Multimedia streaming transmission device

Abstract

A multimedia streaming device may include a first circuit board configured to provide user control and a second circuit board electrically coupled with the first circuit board and configured to provide content processing. The multimedia streaming device may also include a heat sink positioned between the first circuit board and the second circuit board and defining a speaker housing including a first portion in contact with the first circuit board, a second portion in contact with the second circuit board, and a third portion. The multimedia streaming device may additionally include a speaker mounted in the third portion of the speaker housing.

Description

Background Art

[0001] As speech recognition technology improves, systems that employ such technology continue to proliferate. Some systems employ so-called near-field speech recognition, in which a user speaks into a microphone located on a handheld device, such as a remote control or mobile device. Other systems employ far-field speech recognition, in which a user may speak into a device while the user is in the general vicinity of the device (e.g., in the same room) but not necessarily in close proximity to or even facing the device. Both far-field devices and near-field devices may be used to request content to be played on an audio and / or video system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0002] Various embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0003] Figure 1 An example use case and schematic diagram of a multimedia streaming device according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure are shown;

[0004] Figure 2 A multimedia streaming device according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is schematically depicted in various views;

[0005] Figure 3 Another view of a multimedia streaming device according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0006] Figure 4 schematically illustrates the back side of a multimedia streaming device according to some embodiments;

[0007] Figure 5 Various views showing fabric materials of a multimedia streaming device according to some embodiments;

[0008] Figure 6 shows a view of a top portion of a multimedia streaming device according to some embodiments;

[0009] Figure 7 A diagram showing an optical waveguide of a multimedia streaming device according to some embodiments;

[0010] Figure 8 A view showing a heat sink of a multimedia streaming device according to some embodiments;

[0011] Fig. 9 shows an example of a top portion of a heat sink of a multimedia streaming device according to some embodiments;

[0012] Fig.10An example of infrared transmission of a multimedia streaming device according to some embodiments is shown;

[0013] Fig.11 An example flow of a process for streaming content using a multimedia streaming device according to some embodiments is shown;

[0014] Fig.12 is a schematic block diagram of one or more exemplary multimedia streaming devices according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] In the following description, various embodiments will be described. For the purpose of explanation, specific configurations and details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it should also be clear to those skilled in the art that the embodiments can be practiced without the specific details. In addition, well-known features may be omitted or simplified to avoid confusing the described embodiments.

[0016] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate particularly to systems and methods for multimedia streaming devices. Embodiments include devices that can be voice controlled and respond to audible instructions. In response to audible instructions, the multimedia streaming device can output digital content for presentation at a built-in speaker of the multimedia streaming device or at another external device (e.g., at a television or one or more external speakers connected to a user of the multimedia streaming device). The multimedia streaming device may include a first circuit board and a second circuit board, the first circuit board being used to provide user control (e.g., volume control, motion control, microphone, and audio front-end processing, etc.), the second circuit board being electrically coupled to the first circuit board for providing content processing. The multimedia streaming device may include a heat sink positioned between the first circuit board and the second circuit board and in contact with the first circuit board and the second circuit board. The heat sink defines a speaker housing, and the speaker of the multimedia streaming device can be mounted in the speaker housing. Content processing of audio to be played by the multimedia device can be output using the speaker. The multimedia device may also include a plurality of ports, such as one or more audio / video ports, mounted to the second circuit board and covered by the heat sink. Content processing of audio, video, and / or other content types to be played by a remote device (eg, a television, sound system, etc.) may be sent to the remote device via at least one of the ports.

[0017] For illustration, consider a set-top box configured to receive voice commands and output content at a television in response to voice commands. A set of microphones of a set-top box receives a natural language speech (e.g., "Alexa, play movie XYZ") requesting to play a movie. Upon receiving a natural language speech, a first circuit board of a set-top box on which the set of microphones are mounted can process the natural language speech to detect a wake-up word (e.g., "Alexa") and generate audio data representing the natural language speech. Natural language processing can be performed locally on the set-top box, remotely on a server, or distributedly between the set-top box and a remote server to the audio data. Therefore, the intention to play a movie and the title of the movie are identified. The set-top box can emit light on one side while providing a response to the natural language speech. In addition, the set-top box receives content data via a radio frequency (RF) receiving link mounted on a first circuit board (e.g., a WiFi connection chip), and sends this content data to a second circuit board of the set-top box. The second circuit board further processes the content data (e.g., by applying a specific codec to the content data, generating a playlist, etc.), detects that the television is connected to the set-top box via an active high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port, and sends the processed content data to the television via the HDMI port. The heat sink of the set-top box dissipates the heat generated by the second circuit board, wherein this heat is generated at least in part due to the content data processing. The heat sink can define a speaker housing, in which the speaker of the set-top box is installed. The speaker can output the data indicating that the requested movie is about to be played and / or the audio data of the movie. The top side of the heat sink can contact the first circuit board. Under the condition that the first circuit board includes an RF receiving chain, in order to reduce RF interference and / or increase RF shielding, the top side can be made of a non-conductive material such as plastic, and can have a certain thickness. The HDMI port and other ports can be installed on the second circuit board and fixed in place by the wall of the heat sink.

[0018] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide several technical advantages over conventional multimedia streaming devices. For example, the multimedia streaming device can control a user's electronic devices, such as a television and an audio-visual system, for presenting digital content according to the user's request. Therefore, embodiments of the multimedia streaming device can be configured to control multiple electronic devices in the surrounding environment without having to be manipulated or pointed at the corresponding device, and can be configured to respond to voice-based instructions, thereby reducing or removing the need for the user to physically manipulate the device as is the case with conventional devices. In addition, by using a radiator that is also configured as a speaker housing, a specific form factor of a multimedia media device becomes possible while maintaining or improving the overall multimedia streaming functionality including content input and output.

[0019] Figure 1An example use case 100 and schematic diagram of a multimedia streaming device 130 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. A user 110 may be in an ambient environment with multiple electronic devices, such as an audio system 150, a television 160, and other electronic devices configured to be remotely controlled. The multimedia streaming device 130 may be in the ambient environment of the user 110, such as on a table, in a cabinet, or elsewhere in the ambient environment.

[0020] The user 110 may verbally interact with the multimedia streaming device 130 to request content from the multimedia streaming device, which may itself be connected to one or more digital content sources, such as one or more audio content sources and / or video content sources, via a wide area network and / or a local area network. For example, the user 110 may speak a natural language phrase 120 (also referred to herein as user utterance or voice input) that includes an instruction, command, or request, such as "Alexa, play movie 'XYZ' on TV".

[0021] The multimedia streaming device 130 may detect voice input from the user 110 and may determine the meaning of the phrase 120. For example, the multimedia streaming device 130 may detect a trigger word or wake word "Alexa" or another trigger word and may then begin monitoring for voice commands using one or more microphones. In some embodiments, the detection and / or processing of the voice input may be done locally on the multimedia streaming device 130, while in other embodiments, the multimedia streaming device 130 may communicate with one or more remote server computers to determine whether the voice input includes one or more voice commands. In some embodiments, the trigger words may be detected and determined locally, while the complete voice input including potential voice commands may be processed remotely. In other embodiments, the complete voice input may be processed entirely locally, or any combination of local and / or remote voice processing services may be used to process the complete voice input.

[0022] Upon confirmation or receipt Figure 1After the meaning of phrase 120 in the example of , the multimedia streaming device 130 may initiate one or more response actions to control the television 160 and the audio system 150. In this example, the multimedia streaming device 130 may determine that the user 110 wants to watch a movie on the television 160. In response to this determination, the multimedia streaming device 130 may then detect the status of the external audio / video (AV) system to determine whether there are any open audio channels available (e.g., any external device that is powered and has speakers that can transmit audio, such as the built-in speakers of the television 160 or the speakers of the audio system 150). In some examples, if the multimedia streaming device 130 detects that there are no open audio channels on the external device, the multimedia streaming device may use the built-in speakers of the multimedia streaming device 130 to locally present the audio content. In some examples, if the multimedia streaming device 130 detects that the television 160 does include an open audio channel (e.g., the television 160 is on and not muted), the multimedia streaming device 130 may send a control signal to switch the AV input of the television 160, and the video content may be presented on the television 160. In some examples, if the multimedia streaming device 130 detects that the television 160 is off, the multimedia streaming device 130 may initiate a control sequence that may first turn on the television 160 and then set the television AV input to the input associated with the multimedia streaming device 130. Next, the multimedia streaming device 130 may stream the video content to the screen of the television 160 (e.g., via an HDMI port, etc.).

