WO2020047086A1 - Notifications audio - Google Patents

Notifications audio Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2020047086A1
WO2020047086A1 PCT/US2019/048558 US2019048558W WO2020047086A1 WO 2020047086 A1 WO2020047086 A1 WO 2020047086A1 US 2019048558 W US2019048558 W US 2019048558W WO 2020047086 A1 WO2020047086 A1 WO 2020047086A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
notification
audio
playback
playback device
audio notification
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/US2019/048558
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Nathan Fish
Daniel Casimiro
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sonos Inc
Original Assignee
Sonos Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US16/148,879 external-priority patent/US10797667B2/en
Application filed by Sonos Inc filed Critical Sonos Inc
Priority to EP25179144.8A priority Critical patent/EP4654596A3/fr
Priority to JP2021511570A priority patent/JP6975362B2/ja
Priority to CA3111322A priority patent/CA3111322C/fr
Priority to CN201980070006.7A priority patent/CN112970267B/zh
Priority to EP19765953.5A priority patent/EP3844969B1/fr
Priority to AU2019333058A priority patent/AU2019333058B2/en
Publication of WO2020047086A1 publication Critical patent/WO2020047086A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Priority to JP2021180937A priority patent/JP7266082B2/ja
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03G—CONTROL OF AMPLIFICATION
    • H03G1/00—Details of arrangements for controlling amplification
    • H03G1/02—Remote control of amplification, tone or bandwidth
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/16—Sound input; Sound output
    • G06F3/165—Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F9/00—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units
    • G06F9/06—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units using stored programs, i.e. using an internal store of processing equipment to receive or retain programs
    • G06F9/46—Multiprogramming arrangements
    • G06F9/54—Interprogram communication
    • G06F9/542—Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F9/00—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units
    • G06F9/06—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units using stored programs, i.e. using an internal store of processing equipment to receive or retain programs
    • G06F9/46—Multiprogramming arrangements
    • G06F9/54—Interprogram communication
    • G06F9/546—Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03G—CONTROL OF AMPLIFICATION
    • H03G3/00—Gain control in amplifiers or frequency changers
    • H03G3/02—Manually-operated control
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03G—CONTROL OF AMPLIFICATION
    • H03G3/00—Gain control in amplifiers or frequency changers
    • H03G3/20—Automatic control
    • H03G3/30—Automatic control in amplifiers having semiconductor devices
    • H03G3/3005—Automatic control in amplifiers having semiconductor devices in amplifiers suitable for low-frequencies, e.g. audio amplifiers
    • H03G3/3026—Automatic control in amplifiers having semiconductor devices in amplifiers suitable for low-frequencies, e.g. audio amplifiers the gain being discontinuously variable, e.g. controlled by switching
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03G—CONTROL OF AMPLIFICATION
    • H03G5/00—Tone control or bandwidth control in amplifiers
    • H03G5/02—Manually-operated control
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03G—CONTROL OF AMPLIFICATION
    • H03G7/00—Volume compression or expansion in amplifiers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L51/00—User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
    • H04L51/21—Monitoring or handling of messages
    • H04L51/224—Monitoring or handling of messages providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
    • H04N21/4104—Peripherals receiving signals from specially adapted client devices
    • H04N21/4131—Peripherals receiving signals from specially adapted client devices home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
    • H04N21/436—Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
    • H04N21/43615—Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/47—End-user applications
    • H04N21/482—End-user interface for programme selection
    • H04N21/4825—End-user interface for programme selection using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/80—Generation or processing of content or additional data by content creator independently of the distribution process; Content per se
    • H04N21/81—Monomedia components thereof
    • H04N21/8126—Monomedia components thereof involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
    • H04N21/814—Monomedia components thereof involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts comprising emergency warnings
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F2209/00—Indexing scheme relating to G06F9/00
    • G06F2209/54—Indexing scheme relating to G06F9/54
    • G06F2209/548—Queue
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2430/00—Signal processing covered by H04R, not provided for in its groups
    • H04R2430/01—Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems

Definitions

  • the present disclosure is related to consumer goods and, more particularly, to methods, systems, products, features, services, and other elements directed to media playback or some aspect thereof.
  • Media content e.g., songs, podcasts, video sound
  • playback devices such that each room with a playback device can play back corresponding different media content.
  • rooms can be grouped together for synchronous playback of the same media content, and/or the same media content can be heard in all rooms synchronously.
  • Figure 1A is a partial cutaway view of an environment having a media playback system configured in accordance with aspects of the disclosed technology.
  • Figure 1B is a schematic diagram of the media playback system of Figure 1A and one or more networks.
  • Figure 1C is a block diagram of a playback device.
  • Figure 1D is a block diagram of a playback device.
  • Figure 1E is a block diagram of a network microphone device.
  • Figure 1F is a block diagram of a network microphone device.
  • Figure 1G is a block diagram of a playback device.
  • Figure 1H is a partially schematic diagram of a control device.
  • Figure 2 is a diagram of a playback environment within which a playback device may output audio alerts from network-enabled devices.
  • Figure 3A is an example alert communication from a network-enabled device to a playback device.
  • Figure 3B is an example alert response communication from a playback device to a network-enabled device.
  • Figure 4A is a simplified diagram of a queue of alert notifications for playback by a playback device.
  • Figure 4B is a simplified diagram of a queue of alert notifications for playback by a playback device.
  • Figure 4C is a simplified diagram of a queue of alert notifications for playback by a playback device.
  • Figure 4D is a simplified diagram of a queue of alert notifications for playback by a playback device.
  • Figure 5 is a simplified diagram of a control device displaying a notification that a playback device is outputting an alert notification.
  • Figure 6 is a flowchart of a method for a playback device outputting alert notifications from network-enabled devices.
  • Smart devices are becoming more prevalent, such that it is common for an individual to interact with numerous smart devices throughout the course of an ordinary day, and many households include multiple smart devices, often from different manufacturers or providers.
  • a household may include one or more of a smart doorbell (such as those provided by Nest® or Ring®), a smart thermostat (such as those provided by (Nest® or Ecobee®), a smart vacuum (such as those provided by iRobot® or Neato®), or smart appliances (such as those provided by GE® or Whirlpool®), to name a few examples.
  • Smart devices may provide convenience by automating various tasks and by allowing a user to remotely control or otherwise interact with the smart devices. For instance, smart devices may generate alerts upon detecting various events in order to notify the user that the detected events have occurred. For instance, a smart doorbell may generate an alert responsive to detecting the presence of an individual at the door, a smart thermostat may generate an alert responsive to determining that a room has reached a threshold high or low temperature or responsive to activating or deactivating an HVAC system, and a smart vacuum may generate an alert responsive to starting or finishing a cleaning cycle.
  • a smart doorbell may generate an alert responsive to detecting the presence of an individual at the door
  • a smart thermostat may generate an alert responsive to determining that a room has reached a threshold high or low temperature or responsive to activating or deactivating an HVAC system
  • a smart vacuum may generate an alert responsive to starting or finishing a cleaning cycle.
  • the smart device may notify the user of the generated alert via the user’s mobile device. For instance, the smart device may cause the user’s mobile device to output an audio and/or visual notification of the generated alert.
  • the user might prefer to receive the notification of the generated alert via a playback device.
  • the user might prefer certain notifications, such as a doorbell ringing or a fire alarm, to be heard or otherwise observed by people other than the user and/or in different rooms from the user.
  • These notifications may be more suited for output via one or more playback devices, as output from the playback devices may be more effectively received by multiple people in different rooms than a notification provided by the user’s mobile device.
  • the user might not receive the notification of the generated alert via the mobile device.
  • the user may have powered off or silenced the mobile device, or the mobile device may have powered itself off responsive to low battery power.
  • the user might not be paying attention or may be otherwise distracted from the mobile device.
  • the user might be using a television or playback device to watch television or listen to music, and the audio output from the playback device may drown out or otherwise distract the user from the alert notifications output by the mobile device.
  • the present disclosure provides example systems and methods that involve a playback device outputting audio notifications corresponding to smart device alerts.
  • a playback device can be configured with an application programming interface (API) through which the smart devices can communicate with the playback device.
  • API application programming interface
  • the playback device can receive alert communications from the smart devices.
  • An alert communication may specify various characteristics of an alert, such as by identifying a particular audio notification that is to be played back by the playback device, as well as by identifying a priority level of the alert.
  • the playback device may handle alert communications differently based on their identified priority level. For instance, when the playback device receives an alert communication, the playback device may add the audio notification identified by the alert communication to a queue of notifications for playback, and the playback device may add higher priority notifications ahead of lower priority notifications in the queue. Other examples of how the playback device treats alert communications differently based on their identified priority level are described in further detail below.
  • the playback device After receiving an alert communication from a smart device, the playback device can then play back the audio notification identified by the alert communication. If the playback device is outputting other audio content, such as music or television audio, then the playback device may stop playing back the other audio content or duck the other audio content in order to facilitate playing back the audio notification.
  • Using the playback device to play back the audio notification corresponding to the smart device alert instead of or in addition to displaying an alert notification on the user’s mobile device, may increase the likelihood that the user will be notified of the alert and may result in an improved user experience.
  • a playback device includes a network interface, an audio stage comprising an amplifier, one or more speaker drivers, one or more processors, and a housing carrying at least the network interface, the audio stage, the one or more speaker drivers, the one or more processors, and tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media storing instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the playback device to perform various operations.
  • the operations include, while playing back audio content via the audio stage and the one or more speaker drivers, receiving, via the network interface, an alert communication from a smart device connected to the playback device via a local area network, the alert communication comprising (i) an audio notification identifier that identifies an audio notification and (ii) a priority identifier that identifies a priority level of the audio notification.
  • the operations further include, responsive to receiving the alert communication, adding the audio notification to a notification queue at a particular queue position, wherein the particular queue position of the audio notification in the notification queue is based on the priority level of the audio notification relative to other audio content in the notification queue. Additionally, the operations include adjusting playback of the audio content for playing back the audio notification, and playing back the audio notification via the audio stage and the one or more speaker drivers.
  • Figure 1A is a partial cutaway view of a media playback system 100 distributed in an environment 101 (e.g., a house).
  • the media playback system 100 comprises one or more playback devices 110 (identified individually as playback devices l lOa-n), one or more network microphone devices (“NMDs”) 120 (identified individually as NMDs l20a-c), and one or more control devices 130 (identified individually as control devices l30a and l30b).
  • NMDs network microphone devices
  • a playback device can generally refer to a network device configured to receive, process, and output data of a media playback system.
  • a playback device can be a network device that receives and processes audio content.
  • a playback device includes one or more transducers or speakers powered by one or more amplifiers.
  • a playback device includes one of (or neither of) the speaker and the amplifier.
  • a playback device can comprise one or more amplifiers configured to drive one or more speakers external to the playback device via a corresponding wire or cable.
  • NMD i.e., a“network microphone device”
  • a“network microphone device” can generally refer to a network device that is configured for audio detection.
