Restoration of playback device configuration

• US 10,299,055 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2018
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Oishi, Tetsuro, Bush, William H
• Primary Examiner(s): Blouin, Mark S
• Application Number:
  US16/102,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20190075415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: 381 56
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/323 for loudspeakers H04R1/34 and H04R1/40 take precedence
• 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 2420/03 Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/03 Synergistic effects of band splitting and sub-band processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• 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: H04R 29/002 Loudspeaker arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/007 for public address systems public address systems per se H04R27/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response
• 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 2420/07 Synergistic effects of band splitting and sub-band processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/307 Frequency adjustment, e.g. tone control H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

Examples described herein involve configuring a playback device based on distortion, such as that caused by a barrier. One implementation may involve causing the playback device to play audio content according to an existing playback configuration, determining an existing frequency response of the playback device in a given system, and determining whether a difference between the existing frequency response of the playback device in the given system and a predetermined frequency response for the playback device is greater than a predetermined distortion threshold. If it is determined that the difference between the existing frequency response of the playback device and the predetermined frequency response for the playback device is greater than the predetermined distortion threshold, then the existing playback configuration of the playback device is changed to an updated playback configuration of the playback device and the playback device plays audio content according to the updated playback configuration.

Claims

1. A playback device comprising:

one or more proximity sensors;

one or more processors; and

data storage storing (i) a first playback configuration and (ii) instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the playback device to perform functions comprising;

while a second playback configuration of the playback device is set, receiving, via the one or more proximity sensors, proximity data indicating that a barrier has been removed from proximity of the playback device;

based on receiving the proximity data indicating that the barrier has been removed from proximity of the playback device, setting the first playback configuration from the data storage; and

causing the playback device to play audio content according to the first playback configuration.

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

while the first playback configuration of the playback device is set, receiving, via the one or more proximity sensors, proximity data indicating that the barrier is in proximity to the playback device; and

based on receiving the proximity data indicating that the barrier is in proximity to the playback device, (i) storing the first playback configuration in data storage and (ii) setting the second playback configuration.

3. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the first playback configuration comprises a first calibration that offsets first acoustic effects of a given environment, and wherein the second playback configuration comprises a second calibration that offsets second acoustic effects of the given environment.

4. The playback device of claim 3, wherein the second calibration adjusts one or more frequency bands of the playback device to offset acoustic effects of the barrier.

5. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device comprises a first speaker and a second speaker, and wherein the first speaker and the second speaker are enabled when the first playback configuration is set, and wherein the first speaker is disabled and the second speaker is enabled when the second playback configuration is set.

6. The playback device of claim 5, wherein:

when the first playback configuration is set, the first speaker is configured to play a first audio channel and the second speaker is configured to play a second audio channel, and

when the second playback configuration is set, the second speaker is configured to play back (i) at least a portion of the first audio channel and (ii) the second audio channel.

7. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the one or more proximity sensors comprise a microphone, and wherein receiving the proximity data indicating that the barrier has been removed from proximity of the playback device comprises:

receiving, via the microphone, audio data indicating one or more reflections of audio content played back by the playback device, and

detecting a change in the audio data, the change indicating that the barrier has been removed from proximity of the playback device.

8. The playback device of claim 1, wherein receiving, via the one or more proximity sensors, proximity data indicating that the barrier has been removed from proximity of the playback device comprises receiving proximity data indicating that distortion of the playback device is less than a distortion threshold.

9. A method to be performed by an playback device comprising one or more proximity sensors and data storage storing a first playback configuration, the method comprising

while a second playback configuration of the playback device is set, receiving, via the one or more proximity sensors, proximity data indicating that a barrier has been removed from proximity of the playback device;

based on receiving the proximity data indicating that the barrier has been removed from proximity of the playback device, setting the first playback configuration from the data storage; and

causing the playback device to play audio content according to the first playback configuration.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

while the first playback configuration of the playback device is set, receiving, via the one or more proximity sensors, proximity data indicating that the barrier is in proximity to the playback device; and

based on receiving the proximity data indicating that the barrier is in proximity to the playback device, (i) storing the first playback configuration in data storage and (ii) setting the second playback configuration.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first playback configuration comprises a first calibration that offsets first acoustic effects of a given environment, and wherein the second playback configuration comprises a second calibration that offsets second acoustic effects of the given environment.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second calibration adjusts one or more frequency bands of the playback device to offset acoustic effects of the barrier.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the playback device comprises a first speaker and a second speaker, and wherein the first speaker and the second speaker are enabled when the first playback configuration is set, and wherein the first speaker is disabled and the second speaker is enabled when the second playback configuration is set.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

when the first playback configuration is set, the first speaker is configured to play a first audio channel and the second speaker is configured to play a second audio channel, and

when the second playback configuration is set, the second speaker is configured to play back (i) at least a portion of the first audio channel and (ii) the second audio channel.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more proximity sensors comprise a microphone, and wherein receiving the proximity data indicating that the barrier has been removed from proximity of the playback device comprises:

receiving, via the microphone, audio data indicating one or more reflections of audio content played back by the playback device, and

detecting a change in the audio data, the change indicating that the barrier has been removed from proximity of the playback device.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving, via the one or more proximity sensors, proximity data indicating that the barrier has been removed from proximity of the playback device comprises receiving proximity data indicating that distortion of the playback device is less than a distortion threshold.

17. A tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a playback device to cause the playback device to perform a method comprising:

while a second playback configuration of the playback device is set, receiving, via one or more proximity sensors, proximity data indicating that a barrier has been removed from proximity of the playback device;

based on receiving the proximity data indicating that the barrier has been removed from proximity of the playback device, setting a first playback configuration, wherein the first playback configuration is stored in data storage; and

causing the playback device to play audio content according to the first playback configuration.

18. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

while the first playback configuration of the playback device is set, receiving, via the one or more proximity sensors, proximity data indicating that the barrier is in proximity to the playback device; and

based on receiving the proximity data indicating that the barrier is in proximity to the playback device, (i) storing the first playback configuration in data storage and (ii) setting the second playback configuration.

19. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the playback device comprises a first speaker and a second speaker, and wherein the first speaker and the second speaker are enabled when the first playback configuration is set, and wherein the first speaker is disabled and the second speaker is enabled when the second playback configuration is set, and wherein:

when the first playback configuration is set, the first speaker is configured to play a first audio channel and the second speaker is configured to play a second audio channel, and

when the second playback configuration is set, the second speaker is configured to play back (i) at least a portion of the first audio channel and (ii) the second audio channel.

20. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more proximity sensors comprise a microphone, and wherein receiving the proximity data indicating that the barrier has been removed from proximity of the playback device comprises:

receiving, via the microphone, audio data indicating one or more reflections of audio content played back by the playback device, and

detecting a change in the audio data, the change indicating that the barrier has been removed from proximity of the playback device.