Playback device with multiple sensors

• US 10,511,924 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2019
• Issued: 12/17/2019
• 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:
  US16/416,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20190342684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 211 Days
• Field of Search: 381 731
• 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:

multiple proximity sensors including a first proximity sensor and a second proximity sensor;

one or more processors; and

data storage storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the playback device to perform functions comprising;

receiving, via the multiple proximity sensors, sensor data;

determining that the received sensor data indicates that one or more objects in proximity to the playback device are affecting output of the playback device;

based on determining that the received sensor data indicates that one or more objects in proximity to the playback device are affecting output of the playback device, adjusting a playback configuration of the playback device; and

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

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the received sensor data comprises first sensor data from the first proximity sensor and second sensor data from the second proximity sensor, wherein determining that the received sensor data indicates that one or more objects in proximity to the playback device are affecting output of the playback device comprises determining, based on the first sensor data, that a first barrier is in proximity to the playback device, and wherein adjusting the playback configuration of the playback device comprises adjusting the playback configuration of the playback device based on the first barrier.

3. The playback device of claim 2, wherein determining that the received sensor data indicates that one or more objects in proximity to the playback device are affecting output of the playback device comprises determining, based on the second sensor data, that a second barrier is in proximity to the playback device, and wherein adjusting the playback configuration of the playback device comprises adjusting the playback configuration of the playback device based on the first barrier and the second barrier.

4. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the first proximity sensor is arranged in a housing of the playback device to detect objects in a first direction, wherein the second proximity sensor is arranged in the housing of the playback device to detect objects in a second direction.

5. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the first proximity sensor is a first type of proximity sensor, the first type being a microphone, wherein the second proximity sensor is a second type of proximity sensor, the second type being a proximity sensor other than the microphone.

6. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the multiple proximity sensor comprise a microphone, wherein receiving the sensor data comprises receiving, via the microphone, audio data indicating one or more reflections of audio content played back by the playback device, and wherein determining that the received sensor data indicates that one or more objects in proximity to the playback device are affecting output of the playback device comprises detecting a change in the audio data, the change indicating that one or more objects in proximity to the playback device are affecting output of the playback device.

7. The playback device of claim 1, wherein determining that the received sensor data indicates that one or more objects in proximity to the playback device are affecting output of the playback device comprises determining that distortion of the playback device is greater than a distortion threshold.

8. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the adjusted playback configuration comprises a calibration that offsets acoustic effects of a given environment including the one or more objects.

9. A method to be performed by an playback device comprising multiple proximity sensors including a first proximity sensor and a second proximity sensor, the method comprising:

receiving, via the multiple proximity sensors, sensor data;

determining that the received sensor data indicates that one or more objects in proximity to the playback device are affecting output of the playback device;

based on determining that the received sensor data indicates that one or more objects in proximity to the playback device are affecting output of the playback device, adjusting a playback configuration of the playback device; and

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

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the received sensor data comprises first sensor data from the first proximity sensor and second sensor data from the second proximity sensor, wherein determining that the received sensor data indicates that one or more objects in proximity to the playback device are affecting output of the playback device comprises determining, based on the first sensor data, that a first barrier is in proximity to the playback device, and wherein adjusting the playback configuration of the playback device comprises adjusting the playback configuration of the playback device based on the first barrier.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining that the received sensor data indicates that one or more objects in proximity to the playback device are affecting output of the playback device comprises determining, based on the second sensor data, that a second barrier is in proximity to the playback device, and wherein adjusting the playback configuration of the playback device comprises adjusting the playback configuration of the playback device based on the first barrier and the second barrier.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first proximity sensor is arranged in a housing of the playback device to detect objects in a first direction, wherein the second proximity sensor is arranged in the housing of the playback device to detect objects in a second direction.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the first proximity sensor is a first type of proximity sensor, the first type being a microphone, wherein the second proximity sensor is a second type of proximity sensor, the second type being a proximity sensor other than the microphone.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the multiple proximity sensor comprise a microphone, wherein receiving the sensor data comprises receiving, via the microphone, audio data indicating one or more reflections of audio content played back by the playback device, and wherein determining that the received sensor data indicates that one or more objects in proximity to the playback device are affecting output of the playback device comprises detecting a change in the audio data, the change indicating that one or more objects in proximity to the playback device are affecting output of the playback device.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein determining that the received sensor data indicates that one or more objects in proximity to the playback device are affecting output of the playback device comprises determining that distortion of the playback device is greater than a distortion threshold.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the adjusted playback configuration comprises a calibration that offsets acoustic effects of a given environment including the one or more objects.

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

receiving, via multiple proximity sensors of the playback device, sensor data, wherein the multiple proximity sensors including a first proximity sensor and a second proximity sensor;

determining that the received sensor data indicates that one or more objects in proximity to the playback device are affecting output of the playback device;

based on determining that the received sensor data indicates that one or more objects in proximity to the playback device are affecting output of the playback device, adjusting a playback configuration of the playback device; and

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

18. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the received sensor data comprises first sensor data from the first proximity sensor and second sensor data from the second proximity sensor, wherein determining that the received sensor data indicates that one or more objects in proximity to the playback device are affecting output of the playback device comprises:

(i) determining, based on the first sensor data, that a first barrier is in proximity to the playback device and (ii) determining, based on the second sensor data, that a second barrier is in proximity to the playback device, and wherein adjusting the playback configuration of the playback device comprises adjusting the playback configuration of the playback device based on the first barrier and the second barrier.

19. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first proximity sensor is arranged in a housing of the playback device to detect objects in a first direction, wherein the second proximity sensor is arranged in the housing of the playback device to detect objects in a second direction.

20. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first proximity sensor is a first type of proximity sensor, the first type being a microphone, wherein the second proximity sensor is a second type of proximity sensor, the second type being a proximity sensor other than the microphone.