  • an NMD is a stand-alone device configured primarily for audio detection.
  • an NMD is incorporated into a playback device (or vice versa).
  • control device can generally refer to a network device configured to perform functions relevant to facilitating user access, control, and/or configuration of the media playback system 100.
  • Each of the playback devices 110 is configured to receive audio signals or data from one or more media sources (e.g., one or more remote servers, one or more local devices) and play back the received audio signals or data as sound.
  • the one or more NMDs 120 are configured to receive spoken word commands
  • the one or more control devices 130 are configured to receive user input.
  • the media playback system 100 can play back audio via one or more of the playback devices 110.
  • the playback devices 110 are configured to commence playback of media content in response to a trigger.
  • one or more of the playback devices 110 can be configured to play back a morning playlist upon detection of an associated trigger condition (e.g., presence of a user in a kitchen, detection of a coffee machine operation).
  • the media playback system 100 is configured to play back audio from a first playback device (e.g., the playback device lOOa) in synchrony with a second playback device (e.g., the playback device lOOb).
  • a first playback device e.g., the playback device lOOa
  • a second playback device e.g., the playback device lOOb
  • the environment 101 comprises a household having several rooms, spaces, and/or playback zones, including (clockwise from upper left) a master bathroom lOla, a master bedroom 10 lb, a second bedroom 101 c, a family room or den lOld, an office lOle, a living room lOlf, a dining room lOlg, a kitchen lOlh, and an outdoor patio lOli. While certain embodiments and examples are described below in the context of a home environment, the technologies described herein may be implemented in other types of environments.
  • the media playback system 100 can be implemented in one or more commercial settings (e.g., a restaurant, mall, airport, hotel, a retail or other store), one or more vehicles (e.g., a sports utility vehicle, bus, car, a ship, a boat, an airplane), multiple environments (e.g., a combination of home and vehicle environments), and/or another suitable environment where multi-zone audio may be desirable.
  • a commercial setting e.g., a restaurant, mall, airport, hotel, a retail or other store
  • vehicles e.g., a sports utility vehicle, bus, car, a ship, a boat, an airplane
  • multiple environments e.g., a combination of home and vehicle environments
  • multi-zone audio may be desirable.
  • the media playback system 100 can comprise one or more playback zones, some of which may correspond to the rooms in the environment 101.
  • the media playback system 100 can be established with one or more playback zones, after which additional zones may be added, or removed to form, for example, the configuration shown in Figure 1A.
  • Each zone may be given a name according to a different room or space such as the office 101 e, master bathroom lOla, master bedroom lOlb, the second bedroom lOlc, kitchen lOlh, dining room lOlg, living room lOlf, and/or the outdoor patio lOli.
  • a single playback zone may include multiple rooms or spaces.
  • a single room or space may include multiple playback zones.
  • the master bathroom lOla, the second bedroom lOlc, the office lOle, the living room lOlf, the dining room lOlg, the kitchen lOlh, and the outdoor patio lOli each include one playback device 110
  • the master bedroom lOlb and the den lOld include a plurality of playback devices 110.
  • the playback devices 1101 and l lOm may be configured, for example, to play back audio content in synchrony as individual ones of playback devices 110, as a bonded playback zone, as a consolidated playback device, and/or any combination thereof.
  • the playback devices l lOh-j can be configured, for instance, to play back audio content in synchrony as individual ones of playback devices 110, as one or more bonded playback devices, and/or as one or more consolidated playback devices. Additional details regarding bonded and consolidated playback devices are described below with respect to Figures 1B and 1E.
  • one or more of the playback zones in the environment 101 may each be playing different audio content.
  • a user may be grilling on the patio lOli and listening to hip hop music being played by the playback device l lOc while another user is preparing food in the kitchen lOlh and listening to classical music played by the playback device l lOb.
  • a playback zone may play the same audio content in synchrony with another playback zone.
  • the user may be in the office lOle listening to the playback device 1 lOf playing back the same hip hop music being played back by playback device l lOc on the patio lOli.
  • Figure 1B is a schematic diagram of the media playback system 100 and a cloud network 102. For ease of illustration, certain devices of the media playback system 100 and the cloud network 102 are omitted from Figure 1B.
  • One or more communication links 103 (referred to hereinafter as“the links 103”) communicatively couple the media playback system 100 and the cloud network 102.
  • the links 103 can comprise, for example, one or more wired networks, one or more wireless networks, one or more wide area networks (WAN), one or more local area networks (LAN), one or more personal area networks (PAN), one or more telecommunication networks (e.g., one or more Global System for Mobiles (GSM) networks, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) networks, Long-Term Evolution (LTE) networks, 5G communication network networks, and/or other suitable data transmission protocol networks), etc.
  • GSM Global System for Mobiles
  • CDMA Code Division Multiple Access
  • LTE Long-Term Evolution
  • 5G communication network networks and/or other suitable data transmission protocol networks
  • the cloud network 102 is configured to deliver media content (e.g., audio content, video content, photographs, social media content) to the media playback system 100 in response to a request transmitted from the media playback system 100 via the links 103.
  • the cloud network 102 is further configured to receive data (e.g. voice input data) from the media playback system 100 and correspondingly transmit commands and/or media
  • the cloud network 102 comprises computing devices 106 (identified separately as a first computing device l06a, a second computing device l06b, and a third computing device l06c).
  • the computing devices 106 can comprise individual computers or servers, such as, for example, a media streaming service server storing audio and/or other media content, a voice service server, a social media server, a media playback system control server, etc.
  • one or more of the computing devices 106 comprise modules of a single computer or server.
  • one or more of the computing devices 106 comprise one or more modules, computers, and/or servers.
  • the cloud network 102 is described above in the context of a single cloud network, in some embodiments the cloud network 102 comprises a plurality of cloud networks comprising communicatively coupled computing devices. Furthermore, while the cloud network 102 is shown in Figure 1B as having three of the computing devices 106, in some embodiments, the cloud network 102 comprises fewer (or more than) three computing devices 106.
  • the media playback system 100 is configured to receive media content from the networks 102 via the links 103.
  • the received media content can comprise, for example, a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) and/or a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).
  • URI Uniform Resource Identifier
  • URL Uniform Resource Locator
  • the media playback system 100 can stream, download, or otherwise obtain data from a URI or a URL corresponding to the received media content.
  • a network 104 communicatively couples the links 103 and at least a portion of the devices (e.g., one or more of the playback devices 110, NMDs 120, and/or control devices 130) of the media playback system 100.
  • the network 104 can include, for example, a wireless network (e.g., a WiFi network, a Bluetooth, a Z-Wave network, a ZigBee, and/or other suitable wireless communication protocol network) and/or a wired network (e.g., a network comprising Ethernet, Universal Serial Bus (USB), and/or another suitable wired communication).
  • a wireless network e.g., a WiFi network, a Bluetooth, a Z-Wave network, a ZigBee, and/or other suitable wireless communication protocol network
  • a wired network e.g., a network comprising Ethernet, Universal Serial Bus (USB), and/or another suitable wired communication.
  • WiFi can refer to several different communication protocols including, for example, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.1 la, 802.1 lb, 802.
  • the network 104 comprises a dedicated communication network that the media playback system 100 uses to transmit messages between individual devices and/or to transmit media content to and from media content sources (e.g., one or more of the computing devices 106).
  • the network 104 is configured to be accessible only to devices in the media playback system 100, thereby reducing interference and competition with other household devices.
  • the network 104 comprises an existing household communication network (e.g., a household WiFi network).
  • the links 103 and the network 104 comprise one or more of the same networks.
  • the links 103 and the network 104 comprise a telecommunication network (e.g., an LTE network, a 5G network).
  • the media playback system 100 is implemented without the network 104, and devices comprising the media playback system 100 can communicate with each other, for example, via one or more direct connections, PANs, telecommunication networks, and/or other suitable communication links.
  • audio content sources may be regularly added or removed from the media playback system 100.
  • the media playback system 100 performs an indexing of media items when one or more media content sources are updated, added to, and/or removed from the media playback system 100.
  • the media playback system 100 can scan identifiable media items in some or all folders and/or directories accessible to the playback devices 110, and generate or update a media content database comprising metadata (e.g., title, artist, album, track length) and other associated information (e.g., URIs, URLs) for each identifiable media item found.
  • the media content database is stored on one or more of the playback devices 110, network microphone devices 120, and/or control devices 130.
  • the playback devices 1101 and l lOm comprise a group l07a.
  • the playback devices 1101 and l lOm can be positioned in different rooms in a household and be grouped together in the group l07a on a temporary or permanent basis based on user input received at the control device l30a and/or another control device 130 in the media playback system 100.
  • the playback devices 1101 and l lOm can be configured to play back the same or similar audio content in synchrony from one or more audio content sources.
  • the group l07a comprises a bonded zone in which the playback devices 1101 and l lOm comprise left audio and right audio channels, respectively, of multi-channel audio content, thereby producing or enhancing a stereo effect of the audio content.
  • the group l07a includes additional playback devices 110. In other embodiments, however, the media playback system 100 omits the group l07a and/or other grouped arrangements of the playback devices 110.
  • the media playback system 100 includes the NMDs l20a and l20d, each comprising one or more microphones configured to receive voice utterances from a user.
  • the NMD l20a is a standalone device and the NMD l20d is integrated into the playback device 110h.
  • the NMD l20a for example, is configured to receive voice input 121 from a user 123.
  • the NMD l20a transmits data associated with the received voice input 121 to a voice assistant service (VAS) configured to (i) process the received voice input data and (ii) transmit a corresponding command to the media playback system 100.
  • VAS voice assistant service
  • the computing device l06c comprises one or more modules and/or servers of a VAS (e.g., a VAS operated by one or more of SONOS®, AMAZON®, GOOGLE® APPLE®, MICROSOFT®).
  • the computing device l06c can receive the voice input data from the NMD l20a via the network 104 and the links 103.
  • the computing device l06c processes the voice input data (i.e.,“Play Hey Jude by The Beatles”), and determines that the processed voice input includes a command to play a song (e.g.,“Hey Jude”).
  • the computing device l06c accordingly transmits commands to the media playback system 100 to play back“Hey Jude” by the Beatles from a suitable media service (e.g., via one or more of the computing devices 106) on one or more of the playback devices 110.
  • FIG. 1C is a block diagram of the playback device l lOa comprising an input/output 111.
  • the input/output 111 can include an analog EO 11 la (e.g., one or more wires, cables, and/or other suitable communication links configured to carry analog signals) and/or a digital EO 11 lb (e.g., one or more wires, cables, or other suitable communication links configured to carry digital signals).
  • the analog EO 11 la is an audio line-in input connection comprising, for example, an auto-detecting 3.5mm audio line- in connection.
  • the digital EO 11 lb comprises a Sony/Philips Digital Interface Format (S/PDIF) communication interface and/or cable and/or a Toshiba Link (TOSLINK) cable.
  • the digital EO 11 lb comprises an High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) interface and/or cable.
