Multi-device Audio Coordination via Intent Objects
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Solution Overview
Problem
In environments with multiple electronic devices, such as homes or offices, coordinating the adjustment of audio signals from these devices to improve user experience and prevent missed events or repeated requests is challenging due to simultaneous audio output from nearby devices.
Innovation Solution
Generating a local audio intent object on one device, determining proximity to another device outputting audio, and transmitting a proximate audio intent object based on communication connection parameters to adjust the audio signal output of the nearby device, ensuring synchronized adjustments with software application events and user actions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple electronic devices output audio signals simultaneously, then each device can independently provide its audio content, but the user experience deteriorates due to audio conflicts and missed events
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the audio control functions of multiple electronic devices by establishing a coordinator device that receives audio intent objects from multiple sources and sends coordinated control commands back to them. This combining approach allows devices to maintain independent audio output capability while achieving unified coordination through the coordinator, resolving the contradiction between device independence and user experience reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The coordinator device acts as an intermediary between multiple electronic devices that need to coordinate their audio outputs. The coordinator receives audio intent objects from various devices, processes them, and sends coordinated control commands back to the appropriate devices. This intermediary approach enables each device to maintain its independent functionality while ensuring reliable coordinated audio playback across the system.
2Reliability
If audio signals are coordinated across multiple devices, then user experience improves through synchronized audio playback, but device complexity increases due to coordination protocols
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audio coordination system into distinct functional components: audio intent object generation at source devices, transmission to the coordinator, coordination processing at the coordinator device, and command execution at target devices. This segmentation allows each component to remain relatively simple while achieving reliable audio synchronization across the distributed system through clear division of responsibilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The coordination system implements feedback loops where the coordinator device receives audio intent objects from multiple devices, processes coordination logic, and sends control commands back to the appropriate devices. This feedback mechanism enables reliable audio synchronization while keeping individual device complexity low, as each device only needs to implement the receiving and sending of standardized messages rather than complex coordination logic.
3Reliability
If audio intent objects are transmitted between devices, then audio coordination is achieved, but communication overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by having devices pre-generate and transmit their audio intent objects to the coordinator before actual audio playback begins. The coordinator then processes these intent objects and determines the coordination strategy in advance. This preliminary action approach ensures reliable audio coordination while reducing communication overhead during actual playback, as the coordination decisions are made beforehand rather than requiring continuous real-time communication.
Data Source
AI summary
This relates to intelligent automated assistants and, more specifically, to the intelligent coordination of audio signal output adjustments among multiple electronic devices. An example method includes, generating a local audio intent object associated with a software application stored on a first electronic device, the local audio intent object including one or more local audio parameters; determining that a second electronic device that is outputting an audio signal is proximate to the first electronic device; generating a proximate audio intent object corresponding to the second electronic device based on the one or more local audio adjustment parameters and a round-trip time (RTT) of a communication connection between the first electronic device and the second electronic device; and transmitting the proximate audio intent object to the second electronic device via the communication connection, wherein the proximate audio intent object causes the second electronic device to adjust the output of the audio signal.