Dynamic computation of system response volume

• US 10,048,930 B1
• Filed: 09/08/2017
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Vega, Luis, Pylypczak, Lucas, Lean, Rich
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Paul S
• Application Number:
  US15/699,982
• Time in Patent Office: 340 Days
• Field of Search: 381 57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• 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 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone

Abstract

Systems and methods disclosed herein include, determining that a requirement exists to output a system response. In response to determining that a requirement exists to output a system response, (i) setting a system response volume for a first speaker associated with the first networked device and (ii) outputting a system response at the set system response volume via the first speaker associated with the first networked device.

Claims

1. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a first networked device to perform a method comprising:

determining that a requirement exists to output a system response, wherein determining that a requirement exists to output a system response comprises receiving a voice input via a first microphone associated with the first networked device, and wherein a first speaker is associated with the first networked device and a second speaker is associated with a second networked device; and

in response to determining that a requirement exists to output a system response, (i) setting a system response volume for the first speaker associated with the first networked device and (ii) outputting a system response at the set system response volume via the first speaker associated with the first networked device, wherein outputting the system response at the set system response volume via the first speaker associated with the first networked device comprises outputting the system response at the set system response volume via the first speaker associated with the first networked device in synchrony with the second networked device outputting the system response at the set system response volume via the second speaker.

2. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the first networked device comprises the first speaker and the first microphone.

3. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the first networked device comprises the first microphone and the second networked device comprises the first speaker.

4. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the first networked device comprises the first speaker and the second networked device comprises the first microphone.

5. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein determining that a requirement exists to output a system response further comprises activating a system alert or notification.

6. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein setting the system response volume for the first speaker associated with the first networked device comprises:

obtaining a sound pressure level (SPL) measurement via one or more microphones associated with the first networked device; and

setting the system response volume based on the SPL measurement.

7. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 6, wherein the SPL measurement is based on one or more of (i) an SPL measurement at an output of the first speaker, (ii) an SPL measurement at an output of a second speaker, (iii) an SPL measurement at a designated listening location in a room, (iv) an SPL measurement based on multiple SPL measurements from multiple microphones, (v) an SPL measurement of sound within a predefined frequency band.

8. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 7, wherein the SPL measurement is a first type of SPL measurement when the first speaker is playing a first type of media content, and wherein the SPL measurement is a second type of SPL measurement when the first speaker is playing a second type of media content.

9. A method comprising:

determining that a requirement exists to output a system response, wherein determining that a requirement exists to output a system response comprises receiving a voice input via a first microphone associated with a first networked device, and wherein a first speaker is associated with the first networked device and a second speaker is associated with a second networked device; and

in response to determining that a requirement exists to output a system response, (i) setting a system response volume for the first speaker associated with a first networked device and (ii) outputting a system response at the set system response volume via the first speaker associated with the first networked device, wherein outputting the system response at the set system response volume via the first speaker associated with the first networked device comprises outputting the system response at the set system response volume via the first speaker associated with the first networked device in synchrony with the second networked device outputting the system response at the set system response volume via the second speaker.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein setting the system response volume for the first speaker associated with the first networked device comprises:

obtaining a sound pressure level (SPL) measurement via one or more microphones associated with the first networked device; and

setting the system response volume based on the SPL measurement.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the SPL measurement is based on one or more of (i) an SPL measurement at an output of the first speaker, (ii) an SPL measurement at an output of a second speaker, (iii) an SPL measurement at a designated listening location in a room, (iv) an SPL measurement based on multiple SPL measurements from multiple microphones, (v) an SPL measurement of sound within a predefined frequency band.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein determining that a requirement exists to output a system response further comprises activating a system alert or notification.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the SPL measurement is a first type of SPL measurement when the first speaker is playing a first type of media content, and wherein the SPL measurement is a second type of SPL measurement when the first speaker is playing a second type of media content.

14. A computing system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a first networked device to perform functions comprising;

determining that a requirement exists to output a system response, wherein determining that a requirement exists to output a system response comprises receiving a voice input via a first microphone associated with the first networked device, and wherein a first speaker is associated with the first networked device and a second speaker is associated with a second networked device; and

in response to determining that a requirement exists to output a system response, (i) setting a system response volume for the first speaker associated with the first networked device and (ii) outputting a system response at the set system response volume via the first speaker associated with the first networked device, wherein outputting the system response at the set system response volume via the first speaker associated with the first networked device comprises outputting the system response at the set system response volume via the first speaker associated with the first networked device in synchrony with the second networked device outputting the system response at the set system response volume via the second speaker.

15. The computing system of claim 14, wherein setting the system response volume for the first speaker associated with the first networked device comprises:

obtaining a sound pressure level (SPL) measurement via one or more microphones associated with the first networked device; and

setting the system response volume based on the SPL measurement.

16. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the SPL measurement is based on one or more of (i) an SPL measurement at an output of the first speaker, (ii) an SPL measurement at an output of a second speaker, (iii) an SPL measurement at a designated listening location in a room, (iv) an SPL measurement based on multiple SPL measurements from multiple microphones, (v) an SPL measurement of sound within a predefined frequency band.

17. The computing system of claim 14, wherein determining that a requirement exists to output a system response further comprises activating a system alert or notification.

18. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the SPL measurement is a first type of SPL measurement when the first speaker is playing a first type of media content, and wherein the SPL measurement is a second type of SPL measurement when the first speaker is playing a second type of media content.