Playback device pairing

• US 10,136,218 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2015
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Kallai, Christopher, Ericson, Michael Darrell Andrew, Lambourne, Robert A., Reimann, Robert, Triplett, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): McCord, Paul
• Application Number:
  US14/629,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20150180434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 700 94, 381107
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/20 Automatic control H03G3/005 takes precedence; combined with volume compression or expansion H03G7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3005 in amplifiers suitable for low-frequencies, e.g. audio amplifiers H03G3/32, H03G3/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 5/165 Equalizers; Volume or gain control in limited frequency bands
• 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 2420/01 Input selection or mixing for amplifiers or loudspeakers for hearing aids H04R25/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/03 Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• 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 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 2400/01 Multi-channel, i.e. more than two input channels, sound reproduction with two speakers wherein the multi-channel information is substantially preserved
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/30 Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field

Abstract

Technology for grouping, consolidating, and pairing individual playback devices with network capability (players) to stimulate a multi-channel listening environment is disclosed. An example method includes receiving an audio signal containing a range of audio frequencies; amplifying, according to a gain parameter, the audio signal to be reproduced by at least one speaker. The example method includes automatically increasing the gain parameter to a higher gain parameter responsive to a determination that no more than a subset of the range of audio frequencies is to be reproduced by the at least one speaker. The example method includes amplifying, according to the higher gain parameter, the audio signal containing no more than the subset of the range of audio frequencies to be reproduced by the at least one speaker.

Claims

1. A playback device comprising:

a network interface configured to receive audio data over a network;

a plurality of speaker drivers configured to output audio based on the audio data;

one or more processors; and

tangible, non-transitory, computer readable memory comprising instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the playback device to;

receive a signal from a controller over the network, wherein the signal comprises an instruction for the playback device to pair with one or more other playback devices; and

(i) process the audio data before the playback device outputs audio from the plurality of speaker drivers, (ii) determine that either (a) the playback device is not paired with the one or more other playback devices or (b) that the playback device is paired with the one or more other playback devices such that the playback device and the one or more other playback devices have different playback roles, (iii) set an equalization of the playback device by configuring the playback device to perform a first equalization of the audio data before outputting audio based on the audio data from the plurality of speaker drivers when the playback device is not paired with the one or more other playback devices, and (iv) change the equalization of the playback device by configuring the playback device to perform a second equalization of the audio data before outputting audio based on the audio data from the plurality of speaker drivers when the playback device is paired with the one or more other playback devices.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein performing the first equalization comprises using a first type of pass filter to modify the audio data before outputting audio based on the audio data from the plurality of speaker drivers, wherein performing the second equalization comprises using a second type of pass filter to modify the audio data before outputting audio based on the audio data from the plurality of speaker drivers, and wherein the first type of pass filter and the second type of pass filter are different.

3. The playback device of claim 1, wherein determining that the playback device is paired with the one or more other playback devices comprises determining that the playback device is paired with two or more other playback devices.

4. The playback device of claim 1, wherein when the playback device is not paired with the one or more other playback devices, the playback device is configured to output audio comprising two channel sound via the plurality of speaker drivers, and wherein when the playback device is paired with one or more playback devices, the playback device is configured to output audio comprising no more than one channel of the two channel sound via the plurality of speaker drivers.

5. The playback device of claim 1, wherein when the playback device is not paired with the one or more other playback devices, the playback device is configured to output audio based on the audio data via the plurality of speaker drivers in a stereo mode, and wherein when the playback device is paired with the one or more other playback devices, the playback device is configured to output audio based on the audio data via the plurality of speaker drivers in a theater mode.

6. The playback device of claim 1, wherein when the playback device is not paired with the one or more other playback devices, the playback device is configured to output audio based on the audio data via the plurality of speaker drivers, and wherein when the playback device is paired with the one or more other playback devices, the playback device is configured to output audio based on the audio data via the plurality of speaker drivers in a consolidated mode.

7. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device further comprises a button that when selected configures the playback device to output audio comprising one channel of the audio data.

8. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the network is a wireless network.

9. The playback device of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of speakers, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the playback device to;

output audio from the plurality of speakers.

10. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the signal further comprises an instruction for the playback device to play back a left channel of the audio data.

11. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device is further configured to (i) separate the audio data into separate audio channels, (ii) output audio based on audio data of at least one separate audio channel from the plurality of speaker drivers, and (iii) transmit audio data of at least one additional separate audio channel over the network.

12. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device is further configured to (i) separate the audio data into separate audio channels, (ii) output audio based on audio data of at least one separate audio channel from the plurality of speaker drivers, and (iii) transmit the audio data of the at least one separate audio channel and audio data of at least one additional separate audio channel over the network.

13. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device is further configured to (i) separate the audio data into separate audio channels, (ii) output audio based on audio data of at least one separate audio channel from the plurality of speaker drivers, and (iii) transmit the audio data over the network.

14. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the playback device to:

receive another signal from the controller over the network, wherein the signal comprises an instruction for the playback device to separate the pair with the one or more other playback devices.

15. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the playback device to:

detect a predefined event; and

interpret the detected predefined event as an instruction for the playback device to pair with the one or more other playback devices, such that pairing occurs when the predefined event is detected.

16. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the playback device to:

receive another signal from the controller over the network, wherein the signal comprises an instruction for the playback device to pair with a different one or more other playback devices.

17. A method performed by a playback device, the method comprising:

receiving a signal from a controller over a network, wherein the signal comprises an instruction for the playback device to pair with one or more other playback devices;

receiving audio data over the network;

processing the audio data before the playback device outputs audio from a plurality of speaker drivers based on the audio data;

when the playback device is not paired with the one or more other playback devices, setting an equalization of the playback device by configuring the playback device to perform a first equalization of the audio data before outputting audio based on the audio data from the plurality of speaker drivers; and

when the playback device is paired with the one or more other playback devices such that the playback device and the one or more other playback devices have different playback roles, changing the equalization of the playback device by configuring the playback device to perform a second equalization of the audio data before outputting audio based on the audio data from the plurality of speaker drivers.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein performing the first equalization comprises using a first type of pass filter to modify the audio data before outputting audio based on the audio data from the plurality of speaker drivers, wherein performing the second equalization comprises using a second type of pass filter to modify the audio data before outputting audio based on the audio data from the plurality of speaker drivers, and wherein the first type of pass filter and the second type of pass filter are different.

19. Tangible, non-transitory, computer readable memory comprising instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a playback device to:

receive a signal from a controller over a network, wherein the signal comprises an instruction for the playback device to pair with one or more other playback devices;

receive audio data over the network;

process the audio data before the playback device outputs audio from a plurality of speaker drivers based on the audio data;

when the playback device is not paired with the one or more other playback devices, set an equalization of the playback device by configuring the playback device to perform a first equalization of the audio data before outputting audio based on the audio data from the plurality of speaker drivers; and

when the playback device is paired with the one or more other playback devices such that the playback device and the one or more other playback devices have different playback roles, change the equalization of the playback device by configuring the playback device to perform a second equalization of the audio data before outputting audio based on the audio data from the plurality of speaker drivers.

20. The tangible, non-transitory, computer readable memory of claim 19, wherein performing the first equalization comprises using a first type of pass filter to modify the audio data before outputting audio based on the audio data from the plurality of speaker drivers, wherein performing the second equalization comprises using a second type of pass filter to modify the audio data before outputting audio based on the audio data from the plurality of speaker drivers, and wherein the first type of pass filter and the second type of pass filter are different.