[0023] To implement the response action, the multimedia streaming device 130 may send one or more commands or instructions via an AV interface (e.g., HDMI, etc.), or may use a wireless channel similar to a universal remote control device, such as an infrared (IR) optical channel. Thus, the multimedia streaming device 130 may include a housing having a plurality of side walls, one or more AV output ports accessible through one or more of the side walls, and a set of one or more IR LEDs configured to emit infrared light through one or more of the side walls. For example, Figure 2 , 10 1 and 12 show examples of multimedia streaming devices including infrared (IR) light emitting diodes (LEDs). In some embodiments, infrared light may be emitted three hundred and sixty degrees around the multimedia streaming device 130 to provide infrared coverage of a relatively large portion of the surrounding environment. In some embodiments, the multimedia streaming device 130 may include IR LEDs directed or positioned in opposite directions to increase infrared LED coverage of the surrounding environment.

[0024] The multimedia streaming device 130 may also include one or more AV interface ports, such as a video graphics array (VGA) port, a digital video interface (DVI) port, and / or an HDMI port, configured to output video content (e.g., standard resolution content, high definition content, ultra-high definition digital content, and / or any other resolution (e.g., 4K resolution, ultra-high definition (UHD) resolution, etc.)). The multimedia streaming device 130 may be connected to the television 160 wirelessly or via at least one of the AV ports, and may cause the streaming of requested content and the visual presentation of the content at the television 160.

[0025] Figure 2 A multimedia streaming device 200 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is schematically depicted in various views. As shown in perspective view 210, the multimedia streaming device 200 may have a box-like housing 202 (e.g., having a substantially cubic shape with relatively rounded corners). Specifically, the housing 202 may have a plurality of side walls 204 forming the sides of the device, and walls forming a top surface 206 and a bottom surface 250. Each of the side walls, the top surface 206, and the bottom surface 250 may be substantially rectangular (or square). For example, the side wall 204 may have a height of seventy-seven millimeters and a width of eighty-six millimeters. The top surface 206 and the bottom surface 250 may have a length and width of eighty-six millimeters. The multimedia streaming device 200 may include a set of IR LEDs configured to emit IR light through each of the side walls of the housing 202, and in some embodiments, through the top surface and the bottom surface. Other embodiments may have different form factors.

[0026] The top surface 206 of the multimedia streaming device 200 may include one or more physical controls, such as buttons, switches, and other control devices. For example, the multimedia streaming device 200 may include a volume control button 212, which controls the speaker volume of the multimedia streaming device 200 or a connected device. The multimedia streaming device 200 may include an action button 214 (e.g., turning the power on or off), a mute button or a privacy button 216, and other buttons. The multimedia streaming device 200 may include an ambient light sensor. For example, the ambient light sensor may be mounted near the top surface 206, such as positioned below the privacy button 216. The ambient light sensor may generate measurement data indicating ambient light in the environment surrounding the multimedia streaming device, and the measurement data may be used to control the output properties of the optical waveguide 220. For example, the measurement data may be used to control the brightness or intensity of light emitted by the optical waveguide 220. The processing of such measurement data and the control of the output properties may be implemented on a circuit board (e.g., Figure 3The ambient light sensor may be mounted on a circuit system included in a first circuit board 360 in the embodiment of the present invention. In some embodiments, the multimedia streaming device 200 may include a display or other components.

[0027] The multimedia streaming device 200 may include one or more microphone holes 218 that may be used to facilitate detection of ambient sound by one or more microphones positioned within the housing 202. For example, there may be four microphone holes 218, each corresponding to one microphone, although different numbers of microphone holes 218 are possible.

[0028] The multimedia streaming device 200 may include an optical waveguide 220. The optical waveguide 220 may include an optically transparent or colored elongated component 222 positioned below the top surface 206 through which light from one or more LEDs may be visible. The optical waveguide 220 may be positioned at a front side 230 of the multimedia streaming device 200. The front side 230 may be a side wall of the multimedia streaming device 200. In some embodiments, such as the embodiment shown, the optical waveguide 220 may be linear or straight and may be positioned along an edge 232 of the housing 202. Thus, the elongated component 222 may be attached to or integrated into the housing 202 and may form an edge of the housing 202. The optical waveguide 220 may be configured to indicate that the multimedia streaming device 200 detects sound, indicates that the multimedia streaming device 200 may be outputting data (e.g., data in response to a detected user input), indicates the status of the multimedia streaming device 200 (e.g., muted, configured to connect to a local area network), and / or indicates the status of a user account associated with the multimedia streaming device 200 (e.g., notifications associated with the user account). For example, if the microphone of the multimedia streaming device 200 detects sound or voice from the left side of the multimedia streaming device 200, one or more LEDs on the left side of the multimedia streaming device 200 may be illuminated to indicate to the user that sound is being detected from the left side of the multimedia streaming device 200. The optical waveguide 220 may dynamically modify the LEDs that are illuminated when sound or voice is detected, and may also be used to visually convey information to the user. For example, during processing, the optical waveguide 220 may have a particular lighting state, while when the device is muted, the optical waveguide 220 may have a different lighting state, and so on. The optical waveguide 220 may be a straight or linear optical waveguide and may be visible to a user.

[0029] In some embodiments, the light guide 220 may be positioned elsewhere along a different edge or surface, and may be positioned diagonally or in another orientation relative to the housing of the device. In an example, the light guide 220 extends only between the ends of the front side 230. In this example, a material similar to or the same as the material from which the light guide 220 is made is used to define a non-light emitting surface having an outer shape and geometry similar to that of the light guide 220. This non-light emitting surface may extend around and below the remaining perimeter of the top surface 206. In this way, both the light guide and the non-light emitting surface may give the impression of a continuous material extending around and below the top surface 206, while only light may be emitted outwardly only from the front side 230. In another example, the light guide 220 extends around and below the top surface 206. In this example, the LED may be located only near the front side 230, so that light emitted from the LED is transmitted outwardly only from the front side 230. Other configurations are possible such that light may be emitted from only the front side 230 of the multimedia streaming device 200, from all sides of the multimedia streaming device 200, or from multiple but not all sides of the multimedia streaming device 200. For example, where the light guide 220 extends around and below the top surface 206, the LEDs may be located near the front side 230 and one or more additional sides such that light emitted from the LEDs is transmitted outwardly from the front side 230 and the one or more additional sides.

[0030] exist Figure 2 2 shows a rear side 240 of the multimedia streaming device 200. The rear side 240 is a side wall of the multimedia streaming device 200 opposite to the front side 230. The rear side 240 of the multimedia streaming device 200 may include one or more AV ports, connectors, inputs, outputs, etc. For example, the rear side 240 may include a universal serial bus (USB) port 242 (or a micro USB input), a power input jack 244, one or more HDMI ports 246 configured to output high-definition video and audio, an external infrared light blaster connection port 248 (e.g., an infrared light sensor input or output jack, etc.), an Ethernet port 249, etc. In some embodiments, the multimedia streaming device 200 may include a rechargeable battery.

[0031] The bottom surface 250 of the multimedia streaming device 200 may be formed by a bottom wall 252 and may include components such as rubber feet, non-slip materials, and other components that support the device.

[0032] Figure 3Another view of a multimedia streaming device 300 according to certain embodiments is shown. The multimedia streaming device includes a housing 302 having sidewalls, such as sidewall 304, a front side 330, and a back side 340. An internal component assembly 308 including an optical waveguide 320 may be positioned on or in the housing 302.

[0033] In an example, the internal component assembly 308 includes a first circuit board 360, a second circuit board 370, and a heat sink 372. On the first circuit board 360, a microphone and control circuit system may be mounted, and the microphone and control circuit system may include one or more microphones and one or more control buttons for providing user control. For example, four microphones 362 may be mounted on the first circuit board 360. A first microphone among the microphones 362 may be angled in a first direction. A second microphone among the microphones 362 may be angled in a second direction. A third microphone among the microphones 362 may be angled in a first direction or a third direction, and a fourth microphone among the microphones 362 may be angled in a second direction or a fourth direction. The group of microphones may include less than or more than four microphones, and the group of microphones may be arranged in an array or in different arrangements. The group of microphones may be used to detect sound and generate audio signals, and to detect the location of sound captured by any of the microphones. Although Figure 3 Not shown, other components may be mounted to the first circuit board 360, such as one or more WiFi connection chips, one or more Bluetooth connection chips, and / or other RF components.