  • the digital EO 11 lb includes one or more wireless communication links comprising, for example, a radio frequency (RF), infrared, WiFi, Bluetooth, or another suitable communication protocol.
  • RF radio frequency
  • the analog EO 11 la and the digital EO 11 lb comprise interfaces (e.g., ports, plugs, jacks) configured to receive connectors of cables transmitting analog and digital signals, respectively, without necessarily including cables.
  • the playback device l lOa can receive media content (e.g., audio content comprising music and/or other sounds) from a local audio source 105 via the input/output 111 (e.g., a cable, a wire, a PAN, a Bluetooth connection, an ad hoc wired or wireless communication network, and/or another suitable communication link).
  • the local audio source 105 can comprise, for example, a mobile device (e.g., a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop computer) or another suitable audio component (e.g., a television, a desktop computer, an amplifier, a phonograph, a Blu-ray player, a memory storing digital media files).
  • the local audio source 105 includes local music libraries on a smartphone, a computer, a networked-attached storage (NAS), and/or another suitable device configured to store media files.
  • one or more of the playback devices 110, NMDs 120, and/or control devices 130 comprise the local audio source 105.
  • the media playback system omits the local audio source 105 altogether.
  • the playback device 1 lOa does not include an input/output 111 and receives all audio content via the network 104.
  • the playback device l lOa further comprises electronics 112, a user interface 113 (e.g., one or more buttons, knobs, dials, touch-sensitive surfaces, displays, touchscreens), and one or more transducers 114 (referred to hereinafter as “the transducers 114”).
  • the electronics 112 is configured to receive audio from an audio source (e.g., the local audio source 105) via the input/output 111, one or more of the computing devices l06a-c via the network 104 ( Figure 1B)), amplify the received audio, and output the amplified audio for playback via one or more of the transducers 114.
  • the playback device l lOa optionally includes one or more microphones 115 (e.g., a single microphone, a plurality of microphones, a microphone array) (hereinafter referred to as“the microphones 115”).
  • the playback device l lOa having one or more of the optional microphones 115 can operate as an NMD configured to receive voice input from a user and correspondingly perform one or more operations based on the received voice input.
  • the electronics 112 comprise one or more processors H2a (referred to hereinafter as“the processors H2a”), memory H2b, software components H2c, a network interface H2d, one or more audio processing components H2g (referred to hereinafter as“the audio components H2g”), one or more audio amplifiers 1 l2h (referred to hereinafter as“the amplifiers 1 l2h”), and power 1 l2i (e.g., one or more power supplies, power cables, power receptacles, batteries, induction coils, Power-over Ethernet (POE) interfaces, and/or other suitable sources of electric power).
  • the electronics 112 optionally include one or more other components 1 l2j (e.g., one or more sensors, video displays, touchscreens, battery charging bases).
  • the processors H2a can comprise clock-driven computing component(s) configured to process data
  • the memory H2b can comprise a computer-readable medium (e.g., a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium, data storage loaded with one or more of the software components H2c) configured to store instructions for performing various operations and/or functions.
  • the processors H2a are configured to execute the instructions stored on the memory H2b to perform one or more of the operations.
  • the operations can include, for example, causing the playback device l lOa to retrieve audio data from an audio source (e.g., one or more of the computing devices l06a-c ( Figure 1B)), and/or another one of the playback devices 110.
  • the operations further include causing the playback device l lOa to send audio data to another one of the playback devices l lOa and/or another device (e.g., one of the NMDs 120).
  • Certain embodiments include operations causing the playback device l lOa to pair with another of the one or more playback devices 110 to enable a multi-channel audio environment (e.g., a stereo pair, a bonded zone).
  • the processors H2a can be further configured to perform operations causing the playback device l lOa to synchronize playback of audio content with another of the one or more playback devices 110.
  • a listener will preferably be unable to perceive time-delay differences between playback of the audio content by the playback device l lOa and the other one or more other playback devices 110. Additional details regarding audio playback synchronization among playback devices can be found, for example, in ET.S. Patent No. 8,234,395, which was incorporated by reference above.
  • the memory H2b is further configured to store data associated with the playback device l lOa, such as one or more zones and/or zone groups of which the playback device 1 lOa is a member, audio sources accessible to the playback device l lOa, and/or a playback queue that the playback device l lOa (and/or another of the one or more playback devices) can be associated with.
  • the stored data can comprise one or more state variables that are periodically updated and used to describe a state of the playback device l lOa.
  • the memory H2b can also include data associated with a state of one or more of the other devices (e.g., the playback devices 110, NMDs 120, control devices 130) of the media playback system 100.
  • the state data is shared during predetermined intervals of time (e.g., every 5 seconds, every 10 seconds, every 60 seconds) among at least a portion of the devices of the media playback system 100, so that one or more of the devices have the most recent data associated with the media playback system 100.
  • the network interface H2d is configured to facilitate a transmission of data between the playback device l lOa and one or more other devices on a data network such as, for example, the links 103 and/or the network 104 ( Figure 1B).
  • the network interface 1 l2d is configured to transmit and receive data corresponding to media content (e.g., audio content, video content, text, photographs) and other signals (e.g., non-transitory signals) comprising digital packet data including an Internet Protocol (IP)-based source address and/or an IP- based destination address.
  • IP Internet Protocol
  • the network interface H2d can parse the digital packet data such that the electronics 112 properly receives and processes the data destined for the playback device l lOa.
  • the network interface H2d comprises one or more wireless interfaces 1 l2e (referred to hereinafter as“the wireless interface 1 l2e”).
  • the wireless interface H2e e.g., a suitable interface comprising one or more antennae
  • can be configured to wirelessly communicate with one or more other devices e.g., one or more of the other playback devices 110, NMDs 120, and/or control devices 130
  • a suitable wireless communication protocol e.g., WiFi, Bluetooth, LTE.
  • the network interface H2d optionally includes a wired interface H2f (e.g., an interface or receptacle configured to receive a network cable such as an Ethernet, a USB-A, USB-C, and/or Thunderbolt cable) configured to communicate over a wired connection with other devices in accordance with a suitable wired communication protocol.
  • the network interface H2d includes the wired interface H2f and excludes the wireless interface H2e.
  • the electronics 112 excludes the network interface H2d altogether and transmits and receives media content and/or other data via another communication path (e.g., the input/output 111).
  • the audio components H2g are configured to process and/or filter data comprising media content received by the electronics 112 (e.g., via the input/output 111 and/or the network interface H2d) to produce output audio signals.
  • the audio processing components 1 l2g comprise, for example, one or more digital-to-analog converters (DAC), audio preprocessing components, audio enhancement components, a digital signal processors (DSPs), and/or other suitable audio processing components, modules, circuits, etc.
  • one or more of the audio processing components H2g can comprise one or more subcomponents of the processors H2a.
  • the electronics 112 omits the audio processing components H2g.
  • the processors 1 l2a execute instructions stored on the memory 112b to perform audio processing operations to produce the output audio signals.
  • the amplifiers H2h are configured to receive and amplify the audio output signals produced by the audio processing components H2g and/or the processors H2a.
  • the amplifiers H2h can comprise electronic devices and/or components configured to amplify audio signals to levels sufficient for driving one or more of the transducers 114.
  • the amplifiers H2h include one or more switching or class-D power amplifiers.
  • the amplifiers include one or more other types of power amplifiers (e.g., linear gain power amplifiers, class-A amplifiers, class-B amplifiers, class-AB amplifiers, class-C amplifiers, class-D amplifiers, class-E amplifiers, class-F amplifiers, class-G and/or class H amplifiers, and/or another suitable type of power amplifier).
  • the amplifiers H2h comprise a suitable combination of two or more of the foregoing types of power amplifiers.
  • individual ones of the amplifiers H2h correspond to individual ones of the transducers 114.
  • the electronics 112 includes a single one of the amplifiers H2h configured to output amplified audio signals to a plurality of the transducers 114. In some other embodiments, the electronics 112 omits the amplifiers 1 l2h.
  • the transducers 114 receive the amplified audio signals from the amplifier H2h and render or output the amplified audio signals as sound (e.g., audible sound waves having a frequency between about 20 Hertz (Hz) and 20 kilohertz (kHz)).
  • the transducers 114 can comprise a single transducer. In other embodiments, however, the transducers 114 comprise a plurality of audio transducers. In some embodiments, the transducers 114 comprise more than one type of transducer.
  • the transducers 114 can include one or more low frequency transducers (e.g., subwoofers, woofers), mid-range frequency transducers (e.g., mid-range transducers, mid-woofers), and one or more high frequency transducers (e.g., one or more tweeters).
  • “low frequency” can generally refer to audible frequencies below about 500 Hz
  • “mid-range frequency” can generally refer to audible frequencies between about 500 Hz and about 2 kHz
  • “high frequency” can generally refer to audible frequencies above 2 kHz.
  • one or more of the transducers 114 comprise transducers that do not adhere to the foregoing frequency ranges.
  • one of the transducers 114 may comprise a mid-woofer transducer configured to output sound at frequencies between about 200 Hz and about 5 kHz.
  • SONOS, Inc. presently offers (or has offered) for sale certain playback devices including, for example, a “SONOS ONE,” “PLAY: l,” “PLAY:3,” “PLAY: 5,”“PLAYBAR,”“PLAYBASE,”“CONNECT: AMP,”“CONNECT,” and“SUB.”
  • Other suitable playback devices may additionally or alternatively be used to implement the playback devices of example embodiments disclosed herein.
  • a playback device is not limited to the examples described herein or to SONOS product offerings.
  • one or more playback devices 110 comprises wired or wireless headphones (e.g., over-the-ear headphones, on-ear headphones, in-ear earphones).
  • one or more of the playback devices 110 comprise a docking station and/or an interface configured to interact with a docking station for personal mobile media playback devices.
  • a playback device may be integral to another device or component such as a television, a lighting fixture, or some other device for indoor or outdoor use.
  • a playback device omits a user interface and/or one or more transducers.
  • FIG. 1D is a block diagram of a playback device 1 lOp comprising the input/output 111 and electronics 112 without the user interface 113 or transducers 114.
  • Figure 1E is a block diagram of a bonded playback device l lOq comprising the playback device l lOa ( Figure 1C) sonically bonded with the playback device l lOi (e.g., a subwoofer) ( Figure 1A).
  • the playback devices l lOa and l lOi are separate ones of the playback devices 110 housed in separate enclosures.
  • the bonded playback device l lOq comprises a single enclosure housing both the playback devices l lOa and l lOi.
  • the bonded playback device l lOq can be configured to process and reproduce sound differently than an unbonded playback device (e.g., the playback device 1 lOa of Figure 1C) and/or paired or bonded playback devices (e.g., the playback devices 1101 and l lOm of Figure 1B).
  • the playback device 1 lOa is full-range playback device configured to render low frequency, mid range frequency, and high frequency audio content
  • the playback device l lOi is a subwoofer configured to render low frequency audio content.
