Speaker calibration user interface

• US 10,664,224 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2019
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Sheen, Timothy, Wilberding, Dayn
• Primary Examiner(s): Holder, Regina N
• Application Number:
  US16/416,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20190317721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/007 Electronic adaptation of audio signals to reverberation of the listening space for PA
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone

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 a given environment in which the playback device is located. The example implementation may also involve the control device displaying (i) a prompt to prepare a playback device for calibration within a given environment, (ii) a prompt to prepare the given environment for calibration of the playback device, and/or (iii) a prompt to prepare the control device for calibration of the playback device. The example implementation may also involve a control device displaying a selectable control, that, when selected, initiates calibration of the playback device. The example implementation may further involve a control device initiating calibration of the playback device.

Claims

1. Tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media having stored therein instructions executable by one or more processors to cause a mobile device to perform operations comprising:

causing a graphical display to display (i) a prompt to initiate a calibration sequence that involves calibration of a playback device for a given environment in which the playback device is located, (ii) a sequence of one or more prompts to prepare the playback device for calibration within the given environment, and (iii) a sequence of one or more prompts to prepare the given environment for calibration of the playback device, wherein causing the graphical display to display the sequence of one or more prompts to prepare the given environment for calibration of the playback device comprises;

causing the graphical display to display, on a control interface, (i) an indication that the mobile device is determining whether ambient noise within the given environment is less than a calibration threshold and (ii) an indication of sound pressure level in the environment;

upon detecting selection of a selectable control, initiating calibration of the playback device by causing the playback device to emit a calibration sound for a calibration interval; and

while the playback device is emitting the calibration sound, detecting, via one or more microphones, the emitted calibration sound.

2. The tangible, computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting, via the one or more microphones, a current sound pressure level in the environment, wherein causing the graphical display to display the indication of sound pressure level in the environment comprises causing the graphical display to display a meter indicating the current sound pressure level in the environment.

3. The tangible, computer-readable media of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise:

when the detected current sound pressure level exceeds the calibration threshold, causing the graphical display to display a prompt to restart the calibration sequence.

4. The tangible, computer-readable media of claim 2, wherein causing the graphical display to display the meter indicating the current sound pressure level in the environment comprises causing the graphical display to display a number of concentric circles, wherein the number of displayed concentric circles is proportional to a sound pressure level within the given environment.

5. The tangible, computer-readable media of claim 2, wherein causing the graphical display to display the meter indicating the current sound pressure level in the environment comprises causing the graphical display to display an indicator on the meter representing the calibration threshold.

6. The tangible, computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

while the playback device is emitting the calibration sound, causing the graphical display to display a progress meter along which a progress indicator moves, wherein the progress indicator indicates a duration of time remaining in the calibration interval.

7. The tangible, computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a calibration profile that offsets acoustic characteristics of the given environment to calibrate the playback device to a calibration equalization; and

causing, via a network interface, the playback device to apply the determined calibration profile.

8. The tangible, computer-readable media of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining whether the determined calibration profile adjusts an equalization of the playback device by (a) more than a threshold level or (b) less than a threshold level; and

when the determined calibration profile adjusts the equalization of the playback device by more than the threshold level, displaying one or more graphical elements indicating that the calibration of the playback device significantly adjusted equalization of the playback device; and

when the determined calibration profile adjusts the equalization of the playback device by less than the threshold level, displaying one or more graphical elements indicating that the calibration of the playback device subtlety adjusted equalization of the playback device.

9. A method to be performed by a mobile device, the method comprising:

causing a graphical display to display (i) a prompt to initiate a calibration sequence that involves calibration of a playback device for a given environment in which the playback device is located, (ii) a sequence of one or more prompts to prepare the playback device for calibration within the given environment, and (iii) a sequence of one or more prompts to prepare the given environment for calibration of the playback device, wherein causing the graphical display to display the sequence of one or more prompts to prepare the given environment for calibration of the playback device comprises;

causing the graphical display to display, on a control interface, (i) an indication that the mobile device is determining whether ambient noise within the given environment is less than a calibration threshold and (ii) an indication of sound pressure level in the environment;

upon detecting selection of a selectable control, initiating calibration of the playback device by causing the playback device to emit a calibration sound for a calibration interval; and

while the playback device is emitting the calibration sound, detecting, via one or more microphones, the emitted calibration sound.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting, via the one or more microphones, a current sound pressure level in the environment, wherein causing the graphical display to display the indication of sound pressure level in the environment comprises causing the graphical display to display a meter indicating the current sound pressure level in the environment.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

when the detected current sound pressure level exceeds the calibration threshold, causing the graphical display to display a prompt to restart the calibration sequence.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein causing the graphical display to display the meter indicating the current sound pressure level in the environment comprises causing the graphical display to display a number of concentric circles, wherein the number of displayed concentric circles is proportional to a sound pressure level within the given environment.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein causing the graphical display to display the meter indicating the current sound pressure level in the environment comprises causing the graphical display to display an indicator on the meter representing the calibration threshold.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

while the playback device is emitting the calibration sound, causing the graphical display to display a progress meter along which a progress indicator moves, wherein the progress indicator indicates a duration of time remaining in the calibration interval.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a calibration profile that offsets acoustic characteristics of the given environment to calibrate the playback device to a calibration equalization; and

causing, via a network interface, the playback device to apply the determined calibration profile.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining whether the determined calibration profile adjusts an equalization of the playback device by (a) more than a threshold level or (b) less than a threshold level; and

when the determined calibration profile adjusts the equalization of the playback device by more than the threshold level, displaying one or more graphical elements indicating that the calibration of the playback device significantly adjusted equalization of the playback device; and

when the determined calibration profile adjusts the equalization of the playback device by less than the threshold level, displaying one or more graphical elements indicating that the calibration of the playback device subtlety adjusted equalization of the playback device.

17. A mobile device comprising:

one or more processors; and

data storage having stored therein instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising;

causing a graphical display to display (i) a prompt to initiate a calibration sequence that involves calibration of a playback device for a given environment in which the playback device is located, (ii) a sequence of one or more prompts to prepare the playback device for calibration within the given environment, and (iii) a sequence of one or more prompts to prepare the given environment for calibration of the playback device, wherein causing the graphical display to display the sequence of one or more prompts to prepare the given environment for calibration of the playback device comprises;

causing the graphical display to display, on a control interface, (i) an indication that the mobile device is determining whether ambient noise within the given environment is less than a calibration threshold and (ii) an indication of sound pressure level in the environment;

upon detecting selection of a selectable control, initiating calibration of the playback device by causing the playback device to emit a calibration sound for a calibration interval; and

while the playback device is emitting the calibration sound, detecting, via one or more microphones, the emitted calibration sound.

18. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting, via the one or more microphones, a current sound pressure level in the environment, wherein causing the graphical display to display the indication of sound pressure level in the environment comprises causing the graphical display to display a meter indicating the current sound pressure level in the environment.

19. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise:

when the detected current sound pressure level exceeds the calibration threshold, causing the graphical display to display a prompt to restart the calibration sequence.

20. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein causing the graphical display to display the meter indicating the current sound pressure level in the environment comprises causing the graphical display to display a number of concentric circles, wherein the number of displayed concentric circles is proportional to a sound pressure level within the given environment.