Calibration interface

• US 10,372,406 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2016
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Wilberding, Dayn, Woo, Sein
• Primary Examiner(s): Leggett, Andrea C
• Application Number:
  US15/217,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20180024808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/305 Electronic adaptation of stereophonic audio signals to reverberation of the listening space H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

An example implementation may involve a control device displaying a prompt to initiate a calibration sequence that involves calibration of a playback device for particular location within a given environment. The example implementation may also involve the control device displaying (i) a prompt to initiate a calibration sequence that includes a spectral calibration component and a spatial calibration component, and (ii) a sequence of one or more prompts to prepare the particular location within the given environment for the spatial calibration component. The example implementation may also involve a control device displaying a selectable control, that, when selected, initiates spatial calibration of the playback device within the particular location of the given environment, causing the spatial calibration component to be initiated.

Claims

1. Tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a computing device to perform a method comprising:

displaying, on a graphical display, a prompt to initiate a calibration sequence that comprises (i) a spectral calibration component and (ii) a spatial calibration component, wherein the spectral calibration component involves calibration of a playback device for a given environment in which the playback device is located by recording, via the computing device, first audio output of the playback device while the computing device is in motion through the environment, and wherein the spatial calibration component involves calibration of the playback device for a particular location within the given environment by recording second audio output of the playback device while the computing device is stationary at the particular location;

displaying, on the graphical display, a sequence of one or more prompts to prepare the particular location within the given environment for the spatial calibration component; and

upon detecting selection of a first selectable control that, when selected, initiates spatial calibration of the playback device within the particular location of the given environment, causing the spatial calibration component to be initiated.

2. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein displaying the prompt to initiate the calibration sequence comprises:

displaying one or more graphical elements indicating that the spatial calibration component is performed while the computing device is stationary at the particular location and the spectral calibration component is performed while the computing device is in motion through the given environment.

3. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein displaying the prompt to initiate the calibration sequence comprises:

displaying an indication that instructions to perform the spatial calibration component and the spectral calibration component are provided in a sequence of one or more prompts, wherein the sequence of one or more prompts comprises the sequence of one or more prompts to prepare the particular location within the given environment for the spatial calibration component.

4. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein displaying the sequence of one or more prompts to prepare the particular location within the given environment for the spatial calibration component comprises:

displaying a prompt to locate and move to the particular location within the given environment for the spatial calibration component.

5. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein displaying the sequence of one or more prompts to prepare the particular location within the given environment for the spatial calibration component comprises:

displaying one or more graphical elements indicating that spatial calibration is performed in a sitting position at the particular location within the given environment.

6. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein displaying the sequence of one or more prompts to prepare the particular location within the given environment for the spatial calibration component comprises:

displaying an indication that the spatial calibration component balances audio output of the playback device to the particular location within the given environment.

7. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein displaying the sequence of one or more prompts to prepare the particular location within the given environment for the spatial calibration component comprises:

displaying a prompt to adjust a height of the computing device while the computing device is positioned at the particular location within the given environment during the spatial calibration component.

8. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 7, the method further comprising:

displaying an indication that adjusting the height of the computing device facilitates sound balance at the particular location within the given environment.

9. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein displaying the sequence of one or more prompts to prepare the particular location within the given environment for the spatial calibration component comprises:

displaying one or more graphical elements indicating a particular height of the computing device for the spatial calibration component.

10. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 9, the method further comprising:

before detecting selection of the first selectable control, displaying a prompt to maintain the computing device at a particular position after selection of the first selectable control, wherein the particular position comprises the particular height.

11. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1, the method further comprising:

before detecting selection of the first selectable control, displaying an indication that the spatial calibration component involves the playback device playing a series of calibration tones for a given duration of time upon selection of the first selectable control.

12. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

after causing the spatial calibration component of the calibration sequence to be initiated, displaying an indication that the computing device is facilitating the spatial calibration component while the playback device plays a series of calibration tones, wherein facilitating the spatial calibration component involves detecting the series of calibration tones via a microphone.

13. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

during the spatial calibration component of the calibration sequence, displaying a plurality of circular graphical elements that pulse in synchrony with a series of calibration tones played by the playback device during the spatial calibration component, wherein the plurality of circular graphical elements that pulse in synchrony with the series of calibration tones are indicative of a location of the playback device relative to the particular location within the given environment.

14. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1, further comprising:

after the spatial calibration component of the calibration sequence, displaying an indication that the playback device is spatially calibrated for the particular location within the given environment.

15. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1, further comprising:

after the spatial calibration component of the calibration sequence, displaying one or more prompts to prepare the given environment for spectral calibration of the playback device, wherein the one or more prompts comprise a first prompt to adjust an orientation of the computing device from a first orientation to a second orientation that is opposite the first orientation.

16. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 15, the method further comprising:

detecting, via a microphone, an ambient noise level within the environment; and

when the detected ambient noise level exceeds a calibration threshold, displaying a prompt to reduce ambient noise within the given environment until the ambient noise level is less than the calibration threshold.

17. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein causing the spatial calibration component to be initiated comprises sending, via a network interface, an instruction that causes the playback device to initiate the spatial calibration component.

18. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein causing the playback device to initiate the spatial calibration component comprises causing the playback device to output a series of calibration tones.

19. A method comprising:

displaying, on a graphical display of a computing device, a prompt to initiate a calibration sequence that comprises (i) a spectral calibration component and (ii) a spatial calibration component, wherein the spectral calibration component involves calibration of a playback device for a given environment in which the playback device is located by recording, via the computing device, first audio output of the playback device while the computing device is in motion through the environment, and wherein the spatial calibration component involves calibration of the playback device for a particular location within the given environment by recording second audio output of the playback device while the computing device is stationary at the particular location;

displaying, on the graphical display, a sequence of one or more prompts to prepare the particular location within the given environment for the spatial calibration component; and

upon detecting selection of a first selectable control that, when selected, initiates spatial calibration of the playback device within the particular location of the given environment, causing the spatial calibration component to be initiated.

20. A computing device comprising:

a network interface;

one or more processors; and

computer-readable media having instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising;

displaying, on a graphical display, a prompt to initiate a calibration sequence that comprises (i) a spectral calibration component and (ii) a spatial calibration component, wherein the spectral calibration component involves calibration of a playback device for a given environment in which the playback device is located by recording, via the computing device, first audio output of the playback device while the computing device is in motion through the environment, and wherein the spatial calibration component involves calibration of the playback device for a particular location within the given environment by recording second audio output of the playback device while the computing device is stationary at the particular location;

displaying, on the graphical display, a sequence of one or more prompts to prepare the particular location within the given environment for the spatial calibration component; and

upon detecting selection of a first selectable control that, when selected, initiates spatial calibration of the playback device within the particular location of the given environment, causing the spatial calibration component to be initiated.