1646 patents
Page 19 of 83
Utility
Sum-difference Arrays for Audio Playback Devices
16 Mar 23
In some embodiments, a method comprises receiving audio content comprising left input channel signals and right input channel signals, and generating first and second input signals from the left and right input channel signals.
Hilmar Lehnert, Paul MacLean
Filed: 18 Nov 22
Utility
Portable Playback Device Power Management
16 Mar 23
Example techniques related to portable playback device power management.
Liang Chai, Xiang Wang, Brenda Stefani, Lyford Beverage, JR., Allan Velzy, Edwin Joseph Fitzpatrick, III
Filed: 22 Nov 22
Utility
Linear Filtering for Noise-suppressed Speech Detection Via Multiple Network Microphone Devices
9 Mar 23
Systems and methods for suppressing noise and detecting voice input in a multi-channel audio signal captured by two or more network microphone devices include receiving an instruction to process one or more audio signals captured by a first network microphone device and after receiving the instruction (i) disabling at least a first microphone of a plurality of microphones of a second network microphone device, (ii) capturing a first audio signal via a second microphone of the plurality of microphones, (iii) receiving over a network interface of the second network microphone device a second audio signal captured via at least a third microphone of the first network microphone device, (iv) using estimated noise content to suppress first and second noise content in the first and second audio signals, (v) combining the suppressed first and second audio signals into a third audio signal, and (vi) determining that the third audio signal includes a voice input comprising a wake word.
Saeed Bagheri Sereshki, Daniele Giacobello
Filed: 10 Oct 22
Utility
Dynamic Bonding of Playback Devices
9 Mar 23
A first playback device is configured to (i) receive an instruction to share a playback device between a first group of playback devices including the first playback device and a second group of playback devices including a second playback device, (ii) receive a command to play back media content, (iii) determine that the shared playback device is currently configured for synchronous playback in the second group of playback devices, (iv) transmit a request to the second playback device for an indication of whether the shared playback device is available, (v) if the shared playback device is available (a) transmit a command to the shared playback device to join the first group of playback devices, and (b) play back the media content in synchrony with the shared playback device, and (v) if the shared playback device is unavailable, play back the media content without synchronizing with the shared playback device.
Mark Triplett, Steven Beckhardt
Filed: 12 Sep 22
Utility
Command Keywords with Input Detection Windowing
9 Mar 23
A device, such as Network Microphone Device or a playback device, receives an indication of a track change associated with a playback queue output by a media playback system.
Connor Kristopher Smith, Matthew David Anderson
Filed: 24 Oct 22
Utility
Acoustic Waveguides for Multi-channel Playback Devices
9 Mar 23
Acoustic waveguides can be used to improve audio performance of playback devices, such as a soundbar.
Paul MacLean, Tristan Taylor, Wulin Xia, Daniel Brim
Filed: 16 Nov 22
Utility
Interoperability of Native Media Playback System with Virtual Line-in
9 Mar 23
Example systems and techniques disclosed herein facilitate interoperability between different media playback systems referred to herein as a virtual line-in (VLI) media playback system and a native playback system.
Arthur L. Coburn, IV, Chris Kotowski, Arvin Faruque
Filed: 9 Sep 22
Utility
Zone volume control
7 Mar 23
Example techniques involve controlling playback volumes.
Eduardo Ahumada Apodaca
Filed: 14 Dec 20
Utility
Controlling and Displaying Zones in a Multi-Zone System
2 Mar 23
A multimedia controller for controlling and displaying zones in a multi-zone system is provided.
Abhishek Kumar, Amber Brown
Filed: 7 Nov 22
Utility
CorrectedAudio Playback Settings for Voice Interaction
2 Mar 23
Example techniques relate to voice interaction in an environment with a media playback system that is playing back audio content.
Klaus Hartung, Romi Kadri
Filed: 2 Mar 20
Utility
Zone Scene Activation
2 Mar 23
A computing device capable of controlling a networked media playback system receives data identifying a first zone player, a second zone player, and a zone scene including a predefined grouping of zone players including at least the first zone player and the second zone player.
Robert A. Lambourne
Filed: 11 Jul 22
Utility
Music discovery dial
28 Feb 23
Example techniques may involve tuning a music discovery dial.
