Controlling visual indicators in an audio responsive electronic device, and capturing and providing audio using an api, by native and non-native computing devices and services

Abstract

Disclosed herein are embodiments for controlling visual indicators of an audio responsive electronic device. In some embodiments, an audio responsive electronic device operates by receiving audio input, and then analyzing the audio input to identify an intended target of the audio input. The intended target may be one of a plurality of electronic devices or services which are native or non-native to the audio responsive electronic device. The audio responsive electronic device transmits the audio input to the identified intended target. A reply message is received from the intended target. Then, the audio responsive electronic device controls its visual indicators using information in the reply message, to thereby provide visual feedback to a user. Also disclosed herein are embodiments for capturing and providing audio to an application according to an application programming interface of a media device. The raw audio captured by the media device is not in a form useable by the requesting application. In practice, the requesting application must interpret, transform, translate, and/or otherwise manipulate the raw audio to convert it to a useable form. These embodiments provide operation that is consistent, predictable and precise, irrespective of whether the requesting devices or services are native or non-native to the device/service performing the operation.