  • the playback device l lOa when bonded with the first playback device, is configured to render only the mid-range and high frequency components of a particular audio content, while the playback device l lOi renders the low frequency component of the particular audio content.
  • the bonded playback device l lOq includes additional playback devices and/or another bonded playback device.
  • Figure 1F is a block diagram of the NMD l20a ( Figures 1A and 1B).
  • the NMD l20a includes one or more voice processing components 124 (hereinafter “the voice components 124”) and several components described with respect to the playback device 1 lOa ( Figure 1C) including the processors 1 l2a, the memory 1 l2b, and the microphones 115.
  • the NMD l20a optionally comprises other components also included in the playback device l lOa ( Figure 1C), such as the user interface 113 and/or the transducers 114.
  • the NMD l20a is configured as a media playback device (e.g., one or more of the playback devices 110), and further includes, for example, one or more of the audio components H2g ( Figure 1C), the amplifiers H2h, and/or other playback device components.
  • the NMD l20a comprises an Internet of Things (IoT) device such as, for example, a thermostat, alarm panel, fire and/or smoke detector, etc.
  • the NMD l20a comprises the microphones 115, the voice processing 124, and only a portion of the components of the electronics 112 described above with respect to Figure 1B.
  • the NMD l20a includes the processor
  • the NMD l20a includes additional components (e.g., one or more sensors, cameras, thermometers, barometers, hygrometers).
  • an NMD can be integrated into a playback device.
  • Figure 1G is a block diagram of a playback device 1 lOr comprising an NMD l20d.
  • the playback device l lOa can comprise many or all of the components of the playback device l lOa and further include the microphones 115 and voice processing 124 ( Figure 1F).
  • the playback device l lOr optionally includes an integrated control device l30c.
  • the control device l30c can comprise, for example, a user interface (e.g., the user interface 113 of Figure 1B) configured to receive user input (e.g., touch input, voice input) without a separate control device. In other embodiments, however, the playback device 11 Or receives commands from another control device (e.g., the control device l30a of Figure 1B).
  • the microphones 115 are configured to acquire, capture, and/or receive sound from an environment (e.g., the environment 101 of Figure 1A) and/or a room in which the NMD l20a is positioned.
  • the received sound can include, for example, vocal utterances, audio played back by the NMD l20a and/or another playback device, background voices, ambient sounds, etc.
  • the microphones 115 convert the received sound into electrical signals to produce microphone data.
  • the voice processing 124 receives and analyzes the microphone data to determine whether a voice input is present in the microphone data.
  • the voice input can comprise, for example, an activation word followed by an utterance including a user request.
  • an activation word is a word or other audio cue that signifying a user voice input. For instance, in querying the AMAZON® VAS, a user might speak the activation word "Alexa.” Other examples include “Ok, Google” for invoking the GOOGLE® VAS and “Hey, Siri” for invoking the APPLE® VAS.
  • voice processing 124 monitors the microphone data for an accompanying user request in the voice input.
  • the user request may include, for example, a command to control a network-enabled device, such as a thermostat (e.g., NEST® thermostat), an illumination device (e.g., a PHILIPS HUE ® lighting device), or a media playback device (e.g., a Sonos® playback device).
  • a thermostat e.g., NEST® thermostat
  • an illumination device e.g., a PHILIPS HUE ® lighting device
  • a media playback device e.g., a Sonos® playback device.
  • a user might speak the activation word“Alexa” followed by the utterance“set the thermostat to 68 degrees” to set a temperature in a home (e.g., the environment 101 of Figure 1A).
  • the user might speak the same activation word followed by the utterance“turn on the living room” to turn on illumination devices in a living room area of the home.
  • the user may similarly speak an activation word followed by a request to play a particular song, an album, or a playlist of music on a playback device in the home
  • FIG. 1H is a partially schematic diagram of the control device l30a ( Figures 1A and 1B).
  • the term“control device” can be used interchangeably with “controller” or“control system.”
  • the control device l30a is configured to receive user input related to the media playback system 100 and, in response, cause one or more devices in the media playback system 100 to perform an action(s) or operation(s) corresponding to the user input.
  • the control device l30a comprises a smartphone (e.g., an iPhone TM an Android phone) on which media playback system controller application software is installed.
  • control device l30a comprises, for example, a tablet (e.g., an iPad TM ), a computer (e.g., a laptop computer, a desktop computer), and/or another suitable device (e.g., a television, an automobile audio head unit, an IoT device).
  • the control device l30a comprises a dedicated controller for the media playback system 100.
  • the control device l30a is integrated into another device in the media playback system 100 (e.g., one more of the playback devices 110, NMDs 120, and/or other suitable devices configured to communicate over a network).
  • the control device l30a includes electronics 132, a user interface 133, one or more speakers 134, and one or more microphones 135.
  • the electronics 132 comprise one or more processors l32a (referred to hereinafter as“the processors l32a”), a memory l32b, software components l32c, and a network interface l32d.
  • the processor l32a can be configured to perform functions relevant to facilitating user access, control, and configuration of the media playback system 100.
  • the memory l32b can comprise data storage that can be loaded with one or more of the software components executable by the processor l32a to perform those functions.
  • the software components l32c can comprise applications and/or other executable software configured to facilitate control of the media playback system 100.
  • the memory 1 l2b can be configured to store, for example, the software components l32c, media playback system controller application software, and/or other data associated with the media playback system 100 and the user.
  • the network interface l32d is configured to facilitate network communications between the control device l30a and one or more other devices in the media playback system 100, and/or one or more remote devices.
  • the network interface l32d is configured to operate according to one or more suitable communication industry standards (e.g., infrared, radio, wired standards including IEEE 802.3, wireless standards including IEEE 802.1 la, 802.l lb, 802.l lg, 802.11h, 802.l lac, 802.15, 4G, LTE).
  • suitable communication industry standards e.g., infrared, radio, wired standards including IEEE 802.3, wireless standards including IEEE 802.1 la, 802.l lb, 802.l lg, 802.11h, 802.l lac, 802.15, 4G, LTE.
  • the network interface l32d can be configured, for example, to transmit data to and/or receive data from the playback devices 110, the NMDs 120, other ones of the control devices 130, one of the computing devices 106 of Figure 1B, devices comprising one or more other media playback systems, etc.
  • the transmitted and/or received data can include, for example, playback device control commands, state variables, playback zone and/or zone group configurations.
  • the network interface l32d can transmit a playback device control command (e.g., volume control, audio playback control, audio content selection) from the control device 130a to one or more of the playback devices 110.
  • a playback device control command e.g., volume control, audio playback control, audio content selection
  • the network interface l32d can also transmit and/or receive configuration changes such as, for example, adding/removing one or more playback devices 110 to/from a zone, adding/removing one or more zones to/from a zone group, forming a bonded or consolidated player, separating one or more playback devices from a bonded or consolidated player, among others.
  • the user interface 133 is configured to receive user input and can facilitate 'control of the media playback system 100.
  • the user interface 133 includes media content art l33a (e.g., album art, lyrics, videos), a playback status indicator l33b (e.g., an elapsed and/or remaining time indicator), media content information region l33c, a playback control region l33d, and a zone indicator l33e.
  • the media content information region l33c can include a display of relevant information (e.g., title, artist, album, genre, release year) about media content currently playing and/or media content in a queue or playlist.
  • the playback control region l33d can include selectable (e.g., via touch input and/or via a cursor or another suitable selector) icons to cause one or more playback devices in a selected playback zone or zone group to perform playback actions such as, for example, play or pause, fast forward, rewind, skip to next, skip to previous, enter/exit shuffle mode, enter/exit repeat mode, enter/exit cross fade mode, etc.
  • the playback control region l33d may also include selectable icons to modify equalization settings, playback volume, and/or other suitable playback actions.
  • the user interface 133 comprises a display presented on a touch screen interface of a smartphone (e.g., an iPhone TM an Android phone). In some embodiments, however, user interfaces of varying formats, styles, and interactive sequences may alternatively be implemented on one or more network devices to provide comparable control access to a media playback system.
  • the one or more speakers 134 can be configured to output sound to the user of the control device l30a.
  • the one or more speakers comprise individual transducers configured to correspondingly output low frequencies, mid-range frequencies, and/or high frequencies.
  • the control device l30a is configured as a playback device (e.g., one of the playback devices 110).
  • the control device l30a is configured as an NMD (e.g., one of the NMDs 120), receiving voice commands and other sounds via the one or more microphones 135.
  • the one or more microphones 135 can comprise, for example, one or more condenser microphones, electret condenser microphones, dynamic microphones, and/or other suitable types of microphones or transducers. In some embodiments, two or more of the microphones 135 are arranged to capture location information of an audio source (e.g., voice, audible sound) and/or configured to facilitate filtering of background noise. Moreover, in certain embodiments, the control device l30a is configured to operate as playback device and an NMD. In other embodiments, however, the control device l30a omits the one or more speakers 134 and/or the one or more microphones 135.
  • an audio source e.g., voice, audible sound
  • the control device l30a is configured to operate as playback device and an NMD. In other embodiments, however, the control device l30a omits the one or more speakers 134 and/or the one or more microphones 135.
  • control device l30a may comprise a device (e.g., a thermostat, an IoT device, a network device) comprising a portion of the electronics 132 and the user interface 133 (e.g., a touch screen) without any speakers or microphones.
  • a device e.g., a thermostat, an IoT device, a network device
  • the user interface 133 e.g., a touch screen
  • examples described herein relate to example techniques for playback devices to output audio notifications or alert communications from network-enabled devices.
  • Figure 2 depicts an example environment 201 in which a playback device 210 outputs audio alerts from one or more network-enabled devices 240a, 240b, 240c, and 240d (collectively referred to as network-enabled devices 240).
  • a playback device 210 outputs audio alerts from one or more network-enabled devices 240a, 240b, 240c, and 240d (collectively referred to as network-enabled devices 240).
  • the playback device 210 may be similar or equivalent to any of the playback devices 110 depicted in Figures 1A-1E and 1G.
  • the playback device 210 includes an audio stage having an amplifier configured to receive audio signals and output the received audio signals as sound by driving one or more transducers, such as one or more speakers.
  • the playback device 210 includes one or more transducers, and the speaker drivers output the audio signals as sound by driving the transducers of the playback device 210.
  • the playback device 210 is coupled to externally connected transducers, such as passive speakers, and the speaker drivers output the audio signals as sound by driving the externally connected transducers.
  • the network-enabled devices 240 represent various different types of devices configured to communicate with other devices over a network, and are sometimes referred to as“smart devices” or“IoT devices.”
  • the network-enabled devices 240 can include third- party devices provided by a manufacturer or vendor that is different from the manufacturer or vendor of the playback device 210.
  • a third-party network-enabled device 240 can include any non-Sonos® smart device.
