Multi-orientation playback device microphones

• US 10,075,793 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2017
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Welch, Brendan, Kadri, Romi, Reilly, Jonathon
• Primary Examiner(s): Bernardi, Brenda C
• Application Number:
  US15/681,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20180098167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/8003 Diversity systems specially adapted for direction finding
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/803 using amplitude comparison of signals derived from receiving transducers or transducer systems having differently-oriented directivity characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/401 2D or 3D arrays of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/405 Non-uniform arrays of transducers or a plurality of uniform arrays with different transducer spacing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/024 Positioning of loudspeaker enclosures for spatial sound reproduction
• 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 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/20 Processing of the output signals of the acoustic transducers of an array for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic H04R2203/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/21 Direction finding using differential microphone array [DMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/005 Microphone arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/007 for public address systems public address systems per se H04R27/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone

Abstract

Aspects of a multi-orientation playback device including at least one microphone array are discussed. A method may include determining an orientation of the playback device which includes at least one microphone array and determining at least one microphone training response for the playback device from a plurality of microphone training responses based on the orientation of the playback device. The at least one microphone array can detect a sound input, and the location information of a source of the sound input can be determined based on the at least one microphone training response and the detected sound input. Based on the location information of the source, the directional focus of the at least one microphone array can be adjusted, and the sound input can be captured based on the adjusted directional focus.

Claims

1. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor cause a playback device to perform functions comprising:

detecting, via at least one microphone array of the playback device, a portion of sound input;

determining a location of a source of the detected sound input based on an orientation of the playback device and the detected sound input;

adjusting directional focus of the at least one microphone array based on the determined location of the source; and

capturing an additional portion of the sound input based on the adjusted directional focus of the at least one microphone array.

2. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

based on the orientation of the playback device, activating a first microphone array of the at least one microphone array for sound input capture.

3. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein determining a location of a source of the detected sound input based on an orientation of the playback device and the detected sound input comprises:

determining a direction of the source of the detected sound input based on a set of microphone training responses corresponding i) to the orientation of the playback device and ii) to the first microphone array.

4. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein determining a location of a source of the detected sound input based on an orientation of the playback device and the detected sound input comprises:

identifying a set of microphone training responses corresponding to the orientation of the playback device; and

determine a most likely direction of the source of the detected sound input using a probability function based on the set of microphone training responses and the detected sound input.

5. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein the set of microphone training responses comprises microphone training responses captured in a same orientation as the orientation of the playback device.

6. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein determining a location of a source of the detected sound input based on an orientation of the playback device and the detected sound input comprises:

determining a direction of the source of the detected sound input based on a set of microphone training responses corresponding to the orientation of the playback device.

7. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the orientation is a first orientation, and wherein the functions further comprise:

determining that the playback device is in a second orientation; and

detecting, via the at least one microphone array, a portion of a second sound input;

determining a location of a source of the second sound input based on the second orientation and the detected second sound input.

8. A playback device, comprising:

at least one microphone array;

a processor; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the playback device to perform functions comprising;

detecting, via the at least one microphone array, a portion of sound input;

determining a location of a source of the detected sound input based on an orientation of the playback device and the detected sound input;

adjusting directional focus of the at least one microphone array based on the determined location of the source; and

capturing an additional portion of the sound input based on the adjusted directional focus of the at least one microphone array.

9. The playback device of claim 8, wherein the functions further comprise:

based on the orientation of the playback device, activating a first microphone array of the at least one microphone array for sound input capture.

10. The playback device of claim 9, wherein determining a location of a source of the detected sound input based on an orientation of the playback device and the detected sound input comprises:

determining a direction of the source of the detected sound input based on a set of microphone training responses corresponding i) to the orientation of the playback device and ii) to the first microphone array.

11. The playback device of claim 8, wherein determining a location of a source of the detected sound input based on an orientation of the playback device and the detected sound input comprises:

identifying a set of microphone training responses corresponding to the orientation of the playback device; and

determine a most likely direction of the source of the detected sound input using a probability function based on the set of microphone training responses and the detected sound input.

12. The playback device of claim 11, wherein the set of microphone training responses comprises microphone training responses captured in a same orientation as the orientation of the playback device.

13. The playback device of claim 8, wherein determining a location of a source of the detected sound input based on an orientation of the playback device and the detected sound input comprises:

determining a direction of the source of the detected sound input based on a set of microphone training responses corresponding to the orientation of the playback device.

14. The playback device of claim 8, wherein the orientation is a first orientation, and wherein the functions further comprise:

determining that the playback device is in a second orientation; and

detecting, via the at least one microphone array, a portion of a second sound input;

determining a location of a source of the second sound input based on the second orientation and the detected second sound input.

15. A method, comprising:

detecting, via at least one microphone array of a playback device, a portion of sound input;

determining a location of a source of the detected sound input based on an orientation of the playback device and the detected sound input;

adjusting directional focus of the at least one microphone array based on the determined location of the source; and

capturing an additional portion of the sound input based on the adjusted directional focus of the at least one microphone array.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

based on the orientation of the playback device, activating a first microphone array of the at least one microphone array for sound input capture.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining a location of a source of the detected sound input based on an orientation of the playback device and the detected sound input comprises:

determining a direction of the source of the detected sound input based on a set of microphone training responses corresponding i) to the orientation of the playback device and ii) to the first microphone array.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein determining a location of a source of the detected sound input based on an orientation of the playback device and the detected sound input comprises:

identifying a set of microphone training responses corresponding to the orientation of the playback device; and

determine a most likely direction of the source of the detected sound input using a probability function based on the set of microphone training responses and the detected sound input.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the set of microphone training responses comprises microphone training responses captured in a same orientation as the orientation of the playback device.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the orientation is a first orientation, and wherein the method further comprises:

determining that the playback device is in a second orientation; and

detecting, via the at least one microphone array, a portion of a second sound input;

determining a location of a source of the second sound input based on the second orientation and the detected second sound input.