IP Library Granted Patent US 12,081,950
Granted Patent B2
US 12,081,950 · App. 17/721,215 · Granted Sep 3, 2024

Smart hub

Inventors: James A. Proctor, Jr. (Indialantic, FL); James Arthur Proctor, III (Indialantic, FL)
Assignee: Proctor Consulting, LLC
H04R29/007G06F3/165H04L12/2834H04L12/2838H04L65/612H04N5/268H04N21/2665H04N21/4126H04N21/41265H04N21/42203H04N21/43615H04N21/4367H04N21/439H04N21/44218H04N21/4622H04N21/8106H04R27/00H04S7/00H04S7/303H04W4/80H04R2227/003H04R2227/005
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,081,950
App. No.
17/721,215
Granted
Sep 3, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

An intelligent hub for interfacing with other devices and performing smart audio or video source selection.

Claims (62)

1. A wireless speaker device for executing commands based on voice recognition and detecting the presence of other wireless speaker devices, the wireless speaker device comprising:

a Wi-Fi radio;

a Bluetooth radio;

one or more microphones;

at least one loudspeaker;

a signal generator for providing one or more audio information signals;

an audio information interface for providing the one or more audio information signals for use in the generation of respective acoustic signals to respective loudspeakers; and

one or more processors configured to execute program code to:

enable determination of a relative location of a second wireless speaker device with respect to the wireless speaker device, and enable acoustic equalization of the one or more audio information signals, based upon one or both of:

(a) transmission of a unique acoustic sounding signal by the wireless device based upon detection of a wireless message from the second wireless device, and

(b) transmission of a wireless message to the second wireless device to cause the transmission of the unique acoustic sounding signal, and reception of the unique acoustic sounding signal by the wireless speaker device;

communicate with a second wireless speaker device utilizing the Wi-Fi radio and/or the Bluetooth radio, to provide simultaneous audio playback of streaming content utilizing both the at least one loudspeaker located within the wireless speaker device and at least one loudspeaker local to the second wireless speaker device;

communicate with one or more remote servers using the Wi-Fi radio to receive streaming content for playback from a plurality of content sources;

receive acoustic signals using the one or more microphones;

perform voice command recognition on the acoustic signals, to determine a connected speaker command; and

in response to the at least one connected speaker command, select particular content from one of the plurality of content sources as the streaming content for playback to both of the wireless speaker devices at the same time.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the acoustic signals include the streaming content.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to execute program code to:

detect presence of the second wireless speaker device, utilizing the Wi-Fi radio and/or the Bluetooth radio.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute program code to:

determine recommendations of content to play.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute program code to:

determine recommendations of additional content related to currently playing content, and play the additional content.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the wireless speaker device is a portion of a display device that further includes a microphone array.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to execute program code to:

initiate a streaming content service selected from a plurality of streaming content services to which a user of the connected speaker is subscribed.

8. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a WiFi access point.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to execute program code to communicate with a WiFi access point to provide control over configuration of the WiFi access point.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the configuration includes allowing access of one or more devices onto a WiFi network associated with the access point.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein a change of configuration is controlled, at least in part, by communication with a mobile device.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the voice command recognition is performed using a remote server.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the remote server is a third party server providing a voice command recognition service.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor further executes program code to:

use the one or more microphones and at least one loudspeaker to perform one of (a) a Voice over IP communication session or (b) a video communication session or (c) an IP Multimedia Core Network Subsystem (IMS) session, the session established with a remote device.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor further executes program code to:

perform a network security function including at least approval of access for a new device on to a WiFi network.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor further executes program code to:

perform a network security function including at least provisioning of configuration values for a new device.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the new device was detected utilizing a Bluetooth radio on a mobile phone prior to the provisioning of the configuration values.

18. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor further executes program code to:

download and store user selected applications, and

interact with other devices or remote servers via the applications.

19. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor further executes program code to interact with a smart phone to allow for another wireless device to gain access to a network or server.

20. . The device of claim 6 wherein the display device is part of a television.

21. . The device of claim 1 wherein the second wireless speaker device is part of a display device, and the one or more microphones comprise a microphone array.

22. . The device of claim 21 wherein the display device is part of a television.

23. A wireless speaker device for executing commands based on voice recognition and detecting the presence of other wireless speaker devices, the wireless speaker device comprising:

a Wi-Fi radio;

a Bluetooth radio;

one or more microphones;

at least one loudspeaker;

a signal generator for providing one or more audio information signals;

an audio information interface for providing the one or more audio information signals for use in the generation of respective acoustic signals to respective loudspeakers; and

one or more processors configured to execute program code to:

communicate with a second wireless speaker device utilizing the Wi-Fi radio and/or the Bluetooth radio, to provide simultaneous audio playback of streaming content utilizing both the at least one loudspeaker located within the wireless speaker device and at least one loudspeaker local to the second wireless speaker device;

communicate with one or more remote servers using the Wi-Fi radio to receive streaming content for playback from a plurality of content sources;

receive acoustic signals using the one or more microphones;

perform voice command recognition on the acoustic signals, to determine a connected speaker command; and

in response to the at least one connected speaker command, select particular content from one of the plurality of content sources as the streaming content for playback to both of the wireless speaker devices at the same time;

and

wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine that the second wireless speaker device is proximal to the wireless speaker device, based upon both (a) detection of at least one Bluetooth beacon and (b) detection of unique sounding signals.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 30, 2024
From: PROCTOR, JAMES A., JR.; PROCTOR, JAMES ARTHUR, III
To: PROCTOR CONSULTING, LLC
Reel/Frame 067263/0920 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 15930081 · May 12, 2020
Continuation 16041891 · Jul 23, 2018
Continuation 15400142 · Jan 6, 2017
Continuation 14597863 · Jan 15, 2015
Provisional Application 61928583 · Jan 17, 2014
Related Publication 20220345839A1 · Oct 27, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,507,008