[0034] The first circuit board 360 is communicatively coupled to the second circuit board 370 via one or more signal lines (e.g., flat flexible electrical strips), and the second circuit board 370 may provide content processing. For example, the second circuit board 370 may include one or more processors and one or more memories for performing various operations related to content processing. As an example, the second circuit board 370 may receive, process, and send multimedia content data to a television that is coupled to the multimedia streaming device 300 via at least one of a set of ports 390 of the multimedia streaming device 300. The heat sink 372 is positioned between the first circuit board 360 and the second circuit board 370, and dissipates heat from the first circuit board 360 and / or the second circuit board 370. The heat sink 372 defines a speaker housing that contacts both the first circuit board 360 and the second circuit board 370. The heat sink 372 may have a box-like shape similar to the housing 302 having side walls. Additional components of the multimedia streaming device 300 may be positioned relative to the side walls of the heat sink 372. For example, the speaker 375 may be positioned in the first side wall 374 of the heat sink 372, and the port 390 may be mounted on the second circuit board 370 below the second side wall 376 opposite the first side wall 374. The speaker 375 may be mounted near and facing the front side 330, and the port 390 may be mounted near and facing the rear side 340.

[0035] In an example, the multimedia streaming device 300 may also include a heat sink mounted on the inner portion 373 of the bottom surface 350 of the housing 302. The heat sink may allow for even distribution of heat across the bottom of the multimedia streaming device 300. The heat sink may be a tape-like material or a coating material, such as a graphite material, or any other suitable material.

[0036] Figure 4 The back side 440 of the multimedia streaming device according to some embodiments is schematically illustrated. The back side 440 is a side of the housing 402 of the multimedia streaming device. The back side 440 includes a port 441 that can be positioned within the housing 402 and on a heat sink (e.g., Figure 3 The port 441 is mounted on a circuit board 470, which is Figure 3 The port 441 may be fixed by the heat sink 472 (eg, by the edge of the side wall of the heat sink 472).

[0037] In an example, port 441 may include an AV port and a connector including at least two stacked input and / or output ports. For example, back side 440 may include an AV port that is an HDMI port 446 and is mounted on circuit board 470 in a vertical orientation. HDMI port 446 may be made of stainless steel or another suitable metal material and may include pins. In an example, port 441 includes a plurality of HDMI ports 446. In this example, at least one of HDMI ports 446 may be an input port, and at least another of HDMI ports 446 may be an output port.

[0038] To achieve satisfactory signal integrity, the length of the pins closer to the circuit board 470 may be shorter than the length of the pins farther from the circuit board 470. For example, pin 443 is shown as being farther from the circuit board 470 than pin 445, so the length of pin 443 may be longer than the length of pin 445. To prevent momentum when an AV plug (e.g., an HDMI plug) is removed from one of the HDMI ports 446, the bottom side of each of the HDMI ports 446 may be mechanically fixed to the circuit board 470, while the top side and / or one or more remaining sides of each HDMI port may be mechanically fixed by grooves in the heat sink 472.

[0039] Port 441 may also include USB port 442, power input jack 444, external infrared light ejector connection port 448 (e.g., IR light sensor input or output jack, etc.), Ethernet port 449, etc. Power input jack 444 and external infrared light ejector connection port 448 are first stacking connectors, and USB port 442 and Ethernet port 449 are second stacking connectors. Each of the stacking connectors may be made of plastic. The bottom of each stacking connector may be mechanically attached to circuit board 470. In addition, here, to prevent momentum, heat sink 372 surrounds the connector to help mechanically fix the connector.

[0040] Figure 5 Various views of a fabric material 534 of a multimedia streaming device 500 according to some embodiments are shown. The fabric material 534 can be positioned on the outer surface of the side wall 504 of the housing 502. The fabric material 534 can also wrap around other side walls of the housing 502, such as the front side 530 and the back side 540. The fabric material 534 can wrap around the top of the side wall to be received in the chamfered groove 525 of the optical waveguide 520 of the multimedia streaming device 500, which is shown in Section C and in Figure 7As shown in A and B, in addition to wrapping the top ends of the side walls, the fabric material 534 can also be received in the gaps 536 between the components of the multimedia streaming device 500. Wrapping the fabric material 534 into the gaps 536 ensures that there is no visible light leakage in the housing 502.

[0041] Figure 6 A view of a top portion of a multimedia streaming device 600 according to some embodiments is shown. A top surface 606 of a housing 602 of the multimedia streaming device 600, which may be a surface facing a user, includes various control buttons and a microphone hole 618. The control buttons include a volume control button 612, an action button 614, and a mute button 616. For example, the action button 614 may pause or play content between other actions (e.g., a long press of the action button 614 may cause the multimedia streaming device 600 to power off). The microphone hole 618 may facilitate detection of ambient sound by a microphone 662 positioned within the housing 602. There may be one microphone hole 618 for each microphone 662, or there may be a different number of microphone holes 618 than the number of microphones 662.

[0042] The internal component assembly 608 of the multimedia streaming device 600 below the top surface 606 includes a circuit board 660 on which control buttons and a microphone 662 are mounted. The volume control button 612, the action button 614, and the mute button 616 may be surrounded by a first seal 661, and the microphone 662 may be surrounded by a second seal 663, which is a separate part from the first seal 661. The first seal 661 may surround each of the control buttons, and there may be a separate second seal 663 for each of the microphones 662. The second seal 663 may provide a sound seal for the microphone 662. The first seal 661 and the second seal 663 may be made of the same material or different materials. For example, the first seal 661 may be made of a first rubber material, and the second seal 663 may be made of a second rubber material.

[0043] Figure 7A view of an optical waveguide 720 of a multimedia streaming device 700 is shown according to some embodiments. The optical waveguide 720 can be positioned at a top end of one side wall of the housing 702. For example, the optical waveguide 720 can be positioned at a top end of a front side 730, which can be parallel to a base area of ​​a cone of a speaker of the multimedia streaming device 700. The optical waveguide 720 includes a light emitting surface 723 and a light receiving surface 721. The light emitting surface 723 is positioned below the top surface 706 of the housing 702 and above the front side 730. The light receiving surface 721 is angled relative to the top surface 706. The geometry of the optical waveguide 720 can be defined to match the geometry of the top end of the front side 730 of the housing 702. For example, the bottom edge of the optical waveguide 720 can be chamfered so that the geometry includes a plurality of curvatures that match the geometry of the top end of the front side 730.

[0044] In an example, the other sidewalls of the housing 702 may not include the light guide 720. In fact, the other sidewalls may include a light blocking material 727 at the top end of the other sidewall, such as the sidewall 704, in contact with the side end of the light guide 720. The light blocking material 727 may have the same geometry as the light guide 720 and define one or more non-light emitting surfaces. The light blocking material 727 may block light from being emitted at the sidewalls other than the front side 730.

[0045] The light guide 720 also includes a groove 725 that receives the top end of the front side 730. In addition, the groove 725 receives a fabric material 734 that is on the outer surface of the front side 730 and wraps around the top end of the front side 730. The groove 725 can be a chamfered groove that matches the geometry of the bottom edge of the light guide 720. The light blocking material 727 can also include similar grooves for receiving the top ends of the other side walls and the fabric material 734 on the outer surfaces of the other side walls.

[0046] In the example, the multimedia streaming device 700 includes a light source 764 mounted on a circuit board 760, the circuit board being Figure 3 760 and the top surface 706. The light source 764 is positioned between the circuit board 760 and the top portion of the heat sink 772. The light source 764 can be a group of LEDs that are configured to emit human-visible light through the wall of the housing 702. Therefore, the light emitted by the light source 764 can be visible through the light waveguide 720. The light emitted by the light source 764 is incident on the reflector 766, which surrounds the light source 764 and is configured to reflect the light toward the light receiving surface 721 of the light waveguide 720. The reflector 766 includes a light reflecting surface 767 below the light source 764 and parallel to the top surface 706. The light reflecting surface 767 can be a mirror, a polished light reflecting surface, or any other suitable reflective material. When the light reaches the light receiving surface 721, the light travels through the light waveguide 720 and is emitted outwardly by the light emitting surface 723.

[0047] Figure 8 A view of a heat sink 872 of a multimedia streaming device 800 according to some embodiments is shown. The heat sink 872 is positioned within the housing 802 of the multimedia streaming device 800. The heat sink 872 defines a speaker housing and is positioned between the first circuit board 860 and the second circuit board 870. The heat sink 872 includes a top portion 876 in contact with the first circuit board 860 and a bottom portion 877 in contact with the second circuit board 870. Between the top portion 876 and the bottom portion 877, the heat sink 872 includes side walls, such as a front side wall 874 and a side wall 873, wherein the two side walls 873 and 874 extend along intersecting planes and share edges. The side wall may contact the inner surface of the side wall of the housing 802 to dissipate heat generated by at least the second circuit board 870 through the fabric on the outer surface of the side wall of the housing 802. The speaker 875 may be mounted in the front side wall 874 of the heat sink 872 (e.g., in an opening defined in the front side wall 874). The front sidewall 874 can be parallel to the front side 830 of the housing 802. That is, the front side 830 can be parallel to the base area of ​​the cone of the speaker 875. The sidewalls of the heat sink 872 can be similar in size to the sidewalls of the housing 802. Thus, the sidewalls of the heat sink 872 can be only slightly smaller than the sidewalls of the housing 802, thereby providing efficient heat dissipation. Additionally, due to the larger size of the heat sink 872, the speaker 875 can also be large enough to occupy a majority of the front sidewall 874.

