Method and apparatus for media property or characteristic control in a media system

Abstract

A method including: transmitting, by a control device, a first portion of content comprising a first portion of a signal corresponding to a multimedia presentation characteristic of a peripheral device; receiving, when an adjustment of the signal is below an adjustment threshold, a first instance of an input indicating a request to change the multimedia presentation characteristic; in response to receiving the first instance of the input, adjusting a second portion of the signal and transmitting a second portion of the content comprising the adjusted second portion of the signal; receiving, when the adjustment of the signal is at or above the adjustment threshold, a second instance of the input; and transmitting, in response to receiving the second instance of the input, a communication signal to the peripheral device to adjust a peripheral device control of an output of the multimedia presentation characteristic.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a control device, a voice input indicating a request to adjust an audio presentation characteristic;   determining, by the control device, an output control of a peripheral device external to the control device, the output control configured to adjust an output of the audio presentation characteristic at the peripheral device;   determining, by the control device, an amount to adjust the audio presentation characteristic at the peripheral device based on the received voice input and a threshold corresponding to the output of the audio presentation characteristic; and   transmitting, by the control device, at least one signal to the peripheral device, the at least one signal configured to adjust the output of the audio presentation characteristic by the amount at the peripheral device.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the audio presentation characteristic corresponds to a volume. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the request to adjust the audio presentation characteristic corresponds to a requested change in audio playback volume of the peripheral device. 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the requested change corresponds to an increase in the audio playback volume of the peripheral device. 
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the requested change corresponds to a decrease in the audio playback volume of the peripheral device. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral device comprises a speaker. 
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising activating one or more visual indicators corresponding to the adjusting the output of the audio presentation characteristic. 
     
     
         8 . An electronic device comprising:
 one or more processing devices; and   memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processing devices and having stored therein processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processing devices, cause the one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising:   processing a voice input indicating a request to adjust an audio presentation characteristic;   determining an output control of a peripheral device external to the control device, the output control configured to adjust an output of the audio presentation characteristic at the peripheral device;   determining an amount to adjust the audio presentation characteristic at the peripheral device based on the received voice input and a threshold corresponding to the output of the audio presentation characteristic; and   causing transmitting of at least one signal to the peripheral device, the at least one signal configured to adjust the output of the audio presentation characteristic by the amount at the peripheral device.   
     
     
         9 . The electronic device as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the audio presentation characteristic corresponds to a volume. 
     
     
         10 . The electronic device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the request to adjust the audio presentation characteristic corresponds to a requested change in audio playback volume of the peripheral device. 
     
     
         11 . The electronic device as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the requested change corresponds to an increase in the audio playback volume of the peripheral device. 
     
     
         12 . The electronic device as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the requested change corresponds to a decrease in the audio playback volume of the peripheral device. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic device as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the peripheral device comprises a speaker. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic device as recited in  claim 8 , the operations further comprising causing activation of one or more visual indicators corresponding to the adjusting the output of the audio presentation characteristic. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory, processor-readable medium having processor-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more processing devices, cause the one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising:
 processing a voice input indicating a request to adjust an audio presentation characteristic;   determining an output control of a peripheral device external to the control device, the output control configured to adjust an output of the audio presentation characteristic at the peripheral device;   determining an amount to adjust the audio presentation characteristic at the peripheral device based on the received voice input and a threshold corresponding to the output of the audio presentation characteristic; and   causing transmitting of at least one signal to the peripheral device, the at least one signal configured to adjust the output of the audio presentation characteristic by the amount at the peripheral device.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory, processor-readable medium as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the audio presentation characteristic corresponds to a volume. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory, processor-readable medium as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the request to adjust the audio presentation characteristic corresponds to a requested change in audio playback volume of the peripheral device. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory, processor-readable medium as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the requested change corresponds to an increase in the audio playback volume of the peripheral device. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory, processor-readable medium as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the requested change corresponds to a decrease in the audio playback volume of the peripheral device. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory, processor-readable medium as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the peripheral device comprises a speaker.