processors to receive another routed active audio communication channel from the other apparatus for the second user.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a user identification engine executable by the one or more processors to:

capture voice data from input received from the microphone; and

identify the second user from the captured voice data, wherein the user proximity module is further executable to utilize an identity of the second user to assist in its determination that the second user is proximal to the apparatus.

6. A method comprising:

establishing a first connection between a first computing system and a first wireless device and a second connection between the first computing system and a second wireless device, the first connection and the second connection configured to support establishment of an active communication channel with the first wireless device and the second wireless device, respectively;

establishing, based at least in part on the first connection, the active communication channel with the first wireless device;

disconnecting the second connection at least partly in response to establishment of the active communication channel with the first wireless device; and

routing the active communication channel from the first computing system to a second computing system based on at least one of a first proximity of a user associated with the first wireless device to the second computing system or on a second proximity of the first wireless device to the second computing system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the active communication channel with the first wireless device is an audio communication channel.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first connection and the second connection are hands-free service connections and wherein the active communication channel established with the first wireless device is an audio communication channel.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the first wireless device and the second wireless device are short-range, wireless communication audio gateways, and wherein the first and second computing systems include a short-range, wireless communication hands-free capability.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

performing at least one of voice recognition or face recognition of the user; and

determining the proximity of the user to the second computing system based on the at least one of voice recognition or face recognition.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising causing at least one a first speaker of the first computing system or a second speaker of the second computing system to output sounds based at least in part on audio signals received from the first wireless device via the active communication channel established with the first wireless device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first wireless device includes a media player module, and wherein the audio signals are generated by the media player module.

13. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

transmitting, to the first wireless device and via the active communication channel, audio signals generated based at least in part by at least one of a first microphone of the first computing system or a second microphone of a second computing system; and

receiving, via the active communication channel, audio signals to be output on at least one of a first speaker of the first computing system or a second speaker of the second computing system.

14. Non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that are executable by one or more processors to:

establish an active audio communication channel to a first wireless device in response to receipt of a phone call to the first wireless device or initiation of a phone call from the first wireless device;

refuse a second control connection to a second wireless device during the active audio communication channel to the first wireless device; and

select, based at least in part on a location of the first wireless device or a user associated with the first wireless device, one of a plurality of speakers on which to output sound associated with audio received from the first wireless device via the active audio communication channel.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors are part of a first apparatus, and wherein the instructions are further executable to route the active audio communication channel to a second apparatus upon a determination that the first wireless device or the user associated with the first wireless device is closer to a speaker of the plurality of speakers associated with the second apparatus than to a speaker of the plurality of speakers associated with the first apparatus.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors are part of a first apparatus, and wherein the instructions are further executable to cause a speaker of the plurality of speakers associated with the first apparatus to output the sound upon a determination that the first wireless device or the user is closer to the first speaker associated with the first apparatus than to a speaker of a plurality of speakers associated with a second apparatus.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions are further executable to determine the location of the user based at least in part on voice signal strength or camera input.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the plurality of instructions include a short-range, wireless communication hands-free profile capability.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the plurality of instructions are further executable to select, based at least in part on the location of the first wireless device or the user associated with the first wireless device, one of a plurality of microphones to provide audio input to be forwarded to the first wireless device via the active audio communication channel.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the first and second connections are short-range, wireless communication hands-free service connections.