  • the environment 201 includes a network-enabled doorbell 240a (e.g., a Nest® Hello or a Ring® Video Doorbell), a network-enabled thermostat 240b (e.g., a Nest® Learning Thermostat or an Ecobee® thermostat), a network-enabled robotic vacuum 240c (e.g., an iRobot® Roomba or a Neato® Botvac), and a network-enabled oven 240d (e.g., a GE® smart oven or a Whirlpool® smart range).
  • a network-enabled doorbell 240a e.g., a Nest® Hello or a Ring® Video Doorbell
  • a network-enabled thermostat 240b e.g., a Nest® Learning Thermostat or an Ecobee® thermostat
  • a network-enabled robotic vacuum 240c e.g., an iRobot® Roomba or a Neato® Botvac
  • network-enabled devices 240 are merely illustrative, and in other examples the network- enabled devices 240 can include additional, fewer, and/or various other types of smart devices, including, but not limited to, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, security systems, cameras, lighting systems, and various types of smart appliances, such as refrigerators, microwave ovens, dishwashers, laundry machines, and the like.
  • the network-enabled devices 240 are configured to generate alerts upon detecting various events.
  • the doorbell 240a may generate an alert responsive to detecting the presence of an individual at the door, such as by determining that the individual has interacted with a user interface of the doorbell (e.g., detecting a button press or touchscreen interaction) or by using a camera or motion sensor of the doorbell 240a to detect the individual’s presence.
  • the thermostat 240b may generate an alert responsive to determining that the environment 201 has reached a threshold high or low temperature or responsive to activating or deactivating an HVAC system of the environment 201.
  • the robotic vacuum 240c may generate an alert responsive to starting or finishing a cleaning cycle.
  • the oven 240d may generate an alert responsive to reaching a threshold temperature or determining that a cook timer has expired.
  • alert examples are merely illustrative, and in other examples the network-enabled devices 240 may generate additional, fewer, or different types of alerts.
  • the network-enabled devices 240 provide the generated alerts to a user.
  • the network-enabled devices 240 provide the generated alerts to the user by causing the user’s mobile device to output an audio and/or visual notification of the generated alert.
  • the network-enabled device 240 can cause a control device 230 to display a notification of the generated alert.
  • the control device 230 may be similar or equivalent to the control device l30a depicted in Figures 1A, 1B, and 1H and may be, for example, a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop computer, or the like.
  • the user may prefer to be notified via a media playback system.
  • the user may prefer to be alerted of high-priority events from certain types of devices such as alarms (e.g., smoke alarm, carbon monoxide alarm) via the media playback system.
  • alarms e.g., smoke alarm, carbon monoxide alarm
  • the user might not be effectively notified via a mobile device.
  • the mobile device may be control device 230, and the user might not receive the notification of the generated alerts output by the control device 230, as the user may have powered off or silenced the control device 230, or the control device 230 may have powered itself off responsive to low battery power.
  • the playback device 210 may be playing back music or other audio content that drowns out or otherwise distracts the user from the alert notifications output by the control device 230.
  • Disclosed herein are example systems and methods for providing additional and/or alternative notifications of the network-enabled device generated alerts, which can increase the likelihood of the user effectively receiving the notifications and improve the user experience.
  • the present disclosure provides example systems and methods that involve the playback device 210 outputting audio notifications of the network-enabled device alerts.
  • the playback device 210 can be configured with an application programming interface (API) through which the network-enabled devices 240 can communicate with the playback device 210.
  • API application programming interface
  • Example features of the API are shown and described in further detail below. However, these API features are merely illustrative, and in other examples, additional, fewer, and/or different API features can be used.
  • An example API can define various parameters that the network-enabled device 240 and/or the playback device 210 can use to facilitate causing the playback device 210 to output an audio notification of the network-enabled device alert.
  • Table 1 shown below provides example API parameters, each of which are explained in further detail below. However, these parameters are for illustrative purposes, and in other examples, the API may define additional, fewer, and/or alternative parameters.
  • one example parameter defined by the API is an id parameter.
  • the id parameter represents a string type parameter that represents an identifier of a particular audio notification.
  • the playback device 210 generates a value of the id parameter and assigns the value to a particular audio notification.
  • the name parameter represents a string type parameter that represents a user-identifiable name associated with an audio notification.
  • the user-identifiable name can include a name of the network-enabled device 240 that generated the alert and/or a description of a type of the alert.
  • the network-enabled device 240 specifies a value of the name parameter for a particular audio notification.
  • the appld parameter represents a string type parameter that identifies an application that generated a particular audio notification.
  • the appld parameter is a reversed Internet domain associated with the application, such as "com. acme. app,” where "acme.com” is the domain prior to reversal.
  • the appld parameter can take various other forms.
  • the priority parameter represents an enumerated type parameter that specifies a priority of an audio notification.
  • the priority parameter comprises enumerated values of“LOW” or“HIGH” for respectively setting the priority as low or high, but in other examples, the priority parameter may comprise additional or different enumerated values.
  • the priority parameter may indicate priority level on a numerical scale (e.g., 1-5).
  • the network-enabled device 240 sets the value of the priority parameter for a particular audio notification.
  • the playback device 210 sets the value of the playback parameter based on the type of network-enabled device 240 that generated the alert corresponding to the audio notification.
  • the user may indicate via a user interface the priority to assign to a particular alert from the network-enabled device 240.
  • the network-enabled devices 240 can set the priority parameter to“HIGH” for audio notifications that correspond to network-enabled device alerts that are particularly time-sensitive, and“LOW” for audio notifications that are less time-sensitive.
  • Time-sensitive audio notifications are alerts that are to be played back as closely as possible to the event triggering the audio notification.
  • Example high priority alerts may include, but are not limited to, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, oven timers, and security alarms.
  • Example low priority alerts may include, but are not limited to, doorbells, phone calls, completed laundry cycle, motion detectors, and preheated ovens.
  • the playback device 210 is configured to play back audio notifications in a certain way based on their specified priority.
  • Another example parameter is a notification parameter.
  • the notification parameter represents an enumerated type parameter that specifies a particular audio source that the playback device 210 outputs as the network-enabled device alert notification.
  • the notification parameter comprises enumerated values of (i)“CHIME” which, when set as the notification enumerated value, causes the playback device 210 to output a default chime audio notification as the network-enabled device alert notification, and (ii) “CUSTOM” which, when set as the notification enumerated value, causes the playback device 210 to output a custom audio notification as the network-enabled device alert notification.
  • the notification enumerated values may comprise additional or different values.
  • the audio for the default chime audio notification may be stored in the memory of playback device, while the audio for the custom audio notification may be specified by the network-enabled device, as explained in further detail below.
  • the streamUrl parameter represents a string type parameter that specifies a URL of an audio source for the playback device 210 to output as the custom audio notification as the third-part alert notification.
  • the notification parameter is set as“CUSTOM”
  • the playback device 210 can retrieve the audio source from the URL specified as the streamUrl parameter, and can play back the retrieved audio source as the network-enabled device alert notification.
  • the httpAuthorization parameter represents a string type parameter that specifies credentials for authorizing access to the URL specified by the streamUrl parameter when the specified URL requires authentication, such as when the specified URL is secure (e.g., using https).
  • the expiryMillis parameter represents an integer type parameter that indicates how long a particular audio notification is permitted to be queued in a notification queue for playback before dismissing the audio notification from notification queue.
  • the value of the expiryMillis parameter specifies such a time limit in milliseconds, but other example implementations are possible as well.
  • the shouldLoop parameter can be a Boolean type parameter that specifies whether the playback device 210 should loop the playback of a particular audio notification. If the shouldLoop parameter is set as “FALSE,” then the playback device 210 plays back the audio notification once. If the shouldLoop parameter is set as“TRUE,” then the playback device 210 loops playback of the audio notification for a predetermined amount of time. The predetermined amount of time may depend on the priority value of the audio notification. For instance, the playback device 210 may be configured to loop playback of high priority audio notifications for a longer predetermined amount of time than low priority audio notifications.
  • the status parameter can be an enumerated type parameter that identifies a current status of a particular audio notification.
  • the status parameter enumerated values include (i)“PENDING” for audio notifications that are scheduled for playback but are not currently being played back, (ii) “ACTIVE” for audio notifications that are currently being played back, and (iii) “DISMISSED” for audio notifications that have been dismissed.
  • the status parameter enumerated values may comprise additional or different values.
  • the errorCode parameter represents an error type parameter to which the playback device 210 assigns a particular value responsive to detecting a particular error condition.
  • Example error values include (i) “ERROR AUDIO CLIP DO NOT DISTURB,” which the playback device 210 can assign to the errorCode parameter responsive to determining that the playback device 210 is in a“do not disturb” mode that temporarily disables audio notification playback, (ii) “ERROR AUDIO CLIP ID NOT FOUND,” which the playback device 210 can assign to the errorCode parameter reponsive to determining that the playback device 210 is unable to retrieve the specified audio source for the audio notification (e.g., the audio source identified by the streamETrl parameter), (iii)“ERROR AUDIO CLIP MEDIA ERROR,” which the playback device 210 can assign to the errorCode parameter responsive to determining that the specified audio source for the audio notification is a type of media that is unsupported for playback by the playback device
  • the network-enabled devices 240 can communicate with the playback device 210 to cause the playback device 210 to output an audio notification of one or more alerts generated by the network-enabled devices 240 or to perform various other functions related to the audio notification.
  • the network-enabled devices 240 can be connected to the same network (e.g., local area network, Bluetooth) as the media playback system of playback device 210.
  • the network- enabled devices 240 can communicate directly with the playback device 210 over the network, or the network-enabled devices 240 can communicate with the playback device 210 via one or more intermediary computing devices, such as the computing devices 206 shown in Figure 2.
  • the computing devices 206 include a third-party server affiliated with one or more of the network-enabled devices 240 as well as a first-party server affiliated with the playback device 210.
  • the network-enabled devices 240 can communicate with the playback device 210 by sending a communication to the third-party server over a wide area network (WAN), which then sends the communication to the first-party server, which then sends the communication to the playback device 210 over a WAN.
  • the playback device 210 can communicate with one or more of the network-enabled devices 240 by sending a communication to the first-party server, which then sends the communication to the third-party server, which then sends the communication to the network-enabled device 240.
  • WAN wide area network
  • the playback device 210 can communicate with one or more of the network-enabled devices 240 by sending a communication to the first-party server, which then sends the communication to the third-party server, which then sends the communication to the network-enabled device 240.
  • Other examples are possible as well.
  • Using one or more servers as intermediaries between the playback device 210 and the network-enabled devices 240 may have various advantages. Such servers may be more reliably connected to the playback device 210 and/or the network-enabled devices 240, as such computing devices may have a static network address (or domain) whereas individual devices may have dynamic addresses. Further, such servers may implement additional cloud services, such as backup or logging of notifications. Yet further, security may be enhanced.
  • Figure 3A shows an example alert message 300 that the network-enabled devices 240 can send to the playback device 210 to cause or request the playback device 210 to output an audio notification of an alert.
  • the alert message 300 includes a header portion 302 and a body portion 304.