[0048] In an example, the top portion 876 may be made of a different material than the rest of the heat sink 872. For example, the top portion 876 may be made of a thermal insulation material such as a plastic material, while the rest of the heat sink 872 may be made of a thermal conductor material such as a metal material. The rest of the heat sink 872 may be made of die-cast aluminum, and the top portion 876 may be fixed thereto by epoxy, tight fit, and / or other fixing mechanisms. The top portion 876 may provide separation between the thermally conductive material and the antenna 879 of the RF chain of the multimedia streaming device 800. The antenna 879 may be an RF antenna mounted on the user-facing surface of the first circuit board 860. As shown, the multimedia streaming device 800 may include three antennas 879. Two of the antennas 879 may be used for WiFi, and one of the antennas 879 may be used for Bluetooth.

[0049] In an example, the multimedia streaming device 800 may also include a second heat sink 878 on the bottom surface of the second circuit board 870. The second heat sink 878 may provide additional heat dissipation in addition to the heat sink 872. However, the second heat sink 878 is optional and may not be included in the multimedia streaming device 800.

[0050] Fig. 9 An example of a front view of a multimedia streaming device 900 according to some embodiments is shown. The multimedia streaming device 900 includes a housing 902 having a top surface (not shown), a side wall 904, and a bottom surface 950. Each of the top surface, the side wall 904, and the bottom surface 950 may be substantially rectangular or square in shape. The side wall 904 may include an IR-transmissive first portion 907 and an IR-non-transmissive second portion 905. Below the top surface, the multimedia streaming device 900 includes control buttons and a microphone mounted on a first circuit board 960.

[0051] In the example, below the first circuit board 960 is a heat sink 972, whose top portion 976 contacts the first circuit board 960 and is made of a heat-insulating material. The side walls and bottom portion 977 of the heat sink 972 may be made of a metal material. The end of the top portion 976 of the heat sink 972 may have an RF antenna (e.g., Figure 8 The top portion 976 may extend below the first circuit board 960 (with the RF antenna 879 in the heat sink 972). The top portion 976 may also extend above the top end of the side wall of the heat sink 972. The end of the top portion 976 extending below the first circuit board 960 may have a thickness equal to or greater than a thickness threshold associated with reduced coupling between the RF antenna and the metal material of the remainder of the heat sink 972. The reduced coupling may reduce interference from the metal portion of the heat sink 972 and / or provide shielding for the RF antenna from the metal portion of the heat sink 972. For example, the thickness threshold may be fifteen millimeters, so the top portion 976 may have a thickness of at least fifteen millimeters at the end extending below the first circuit board 960 with the antenna mounted therein. The area where the top portion 976 does not extend below the first circuit board 960 with the antenna mounted therein may be thinner.

[0052] The bottom portion 977 of the heat sink 972 may be in contact with the second circuit board 970. Therefore, when the second circuit board 970 generates heat, the heat sink 972 may dissipate the heat. Fig.10 904 . The IR transceiver is mounted closer to the first portion 907 of the side wall 904 than to the second portion 905 of the side wall 904. The bottom surface 950 of the housing 902 is positioned below the second circuit board 970 and below the first portion 907 of the side wall 904.

[0053] Fig.10An example of IR transmission of a multimedia streaming device according to some embodiments is shown. The side wall 1004 of the multimedia streaming device includes an IR transmissive first portion 1007 and an IR non-transmissive second portion 1005. The first portion 1007 may include a wedge 1082 for directing IR transmission.

[0054] In an example, the IR transceiver 1080 is mounted on a circuit board 1070 (eg, Figure 3 1005 . The IR transceiver 1080 can send and receive IR light emissions. For example, the IR transceiver can receive IR light emissions 1084 from a remote control device associated with the multimedia streaming device. The wedge 1082 can direct incoming IR light emissions 1084 inwardly to the IR transceiver 1080. Additionally, the wedge 1082 can diffuse outgoing IR light emissions 1086 outwardly from the sidewall 1004. The wedge 1082 can be configured as an IR waveguide that converges and directs incoming IR light emissions 1084 inwardly and diverges and directs outgoing IR light emissions 1086 outwardly. For example, the walls of the wedge 1082 can be made of an IR transmissive material and shaped to have at least one angled wall relative to the bottom surface, or more generally, shaped to have a triangular shape.

[0055] The multimedia streaming device may include a plurality of IR transceivers 1080 distributed around a bottom portion of the multimedia streaming device. One side wall of the multimedia streaming device, such as the back side, may not contain any IR transceivers, such that the IR transceivers do not interfere with ports or connectors of the multimedia streaming device. Additionally, the first portion 1007 may include a wedge 1082 in an area associated with each IR transceiver 1080, such that the wedge 1082 is positioned in front of and / or near each IR transceiver 1080.

[0056] Fig.11 An example flow of a process for streaming content using a multimedia streaming device according to some embodiments is shown. Fig.11 Some or all of the processes described in (or any other processes described herein, or variations and / or combinations thereof) may be performed under the control of a multimedia streaming device configured with executable instructions, and may be implemented as code (e.g., executable instructions, one or more computer programs, or one or more applications) that is collectively executed by hardware or a combination thereof on one or more processors. The code may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium, for example in the form of a computer program that includes a plurality of instructions that can be executed by one or more processors. The computer-readable storage medium may be non-transitory. The multimedia streaming device may include one or more circuit boards, for example Figure 3A first circuit board 360 and / or a second circuit board 370 in the system include one or more processors for executing instructions.

[0057] In an example, the process includes operation 1102, in which a multimedia streaming device receives input data indicating content. The multimedia streaming device is a first device, which includes a first circuit board, a second circuit board, a heat sink, and a speaker, wherein the first circuit board is configured to receive input data, and the second circuit board is electrically coupled to the first circuit board and configured to provide content processing. The heat sink is positioned between the first circuit board and the second circuit board and defines a speaker housing. The speaker housing includes a first portion (e.g., a top portion) in contact with the first circuit board, a second portion (e.g., a bottom portion) in contact with the second circuit board, and a third portion (e.g., a side wall). The speaker is mounted in the third portion of the speaker housing.

[0058] The input data may be audio data generated by a microphone of the multimedia streaming device. The microphone may be mounted on a first circuit board. The audio data may correspond to a natural language speech requesting content. The speech usually begins with a wake-up word (e.g., "Alexa"), which indicates to the multimedia streaming device when detected by the multimedia streaming device (e.g., based on the processing of the first circuit board and / or the second circuit board) that a user voice command is coming. For example, the user speech may be a sentence conveying the user's intention to listen to audio content, such as "Alexa, play some jazz music". In other examples, the user speech may be a sentence conveying the user's intention to watch video content, such as "Alexa, show me a comedy movie". The multimedia streaming device may output other audio data corresponding to the response to the natural language speech through a speaker. When the input data is being received and / or other audio data is being output, the light-emitting surface of the optical waveguide on the side wall of the housing of the multimedia streaming device may emit light. The multimedia streaming device may also include a non-luminous surface extending from the light-emitting surface and on the second side wall of the housing. Upon detecting the wake word, the multimedia streaming device may further process the input data locally, send such data to a remote server computer for processing there, or process the input data distributedly between the multimedia streaming device and the remote server computer to determine the specific content requested and the network address of the content source from which the requested content can be obtained. The local processing may be implemented on the first circuit board and / or the second circuit board.

[0059] In an example, the flow includes operation 1104, in which the multimedia streaming device receives first content data representing content. In response to a request for content from the multimedia streaming device, the first content data may be received from a content source, such as a remote server computer. The request may use a network address of the content. Sending the request and receiving the first content data may be via an RF chain mounted to the first circuit board. Such received content data may be passed from the first circuit board to the second circuit board for further processing.

[0060] In an example, the flow includes operation 1106, in which the multimedia streaming device generates second content data by processing at least the first content data using the circuit board. For example, the second circuit board may implement a codec in the processing of the first content data, as well as other content processing functionality. The second circuit board may generate heat when it processes the first content data and generates the second content data. The generated heat may be received by the second portion of the speaker housing and then dissipated by the third portion of the speaker housing.

