IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,696,074
Granted Patent B2
US 11,696,074 · App. 17/446,690 · Granted Jul 4, 2023

Systems and methods for associating playback devices with voice assistant services

Inventors: Sein Woo (Somerville, MA); John G. Tolomei (Renton, WA)
Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
H04R3/12G06F3/165G10L15/22G10L15/28H04R27/00G10L2015/223H04R2227/003H04R2227/005
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,696,074
App. No.
17/446,690
Granted
Jul 4, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for media playback via a media playback system include detecting a first wake word via a first network microphone device of a first playback device, detecting a second wake word via a second network microphone device of a second playback device, and forming a bonded zone that includes the first playback device and the second playback device. In response to detecting the first wake word, a first voice first voice utterance following the first wake word is transmitted a first voice assistant service. In response to detecting the second wake word, a second voice utterance following the second wake word is transmitted to a second voice assistant service. Requested media content received from the first and/or second voice assistant service is played back via the first playback device and the second playback device in synchrony with one another.

Claims (57)

1. A media playback system, comprising:

one or more processors;

a first network microphone device (NMD);

a second NMD; and

a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the media playback system to perform operations comprising:

associating the first NMD with a first voice assistant service (VAS) such that the first NMD includes a first wake-word engine configured to detect a first wake word associated with the first VAS;

associating the second NMD with a second VAS such that the second NMD includes a second wake-word engine configured to detect a second wake word associated with the second VAS, the second wake word being different from the first wake word;

detecting the first wake word via the first NMD; and

after detecting the first wake word via the first NMD:

transmitting a first voice utterance requesting playback of media content to one or more remote computing devices associated with the first VAS;

playing back the media content via the first and second NMDs in synchrony with one another; and

transmitting a control state variable associated with at least the first NMD and the second NMD to the one or more remote computing devices associated with the second VAS.

2. The media playback system of claim 1 , wherein the control state variable comprises queue information.

3. The media playback system of claim 2 , wherein the queue information identifies the media content being played back via the first and second NMDs in synchrony with one another.

4. The media playback system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting the second wake word via the second NMD;

after detecting the second wake word via the second NMD, transmitting a second voice utterance requesting playback of second media content to one or more remote computing devices associated with the first VAS;

playing back the second media content via the first and second NMDs in synchrony with one another; and

transmitting, from the first NMD, a second control state variable associated with at least the second NMD to the one or more remote computing devices associated with the first VAS.

5. The media playback system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second NMDs are configured to have different playback responsibilities from one another.

6. The media playback system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise representing a synchrony group of the media playback system comprising the first NMD and the second NMD as a single user interface (UI) entity in the media playback system.

7. The media playback system of claim 6 , wherein representing the single UI entity comprises displaying, via a controller device of the media playback system, a graphical representation of the single UI entity.

8. A method comprising:

associating a first network microphone device (NMD) with a first voice assistant service (VAS) such that the first NMD includes a first wake-word engine configured to detect a first wake word associated with the first VAS;

associating a second NMD with a second VAS such that the second NMD includes a second wake-word engine configured to detect a second wake word associated with the second VAS, the second wake word being different from the first wake word;

detecting the first wake word via the first NMD; and

after detecting the first wake word via the first NMD:

transmitting a first voice utterance requesting playback of media content to one or more remote computing devices associated with the first VAS;

playing back the media content via the first and second NMDs in synchrony with one another; and

transmitting, a control state variable associated with at least the first NMD and the second NMD to the one or more remote computing devices associated with the second VAS.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the control state variable comprises queue information.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the queue information identifies the media content being played back via the first and second NMDs in synchrony with one another.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

detecting the second wake word via the second NMD;

after detecting the second wake word via the second NMD, transmitting a second voice utterance requesting playback of second media content to one or more remote computing devices associated with the first VAS;

playing back the second media content via the first and second NMDs in synchrony with one another; and

transmitting, from the first NMD, a second control state variable associated with at least the second NMD to the one or more remote computing devices associated with the first VAS.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first and second NMDs are configured to have different playback responsibilities from one another.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising representing a synchrony group of a media playback system comprising the first NMD and the second NMD as a single user interface (UI) entity in the media playback system.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein representing the single UI entity comprises displaying, via a controller device of the media playback system, a graphical representation of the single UI entity.

15. One or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media storing instructions executable by one or more processors of a media playback system to cause the media playback system to perform operations comprising:

associating a first network microphone device (NMD) with a first voice assistant service (VAS) such that the first NMD includes a first wake-word engine configured to detect a first wake word associated with the first VAS;

associating a second NMD with a second VAS such that the second NMD includes a second wake-word engine configured to detect a second wake word associated with the second VAS, the second wake word being different from the first wake word;

detecting the first wake word via the first NMD; and

after detecting the first wake word via the first NMD:

transmitting a first voice utterance requesting playback of media content to one or more remote computing devices associated with the first VAS;

playing back the media content via the first and second NMDs in synchrony with one another; and

transmitting a control state variable associated with at least the first NMD and the second NMD to the one or more remote computing devices associated with the second VAS.

16. The computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein the control state variable comprises queue information.

17. The computer-readable media of claim 16 , wherein the queue information identifies the media content being played back via the first and second NMDs in synchrony with one another.

18. The computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting the second wake word via the second NMD;

after detecting the second wake word via the second NMD, transmitting a second voice utterance requesting playback of second media content to one or more remote computing devices associated with the first VAS;

playing back the second media content via the first and second NMDs in synchrony with one another; and

transmitting, from the first NMD, a second control state variable associated with at least the second NMD to the one or more remote computing devices associated with the first VAS.

19. The computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein the first and second NMDs are configured to have different playback responsibilities from one another.

20. The computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise representing a synchrony group of the media playback system comprising the first NMD and the second NMD as a single user interface (UI) entity in the media playback system.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 30, 2026
From: SONOS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 074533/0615 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 1, 2021
From: WOO, SEIN; TOLOMEI, JOHN G.
To: SONOS, INC.
Reel/Frame 057360/0129 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16876493 · May 18, 2020
Continuation 16022662 · Jun 28, 2018
Related Publication 20220007111A1 · Jan 6, 2022
Cited By (16)
US 12,279,096 US 12,375,052 US 12,450,025 US 12,464,302 US 12,495,258 US 12,498,899 US 12,501,229 US 12,505,832 US 12,574,697 US 12,652,508 US 12,659,682 US 12,666,217 US 12,737,152 US 12,739,581 US 12,749,486 US 12,750,630