  • the network-enabled device 240 specifies a command for the playback device 210 to execute, as well as identifiers specifying which playback device 210 is to carry out the command. In this manner, the network-enabled device 240 can specify certain speakers to play back alert notifications, which can improve user experience.
  • the oven 240d is located in a kitchen, so the oven 240d can specify that the playback device 210, which is also located in the kitchen, is to play back the alert notification from the oven 240d.
  • the header 302 specifies that the playback device 210 that is named “xyz” and located in household“ABCD1234” is to execute a“loadAudioClip” command.
  • the specified playback device 210 can be a standalone playback device or a playback device that is grouped with one or more other playback devices (e.g., a playback device grouped in a surround sound configuration, including rear channel speakers).
  • the alert message 300 may address multiple playback devices (e.g., all networked playback devices on a given network). For instance, in an example, the header 302 does not specify a particular playback device 210 for carrying out the command to play back an audio notification, so as to address any playback device 210 receiving the alert message 300. In this case, if multiple playback devices receive the notification, all of these networked playback devices concurrently play back the notification. As another example, the alert message 300 can specify multiple playback devices to play back the audio notification, and the playback device 210 receiving the alert message 300 can synchronize playback of the audio notification across the specified playback devices.
  • the header 302 does not specify a particular playback device 210 for carrying out the command to play back an audio notification, so as to address any playback device 210 receiving the alert message 300. In this case, if multiple playback devices receive the notification, all of these networked playback devices concurrently play back the notification.
  • the alert message 300 can specify multiple playback devices to play back the audio notification, and
  • the multiple playback device specified to play back the audio notifications may be identified individually using an identifier of the playback device (e.g., serial number, name, other unique alphanumeric string, etc.)
  • the alert message 300 can specify that the audio notification is to be played back across grouped playback devices, and the playback device 210 receiving the alert message 300 can synchronize playback of the audio notification across any playback devices grouped with the playback device 210.
  • This feature can be an“include grouped devices” option enabling an alert message 300 targeting a player in a group to be played synchronously by all players in the same group. Other examples are possible as well.
  • the body 304 of the alert message 300 specifies various parameter values that the playback device 210 uses when executing the“loadAudioClip” command, including values for the name, appld, priority, notification, streamUrl, and expiryMillis parameters, each of which is described above in further detail.
  • the alert message 300 causes the playback device 210 to play back a low priority alert notification generated by a network-enabled device 240 associated with an application named“Example.”
  • the alert message 300 further specifies that, when playing back this notification, the playback device 210 will output a custom audio signal that is retrieved from a particular URI or URL such as http://example.com/notification.mp3.
  • the playback device 210 will cancel playback of the notification if 2000 milliseconds (or 2 seconds) elapse before the playback device 210 begins playing back the notification.
  • the playback device 210 Responsive to receiving the alert message 300 from the network-enabled device 240, the playback device 210 sends, to the network-enabled device 240, response message 310 that acknowledges receipt of the alert message 300 and provides a status of the notification. Similar to the alert message 300, the response message 310 includes a header portion 312 and a body portion 314. In the header 312, the playback device 210 specifies that the response message 310 is provided in response to the loadAudioClip command provided by the network-enabled device 240 and indicates that the loadAudioClip command was successfully received.
  • the body 314 of the response message 310 includes additional parameter values specified by the playback device 210. For instance, the playback device 210 assigns a value to the id parameter, which identifies the audio notification requested by the alert message 300. As shown, the playback device 210 has identified the audio notification as“NEW NOTIFICATION.” Additionally, the body 314 of the response message 310 reports a status of the audio notification. As shown, the status of the audio notification is“PENDING,” which, as noted above, means the audio notification is queued for playback by the playback device 210.
  • the playback device 210 In addition to sending the response message 310, the playback device 210 also takes steps to play back the audio notification requested by the alert message 300. In some examples, the playback device 210 maintains a queue of notifications, and the playback device plays back the queued notifications according to their order in the notification queue. In such examples, responsive to receiving the alert message 300, the playback device 210 adds the audio notification identified by the alert message 300 into the notification queue.
  • FIG. 4A depicts an example notification queue 400.
  • the notification queue 400 can be stored in a memory of the playback device 210.
  • the notification queue 400 includes a number of notifications 404 (identified as queued notifications 1-4) queued for playback, each notification having a respective status 402 and a respective priority 406.
  • the status 402 of queued notification 1 is“ACTIVE,” which indicates that the playback device 210 is currently playing back this notification.
  • the remaining notifications have“PENDING” statuses, which indicates that these notifications are awaiting playback by the playback device 210.
  • queued notifications 1 and 2 have high priorities, so the playback device 210 has arranged these notifications at the top of the notification queue 400, and queued notifications 3 and 4 have low priorities, so the playback device 210 has arranged these notifications after the high priority notifications.
  • Figures 4B, 4C, and 4D depict examples of the notification queue 400 after the playback device 210 adds a new notification to the notification queue 400.
  • FIG. 4B depicts an example of the notification queue 400 after the playback device 210 receives and processes the alert message 300.
  • the network- enabled device 240 specifies in the alert message 300 that the new notification has a low priority.
  • the playback device 210 adds the new notification to the notification queue 400 at a queue position that is after the high priority notifications.
  • the playback device 210 adds the new notification to the end of the queue, after the other already-queued (i.e., pending) low priority notifications.
  • the playback device 210 can be configured to add the new notification to the notification queue 400 at a queue position that is after the high priority notifications and before the other pending low priority notifications.
  • FIG. 4C depicts another example of the notification queue 400 after the playback device 210 adds the new notification to the notification queue 400.
  • the network-enabled device 240 has specified that the new notification has a high priority.
  • the playback device 210 adds the new notification to the notification queue 400 at a queue position that is before the low priority notifications. As shown, the playback device 210 adds the new notification before the low priority notifications, but after the other pending high priority notifications.
  • the playback device 210 can be configured to add the new notification to the notification queue 400 at a queue position that is before the other pending high priority notifications, but after any notification that the playback device 210 is currently playing back (i.e., after any active notification).
  • FIG. 4D depicts yet another example of the notification queue 400 after the playback device 210 adds the new notification to the notification queue 400.
  • the network-enabled device 240 has again specified that the new notification has a high priority.
  • the playback device 210 adds the new notification to the front of the notification queue 400 and begins playing back the new notification.
  • the playback device 210 interrupts (e.g., pauses or stops) playback of the active queued notification 1 and transitions queued notification 1 to a pending state in the notification queue 400.
  • the playback device 210 moves interrupted queued notification 1 to a queue position that is before all other pending queue notifications.
  • the playback device 210 can be configured to move interrupted queue notification 1 to a queue position that is after the other pending high priority notifications, or to the end of the notification queue 400 in examples where the interrupted queued notification l is a low priority notification.
  • the playback device 210 can report the interruption to the network-enabled device 240 that initially requested the interrupted notification. Responsive to receiving the reported interruption, the network- enabled device 240 can determine whether the interrupted notification is still relevant (e.g., whether the conditions that caused the network-enabled device 240 to generate the alert corresponding to the interrupted notification are still present) and, if so, then the network- enabled device 240 can then send a subsequent request to the playback device 210 to cause the playback device 210 to play back the interrupted notification again.
  • the network- enabled device 240 can determine whether the interrupted notification is still relevant (e.g., whether the conditions that caused the network-enabled device 240 to generate the alert corresponding to the interrupted notification are still present) and, if so, then the network- enabled device 240 can then send a subsequent request to the playback device 210 to cause the playback device 210 to play back the interrupted notification again.
  • the playback device 210 is configured to interrupt an active notification in order to play back a new notification (e.g., as described in connection with Figure 4D) only under certain circumstances.
  • the playback device 210 can be configured such that, when the active notification is a low priority notification and the new notification is a high priority notification, the playback device 210 interrupts playback of the active low priority notification to play back the new high priority notification.
  • the playback device 210 can be configured to interrupt the active high priority notification with the new high priority notification only if the playback device 210 has been playing back the active high priority notification for a threshold amount of time (e.g., 10 seconds).
  • This behavior may prevent a high priority notification from being missed by a user. Otherwise, if the playback device 210 has not been playing back the active high priority notification for the threshold amount of time, then the playback device 210 adds the new notification to the notification queue 400 without interrupting playback of the active notification.
  • the playback device 210 can be configured such that, when the new notification is a low priority notification, the playback device 210 does not interrupt playback of the active notification unless the active notification is a low priority notification that the playback device 210 has been playing back for the threshold amount of time. As yet another example, the playback device 210 can be configured such that, when the new notification is a low priority notification, the playback device 210 does not interrupt playback of the active notification, regardless of the priority of the active notification.
  • the playback device 210 can be configured to remove notifications from the notification queue 400 under certain circumstances.
  • the network-enabled devices 240 can specify a maximum amount of time that an alert notification is permitted to be queued for playback in the notification queue 400 (e.g., using the expiryMillis parameter).
  • the playback device 210 can determine that an alert notification has been in the notification queue 400 for a threshold amount of time corresponding to an expired audio notification, for instance by determining that an alert notification has been in the notification queue 400 for the amount of time specified by the expiryMillis parameter. In response to making such a determination, the playback device 210 can remove the expired alert notification from the notification queue.
  • the playback device 210 can be configured to treat low and high priority notifications differently when playing back the notifications.
  • the playback device 210 can be configured to play back high priority notifications at a higher volume than low priority notifications.
  • the playback device 210 can be configured to play back low and high priority notifications for different lengths of time.
  • the playback device 210 can be configured to limit playback of notifications to a threshold playback time, and once the threshold playback time has elapsed, the playback device 210 dismisses playback of the notification.
  • the playback device 210 can set the threshold playback time to be longer for high priority notifications (e.g., 1 hour) than for low priority notifications (e.g., 1 minute).
  • the notification queue 400 is empty, such that the playback device 210 is not playing back any notifications. Instead, the playback device 210 can be playing back various other audio content, such as music, television audio, audiobooks, or the like.
  • the playback device 210 can adjust the playback of the other audio content in order to facilitate playing back the alert notification.
  • example playback devices 110 may implement a playback queue to manage playback of multiple items of audio content.
  • a notification queue may be separate and distinct from a playback queue implemented by a playback device 110 for general playback of audio content.
  • An example playback device 210 may implement both a playback queue and a notification queue concurrently. In some cases, as described in further detail below, the notification queue may take control or otherwise modify playback from the playback queue.
  • the playback device 210 temporarily reduces the volume of (also referred to as“ducking”) the other audio content and plays back the alert notification concurrently with the ducked audio content.
  • the playback device 210 stops playback of the other audio content, plays back the alert notification, and then resumes playback of the other audio content after playing back the alert notification.
  • whether the playback device 210 ducks the other audio content or stops playback of the other audio content depends on whether the alert notification is a high priority notification or a low priority notification. For instance, for low priority notifications, the playback device 210 can duck the other audio content and play back the low priority notification concurrently with the ducked audio content. For high priority notifications, the playback device 210 can stop playing back the other audio content, play back the high priority notification, and then resume playing back the other audio content after playing back the high priority notification.
