Granted Patent B2

US 11,594,124 · App. 17/147,431 · Granted Feb 28, 2023

Inventors: Ryan Yong Kim (Rolling Hills Estates, CA); Brian Van Harlingen (Torrance, CA)

Assignee: Belkin International, Inc.

G08C17/02H04Q9/00H05B47/00H05B47/105H05B47/11H05B47/12H05B47/19G08C2201/40G08C2201/93

Abstract

Claims (76)

1. A networked device comprising:

one or more data processors; and

a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium containing instructions which, when executed by the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving real-time audio data received from a user, wherein the real-time audio data identifies a target device and includes a command associated with the target device;

identifying a calculated parameter of the real-time audio data, wherein the calculated parameter identifies a characteristic of the real-time audio data;

broadcasting the calculated parameter so that the calculated parameter is received by a plurality of additional networked devices that are local to the networked device, wherein broadcasting facilitates communication between a plurality of additional networked devices;

dynamically identifying a master device from among the networked device and the plurality of additional networked devices;

identifying one or more target devices associated with the master device, wherein the identified target devices include a first target device and a second target device, wherein the first target device and the second target device are the same type of device;

using the calculated parameter, determining that the first target device is the target device identified in the real-time audio data received from the user; and

transmitting, based on determining that the first target device is the target device identified in the real-time audio data received from the user, the command from the master device to the first target device.

2. The networked device of claim 1 , wherein the master device is associated with a target location, wherein the target device is within the target location.

3. The networked device of claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise:

triggering a suspended status, wherein the suspended status indicates that the networked device is not associated with the target location.

4. The networked device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying a command;

determining that the command corresponds to the target device; and

transmitting an instruction, wherein receiving the instruction at the target device causes the target device to be controlled.

5. The networked device of claim 1 , wherein dynamically identifying the master device further comprises:

receiving a parameter, wherein the received parameter is associated with another networked device;

comparing the calculated parameter and the received parameter;

selecting one from the calculated parameter and the received parameter, wherein the selected parameter satisfies a condition;

identifying a networked device associated with the selected parameter;

identifying the networked device associated with the selected parameter as the master device; and

broadcasting a signal including an identification of the master device.

6. The networked device of claim 5 , wherein the received parameter includes an average audio intensity.

7. The networked device of claim 1 , wherein dynamically identifying the master device further comprises:

receiving an instruction, wherein the instruction identifies a networked device as the master device, and wherein the instruction is generated at a cloud server.

8. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving real-time audio data received from a user, wherein the real-time audio data identifies a target device and includes a command associated with the target device;

identifying a calculated parameter of the real-time audio data, wherein the calculated parameter identifies a characteristic of the real-time audio data;

broadcasting the calculated parameter so that the calculated parameter is received by a plurality of additional networked devices that are local to the networked device, wherein broadcasting facilitates communication between a plurality of additional networked devices;

dynamically identifying a master device from among the networked device and the plurality of additional networked devices; and

identifying one or more target devices associated with the master device wherein the identified target devices include a first target device and a second target device, wherein the first target device and the second target device are the same type of device;

using the calculated parameter, determining that the first target device is the target device identified in the real-time audio data received from the user; and

transmitting, based on determining that the first target device is the target device identified in the real-time audio data received from the user, the command from the master device to the first target device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the master device is associated with a target location, wherein the target device is within the target location.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:

triggering a suspended status, wherein the suspended status indicates that the networked device is not associated with the target location.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , further comprising:

identifying a command;

determining that the command corresponds to the target device; and

transmitting an instruction, wherein receiving the instruction at the target device causes the target device to be controlled.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein dynamically identifying the master device comprises:

receiving a parameter, wherein the received parameter is associated with another networked device;

comparing the calculated parameter and the received parameter;

selecting one from the calculated parameter and the received parameter, wherein the selected parameter satisfies a condition;

identifying a networked device associated with the selected parameter;

identifying the networked device associated with the selected parameter as the master device; and

broadcasting a signal including the identification of the master device.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the received parameter includes an average audio intensity.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein dynamically identifying the master device comprises:

receiving an instruction, wherein the instruction identifies a networked device as the master device, and wherein the instruction is generated at a cloud server.

15. A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of a network device, including instructions configured to cause one or more processors to perform operations including:

receiving real-time audio data received from a user, wherein the real-time audio data identifies a target device and includes a command associated with the target device;

identifying a calculated parameter of the real-time audio data, wherein the calculated parameter identifies a characteristic of the real-time audio data;

broadcasting the calculated parameter so that the calculated parameter is received by a plurality of additional networked devices that are local to the networked device, wherein broadcasting facilitates communication between a plurality of additional networked devices;

dynamically identifying a master device from among the networked device and the plurality of additional networked devices;

identifying one or more target devices associated with the master device, wherein the identified target devices include a first target device and a second target device, wherein the first target device and the second target device are the same type of device;

using the calculated parameter, determining that the first target device is the target device identified in the real-time audio data received from the user; and

transmitting, based on determining that the first target device is the target device identified in the real-time audio data received from the user, the command from the master device to the first target device.

16. The computer-program product of claim 15 , wherein the master device is associated with a target location, wherein the target device is within the target location.

17. The computer-program product of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:

triggering a suspended status, wherein the suspended status indicates that the networked device is not associated with the target location.

18. The computer-program product of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying a command;

determining that the command corresponds to the target device; and

transmitting an instruction, wherein receiving the instruction at the target device causes the target device to be controlled.

19. The computer-program product of claim 15 , wherein dynamically identifying the master device further comprises:

receiving a parameter, wherein the received parameter is associated with another networked device;

comparing the calculated parameter and the received parameter;

selecting one from the calculated parameter and the received parameter, wherein the selected parameter satisfies a condition;

identifying a networked device associated with the selected parameter;

identifying the networked device associated with the selected parameter as the master device; and

broadcasting a signal including an identification of the master device.

20. The computer-program product of claim 15 , wherein dynamically identifying the master device further comprises:

receiving an instruction, wherein the instruction identifies a networked device as the master device, and wherein the instruction is generated at a cloud server.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (17)