[0061] In an example, the process includes operation 1108, in which the multimedia streaming device sends the second content data to the second device, which is configured to output the content. The second device may be an audio or video system capable of outputting content. For example, if the user requests audio content, the second device may be a speaker device. Alternatively, if the user requests video content, the second device may be a television. Upon receiving the second content data, the second device may output the content indicated by the second content data. The second content data may be sent via one or more AV ports of the multimedia streaming device.

[0062] Fig.12 1 is a schematic block diagram of a multimedia streaming device 1200 according to one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. The multimedia streaming device 1200 is an example of any of the multimedia streaming devices described above herein, and may include any suitable computing device, including but not limited to a server system; a mobile device, such as a smartphone, a tablet, an e-reader, a wearable device, etc.; a desktop computer; a laptop computer; a content streaming device; a set-top box; a scanning device; a barcode scanning stick; etc.

[0063] The multimedia streaming device 1200 may be configured to communicate with one or more servers, user devices, etc. The multimedia streaming device 1200 may be configured to determine voice commands, determine wake-up word speech, determine and / or control other devices, and perform other operations. The multimedia streaming device 1200 may be configured to emit light, detect sound, output digital content, and have other functionality. In some embodiments, a single remote server or a single group of remote servers may be configured to perform more than one type of functionality in conjunction with a barcode scanning device.

[0064] The multimedia streaming device 1200 may be configured to communicate via one or more networks. Such networks may include, but are not limited to, any one or more different types of communication networks, such as, for example, a wired network, a public network (e.g., the Internet), a private network (e.g., a frame relay network), a wireless network, a cellular network, a telephone network (e.g., a public switched telephone network), or any other suitable private or public packet switching or circuit switching network. In addition, such networks may have any suitable communication range associated therewith, and may include, for example, a global network (e.g., the Internet), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), or a personal area network (PAN). In addition, such networks may include communication links and associated networking devices (e.g., link layer switches, routers, etc.) for transmitting network traffic through any suitable type of medium, including, but not limited to, coaxial cable, twisted pair (e.g., twisted copper pair), optical fiber, hybrid fiber coaxial cable (HFC) medium, microwave medium, radio frequency communication medium, satellite communication medium, or any combination thereof.

[0065] In an exemplary configuration, the multimedia streaming device 1200 may include one or more processors 1202, one or more memory devices 1204 (also referred to herein as memory 1204), one or more input / output (I / O) interfaces 1206, one or more network interfaces 1208, one or more sensors or sensor interfaces 1210, one or more transceivers 1212, one or more optional cameras 1214, one or more optional microphones 1216, and a data storage device 1220. The multimedia streaming device 1200 may further include one or more buses 1218 that functionally couple the various components of the multimedia streaming device 1200. The multimedia streaming device 1200 may further include one or more antennas 1234, which may include but are not limited to a cellular antenna for transmitting / receiving signals to / from a cellular network infrastructure, an antenna for transmitting or receiving WiFi signals to / from an access point (AP), a GNSS antenna for receiving GNSS signals from a GNSS satellite, a Bluetooth antenna for transmitting or receiving Bluetooth signals, a Near Field Communication (NFC) antenna for transmitting or receiving NFC signals, etc. These various components will be described in more detail below.

[0066] The bus 1218 may include at least one of a system bus, a memory bus, an address bus, or a message bus, and may permit the exchange of information (e.g., data (including computer executable code), signaling, etc.) between various components of the multimedia streaming device 1200. The bus 1218 may include, but is not limited to, a memory bus or a memory controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, etc. The bus 1218 may be associated with any suitable bus architecture, including, but not limited to, an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA), a Micro Channel Architecture (MCA), an Enhanced ISA (EISA), a Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) architecture, an Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) architecture, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) architecture, a PCI Express architecture, a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) architecture, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) architecture, etc.

[0067] The memory 1204 of the multimedia streaming device 1200 may include volatile memory (memory that maintains its state when powered) such as random access memory (RAM) and / or non-volatile memory (memory that maintains its state even when not powered) such as read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, ferroelectric RAM (FRAM), etc. Permanent data storage devices, as the term is used herein, may include non-volatile memory. In some example embodiments, volatile memory may achieve faster read / write access than non-volatile memory. However, in some other example embodiments, certain types of non-volatile memory (e.g., FRAM) may achieve faster read / write access than certain types of volatile memory.

[0068] In various embodiments, memory 1204 may include a variety of different types of memory, such as various types of static random access memory (SRAM), various types of dynamic random access memory (DRAM), various types of non-changeable ROM and / or writable variations of ROM, such as electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, etc. Memory 1204 may include main memory as well as various forms of cache memory, such as instruction caches, data caches, translation lookaside buffers (TLBs), etc. In addition, cache memory, such as a data cache, may be a multi-level cache organized as a hierarchy of one or more cache levels (L1, L2, etc.).

[0069] Data storage device 1220 may include removable storage devices and / or non-removable storage devices, including but not limited to magnetic storage devices, optical disk storage devices, and / or tape storage devices. Data storage device 1220 may provide non-volatile storage of computer executable instructions and other data. Removable and / or non-removable memory 1204 and data storage device 1220 are examples of the term computer readable storage medium (CRSM) as used herein.

[0070] The data storage device 1220 may store computer executable code, instructions, etc., which may be loaded into the memory 1204 and may be executed by the processor 1202 to cause the processor 1202 to perform or initiate various operations. The data storage device 1220 may additionally store data that may be copied to the memory 1204 for use by the processor 1202 during execution of the computer executable instructions. In addition, output data generated as a result of the execution of the computer executable instructions by the processor 1202 may initially be stored in the memory 1204 and may eventually be copied to the data storage device 1220 for non-volatile storage.

[0071] More specifically, the data storage device 1220 may store one or more operating systems (O / S) 1222; one or more database management systems (DBMS) 1224; and one or more program modules, applications, engines, computer executable code, scripts, etc., such as, for example, one or more sound detection modules 1226, one or more communication modules 1228, one or more light strip control modules 1230, and / or one or more remote control modules 1232. Some or all of these modules may be sub-modules. Any of the components depicted as stored in the data storage device 1220 may include any combination of software, firmware, and / or hardware. Software and / or firmware may include computer executable code, instructions, etc., which may be loaded into the memory 1204 for execution by one or more of the processors 1202. Any of the components depicted as stored in the data storage device 1220 may support the functionality described with reference to the corresponding components previously mentioned in the present disclosure.

[0072] The data storage device 1220 may further store various types of data utilized by the components of the multimedia streaming device 1200. Any data stored in the data storage device 1220 may be loaded into the memory 1204 for use by the processor 1202 when executing the computer executable code. In addition, any data depicted as being stored in the data storage device 1220 may potentially be stored in one or more data storage areas, and may be accessed via the DBMS 1224 and loaded into the memory 1204 for use by the processor 1202 when executing the computer executable code. The data storage area may include, but is not limited to, a database (e.g., a relational database, an object-oriented database, etc.), a file system, a flat file, a distributed data storage area in which data is stored on more than one node of a computer network, a peer-to-peer network data storage area, etc. In Fig.12 In, an example data store may contain, for example, historical data for previously identified products, purchase or order history, user profile information, and / or other information.

[0073] The processor 1202 may be configured to access the memory 1204 and execute computer executable instructions loaded therein. For example, the processor 1202 may be configured to execute computer executable instructions of various program modules, applications, engines, etc. of the multimedia streaming device 1200 to cause or facilitate the execution of various operations according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The processor 1202 may include any suitable processing unit capable of receiving data as input, processing input data according to stored computer executable instructions, and generating output data. The processor 1202 may include any type of suitable processing unit, including but not limited to a central processing unit, a microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computer (RISC) microprocessor, a complex instruction set computer (CISC) microprocessor, a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a system on a chip (SoC), a digital signal processor (DSP), etc. In addition, the processor 1202 may have any suitable micro-architecture design, which includes any number of constituent components, such as, for example, registers, multiplexers, arithmetic logic units, cache controllers for controlling read / write operations to cache memory, branch predictors, etc. The microarchitecture design of processor 1202 may be capable of supporting any of a variety of instruction sets.

[0074] Now refer to Fig.12 The sound detection module 1226 may include computer executable instructions, codes, etc., which, in response to being executed by one or more of the processors 1202, can perform functions including but not limited to detecting sounds, determining the meaning of sounds, generating audio signals and audio data, determining the location of sounds, etc.

[0075] The communication module 1228 may include computer executable instructions, codes, etc., which in response to being executed by one or more of the processors 1202 may perform functions including but not limited to sending and / or receiving data including content, sending and / or receiving instructions and commands, etc. The light strip control module 1230 may include computer executable instructions, codes, etc., which in response to being executed by one or more of the processors 1202 may perform functions including but not limited to determining the lighting state of the light strip, determining which LED is illuminated, causing a change in the lighting state, etc.

