Granted Patent B2

US 12,652,508 · App. 18/189,863 · Granted Jun 9, 2026

Inventors: Jonathon Reilly (Cambridge, MA); Niels Van Erven (Santa Barbara, CA)

Assignee: Sonos, Inc.

H04S7/303G01S3/023G01S3/80G06F3/165H04L41/22H04L67/1042H04R3/04H04R27/00H04R29/001H04R29/008H04S7/302H04R2227/005H04R2430/01H04S7/301

Abstract

Claims (76)

1 . A playback device comprising:

a microphone;

a sensor configured to detect human movements, the sensor comprising one or both of (a) a camera and (b) a radio frequency (RF) sensor;

a network interface;

at least one processor;

a display;

at least one audio transducer; and

at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:

detect, via the microphone, an acoustic signal;

send, to a network device via the network interface over a digital data network, data corresponding to the detected acoustic signal;

receive, via the network interface over the digital data network, one or more instructions determined by the network device based on the sent data corresponding to the detected acoustic signal;

perform a first playback command based on the one or more instructions, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to perform the first playback command comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to play back, via the at least one audio transducer, particular audio content, wherein video content comprises the particular audio content, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to play back the particular audio content comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to play back the particular audio content via the at least one audio transducer while displaying the video content on the display;

detect, via one of the camera or the RF sensor, movement; and

based on detection of the movement, perform a second playback command, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to perform the second playback command comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to determine a position of a human relative to the playback device and modify playback of the particular audio content.

2 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:

while the playback device is not playing back audio, detect, via the sensor, an additional movement; and

based on detection of the additional movement, perform the first playback command.

3 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises the radio frequency (RF) sensor, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to detect the movement comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:

detect, via the RF sensor, a change in position of at least a portion of the human.

4 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises the camera, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to detect the movement comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:

detect, via the camera, a change in position of at least a portion of the human.

5 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to modify playback of the particular audio content comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:

pause playback of the particular audio content.

6 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to modify playback of the particular audio content comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:

modify a volume setting of the playback device.

7 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the particular audio content comprises a playlist of audio tracks, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to modify playback of the particular audio content comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:

skip forward in the playlist to a subsequent audio track.

8 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:

display, via the display, a graphical representation of the particular audio content.

9 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the playback device is grouped with one or more additional playback devices in a synchrony group when the one or more instructions are received, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to play back the particular audio content comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:

play back the particular audio content in synchrony with the one or more additional playback devices, wherein a group coordinator of the synchrony group sends over the digital data network, timing information to synchronize the playback.

10 . A system comprising a playback device and a network device, the playback device comprising:

a microphone;

a sensor configured to detect human movements within a room or outdoor area, the sensor comprising one or both of (a) a camera and (b) a radio frequency (RF) sensor;

a display;

a first network interface;

at least one first processor;

at least one audio transducer;

at least one first tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

first program instructions stored on the at least one first tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the at least one first processor, cause the playback device to perform first functions comprising:

detecting, via the microphone, an acoustic signal;

sending, to the network device via the first network interface over a digital data network, data corresponding to the detected acoustic signal;

receiving, via the first network interface over the digital data network, one or more instructions;

performing a first playback command based on the one or more instructions, wherein performing the first playback command comprises playing back, via the at least one audio transducer, particular audio content, wherein video content comprises the particular audio content, and wherein playing back the particular audio content comprises playing back the particular audio content via the at least one audio transducer while displaying the video content on the display;

detecting, via one of the camera or the RF sensor, a movement; and

based on detecting the movement, performing a second playback command, wherein performing the second playback command comprises determining a position of a human relative to the playback device and modifying playback of the particular audio content, and

the network device comprising:

a second network interface;

at least one second processor;

at least one second tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

second program instructions stored on the at least one second tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the at least one second processor, cause the network device to perform second functions comprising:

receiving, via the second network interface, the data corresponding to the detected acoustic signal;

determining, via the at least one second processor, the one or more instructions based on the sent data corresponding to the detected acoustic signal; and

sending, via the second network interface, the one or more instructions.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the first functions further comprise:

while the playback device is not playing back audio, detecting, via the sensor, an additional movement; and

based on detecting the additional movement, performing the first playback command.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the sensor comprises the radio frequency (RF) sensor, and wherein detecting the movement comprises:

detecting, via the RF sensor, a change in position of at least a portion of the human.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the sensor comprises the camera, and wherein detecting the movement comprises:

detecting, via the camera, a change in position of at least a portion of the human.

14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein modifying playback of the particular audio content comprises:

pausing playback of the particular audio content.

15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein modifying playback of the particular audio content comprises:

modifying a volume setting of the playback device.

16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the particular audio content comprises a playlist of audio tracks, and wherein modifying playback of the particular audio content comprises:

skipping forward in the playlist to a subsequent audio track.

17 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the playback device is grouped with one or more additional playback devices in a synchrony group when the one or more instructions are received, and wherein playing back the particular audio content comprises:

playing back the particular audio content in synchrony with the one or more additional playback devices, wherein a group coordinator of the synchrony group sends over the digital data network, timing information to synchronize the playback.

18 . A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by at least one processor to configure a playback device to:

detect, via a microphone, an acoustic signal;

send, to a network device via a network interface over a digital data network, data corresponding to the detected acoustic signal;

receive, via the network interface over the digital data network, one or more instructions determined by the network device based on the sent data corresponding to the detected acoustic signal;

perform a first playback command based on the one or more instructions, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to perform the first playback command comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to play back, via at least one audio transducer, particular audio content, wherein video content comprises the particular audio content, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to play back the particular audio content comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to play back the particular audio content via the at least one audio transducer while displaying the video content on a display;

detect, via a sensor configured to detect movements within a room or outdoor area, movement, wherein the sensor comprises one or both of (a) a camera and (b) a radio frequency (RF) sensor; and

based on detection of the movement, perform a second playback command, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to perform the second playback command comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to determine a position of a human relative to the playback device and modify playback of the particular audio content.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (10)

References Cited (400)