Metadata exchange involving a networked playback system and a networked microphone system

Inventors: Mark Plagge (Santa Barbara, CA); Simon Jarvis (Cambridge, MA); Christopher Butts (Evanston, IL)

Assignee: Sonos, Inc.

G06F3/167 G10L15/30 H04L12/2803 H04L12/40052 H04L67/10 H04L67/561 G10L2015/223 G10L2015/225 H04L2012/2849 H04L41/0668 H04L43/0817

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12699543
App. No.: 18/663,032
Granted: Aug 4, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for establishing a metadata exchange channel between a media playback system and a networked microphone system, wherein the networked microphone system comprises a networked microphone device and a networked microphone server. After establishing the metadata exchange channel, the media playback system experiences a metadata exchange triggering event. In response to experiencing the metadata exchange triggering event, the media playback system provides metadata to the networked microphone system via the metadata exchange channel.

Claims (44)

1 . A method performed by a networked microphone system, the method comprising:

receiving a voice input comprising a context-specific request relating to a media playback system comprising at least one media player configured on a local area network, wherein the voice input is received via a networked microphone device of the networked microphone system, and wherein the networked microphone device is configured on the local area network with the at least one media player of the media playback system; and

after receiving the voice input comprising the context-specific request relating to the media playback system, (i) obtaining metadata associated with a configuration of the media playback system and (ii) generating a control instruction for controlling operation of the at least one media player of the media playback system, wherein the control instruction is based at least in part on the metadata associated with the configuration of the media playback system.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting the control instruction from the networked microphone system to the media playback system for execution by the media playback system.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the networked microphone system comprises the networked microphone device on the local area network and a network microphone server remote from the local area network, wherein the media playback system comprises the at least one media player on the local area network and a media playback system server remote from the local area network, and wherein:

obtaining metadata associated with the configuration of the media playback system comprises the network microphone server obtaining the metadata associated with the media playback system from the media playback system server; and

transmitting the control instruction from the networked microphone system to the media playback system for execution by the media playback system comprises the network microphone server transmitting the control instruction to the media playback system server.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the networked microphone system comprises the networked microphone device on the local area network and a network microphone server remote from the local area network, wherein the media playback system comprises the at least one media player on the local area network and a media playback system server remote from the local area network, and wherein:

transmitting the control instruction from the networked microphone system to the media playback system for execution by the media playback system comprises (i) the network microphone server transmitting data associated with the control instruction to the networked microphone device on the local area network and (ii) the networked microphone device on the local area network transmitting data associated with the control instruction to the at least one media player on the local area network.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the control instruction comprises one of (i) starting playback of media content, (ii) stopping playback of media content, (iii) changing a playback volume of media content, (iv) adding media content to a playlist, or (v) moving playback of media content from the at least one media player to a second media player of the media playback system.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

facilitating establishment of a metadata exchange channel between the media playback system and the networked microphone system; and

obtaining the metadata associated with the configuration of the media playback system via the metadata exchange channel after establishment of the metadata exchange channel.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metadata associated with the configuration of the media playback system comprises any one or more of (i) one or more configuration parameters of the at least one media player, (ii) information about media content currently playing via the at least one media player, (iii) historical information associated with media content played by the at least one media player, or (iv) user preference information.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

performing voice recognition on the voice input to determine an identify of a user associated with the voice input.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

establishing a metadata exchange channel between the networked microphone system and the media playback system, wherein establishing a metadata exchange channel comprises establishing at least one of (i) a one way connection from the media playback system to the networked microphone system, (ii) a one way connection from the networked microphone system to the media playback system, (iii) a two-way connection between the media playback system and the networked microphone system, or (iv) a multi-way connection between components of the media playback system and components of the networked microphone system.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying media content played by the media playback system based at least in part on the metadata associated with the configuration of the media playback system.

11 . Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a networked microphone system to perform functions comprising:

12 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 wherein the functions further comprise:

transmitting the control instruction from the networked microphone system to the media playback system for execution by the media playback system.

13 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12 , wherein the networked microphone system comprises the networked microphone device on the local area network and a network microphone server remote from the local area network, wherein the media playback system comprises the at least one media player on the local area network and a media playback system server remote from the local area network, and wherein:

14 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12 , wherein the networked microphone system comprises the networked microphone device on the local area network and a network microphone server remote from the local area network, wherein the media playback system comprises the at least one media player on the local area network and a media playback system server remote from the local area network, and wherein:

15 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the control instruction comprises one of (i) starting playback of media content, (ii) stopping playback of media content, (iii) changing a playback volume of media content, (iv) adding media content to a playlist, or (v) moving playback of media content from the at least one media player to a second media player of the media playback system.

16 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the functions further comprise:

facilitating establishment of a metadata exchange channel between the media playback system and the networked microphone system; and

obtaining the metadata associated with the configuration of the media playback system via the metadata exchange channel after establishment of the metadata exchange channel.

17 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the metadata associated with the configuration of the media playback system comprises any one or more of (i) one or more configuration parameters of the at least one media player, (ii) information about media content currently playing via the at least one media player, (iii) historical information associated with media content played by the at least one media player, or (iv) user preference information.

18 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the functions further comprise:

performing voice recognition on the voice input to determine an identify of a user associated with the voice input.

19 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the functions further comprise:

20 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the functions further comprise:

identifying media content played by the media playback system based at least in part on the metadata associated with the configuration of the media playback system.