[0076] The remote control module 1232 may include computer executable instructions, codes, etc., which can perform functions in response to being executed by one or more of the processors 1202, including but not limited to controlling other electronic devices, sending infrared signals, sending or outputting digital audio or video signals, etc.

[0077] Referring now to other exemplary components depicted as being stored in the data storage device 1220, the O / S 1222 may be loaded from the data storage device 1220 into the memory 1204 and may provide an interface between other application software executed on the multimedia streaming device 1200 and the hardware resources of the multimedia streaming device 1200. More specifically, the O / S 1222 may include a set of computer executable instructions for managing the hardware resources of the multimedia streaming device 1200 and for providing common services to other applications (e.g., managing memory allocations between various applications). In certain example embodiments, the O / S 1222 may control the execution of other program modules. The O / S 1222 may include any operating system now known or that may be developed in the future, including but not limited to any server operating system, any mainframe operating system, or any other dedicated or non-dedicated operating system.

[0078] The DBMS 1224 may be loaded into the memory 1204 and may support functionality for accessing, retrieving, storing, and / or manipulating data stored in the memory 1204 and / or data stored in the data storage device 1220. The DBMS 1224 may use any of a variety of database models (e.g., a relational model, an object model, etc.) and may support any of a variety of query languages. The DBMS 1224 may access data represented by one or more data subjects and stored in any suitable data repository, including but not limited to a database (e.g., a relational database, an object-oriented database, etc.), a file system, a flat file, a distributed data store in which data is stored on more than one node of a computer network, a peer-to-peer network data store, etc. In those example embodiments where the multimedia streaming device 1200 is a mobile device, the DBMS 1224 may be any suitable lightweight DBMS optimized for performance on a mobile device.

[0079] Referring now to other exemplary components of the multimedia streaming device 1200, an input / output (I / O) interface 1206 can facilitate the multimedia streaming device 1200 to receive input information from one or more I / O devices and output information from the multimedia streaming device 1200 to one or more I / O devices. The I / O device may include any of a variety of components, such as a display or display screen with a touch surface or touch screen; an audio output device for producing sound, such as a speaker; an audio capture device, such as a microphone; an image and / or video capture device, such as a camera; a haptic unit; and the like. Any of these components may be integrated into the multimedia streaming device 1200, or may be independent. For example, the I / O device may further include any number of peripheral devices, such as a data storage device, a printing device, and the like.

[0080] The I / O interface 1206 may also include an interface for external peripheral device connection, such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB), FireWire, Thunderbolt, Ethernet port, or other connection protocol that can connect to one or more networks. The I / O interface 1206 may also include a connection to one or more of the antennas 1234 to connect to one or more networks via a wireless local area network (WLAN) (e.g., a WiFi radio, Bluetooth, ZigBee, and / or a wireless network radio) and / or a radio capable of communicating with a wireless communication network (e.g., a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, a WiMAX network, a 4G network, a 5G network, a ZigBee network, etc.).

[0081] The multimedia streaming transmission device 1200 may further include one or more network interfaces 1208, through which the multimedia streaming transmission device 1200 may communicate with any of a variety of other systems, platforms, networks, devices, etc. The network interface 1208 may enable, for example, communication with one or more wireless routers, one or more host servers, one or more web servers, etc. via one or more networks.

[0082] The antenna 1234 may include any suitable type of antenna, depending on, for example, the communication protocol used to transmit or receive signals via the antenna 1234. Non-limiting examples of suitable antennas may include directional antennas, non-directional antennas, dipole antennas, folded dipole antennas, patch antennas, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antennas, etc. The antenna 1234 may be communicatively coupled to one or more transceivers 1212 or radio components and may transmit signals to or receive signals from the one or more transceivers or radio components.

[0083] Antenna 1234 may include a cellular antenna configured to transmit or receive signals according to standards and protocols established, for example, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), 4G standards (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE), WiMax, etc.), 5G standards, direct satellite communications, etc.

[0084] Additionally or alternatively, antenna 1234 may include a WiFi antenna configured to transmit or receive signals in accordance with established standards and protocols such as the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, including via a 2.4 GHz channel (e.g., 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n), a 5 GHz channel (e.g., 802.11n, 802.11ac), or a 60 GHz channel (e.g., 802.11ad). In alternative example embodiments, antenna 1234 may be configured to transmit or receive radio frequency signals within any suitable frequency range forming part of the unlicensed portion of the radio spectrum.

[0085] Additionally or alternatively, antenna 1234 may include a GNSS antenna configured to receive GNSS signals from three or more GNSS satellites carrying time-position information to triangulate the position therefrom. Such a GNSS antenna may be configured to receive GNSS signals from any current or planned GNSS, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), GLONASS system, Compass Navigation System, Galileo system, or Indian Regional Navigation System.

[0086] The transceiver 1212 may include any suitable radio components for cooperating with the antenna 1234 to transmit or receive radio frequency (RF) signals in a bandwidth and / or channel corresponding to the communication protocol used by the multimedia streaming device 1200 to communicate with other devices. The transceiver 1212 may include hardware, software and / or firmware for potentially cooperating with any of the antennas 1234 to modulate, transmit or receive communication signals according to any of the communication protocols discussed above, including but not limited to one or more WiFi and / or WiFi direct protocols standardized by the IEEE 802.11 standard, one or more non-WiFi protocols, or one or more cellular communication protocols or standards. The transceiver 1212 may further include hardware, firmware or software for receiving GNSS signals. The transceiver 1212 may include any known receiver and baseband suitable for communicating via the communication protocol utilized by the multimedia streaming device 1200. The transceiver 1212 may further include a low noise amplifier (LNA), additional signal amplifiers, an analog / digital (A / D) converter, one or more buffers, a digital baseband, and the like.

[0087] Sensor / sensor interface 1210 may include or may be capable of interfacing with any suitable type of sensing device, such as an inertial sensor, a force sensor, a thermal sensor, a photocell, etc. Example types of inertial sensors may include accelerometers (e.g., MEMS-based accelerometers), gyroscopes, etc.

[0088] The camera 1214 may be any device configured to capture ambient light or images. The microphone 1216 may be any device configured to receive analog sound input or voice data.

[0089] It should be understood that Fig.12The program modules, applications, computer executable instructions, codes, etc., described in the description and stored in the data storage device 1220 are merely illustrative and not exhaustive, and the processing described as supported by any particular module may alternatively be distributed across multiple modules or performed by different modules. In addition, various program modules, scripts, plug-ins, application programming interfaces (APIs), or any other suitable computer executable codes hosted locally on the multimedia streaming device 1200 and / or hosted on other computing devices accessible via one or more networks may be provided to support the processing by Fig.12 The functionality and / or additional or alternative functionality provided by the program modules, applications or computer executable code depicted in the . In addition, the functionality can be modularized in different ways so that what is described as being composed of Fig.12 The processing collectively supported by the set of program modules depicted in the description may be performed by fewer or more modules, or the functionality described as supported by any particular module may be supported at least in part by another module. In addition, the program modules supporting the functionality described herein may form part of one or more applications that may be executed across any number of systems or devices according to any suitable computing model, such as a client-server model, a peer-to-peer model, etc. In addition, the processing collectively supported by the set of program modules depicted in the description may be performed by fewer or more modules, or the functionality described as supported by any particular module may be supported at least in part by another module. In addition, the program modules supporting the functionality described herein may form part of one or more applications that may be executed across any number of systems or devices according to any suitable computing model, such as a client-server model, a peer-to-peer model, etc. Fig.12 Any of the functionality supported by any of the depicted program modules may be implemented at least in part in hardware and / or firmware across any number of devices.

[0090] It should be further understood that the multimedia streaming device 1200 may include alternative and / or additional hardware, software or firmware components other than those described or depicted, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. More specifically, it should be understood that the software, firmware or hardware components depicted as forming a part of the multimedia streaming device 1200 are only exemplary, and some components may not exist or additional components may be provided in various embodiments. Although various exemplary program modules have been depicted and described as software modules stored in the data storage device 1220, it should be understood that the functionality described as supported by the program modules can be implemented by any combination of hardware, software and / or firmware. It should be further understood that in various embodiments, each of the modules mentioned above may represent a logical partition of the supported functionality. This logical partition is described for ease of explanation of functionality, and this logical partition may not represent the structure of software, hardware and / or firmware for implementing the functionality. Therefore, it should be understood that in various embodiments, the functionality described as provided by a specific module may be provided at least in part by one or more other modules. Furthermore, in some embodiments, one or more of the depicted modules may not be present, while in other embodiments, additional modules not depicted may be present and may support at least a portion of the described functionality and / or additional functionality. Furthermore, while certain modules may be depicted and described as sub-modules of another module, in some embodiments, such modules may be provided as stand-alone modules or as sub-modules of other modules.