Christopher Alexis Kotelly, Dayn Wilberding, Ron Kuper, Heather Mendonca
Filed: 11 Nov 21
Utility
Transferring playback from a mobile device to a playback device
28 Feb 23
A network device is configured to (i) play back a media item indicated by a remote playback queue provided by a cloud-based computing system, (ii) receive an indication that a playback device is available for playback, (iii) display a now playing screen including (a) information identifying the media item, and (b) an icon that indicates that the network device is not in a connected state with any other network device, (iv) receive a first input selecting the icon, (v) in response to the first input, display a list of one or more available network devices including the playback device, (vi) receive a second input selecting the playback device from the list (vii) after receiving the second input, update the list to indicate that the playback device is selected for playback of the remote playback queue, and (viii) transfer playback of the remote playback queue from the network device to the playback device.
Abhishek Kumar, Andrew Schulert, Robert Andrew Lambourne, Arthur L. Coburn, IV
Filed: 18 Dec 20
Utility
Networked Devices, Systems, & Methods for Associating Playback Devices Based on Sound Codes
23 Feb 23
In one aspect, a playback device is provided that is configured to identify a trigger event indicating a request to associate the playback device with another playback device.
Connor Kristopher Smith, Charles Conor Sleith, John Tolomei
Filed: 26 Aug 22
Utility
Multiple Groupings in a Playback System
23 Feb 23
A control device is configured to (i) define configuration data corresponding to a zone scene of a media playback system, the configuration data including an identification of at least a first zone player and a second zone player, (ii) cause a remote computing device to (a) receive the configuration data via a wide area network and (b) store the configuration data, (iii) while the first zone player and a third zone player are playing back first audio content in synchrony, display a selectable indication that, when selected, causes the zone scene to be invoked, and (iv) in response to receiving an input indicative of a selection of the selectable indication, cause the remote computing device to invoke the zone scene at the media playback system such that the first zone player and the second zone player play back second audio content in synchrony without the third zone player.
Lee Keyser-Allen, Jillian Garber, Arthur L. Coburn, IV
Filed: 1 Aug 22
Utility
Audio Conflict Resolution
23 Feb 23
An example playback device is a first playback device in a media system.
Dayn Wilberding
Filed: 8 Aug 22
Utility
Voice Control of a Media Playback System
23 Feb 23
Multiple aspects of systems and methods for voice control and related features and functionality for various embodiments of media playback devices, networked microphone devices, microphone-equipped media playback devices, and speaker-equipped networked microphone devices are disclosed and described herein, including but not limited to designating and managing default networked devices, audio response playback, room-corrected voice detection, content mixing, music service selection, metadata exchange between networked playback systems and networked microphone systems, handling loss of pairing between networked devices, actions based on user identification, and other voice control of networked devices.
Jonathan P. Lang, Mark Plagge, Simon Jarvis, Romi Kadri, Yean-Nian Willy Chen, Paul Andrew Bates, Luis Vega-Zayas, Christopher Butts, Nicholas A.J. Millington, Keith Corbin
Filed: 27 Dec 21
Utility
Techniques for Dynamic Routing
16 Feb 23
Disclosed herein are computing devices, including playback devices, that are configured to communicate data, such as audio data, to any number of target devices by dynamically taking into account the relevant context relating to the data to be communicated, the capabilities of the target devices, the states of communication links, and other contextual information.
Nicholas D'Amato
Filed: 3 Aug 22
Utility
Audio Track Selection and Playback
9 Feb 23
An example system is configured to: (i) receive data indicating a command to play back, via a playback device of a media playback system, media content; (ii) based on the data indicating the command, detect a first playback condition comprising a first user identity; (iii) identify, from one or more user accounts associated with the playback device, a first user account corresponding to the first user identity; (iv) based at least on (1) the command and (2) one or more properties of the first user account, determine first media content for playback by the playback device; and (v) cause the playback device to play back the first media content.
Robert Reimann, David Taylor, Abhishek Kumar
Filed: 17 Oct 22
Utility
Smart Audio Settings
9 Feb 23
Embodiments described herein provide for smart configuration of audio settings for a playback device.
Jonathan P. Lang
Filed: 18 Aug 22