IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,698,771
Granted Patent B2
US 11,698,771 · App. 17/445,272 · Granted Jul 11, 2023

Vocal guidance engines for playback devices

Inventor: Won So (Newton, MA)
Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
G06F3/165G06F40/279H04R3/12H04R27/00G06F3/167H04R2227/005H04R2420/03H04R2420/07H04W4/80H04W84/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,698,771
App. No.
17/445,272
Granted
Jul 11, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for vocal guidance for playback devices are disclosed. A playback device can include a first wireless transceiver for communication via a first data network and a second wireless transceiver for communication via a second data network. The device includes one or more processors and is configured to maintain a library that includes one or more source device names and corresponding audio content, the audio content configured to be played back via an amplifier to indicate association of a particular source device with the playback device via the first data network. The device receives, via the second data network, information from one or more remote computing devices, and based on the information, updates the library by: (i) adding at least one new source device name and corresponding audio content; (ii) changing at least one source device name or its corresponding audio content; or both (i) and (ii).

Claims (51)

1. A playback device comprising:

one or more amplifiers configured to drive one or more electroacoustic transducers;

a first wireless transceiver configured to facilitate communication via a first data network;

a second wireless transceiver configured to facilitate communication via a second data network different from the first;

one or more processors comprising:

one or more first processors configured to execute at least one real-time operating system (RTOS); and

one or more second processors configured to execute at least one general-purpose operating system (GPOS), wherein the one or more second processors have a different construction than the one or more first processors; and

data storage having stored therein instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

maintaining a library that includes one or more source device names and corresponding audio content, the audio content configured to be played back via the one or more amplifiers to indicate association of a particular source device with the playback device via the first data network;

receiving, via the second data network, information from one or more remote computing devices; and

based on the information, updating the library by: (i) adding at least one new source device name and corresponding audio content; (ii) changing at least one source device name or its corresponding audio content; or both (i) and (ii),

wherein the data storage comprises a first memory only directly accessible by the one or more first processors, and a second memory only directly accessible by the one or more second processors, and

wherein the library is stored in the second memory.

2. The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the first data network comprises at least one BLUETOOTH network, and wherein the second data network comprises at least one WIFI network.

3. The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

associating a first source device with the playback via the first network;

receiving, via the first network, a source device identifier from the first source device;

accessing the library to identify a source device name corresponding to the source device identifier;

accessing the library to identify audio content corresponding to the identified source device ID; and

playing back the identified audio content via the one or more amplifiers.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the audio content comprises an audio recording of the source device name.

5. The device of claim 3 , wherein accessing the library to identify the source device name corresponding to the source device identifier comprises identifying textual overlap between the source device identifier and the source device name.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the identifying comprises identifying textual overlap between the source device identifier and two or more distinct device names, the operations further comprising selecting the device name with the greatest degree of textual overlap with the source device identifier.

7. A method, comprising:

maintaining, via data storage of a playback device, a library that includes one or more source device names and corresponding audio content, the audio content configured to be played back via or more amplifiers to indicate association of a particular source device with the playback device via a first wireless data network, wherein maintaining the library comprises storing the library in a first memory of the data storage that is only directly accessible via one or more first processors configured to execute at least one general-purpose operating system (GPOS), the data storage including a second memory that is only directly accessible via one or more second processors configured to execute at least one real-time operating system (RTOS), wherein the one or more second processors have a different construction that the one or more first processors;

receiving, via a second wireless data network different from the first, information from one or more remote computing devices; and

based on the information, updating the library by: (i) adding at least one new source device name and corresponding audio content; (ii) changing at least one source device name or its corresponding audio content; or both (i) and (ii).

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first wireless data network comprises at least one BLUETOOTH network, and wherein the second wireless data network comprises at least one WIFI network.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

associating a first source device with the playback via the first wireless data network;

receiving, via the first network, a source device identifier from the first source device;

accessing the library to identify a source device name corresponding to the source device identifier;

accessing the library to identify audio content corresponding to the identified source device ID; and

playing back the identified audio content via the playback device.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the audio content comprises an audio recording of the source device name.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein accessing the library to identify the source device name corresponding to the source device identifier comprises identifying textual overlap between the source device identifier and the source device name.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the identifying comprises identifying textual overlap between the source device identifier and two or more distinct device names, the method further comprising selecting the device name with the greatest degree of textual overlap with the source device identifier.

13. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a playback device, cause the playback device to perform operations comprising:

maintaining, via data storage of the playback device, a library that includes one or more source device names and corresponding audio content, the audio content configured to be played back via one or more amplifiers of the playback device to indicate association of a particular source device with the playback device via a first wireless data network, wherein maintaining the library comprises storing the library in a first memory of the data storage that is only directly accessible via one or more first processors configured to execute at least one general-purpose operating system (GPOS), the data storage including a second memory that is only directly accessible via one or more second processors configured to execute at least one real-time operating system (RTOS), wherein the one or more second processors have a different construction that the one or more first processors;

receiving, via a second wireless data network different from the first, information from one or more remote computing devices; and

based on the information, updating the library by: (i) adding at least one new source device name and corresponding audio content; (ii) changing at least one source device name or its corresponding audio content; or both (i) and (ii).

14. The computer-readable media of claim 13 , wherein the first wireless data network comprises at least one BLUETOOTH network, and wherein the second wireless data network comprises at least one WIFI network.

15. The computer-readable media of claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise:

associating a first source device with the playback via the first wireless data network;

receiving, via the first network, a source device identifier from the first source device;

accessing the library to identify a source device name corresponding to the source device identifier;

accessing the library to identify audio content corresponding to the identified source device ID; and

playing back the identified audio content via the playback device.

16. The computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein the audio content comprises an audio recording of the source device name.

17. The computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein accessing the library to identify the source device name corresponding to the source device identifier comprises identifying textual overlap between the source device identifier and the source device name.

18. The computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein the identifying comprises identifying textual overlap between the source device identifier and two or more distinct device names, the operations further comprising selecting the device name with the greatest degree of textual overlap with the source device identifier.

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 Aug 17, 2021
From: SO, WON
To: SONOS, INC.
Reel/Frame 057204/0712 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62706560 · Aug 25, 2020
Related Publication 20220066734A1 · Mar 3, 2022