[0091] Fig.11 One or more operations of a method, process flow, or use case may be performed by Fig.12 , or more specifically, by one or more engines, program modules, applications, etc. that can be executed on such a device. However, it should be understood that such operations can be implemented in conjunction with many other device configurations. In addition, some or all of the components 1202-1234 of the multimedia streaming device 1200 can be distributed among multiple circuit boards. Figure 1-10 The heat sink described is separated.

[0092] Various embodiments of the present disclosure are described in the following examples. Example 1 includes a multimedia streaming device, which includes one or more of the following: a housing; a first circuit board, which is within the housing, the first circuit board is positioned below the top surface of the housing; a second circuit board, which is within the housing, the second circuit board is electrically coupled to the first circuit board and is positioned above the bottom surface of the housing; a heat sink, which is within the housing, the heat sink is positioned between the first circuit board and the second circuit board, the heat sink defines a speaker housing, the speaker housing includes a top portion in contact with the first circuit board, a bottom portion in contact with the second circuit board and opposite to the top portion, and a plurality of side walls between the top portion and the bottom portion; a speaker, which is within the housing, the speaker is mounted in the speaker housing by being mounted in a first side wall among the plurality of side walls; a plurality of ports, which are within the housing and disposed at the heat sink. The device is external to the housing, the plurality of ports being mounted on the second circuit board below a second side wall among the plurality of side walls, the second side wall being opposite to the first side wall; a plurality of microphones being mounted on the first circuit board below the top surface of the housing; a plurality of control buttons being mounted on the first circuit board below the top surface of the housing; one or more processors being mounted on the second circuit board above the bottom surface of the housing; and one or more memories being mounted on the second circuit board above the bottom surface of the housing, the one or more memories storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to receive, process and send multimedia content data to a television coupled to the multimedia streaming device via at least one of the plurality of ports.

[0093] Example 2 includes a multimedia streaming device according to Example 1, further comprising one or more of the following: an optical waveguide comprising (i) a light emitting surface and (ii) a light receiving surface, the light emitting surface being positioned below the top surface of the housing and a third side wall of the housing parallel to the first side wall of the speaker housing, the light receiving surface being angled relative to the top surface; a light source mounted on the first circuit board and positioned between the first circuit board and the top portion of the heat sink; and a reflector surrounding the light source and comprising a light reflecting surface below the light source and parallel to the top surface.

[0094] Example 3 includes the multimedia streaming device according to Example 1 or 2, further comprising: a fabric material positioned on an outer surface of the third side wall, wherein the fabric material wraps around a top end of the third side wall and is received in the chamfered groove of the optical waveguide.

[0095] Example 4 includes a device assembly comprising one or more of the following: a first circuit board configured to provide user control; a second circuit board electrically coupled to the first circuit board and configured to provide content processing; a heat sink positioned between the first circuit board and the second circuit board and defining a speaker housing, the speaker housing comprising a first portion in contact with the first circuit board, a second portion in contact with the second circuit board, and a third portion; and a speaker mounted in the third portion of the speaker housing.

[0096] Example 5 includes a device assembly according to Example 4, wherein the first portion is a top portion, the second portion is a bottom portion, and the third portion includes a plurality of side walls, and the device assembly further includes one or more of the following: a housing; a plurality of ports within the housing and outside the heat sink, the plurality of ports mounted on the second circuit board below a second side wall of the plurality of side walls, the second side wall being opposite to the first side wall in which the speaker is mounted; a plurality of microphones mounted on the first circuit board below the top surface of the housing; a plurality of control buttons mounted on the first circuit board below the top surface of the housing; one or more processors mounted on the second circuit board above the bottom surface of the housing; and one or more memories mounted on the second circuit board above the bottom surface of the housing, the one or more memories storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to receive, process and send multimedia content data to a television coupled to the multimedia streaming device via at least one of the plurality of ports.

[0097] Example 6 includes the device assembly of example 4 or 5, further comprising: a plurality of audio / video (AV) ports and a connector, wherein the connector comprises at least two stacked input and / or output ports.

[0098] Example 7 includes the device assembly of example 6, wherein an AV port of the plurality of AV ports complies with a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) and is mounted on the second circuit board in a vertical orientation.

[0099] Example 8 includes the device assembly of example 7, wherein the AV port comprises a first pin and a second pin, wherein the first pin is closer to the second circuit board than the second pin and is shorter in length than the second pin.

[0100] Example 9 includes the device assembly of Example 6 or 7, wherein the plurality of AV ports and the connector are mounted on the second circuit board and are at least partially secured by the heat sink.

[0101] Example 10 includes an assembly according to any one of Examples 4 to 9, further comprising one or more of the following: an optical waveguide comprising a light emitting surface and a light receiving surface; a light source mounted on the first circuit board and positioned between the first circuit board and the first portion of the heat sink; and a reflector surrounding the light source and configured to reflect light emitted by the light source toward the light receiving surface.

[0102] Example 11 includes a device assembly according to Example 10, further comprising one or more of the following: a housing comprising a plurality of side walls, wherein the optical waveguide is positioned at a first top end of a first side wall among the plurality of side walls and has a first geometric shape, wherein the first side wall is parallel to a base area of ​​the cone of the speaker; and a light blocking material in contact with a side end of the optical waveguide, positioned at a second top end of a second side wall among the plurality of side walls, and having the first geometric shape.

[0103] Example 12 includes a device assembly according to Example 10 or 11, further comprising: a housing comprising a side wall parallel to a base region of a cone of the speaker; and a fabric material on an outer surface of the side wall, wherein a portion of the fabric material wraps around an end of the side wall, wherein the optical waveguide comprises a groove that receives the end of the side wall and the portion of the fabric material.

[0104] Example 13 includes the assembly of any of Examples 4-12, wherein the first portion of the heat sink is made of a thermally insulating material, and wherein the second portion and the third portion of the heat sink are made of a thermally conductive material.

[0105] Example 14 includes a device assembly according to Example 13, wherein the third portion includes a sidewall made of a metal material, and the device assembly further includes: a radio frequency (RF) antenna mounted on the first circuit board, wherein an end of the first portion of the heat sink extends below the first circuit board on which the RF antenna is mounted and above a top end of the sidewall, and wherein the end of the first portion has a thickness equal to or greater than a thickness threshold associated with reduced coupling between the RF antenna and the metal material.

[0106] Example 15 includes a device assembly according to Example 13 or 14, further comprising one or more of the following: a housing comprising another side wall, wherein a first portion of the other side wall is infrared (IR) transmissive and a second portion of the side wall is IR non-transmissive; and an IR transceiver within the housing, the IR transceiver being mounted on the second circuit board and closer to the first portion of the other side wall than to the second portion of the side wall.

[0107] Example 16 includes the device assembly of Example 15, wherein the first portion of the sidewall comprises a wedge configured to direct incoming IR emissions inwardly to the IR transceiver and to diffuse outgoing IR emissions outwardly from the sidewall.

[0108] Example 17 includes an assembly according to any one of Examples 4 to 16, further comprising one or more of the following: a control button mounted on the user-facing surface of the first circuit board and surrounded by a first seal; a microphone mounted on the user-facing surface of the first circuit board and surrounded by a second seal, wherein the second seal is made of the same material or a different material as the first seal and is a separate part from the first seal; and an antenna mounted on the user-facing surface of the first circuit board.

[0109] Example 18 includes a method comprising one or more of the following: receiving input data indicating content by a first device, wherein the first device includes: a first circuit board configured to receive the input data, a second circuit board electrically coupled to the first circuit board and configured to provide content processing, a heat sink positioned between the first circuit board and the second circuit board and defining a speaker housing, the speaker housing comprising a first portion in contact with the first circuit board, a second portion in contact with the second circuit board, and a third portion, and a speaker mounted in the third portion of the speaker housing; receiving first content data representing the content by the first device; generating second content data by the first device by processing at least the first content data using the second circuit board; and sending the second content data by the first device to a second device, the second device being configured to output the content.

[0110] Example 19 includes a method according to Example 18, further comprising one or more of the following: generating, by a microphone of the first device, first audio data corresponding to a natural language utterance requesting the content, wherein the input data includes the first audio data; outputting, by the speaker, second audio data, wherein the second audio data corresponds to a response to the natural language utterance; emitting light from a light emitting surface of an optical waveguide of the first device while the second audio data is being output, wherein the light emitting surface is on a side wall of a housing of the first device and has a first geometric shape, wherein the first device further comprises a non-light emitting surface extending from the light emitting surface, on a second side wall of the housing, and having the first geometric shape.

