US 12,315,512 B2
Virtual assistant identification of nearby computing devices
Jian Wei Leong, San Francisco, CA (US)
Assigned to GOOGLE LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed by GOOGLE LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 13, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/440,010.
Application 18/440,010 is a continuation of application No. 17/856,536, filed on Jul. 1, 2022, granted, now 11,908,479.
Application 17/856,536 is a continuation of application No. 17/688,493, filed on Mar. 7, 2022, granted, now 11,380,331, issued on Jul. 5, 2022.
Application 17/688,493 is a continuation of application No. 17/506,323, filed on Oct. 20, 2021, granted, now 11,270,705, issued on Mar. 8, 2022.
Application 17/506,323 is a continuation of application No. 17/397,604, filed on Aug. 9, 2021, granted, now 11,227,600, issued on Jan. 18, 2022.
Application 17/397,604 is a continuation of application No. 17/201,808, filed on Mar. 15, 2021, granted, now 11,087,765, issued on Aug. 10, 2021.
Application 17/201,808 is a continuation of application No. 16/409,389, filed on May 10, 2019, abandoned.
Application 16/409,389 is a continuation of application No. 15/355,336, filed on Nov. 18, 2016, granted, now 10,332,523, issued on Jun. 25, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0185858 A1, Jun. 6, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G10L 15/22 (2006.01); G06F 3/16 (2006.01); G10L 15/30 (2013.01)
CPC G10L 15/30 (2013.01) [G06F 3/165 (2013.01); G10L 15/22 (2013.01); G10L 2015/221 (2013.01); G10L 2015/223 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A battery powered device comprising:
one or more microphones,
one or more speakers;
one or more processors; and
memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause one or more of the processors to:
recognize speaking of a predetermined phrase in audio data received via one or more of the microphones;
in response to recognizing the speaking of the predetermined phrase:
transmit a request that:
causes a second computing device, that is located in a physical environment with the battery powered device, to emit a second device audio signal via a second device speaker component of the second computing device, and
causes a third computing device, that is also located in the physical environment, to emit a third device audio signal via a third device speaker component of the third computing device,
 wherein the second device audio signal has a second device emission frequency,
 wherein the third device audio signal has a third device emission frequency, and
 wherein the second device audio signal and the third device audio signal are each above a range of human hearing;
detect, at the battery powered device and via one or more of the microphones of the battery powered device, the second device audio signal and the third device audio signal;
determine, based on at least (i) the second device audio signal as detected at the battery powered device and (ii) the third device audio signal as detected at the battery powered device, that the second computing device is closer to to the battery powered device than is the third computing device; and
in response to determining that the second computing device is closer to the battery powered device than is the third computing device:
cause the second computing device to provide audible output.