IP Library Granted Patent US 12,625,596
Granted Patent B1
US 12,625,596 · App. 18/378,913 · Granted May 12, 2026

Voice communication targeting user interface

Inventors: Blair Harold Beebe (Menlo Park, CA); Katherine Ann Baker (Kirkland, WA); David Michael Rowell (Snoqualmie, WA); Peter Chin (Bellevue, WA)
Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
G06F3/0482G06F3/167G10L15/083G10L15/22G10L2015/223G10L2015/228H04L67/306H04W84/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,625,596
App. No.
18/378,913
Granted
May 12, 2026
Kind
B1
Abstract

User interfaces may enable users to initiate voice-communications with voice-controlled devices via a Wi-Fi network or other network via an Internet Protocol (IP) address. The user interfaces may include controls to enable users to initiate voice communications, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) calls, with devices that do not have connectivity with traditional mobile telephone networks, such as traditional circuit transmissions of a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). For example, the user interface may enable initiating a voice communication with a voice-controlled device that includes network connectivity via a home Wi-Fi network. The user interfaces may indicate availability of devices and/or contacts for voice communications and/or recent activity of devices or contact.

Claims (56)

1 . A method comprising:

generating a user interface including representations of at least one of user profiles or devices, wherein the user interface is configured to receive user input data to customize which of the at least one of the user profiles or the devices will receive audio data representing a voice message;

causing the user interface to display an activity indicator in association with the representations;

receiving, utilizing the user interface, the user input data indicating a first device to receive the audio data;

receiving the audio data representing the voice message; and

causing the audio data to be output on the first device based at least in part on the user input data.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the representations of the at least one of the user profiles or the devices include a location indicator assigned to the at least one of the user profiles or the devices by a speech processing system associated with the at least one of the user profiles or the devices.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the activity indicator includes at least one of:

a first indication that audio is currently being output;

a second indication that output of the audio has been paused; or

a third indication that audio output is unassociated with the devices.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising causing the representations to include:

a first indication that the first device is available for receiving the audio data representing the voice message; and

a second indication that a second device of the devices is not available for receiving the audio data representing the voice message.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the representations associated with the devices include an icon indicating a device type of individual ones of the devices, the device type indicating that the devices are configured to receive the audio data representing the voice message.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the user input data indicates a second device to receive the audio data, and the method further comprises causing the audio data to be output on the first device and the second device concurrently based at least in part on the user input data.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

determining that the second device is unable to receive the voice message;

based at least in part on the second device being unable to receive the voice message, causing the user interface to display an option to enable receipt of the voice message at the second device; and

based at least in part on receiving selection of the option, enabling receipt of the voice message at the second device.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

individual ones of the representations of the devices represent a communal device associated with account data; and

the user input data is received from a second device associated with the account data.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first device is a communal device; and

the user input data is received from a mobile device associated with the communal device.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein selection of a representation of a user profile of the user profiles enables the user profile to send voice messages to the devices when a second device associated with the user profile is located in a different location from the devices.

11 . A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

generating a user interface including representations of at least one of user profiles or devices, wherein the user interface is configured to receive user input data to customize which of the at least one of the user profiles or the devices will receive audio data representing a voice message;

causing the user interface to display an activity indicator in association with the representations;

receiving, utilizing the user interface, the user input data indicating a first device to receive the audio data;

receiving the audio data representing the voice message; and

causing the audio data to be output on the first device based at least in part on the user input data.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the representations of the at least one of the user profiles or the devices include a location indicator assigned to the at least one of the user profiles or the devices by a speech processing system associated with the at least one of the user profiles or the devices.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the activity indicator includes at least one of:

a first indication that audio is currently being output;

a second indication that output of the audio has been paused; or

a third indication that audio output is unassociated with the devices.

14 . The system of claim 11 , the operations further comprising causing the representations to include:

a first indication that the first device is available for receiving the audio data representing the voice message; and

a second indication that a second device of the devices is not available for receiving the audio data representing the voice message.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the representations associated with the devices include an icon indicating a device type of individual ones of the devices, the device type indicating that the devices are configured to receive the audio data representing the voice message.

16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the user input data indicates a second device to receive the audio data, and the operations further comprise causing the audio data to be output on the first device and the second device concurrently based at least in part on the user input data.

17 . The system of claim 16 , the operations further comprising:

determining that the second device is unable to receive the voice message;

based at least in part on the second device being unable to receive the voice message, causing the user interface to display an option to enable receipt of the voice message at the second device; and

based at least in part on receiving selection of the option, enabling receipt of the voice message at the second device.

18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein:

each of the representations of the devices represent a communal device associated with account data; and

the user input data is received from a second device associated with the account data.

19 . The system of claim 11 , wherein:

the first device is a communal device; and

the user input data is received from a mobile device associated with the communal device.

20 . The system of claim 11 , wherein selection of a representation of a user profile of the user profiles enables the user profile to send voice messages to the devices when a second device associated with the user profile is located in a different location from the devices.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 21, 2023
From: BEEBE, BLAIR HAROLD; BAKER, KATHERINE ANN; ROWELL, DAVID MICHAEL; CHIN, PETER
To: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 065934/0415 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17549415 · Dec 13, 2021
Continuation 16797592 · Feb 21, 2020
Continuation 15632279 · Jun 23, 2017
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