[0111] Example 20 includes the method according to Example 18 or 20, further comprising one or more of the following: receiving heat emitted by the second circuit board by the second portion of the speaker housing; and dissipating the heat by the third portion of the speaker housing.

[0112] Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the disclosure as set forth in the claims.

[0113] Other variations are within the spirit of the present disclosure. Therefore, while the disclosed technology is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and described in detail above. However, it should be understood that there is no intention to limit the present disclosure to the specific form or forms disclosed, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents that fall within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined in the appended claims.

[0114] Unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context, the use of the terms "a", "an", and "the" and similar referents in the context of describing the disclosed embodiments (especially in the context of the appended claims) should be understood to cover the singular as well as the plural. Unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context, the terms "comprising", "having", "including", and "containing" should be interpreted as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning "including but not limited to") unless otherwise stated. The term "connected" should be understood to be partially or completely contained within, attached to, or joined together, even in the presence of intermediates. Unless otherwise indicated herein, the recitation of ranges of values ​​herein is merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each individual value falling within the range, and each individual value is incorporated into the specification as if it were recited individually herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Unless otherwise stated, the use of any and all examples or exemplary language (e.g., "such as") provided herein is intended only to better illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. No language in this specification should be construed as indicating any non-required element necessary to practice the present disclosure.

[0115] Unless specifically stated otherwise, disjunctive language, such as the phrase "at least one of X, Y, or Z," is intended to be understood within the context of use to generally present an item, term, etc. as being X, Y, or Z, or any combination thereof (e.g., X, Y, and / or Z). Thus, such disjunctive language is generally not intended to, and should not, imply that certain embodiments require that at least one of X, at least one of Y, or at least one of Z each be present.

[0116] The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors of the present invention for carrying out the present disclosure. After reading the foregoing description, the changes of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The inventors of the present invention expect that those of ordinary skill in the art will adopt such changes as needed, and the inventors of the present invention intend to practice the present disclosure in other ways different from the specific description herein. Therefore, the present disclosure includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter described in the claims attached hereto as allowed by applicable law. In addition, unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted with the context, the present disclosure covers any combination of the elements described above with all possible variations thereof.

[0117] All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.

Claims

1. A multimedia streaming transmission device, comprising: shell; a first circuit board within the housing, the first circuit board being positioned below a top surface of the housing; a second circuit board within the housing, the second circuit board being electrically coupled to the first circuit board and positioned above a bottom surface of the housing; a heat sink within the housing, the heat sink positioned between the first circuit board and the second circuit board, the heat sink defining a speaker housing including a top portion in contact with the first circuit board, a bottom portion in contact with the second circuit board and opposite the top portion, and a plurality of side walls between the top portion and the bottom portion; a speaker within the housing, the speaker being mounted in the speaker housing by being mounted in a first side wall of the plurality of side walls; a plurality of ports within the housing and outside the heat sink, the plurality of ports being mounted on the second circuit board below a second side wall of the plurality of side walls, the second side wall being opposite to the first side wall; a plurality of microphones mounted on the first circuit board and below the top surface of the housing; a plurality of control buttons mounted on the first circuit board and below the top surface of the housing; one or more processors mounted on the second circuit board above the bottom surface of the housing; as well as and one or more memories mounted on the second circuit board above the bottom surface of the housing, the one or more memories storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to receive, process and send multimedia content data to a television coupled to the multimedia streaming device via at least one of the plurality of ports.

2. The multimedia streaming transmission device according to claim 1, further comprising: an optical waveguide comprising (i) a light emitting surface and (ii) a light receiving surface, the light emitting surface being positioned below the top surface of the housing and a third side wall of the housing parallel to the first side wall of the speaker housing, the light receiving surface being angled relative to the top surface; a light source mounted on the first circuit board and positioned between the first circuit board and the top portion of the heat sink; as well as A reflector surrounds the light source and includes a light reflecting surface below the light source and parallel to the top surface.

3. A device assembly comprising: a first circuit board configured to provide user controls; a second circuit board electrically coupled to the first circuit board and configured to provide content processing; a heat sink positioned between the first circuit board and the second circuit board and defining a speaker housing including a first portion in contact with the first circuit board, a second portion in contact with the second circuit board, and a third portion; as well as A speaker is mounted in the third portion of the speaker housing.

4. The device assembly of claim 3, wherein the first portion is a top portion, the second portion is a bottom portion, and the third portion includes a plurality of sidewalls, and the device assembly further comprises: shell; a plurality of ports within the housing and outside the heat sink, the plurality of ports being mounted on the second circuit board below a second side wall of the plurality of side walls, the second side wall being opposite to the first side wall on which the speaker is mounted; a plurality of microphones mounted on the first circuit board and below the top surface of the housing; a plurality of control buttons mounted on the first circuit board and below the top surface of the housing; one or more processors mounted on the second circuit board above the bottom surface of the housing; as well as and one or more memories mounted on the second circuit board above the bottom surface of the housing, the one or more memories storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to receive, process and send multimedia content data to a television coupled to the multimedia streaming device via at least one of the plurality of ports.

5. The device assembly of claim 3, further comprising: A plurality of audio / video (AV) ports, and a connector, wherein the connector includes at least two stacked input and / or output ports.

6. The device assembly of claim 5, wherein an AV port of the plurality of AV ports complies with a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) and is mounted on the second circuit board in a vertical orientation.

7. The device assembly of claim 5 or 6, wherein the plurality of AV ports and the connector are mounted on the second circuit board and are at least partially secured by the heat sink.

8. The device assembly according to any one of claims 3 to 7, further comprising: an optical waveguide comprising a light emitting surface and a light receiving surface; a light source mounted on the first circuit board and positioned between the first circuit board and the first portion of the heat sink; as well as A reflector surrounds the light source and is configured to reflect light emitted by the light source toward the light receiving surface.

9. The device assembly of claim 8, further comprising: an enclosure comprising a plurality of side walls, wherein the optical waveguide is positioned at a first top end of a first side wall of the plurality of side walls and has a first geometric shape, wherein the first side wall is parallel to a base region of a cone of the speaker; as well as A light blocking material, which contacts a side end of the optical waveguide, is positioned at a second top end of a second side wall among the plurality of side walls and has the first geometric shape.

10. The device assembly of claim 8, further comprising: an enclosure including side walls parallel to a base region of the cone of the speaker; as well as A fabric material is on an outer surface of the side wall, wherein a portion of the fabric material wraps around an end of the side wall, wherein the optical waveguide includes a groove that receives the end of the side wall and the portion of the fabric material.

11. The device assembly of any one of claims 3 to 10, wherein the first portion of the heat sink is made of a thermally insulating material, and wherein the second portion and the third portion of the heat sink are made of a thermally conductive material.

12. The device assembly of claim 11, wherein the third portion comprises a sidewall made of a metal material, and the device assembly further comprises: A radio frequency (RF) antenna mounted on the first circuit board, wherein an end of the first portion of the heat sink extends below the first circuit board on which the RF antenna is mounted and above a top end of the side wall, and wherein the end of the first portion has a thickness equal to or greater than a thickness threshold associated with reduced coupling between the RF antenna and the metal material.

13. The device assembly of claim 11, further comprising: an enclosure comprising a sidewall, wherein a first portion of the sidewall is infrared (IR) transmissive and a second portion of the sidewall is IR non-transmissive; as well as An IR transceiver is within the housing, the IR transceiver being mounted on the second circuit board and closer to the first portion of the side wall than to the second portion of the side wall.

14. The device assembly according to any one of claims 3 to 13, further comprising: a control button mounted on the user-facing surface of the first circuit board and surrounded by a first seal; a microphone mounted on the user-facing surface of the first circuit board and surrounded by a second seal, wherein the second seal is made of the same material as the first seal or a different material and is a separate part from the first seal; as well as An antenna is mounted on the user-facing surface of the first circuit board.

15. A method comprising: Receiving input data indicating content by a first device, wherein the first device comprises: a first circuit board configured to receive the input data, a second circuit board electrically coupled to the first circuit board and configured to provide content processing, a heat sink positioned between the first circuit board and the second circuit board and defining a speaker housing, the speaker housing including a first portion in contact with the first circuit board, a second portion in contact with the second circuit board, and a third portion, and a speaker mounted in the third portion of the speaker housing; receiving, by the first device, first content data representing the content; generating second content data by processing at least the first content data by the first device using the second circuit board; and The second content data is sent by the first device to a second device, and the second device is configured to output the content.

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