Detecting and controlling physical movement of a playback device during audio playback

• US 10,007,481 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2016
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Daly, Seamus
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thang
• Application Number:
  US15/243,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20170060524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 13/00 Indicating or recording presence, absence, or direction, of movement electric switches H01H; counting moving objects G06M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/001 Adaptation of signal processing in PA systems in dependence of presence of noise
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/007 for public address systems public address systems per se H04R27/00

Abstract

Method and apparatus for physical detecting movement of a playback device which plays audio sound via a speaker enclosed in the playback device. While the speaker plays the audio sound, a determination is made whether the playback device is physically moving. In response to the playback device physically moving, the audio sound played by the speaker is modified, for example, by adjusting the volume or equalization of the audio sound, so as to reduce the physical movement of the playback device.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a speaker configured to play audio sound, the speaker being enclosed in the device;

a sensor;

a processor;

a non-transitory computer readable medium, and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium that, when executed by the processor, cause the device to perform functions comprising;

playing, by the device, the audio sound via the speaker;

while the speaker is playing the audio sound, determining, by the device, that the device is physically moving, wherein determining that the device is physically moving comprises comparing a sensor output value of the sensor to a sensor profile indicative of movement of the device, and wherein the sensor profile is stored on a memory of the device; and

adjusting, by the device, the audio sound played by the speaker in response determining that the device is physically moving.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions for adjusting by the device the audio sound played by the speaker comprises adjusting one or more of a volume or equalization of the audio sound.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions for adjusting, by the device, the audio sound played by the speaker comprises decreasing a volume of the audio sound for the device and correspondingly transmitting instructions that cause an increase in a volume of an audio sound of a remote device.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the physical movement of the device comprises a translational, rotational, yaw, pitch, roll, or rocking movement.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is selected from a group consisting of an accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the device to calibrate the sensor for detecting movement of the device prior to the device playing the audio sound.

7. A tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium including a set of instructions that when executed by a processor cause a device to perform functions comprising:

playing, by the device, audio sound via a speaker enclosed in the device;

determining, by the device, while the speaker is playing the audio sound that the device is physically moving, wherein determining that the device is moving comprises comparing a sensor output value from a sensor of the device to a sensor profile indicative of movement of the device, and wherein the sensor profile is stored on a memory of the device; and

adjusting, by the device, the audio sound played by the speaker in response to determining that the device is physically moving.

8. The tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 7, further comprising instructions for filtering an input into the sensor.

9. The tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 7, further comprising instructions for calibrating the sensor prior to the device playing the audio sound.

10. The tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 7, wherein the instructions for adjusting the audio sound played by the speaker comprises adjusting one or more of a volume or equalization of the audio sound to reduce the movement of the device.

11. The tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 7, wherein the instructions for adjusting the audio sound played by the speaker comprises decreasing a volume of the audio sound for the device and correspondingly increasing a volume of an audio sound of a remote device.

12. A method comprising:

playing, by a device, audio sound via a speaker enclosed in the device;

while the speaker playing the audio sound, determining, by the device, that the device is physically moving, wherein determining that the device is moving comprises comparing a sensor output value from a sensor of the device to a sensor profile indicative of movement of the device, wherein the sensor profile is stored on a memory of the device; and

adjusting, by the device, the audio sound played by the speaker in response determining that the device is physically moving.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein adjusting the audio sound played by the speaker comprises adjusting one or more of a volume or equalization of the audio sound.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein adjusting the audio sound played by the speaker comprises decreasing a volume the audio sound for the device and correspondingly increasing a volume of an audio sound played by a remote device.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising calibrating the sensor for detecting movement of the device prior to the device playing the audio sound.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the physical movement of the device is due to excursions of the speaker'"'"'s diaphragm.