  • whether the playback device 210 ducks the other audio content or stops playback of the other audio content depends on a type of the other audio content. For instance, if the playback device 210 determines that the other audio content includes long play content, such as audiobooks, podcasts, or movie audio, then the playback device 210 stops playing back the other audio content, plays back the notification, and then resumes playing back the other audio content after playing back the notification. If the playback device 210 determines that the other audio content includes short play content, such as music, then the playback device 210 ducks the other audio content and plays back the notification concurrently with the ducked audio content. To facilitate this, the playback device 210 can be preset to treat certain types of audio content as long play or short play.
  • the playback device 210 determines whether to duck or stop playback of the other audio content based on a source of the other audio content.
  • the playback device 210 may be unable to control the audio source (e.g., causing the audio source to pause, stop, or resume the audio content).
  • some audio sources may provide the other audio content to the playback device 210 through a line- in connection or some other connection through which the playback device 210 is unable to control the audio source.
  • the playback device 210 is capable of controlling the audio source, doing so might result in an undesirable user experience.
  • the audio source may include a live streaming service, such as a live radio broadcast, that if paused would resume at a later live time or would cause the user’s feed to be delayed from the live feed.
  • the playback device 210 can be configured to duck playback of any audio content that is provided by an audio source that the playback device 210 cannot interrupt, such as audio content received through a line-in connection, or for which interruption would result in an undesirable user experience, such as live-streaming audio content.
  • the playback device 210 can be configured to limit the amount of time that the playback device 210 plays back a particular notification, such that the playback device 210 automatically dismisses playback of the notification after a threshold amount of time elapses. However, a user may wish to dismiss playback of an alert notification without waiting for the threshold amount of time to elapse. As such, the playback device 210 can be configured to receive user input for dismissing playback of an alert notification.
  • the playback device 210 includes a user interface (e.g., one or more buttons, knobs, dials, touch-sensitive surfaces, displays, touchscreens), such as the user interface 113 described above in connection with Figure 1C.
  • the user interface can also include a visual indicator, such as an LED.
  • the playback device 210 can cause the visual indicator to indicate that the notification is playing, for instance by illuminating the LED in a particular color or in a particular pattern.
  • the playback device 210 can receive user input via the user interface, and, responsive to receiving the user input, the playback device 210 dismisses playback of the alert notification.
  • a skip forward button may be configured to skip forward from playback of a given notification to playback of another notification in the notification queue or to the currently playing media item in the playback queue.
  • a play/pause button may be configured to dismiss the currently playing alert notification.
  • the user may perform a particular gesture or input pattern, such as a double tap of a particular button or a particular swipe pattern on the user interface, to dismiss the currently playing alert notification.
  • the playback device 210 causes the control device 230 to display, via its graphical user interface, a visual notification corresponding to an alert notification that the playback device 210 is playing back. For instance, responsive to receiving a request to play back an alert notification (e.g., responsive to receiving alert message 300) or responsive to playing back the alert notification, the playback device 210 can send an instruction to the control device 230 that causes the control device to display an indication that the playback device 210 is playing back the alert notification.
  • an alert notification e.g., responsive to receiving alert message 300
  • the playback device 210 can send an instruction to the control device 230 that causes the control device to display an indication that the playback device 210 is playing back the alert notification.
  • Figure 5 depicts the control device 230 displaying an example indication of the playback device 210 playing back an alert notification.
  • the control device 230 includes a user interface 533, which may be the same or equivalent to the user interface 133 described above in connection with Figure 1H.
  • the control device 230 displays, via the user interface 133 an indication 533a that the playback device 210 is playing back an alert notification.
  • the control device 230 displays the indication 533a responsive to receiving an instruction from the playback device 210 to display the indication 533a.
  • the indication 533a includes information 533b about the alert notification that the playback device 210 is playing back.
  • the information 533b can include an identification of the network-enabled device that generated the alert, a description of the conditions that prompted the alert, or various other information that can help the user identify the source of the alert. This information may be populated from parameters in the alert message 300, which the playback device may include in the instruction(s) to the control device to display the indication that the playback device 210 is playing back the alert notification.
  • the information 533b identifies the network-enabled device that generated the alert as a“Smart Oven” and describes the conditions of the alert as“Oven is preheated to 450°F.”
  • the playback device 210 can provide the information 533b to the control device 230 as part of the instruction to display the indication 533a, and the playback device 210 can obtain the information 533b from the network-enabled device 240, for instance, by extracting the information 533b from the alert message 300.
  • the indication 533a further includes a dismiss button 533c and a snooze button 533d.
  • the control device 230 sends a dismiss instruction to the playback device 210. Responsive to receiving the dismiss instruction, the playback device 210 stops playing back the alert notification and removes the alert notification from the notification queue 400.
  • the control device 230 sends a snooze instruction to the playback device 210.
  • the playback device 210 stops playing back the alert notification and places the alert notification back into the notification queue 400, for instance, according to one or more of the processes described above in connection with Figures 4A-4D.
  • the playback device 210 can delay replaying the snoozed alert notification for a threshold amount of time (e.g., 5 minutes).
  • control device 230 sends the dismiss instruction to the network-enabled device 240, and the network-enabled device 240 responsively sends the dismiss instruction to the playback device 210.
  • control device 230 and the playback device 210 are connected to the same LAN, and the control device 230 sends the dismiss instruction to the playback device 210 over the LAN.
  • control device 230 sends the dismiss instruction to a server device, which then routes the dismiss instruction to the playback device 210.
  • the control device 230 may send the dismiss instruction to a third-party server, the third-party server may send the dismiss instruction to the network-enabled device 240, and the network-enabled device 240 may send the dismiss instruction to the playback device 210.
  • the control device 230 may send the dismiss instruction to a first-party server, and the first-party server may send the dismiss instruction to the playback device 210.
  • the control device or the playback device 210 may send a message to the network-enabled device 240 indicating that the alert notification has been dismissed.
  • the playback device 210 is configured to display the indication 533a on a“now playing” screen of the user interface 133.
  • the now playing screen can include various information related to media content that the playback device 210 is currently playing back, such as media content art (e.g., album art, lyrics, videos), a playback status indicator (e.g., an elapsed and/or remaining time indicator), media content information, a playback control icons, and a zone indicator, as shown and described in connection with Figure 1H.
  • media content art e.g., album art, lyrics, videos
  • a playback status indicator e.g., an elapsed and/or remaining time indicator
  • media content information e.g., a playback control icons, and a zone indicator, as shown and described in connection with Figure 1H.
  • the user can dismiss or snooze playback of an alert notification by interacting with the indication 533a through the now playing screen.
  • the network-enabled device 240 causes the control device 230 to display the indication 533a. For instance, in addition to sending the alert message 300 to the playback device 210, the network-enabled device 240 may send a message to the control device 230 instructing the control device 230 to display the indication 533a. Alternatively, the network-enabled device 240 may send a message (e.g., included in or separate from the alert message 300) to the playback device 210 instructing the playback device 210 to cause the control device 230 to display the indication 533a. [138] In some examples, the playback device 210 provides reports to the network-enabled devices 240 whenever the playback device 210 performs certain actions related to an alert notification.
  • the playback device 210 can send reports to the network-enabled device 240 (or to the third-party server) indicating that the playback device 210 has queued an alert notification for playback, is currently playing back an alert notification, has dismissed an alert notification (e.g., in response to user input), has interrupted an alert notification in order to play back another alert notification, has removed an expired alert notification from the queue, or has stopped playing back an alert notification based on playing back the alert notification for a threshold amount of time.
  • the network-enabled device 240 or to the third-party server
  • the playback device 210 can provide these reports only to the network-enabled devices 240 associated with notification, or the playback device 210 can provide these reports to multiple ones or all of the network-enabled devices 240 that are networked with the playback device 210.
  • Figure 6 shows an example method 600 for a playback device outputting alert notifications from network-enabled devices.
  • Method 600 can be implemented by any of the playback devices disclosed and/or described herein, or any other playback device now known or later developed.
  • Various embodiments of method 600 include one or more operations, functions, and actions illustrated by blocks 602 through 610. Although the blocks are illustrated in sequential order, these blocks may also be performed in parallel, and/or in a different order than the order disclosed and described herein. Also, the various blocks may be combined into fewer blocks, divided into additional blocks, and/or removed based upon a desired implementation.
  • each block may represent a module, a segment, or a portion of program code, which includes one or more instructions executable by one or more processors for implementing specific logical functions or steps in the process.
  • the program code may be stored on any type of computer readable medium, for example, such as a storage device including a disk or hard drive.
  • the computer readable medium may include non- transitory computer readable media, for example, such as tangible, non-transitory computer- readable media that stores data for short periods of time like register memory, processor cache, and Random Access Memory (RAM).
  • the computer readable medium may also include non-transitory media, such as secondary or persistent long term storage, like read only memory (ROM), optical or magnetic disks, compact-disc read only memory (CD- ROM), for example.
  • the computer readable media may also be any other volatile or non volatile storage systems.
  • the computer readable medium may be considered a computer readable storage medium, for example, or a tangible storage device.
  • each block in Figure 6 may represent circuitry that is wired to perform the specific logical functions in the process.
  • Method 600 begins at block 602, which involves the playback device playing back audio content via an audio stage and one or more speaker drivers of the playback device.
  • playing back audio content may involve playing back alert notifications from a notification queue, or may involve playing back audio content that excludes alert notifications, such as music, television audio, audiobooks, or the like.
  • method 600 involves, while playing back the audio content, the playback device receiving, via a network interface of the playback device, an alert communication from a network-enabled device, the alert communication comprising (i) an audio notification identifier that identifies an audio notification and (ii) a priority identifier that identifies a priority level of the audio notification.
  • receiving the alert communication may involve receiving alert message according to an API of the playback device.
  • the audio notification identifier may identify a default audio notification supported by the playback device, or the audio notification identifier may identify a custom audio notification.
  • the audio for the default audio notification may be stored in the memory of playback device.
  • method 600 involves, responsive to receiving the alert communication, the playback device adding the audio notification to a notification queue at a particular queue position, wherein the particular queue position of the audio notification in the notification queue is based on the priority level of the audio notification relative to other audio content in the notification queue. As described above, the playback device adds high priority notifications ahead of low priority notifications in the notification queue.
  • method 600 involves the playback device adjusting playback of the audio content for playing back the audio notification.
  • adjusting playback of the audio content may involve stopping playback of the audio content or ducking the audio content.
  • method 600 involves the playback device playing back the audio notification.
  • playing back the audio notification involves playing back the audio notification concurrently with the ducked audio content.
  • the method 600 may further involve, after playing back the audio notification, resuming playback of the audio content
  • the audio notification is a first audio notification
  • the notification queue includes a second audio notification
  • adding the audio notification to the notification queue involves adding the first audio notification to the notification queue ahead of the second audio notification based on the priority level of the first audio notification being a higher priority than a priority level of the second audio notification.
