Managing indications of physical movement of a playback device during audio playback

• US 10,275,213 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2018
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• 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 V
• Application Number:
  US16/015,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20180300102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 312 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, comparing a sensor output to a sensor profile indicative of movement of the device; and

in response to comparing the sensor output to the sensor profile, adjusting, by the device, the audio sound played by the speaker.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions for adjusting, by the device, the audio sound played by the speaker comprise adjusting the audio sound played by the speaker if a sensor output value meets or exceeds a value of the sensor profile.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions for adjusting, by the device, the audio sound played by the speaker comprise adjusting a volume of the audio sound.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the program instructions for adjusting, by the device, the audio sound played by the speaker comprise adjusting a frequency component of the audio sound.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein adjusting the frequency component includes suppressing a frequency component.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein adjusting the frequency component includes suppressing a frequency component in the audio sound that is between 20 Hz and 80 Hz.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor profile is based on the orientation of the device when the device is stationary.

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

9. 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, the audio sound via a speaker enclosed in the device;

while the speaker is playing the audio sound, comparing a sensor output from a sensor of the device to a sensor profile indicative of movement of the device; and

in response to comparing the sensor output to the sensor profile, adjusting, by the device, the audio sound played by the speaker.

10. The tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 9, wherein the instructions for adjusting, by the device, the audio sound played by the speaker comprise adjusting the audio sound played by the speaker if a sensor output value meets or exceeds a value of the sensor profile.

11. The tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 9, wherein the instructions for adjusting, by the device, the audio sound played by the speaker comprise adjusting a volume of the audio sound.

12. The tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 9, wherein the instructions for adjusting, by the device, the audio sound played by the speaker comprise adjusting a frequency component of the audio sound.

13. The tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 12, wherein adjusting the frequency component includes suppressing a frequency component.

14. The tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 12, wherein adjusting the frequency component includes suppressing a frequency component in the audio sound that is between 20 Hz and 80 Hz.

15. 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;

filtering an input into a sensor of the device;

while the speaker is playing the audio sound, analyzing an output from the sensor and, in response to a sensor output value from the analyzed sensor output indicating that the device is physically moving, adjusting the audio sound played by the speaker.

16. The tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions for filtering the input into the sensor of the device comprise filtering out sensor input signals that exceed a predetermined threshold.

17. The tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions for filtering the input into the sensor of the device are configured to reduce false indications of movement from the output of the sensor.

18. The tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions for filtering the input into the sensor of the device comprise reducing audio induced vibration effects on the sensor.

19. The tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions for filtering the input into the sensor of the device comprise canceling effects of electrical currents creating localized magnetic fields.

20. The tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, further comprising instructions for filtering the output from the sensor.