Device and Method for Playing Audio at a Connected Audio Device

Abstract

An example printing device comprises: a memory configured to store audio files corresponding to printing device events; a communications interface configured to communicate with an audio device; a processor interconnected with the memory and the communications interface, the processor configured to: responsive to a printing device event, retrieve, from the memory, an audio file corresponding to the printing device event; and transmit via the communications interface, the audio file to the audio device.

1 . A printing device comprising:
 a memory configured to store audio files corresponding to printing device events;   a communications interface configured to communicate with an audio device;   a processor interconnected with the memory and the communications interface, the processor configured to:
 responsive to a printing device event, retrieve, from the memory, an audio file corresponding to the printing device event; and 
 transmit via the communications interface, the audio file to the audio device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The printing device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 subscribe to an event management system of the printing device, the event management system configured to track the printing device events; and   receive a notification of the printing device event from the event management system.   
     
     
         3 . The printing device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 responsive to a secondary command, obtain a secondary audio file corresponding to the secondary command; and   transmit the secondary audio file to the audio device.   
     
     
         4 . The printing device of  claim 3 , wherein the secondary command is received from one of: a user interface of the printing device; and an external computing device in communication with the printing device. 
     
     
         5 . The printing device of  claim 3 , wherein the secondary command includes an indication of a selected audio file to retrieve from the memory to be transmitted and played at the audio device. 
     
     
         6 . The printing device of  claim 3 , wherein the secondary command includes the secondary audio file to be transmitted and played at the audio device. 
     
     
         7 . The printing device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to, responsive to audio control data input at a user interface of the printing device, transmit the audio control data to the audio device to change an audio parameter of the audio file played at the audio device. 
     
     
         8 . The printing device of  claim 1 , wherein the audio file comprises one of: a specific audio file containing an audio descriptor of the printing device event; and a generic audio file containing a generic audio descriptor for a type of the printing device event. 
     
     
         9 . The printing device of  claim 1 , wherein the communications interface is configured to communicate with the audio device using a short-range wireless communications protocol. 
     
     
         10 . The printing device of  claim 9 , wherein the short-range wireless communications protocol comprises Bluetooth. 
     
     
         11 . A method in a printing device, the method comprising:
 storing audio files corresponding to printing device events;   responsive to a printing device event, retrieving an audio file corresponding to the printing device event; and   transmitting the audio file to a connected audio device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 subscribing to an event management system of the printing device, the event management system configured to track the printing device events; and   receiving a notification of the printing device event from the event management system.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 responsive to a secondary command, obtaining a secondary audio file corresponding to the secondary command; and   transmitting the secondary audio file to the audio device.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the secondary command is received from one of: a user interface of the printing device; and an external computing device in communication with the printing device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the secondary command includes an indication of a selected audio file to retrieve from a memory of the printing device to be transmitted and played at the audio device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the secondary command includes the secondary audio file to be transmitted and played at the audio device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: responsive to audio control data input at a user interface of the printing device, transmitting the audio control data to the audio device to change an audio parameter of the audio file played at the audio device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the audio file comprises one of: a specific audio file containing an audio descriptor of the printing device event; and a generic audio file containing a generic audio descriptor for a type of the printing device event. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising communicating with the audio device using a short-range wireless communications protocol. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the short-range wireless communications protocol comprises Bluetooth. 
     
     
         21 . A printing device comprising:
 a user interface configured to receive user input from a user;   a memory configured to store an audio file;   a communications interface configured to communicate with an audio device;   a processor interconnected with the user interface, the memory and the communications interface, the processor configured to:
 responsive to the user input, associate the audio file with an event type; 
 responsive to a printing device event of the event type, retrieve, from the memory, the audio file associated with the event type; and 
 transmit via the communications interface, the audio file to the audio device. 
   
     
     
         22 . The printing device of  claim 21 , wherein the memory is non-volatile memory and the association of the audio file with the event type is stored in the memory. 
     
     
         23 . The printing device of  claim 21 , further comprising a media handling component where the event type is associated with the media handling component.