  • the audio notification is a first audio notification
  • the audio content includes a second audio notification
  • the priority level of the first audio notification is higher than a priority level of the second audio notification
  • stopping playback of the audio content involves stopping playback of the second audio notification based on the priority level of the first audio notification being higher than the priority level of the second audio notification.
  • the audio notification is a first audio notification
  • the audio content includes a second audio notification
  • adjusting playback of the audio content involves (i) determining, based on the particular queue position of the first audio notification, that the first audio notification is ready for playback, (ii) determining that the playback device has been playing back the second audio notification for a threshold amount of time corresponding to a partially-played back notification, and (iii) based on both the first audio notification being ready for playback and the playback device having played back the second audio notification for the threshold amount of time corresponding to a partially-played back notification, stopping playback of the second audio notification and starting the playback of the first audio notification.
  • the audio notification is a first audio notification
  • the notification queue includes a second audio notification
  • the method 600 further involves (i) the playback device determining that the second audio notification has been in the notification queue for a threshold amount of time corresponding to an expired audio notification and (ii) responsive to determining that the second audio notification has been in the notification queue for the threshold amount of time corresponding to the expired audio notification, the playback device removing the second audio notification from the notification queue.
  • the method 600 further involves the playback device sending, via the network interface to a mobile device having a graphical user interface, an instruction that causes the mobile device to display, via the graphical user interface, an indication that the playback device is playing back the audio notification.
  • the method 600 may further involve (i) the playback device receiving, via the network interface from the mobile device, an instruction to dismiss the audio notification and (ii) in response to receiving the instruction to dismiss the audio notification, the playback device stopping playback of the audio notification and resuming playback of the audio content.
  • a playback device can receive an alert communication when the playback device is not playing back other audio content, and, in such a scenario, the playback device can execute some or all of the processes described above in order to output an audio notification based on the alert communication.
  • a method to be performed by a playback device comprising: a network interface; an audio stage comprising an amplifier; one or more speaker drivers; one or more processors; and a housing carrying at least the network interface, the audio stage, the one or more speaker drivers, the one or more processors, and tangible, non-transitory, computer- readable media storing instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the playback device to perform the method.
  • the method comprising: while playing back audio content via the audio stage and the one or more speaker drivers, receiving, via the network interface, an alert communication from a network-enabled device connected to the playback device via a local area network, the alert communication comprising (i) an audio notification identifier that identifies an audio notification and (ii) a priority identifier that identifies a priority level of the audio notification; responsive to receiving the alert communication, adding the audio notification to a notification queue at a particular queue position, wherein the particular queue position of the audio notification in the notification queue is based on the priority level of the audio notification relative to other audio content in the notification queue; adjusting playback of the audio content for playing back the audio notification; and playing back the audio notification via the audio stage and the one or more speaker drivers.
  • Feature 6 The method of feature 1, wherein the audio notification is a first audio notification, wherein the audio content comprises a second audio notification, and wherein adjusting playback of the audio content comprises: determining, based on the particular queue position of the first audio notification, that the first audio notification is ready for playback; determining that the playback device has been playing back the second audio notification for a threshold amount of time corresponding to a partially-played back notification; and based on both (i) the first audio notification being ready for playback and (ii) the playback device having played back the second audio notification for the threshold amount of time corresponding to a partially-played back notification, stopping playback of the second audio notification and starting the playback of the first audio notification.
  • feature 7 The method of feature 1, wherein the audio notification is a first audio notification, wherein the notification queue comprises a second audio notification, and wherein the method further comprises: determining that the second audio notification has been in the notification queue for a threshold amount of time corresponding to an expired audio notification; and responsive to determining that the second audio notification has been in the notification queue for the threshold amount of time corresponding to the expired audio notification, removing the second audio notification from the notification queue.
  • feature 8 The method of feature 1, further comprising: sending, via the network interface to a mobile device having a graphical user interface, an instruction that causes the mobile device to display, via the graphical user interface, an indication that the playback device is playing back the audio notification.
  • feature 9 The method of feature 1, further comprising: receiving, via the network interface from a mobile device, an instruction to dismiss the audio notification; and in response to receiving the instruction to dismiss the audio notification, stopping playback of the audio notification and resuming playback of the audio content.
  • a playback device comprising: (i) a network interface; (ii) an audio stage comprising an amplifier; (iii) one or more speaker drivers; (iv) one or more processors; and (v) a housing, the housing carrying at least the network interface, the audio stage, the one or more speaker drivers, the one or more processors, and tangible, non-transitory, computer- readable media storing instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the playback device to perform operations comprising: (a) while playing back audio content via the audio stage and the one or more speaker drivers, receiving, via the network interface, an alert communication from a network-enabled device connected to the playback device via a local area network, the alert communication comprising (i) an audio notification identifier that identifies an audio notification and (ii) a priority identifier that identifies a priority level of the audio notification; (b) responsive to receiving the alert communication, adding the audio notification to a notification queue at a particular queue position, wherein the particular
  • adjusting playback of the audio content comprises stopping playback of the audio content, and wherein the operations further comprise: after playing back the audio notification, resuming playback of the audio content.
  • Feature 18 The playback device of feature 13, wherein the audio notification is a first audio notification, wherein the audio content comprises a second audio notification, and wherein adjusting playback of the audio content comprises: (i) determining, based on the particular queue position of the first audio notification, that the first audio notification is ready for playback; (ii) determining that the playback device has been playing back the second audio notification for a threshold amount of time corresponding to a partially-played back notification; and (iii) based on both (a) the first audio notification being ready for playback and (b) the playback device having played back the second audio notification for the threshold amount of time corresponding to a partially-played back notification, stopping playback of the second audio notification and starting the playback of the first audio notification.
  • Feature 25 The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of feature 22, wherein the audio notification is a first audio notification, wherein the audio content comprises a second audio notification, wherein the priority level of the first audio notification is higher than a priority level of the second audio notification, wherein adjusting playback of the audio content comprises stopping playback of the audio content based on the priority level of the first audio notification being higher than the priority level of the second audio notification, and wherein the operations further comprise: after playing back the first audio notification, resuming playback of the audio content.
  • Feature 26 The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of feature 22, wherein the audio notification is a first audio notification, wherein the audio content comprises a second audio notification, and wherein adjusting playback of the audio content comprises: (i) determining, based on the particular queue position of the first audio notification, that the first audio notification is ready for playback; (ii) determining that the playback device has been playing back the second audio notification for a threshold amount of time corresponding to a partially-played back notification; and (iii) based on both (a) the first audio notification being ready for playback and (b) the playback device having played back the second audio notification for the threshold amount of time corresponding to a partially-played back notification, stopping playback of the second audio notification and starting the playback of the first audio notification.
  • Feature 27 The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of feature 22, wherein the audio notification is a first audio notification, wherein the notification queue comprises a second audio notification, and wherein the operations further comprise: (i) determining that the second audio notification has been in the notification queue for a threshold amount of time corresponding to an expired audio notification; and (ii) responsive to determining that the second audio notification has been in the notification queue for the threshold amount of time corresponding to the expired audio notification, removing the second audio notification from the notification queue.
  • a method comprising: (i) while playing back audio content via an audio stage and one or more speaker drivers of a playback device, receiving, via a network interface of the playback device, an alert communication from a network-enabled device connected to the playback device via a local area network, the alert communication comprising (a) an audio notification identifier that identifies an audio notification and (b) a priority identifier that identifies a priority level of the audio notification; (ii) responsive to receiving the alert communication, adding the audio notification to a notification queue at a particular queue position, wherein the particular queue position of the audio notification in the notification queue is based on the priority level of the audio notification relative to other audio content in the notification queue; (iii) adjusting playback of the audio content for playing back the audio notification; and (iv) playing back the audio notification via the audio stage and the one or more speaker drivers.
  • Feature 32 The method of feature 28, wherein the audio notification is a first audio notification, wherein the audio content comprises a second audio notification, and wherein adjusting playback of the audio content comprises: (i) determining, based on the particular queue position of the first audio notification, that the first audio notification is ready for playback; (ii) determining that the playback device has been playing back the second audio notification for a threshold amount of time corresponding to a partially-played back notification; and (iii) based on both (a) the first audio notification being ready for playback and (b) the playback device having played back the second audio notification for the threshold amount of time corresponding to a partially-played back notification, stopping playback of the second audio notification and starting the playback of the first audio notification.
  • references herein to“embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one example embodiment of an invention.
  • the appearances of this phrase in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments.
  • the embodiments described herein, explicitly and implicitly understood by one skilled in the art can be combined with other embodiments.
  • At least one of the elements in at least one example is hereby expressly defined to include a tangible, non-transitory medium such as a memory, DVD, CD, Blu-ray, and so on, storing the software and/or firmware.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Software Systems (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Audiology, Speech & Language Pathology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Emergency Management (AREA)
  • Two-Way Televisions, Distribution Of Moving Picture Or The Like (AREA)

Abstract

Selon la présente invention, des systèmes et des procédés pour un dispositif de lecture émettant une alerte audio à partir d'un dispositif activé par réseau consistent (i) pendant que le dispositif de lecture lit un contenu audio, à recevoir une communication d'alerte à partir du dispositif activé par réseau, la communication d'alerte comprenant (a) un identifiant de notification audio qui identifie une notification audio et (b) un identifiant de priorité qui identifie un niveau de priorité de la notification audio; (ii) en réponse à la réception de la communication d'alerte, à ajouter la notification audio à une file d'attente de notification dans une position de file d'attente particulière, la position de file d'attente particulière de la notification audio dans la file d'attente de notification étant basée sur le niveau de priorité de la notification audio par rapport à d'autres contenus audio dans la file d'attente de notification; (iii) à régler la lecture du contenu audio pour lire la notification audio; et (iv) à lire, par le dispositif de lecture, la notification audio.
PCT/US2019/048558 2018-08-28 2019-08-28 Notifications audio Ceased WO2020047086A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (7)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP25179144.8A EP4654596A3 (fr) 2018-08-28 2019-08-28 Notifications audio
JP2021511570A JP6975362B2 (ja) 2018-08-28 2019-08-28 オーディオ通知
CA3111322A CA3111322C (fr) 2018-08-28 2019-08-28 Notifications audio
CN201980070006.7A CN112970267B (zh) 2018-08-28 2019-08-28 音频通知
EP19765953.5A EP3844969B1 (fr) 2018-08-28 2019-08-28 Notifications audio
AU2019333058A AU2019333058B2 (en) 2018-08-28 2019-08-28 Audio notifications
JP2021180937A JP7266082B2 (ja) 2018-08-28 2021-11-05 オーディオ通知

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US62/723,942 2018-08-28
US16/148,879 2018-10-01
US16/148,879 US10797667B2 (en) 2018-08-28 2018-10-01 Audio notifications

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WO2020047086A1 true WO2020047086A1 (fr) 2020-03-05

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