Orientation-based playback device microphone selection

• US 10,117,037 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2018
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• 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:
  US15/946,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20180227688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 208 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 playback device comprising:

a set of microphones;

an orientation sensor;

one or more processors; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the playback device to perform functions comprising;

determining that the playback device is in a vertical orientation based on an indication from the orientation sensor that the longest side of the playback device is substantially perpendicular to a surface on which the playback device is positioned;

selecting a subset of the set of microphones for sound input detection based on the determination that the playback device is in the vertical orientation;

detecting, via the selected subset of the set of microphones, a sound input;

processing the sound input detected via the selected subset of the set microphones; and

executing one or more commands contained in the processed sound input.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

activating the selected subset of the set of microphones.

3. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the selected subset of the set of microphones is a first subset, and wherein the functions further comprise:

deactivating a second subset of the set of microphones not in the first subset.

4. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the subset of the set of microphones is a first subset, wherein the sound input is a first sound input, and wherein the functions further comprise:

determining that the playback device is in a horizontal orientation based on an indication from the orientation sensor that the longest side of the playback device is substantially parallel to a surface on which the playback device is positioned;

selecting a second subset of the set of microphones for sound input detection based on the determination that the playback device is in the horizontal orientation;

detecting, via the selected second subset of the set of microphones, a second sound input;

processing the second sound input detected via the selected second subset of the set of microphones; and

executing one or more commands contained in the processed second sound input.

5. The playback device of claim 4, wherein the functions further comprise:

activating the selected second subset of the set of microphones.

6. The playback device of claim 4, wherein the functions further comprise:

deactivating the first subset.

7. The playback device of claim 1, wherein detecting, via the selected subset of the set of microphones, a sound input comprises:

detecting via the selected subset of microphones, a portion of the sound input;

determining a location of a source of the sound input based on the particular orientation and the detected portion of the sound input;

adjusting directional focus of the selected subset of the set of microphones based on the determined location of the source; and

capturing additional portions of the sound input based on the adjusted directional focus of the selected subset of the set of microphones.

8. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by the one or more processors of a playback device to cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:

determining that the playback device is in a vertical orientation based on an indication from an orientation sensor that the longest side of the playback device is substantially perpendicular to a surface on which the playback device is positioned;

selecting a subset of a set of microphones on the playback device for sound input detection based on the determination that the playback device is in the vertical orientation;

detecting, via the selected subset of the set of microphones, a sound input;

processing the sound input detected via the selected subset of the set microphones; and

executing one or more commands contained in the processed sound input.

9. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the functions further comprise:

activating the selected subset of the set of microphones.

10. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the selected subset of the set of microphones is a first subset, and wherein the functions further comprise:

deactivating a second subset of the set of microphones not in the first subset.

11. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the subset of the set of microphones is a first subset, wherein the sound input is a first sound input, and wherein the functions further comprise:

determining that the playback device is in a horizontal orientation based on an indication from the orientation sensor that the longest side of the playback device is substantially parallel to a surface on which the playback device is positioned;

selecting a second subset of the set of microphones for sound input detection based on the determination that the playback device is in the horizontal orientation;

detecting, via the selected second subset of the set of microphones, a second sound input;

processing the second sound input detected via the selected second subset of the set of microphones; and

executing one or more commands contained in the processed second sound input.

12. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the functions further comprise:

activating the selected second subset of the set of microphones.

13. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the functions further comprise:

deactivating the first subset.

14. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium device of claim 8, wherein detecting, via the selected subset of the set of microphones, a sound input, comprises:

detecting via the selected subset of microphones, a portion of the sound input;

determining a location of a source of the sound input based on the particular orientation and the detected portion of the sound input;

adjusting directional focus of the selected subset of the set of microphones based on the determined location of the source; and

capturing additional portions of the sound input based on the adjusted directional focus of the selected subset of the set of microphones.

15. A method comprising:

determining, by a playback device, that the playback device is in a vertical orientation based on an indication from an orientation sensor that the longest side of the playback device is substantially perpendicular to a surface on which the playback device is positioned;

selecting, by the playback device, a subset of a set of microphones on the playback device for sound input detection based on the determination that the playback device is in the particular vertical;

detecting, by the playback device via the selected subset of the set of microphones, a sound input;

processing, by the playback device, the sound input detected via the selected subset of the set microphones; and

executing, by the playback device, one or more commands contained in the processed sound input.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

activating the selected subset of the set of microphones.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the selected subset of the set of microphones is a first subset, and wherein the method further comprises:

deactivating a second subset of the set of microphones not in the first subset.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the subset of the set of microphones is a first subset, wherein the sound input is a first sound input, and wherein the method further comprises:

determining that the playback device is in a horizontal orientation based on an indication from the orientation sensor that the longest side of the playback device is substantially parallel to a surface on which the playback device is positioned;

selecting a second subset of the set of microphones for sound input detection based on the determination that the playback device is in the horizontal orientation;

detecting, via the selected second subset of the set of microphones, a second sound input;

processing the second sound input detected via the selected second subset of the set of microphones; and

executing one or more commands contained in the processed second sound input.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

activating the selected second subset of the set of microphones; and

deactivating the first subset.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein detecting, via the selected subset of the set of microphones, a sound input, comprises:

detecting via the selected subset of microphones, a portion of the sound input;

determining a location of a source of the sound input based on the particular orientation and the detected portion of the sound input;

adjusting directional focus of the selected subset of the set of microphones based on the determined location of the source; and

capturing additional portions of the sound input based on the adjusted directional focus of the selected subset of the set of microphones.