Systems and methods for authenticating and calibrating passive speakers with a graphical user interface

• US 10,694,309 B1
• Filed: 02/12/2019
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2019
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Vautrin, Jodi, McDevitt, Jennifer, Valente, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Fischer, Mark
• Application Number:
  US16/274,068
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
• 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 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone

Abstract

Systems and methods for detecting and configuring passive speakers within a playback system using a graphical user interface are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of for detecting and configuration passive speakers in a playback system using a mobile device includes deriving speaker identification data concerning one or more passive speakers connected to an audio device in a playback system based upon at least an electrical signal sent to and returned from the one or more passive speakers, where the electrical signal is sent by the audio device including an audio stage comprising one or more amplifiers, and where the speaker identification data comprises information identifying a type of speaker, and displaying a graphical user interface screen on a mobile device based upon the identified type of speaker, where the displayed information and selectable options are dependent upon the identified type of speaker.

Claims

1. A method of for detecting and configuration passive speakers in a playback system using a mobile device, the method comprising:

deriving speaker identification data concerning one or more passive speakers connected to an audio device in a playback system based upon at least an electrical signal sent to and returned from the one or more passive speakers, where the electrical signal is sent by the audio device including an audio stage comprising one or more amplifiers, and where the speaker identification data comprises information identifying a type of speaker;

displaying a graphical user interface screen on a mobile device based upon the identified type of speaker, where the displayed information and selectable options are dependent upon the identified type of speaker;

displaying a completion screen on the mobile device indicating that an outdoor speaker is configured when the identified type is an outdoor speaker;

determining whether the playback system is in a home theater configuration based on determining whether the audio device is configured as a master playback device in the playback system;

displaying a confirmation screen on the mobile device indicating that the one or more passive speakers are configured as surround speakers with audio enhancements applied when the playback system is not in a home theater configuration;

determining whether the audio device is a master playback device when the playback system is a home theater configuration;

displaying a confirmation screen on the mobile device indicating the one or more speakers are configured as surround speakers with audio enhancements applied when the audio device is not a master playback device;

determining if the playback system includes surround speakers when the audio device is a master playback device;

displaying a confirmation screen on the mobile device indicating the one or more passive speakers are configured as front speakers and surround speakers with audio enhancements applied when the audio device is a master playback device and the playback system includes surround speakers; and

displaying a confirmation screen on the mobile device indicating the one or more passive speakers are configured as front speakers with audio enhancements applied when the audio device is a master playback device and the playback system does not include surround speakers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein deriving speaker identification data concerning one or more speakers in a playback system based upon at least an electrical signal sent to and returned from the one or more speakers comprises:

activating a passive speaker identification circuit in the one or more speakers by the playback device using the electrical signal;

measuring an electrical current of the electrical signal by the playback device;

determining, based on the measured electrical current, an impedance modulation of the passive speaker; and

determining the information identifying a type of speaker based on the determined impedance modulation of the speaker.

3. The method of claim 1, where the speaker identification data is stored in a speaker identification database and deriving speaker identification data comprises receiving information from a speaker identification circuit in the one or more passive speakers which can be used to retrieve speaker identification data from the speaker identification database.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an error screen indicating that no compatible speaker was detected when deriving speaker identification data is not successful because none of the one or more passive speakers is compatible with configuration process for the playback system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an error screen indicating that mixed types of speakers were detected when deriving speaker identification data results in detecting several of the one or more passive speakers that are not the same type of speaker.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising playing back an audio signal with equalizer curve applied that is based upon information from the derived speaker identification data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the playback system is in a home theater configuration comprises retrieving a model number of the one or more passive speakers and determining whether the model number is assigned to a home theater category of products.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining what operating system is on the mobile device and performing a calibration process on the one or more passive speakers when the calibration process is configured for that operating system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the calibration process comprises playing a preset calibration audio signal from the one or more passive speakers and adjusting a frequency curve of the speaker output to match that of a target frequency curve.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a master playback device is a playback device that is configured to output audio for front channels in surround sound decoded audio.

18. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein determining whether the playback system is in a home theater configuration comprises retrieving a model number of the one or more passive speakers and determining whether the model number is assigned to a home theater category of products.

19. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining what operating system is on the mobile device and performing a calibration process on the one or more passive speakers when the calibration process is configured for that operating system.

20. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein a master playback device is a playback device that is configured to output audio for front channels in surround sound decoded audio.

11. A computing device comprising:

one or more processors;

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by the one or more processors to perform a method comprising;

receiving from an audio device, speaker identification data, wherein the speaker identification data indicates one or more passive speakers connected to the audio device in a playback, wherein the speaker identification data is derived based upon at least an electrical signal sent to and returned from the one or more passive speakers, wherein the electrical signal is sent by the audio device including an audio stage comprising one or more amplifiers, and wherein the speaker identification data comprises information identifying a type of speaker;

displaying a graphical user interface screen on the computing device based upon the identified type of speaker, where the displayed information and selectable options are dependent upon the identified type of speaker;

displaying a completion screen on the computing device indicating that an outdoor speaker is configured when the identified type is an outdoor speaker;

determining whether the playback system is in a home theater configuration based on determining whether the audio device is configured as a master playback device in the playback system;

displaying a confirmation screen on the computing device indicating that the one or more passive speakers are configured as surround speakers with audio enhancements applied when the playback system is not in a home theater configuration;

determining whether the audio device is a master playback device when the playback system is a home theater configuration;

displaying a confirmation screen on the computing device indicating the one or more speakers are configured as surround speakers with audio enhancements applied when the audio device is not a master playback device;

determining if the playback system includes surround speakers when the audio device is a master playback device;

displaying a confirmation screen on the computing device indicating the one or more passive speakers are configured as front speakers and surround speakers with audio enhancements applied when the audio device is a master playback device and the playback system includes surround speakers; and

displaying a confirmation screen on the computing device indicating the one or more passive speakers are configured as front speakers with audio enhancements applied when the audio device is a master playback device and the playback system does not include surround speakers.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein deriving speaker identification data concerning one or more speakers in a playback system based upon at least an electrical signal sent to and returned from the one or more speakers comprises:

activating a passive speaker identification circuit in the one or more speakers by the playback device using the electrical signal;

measuring an electrical current of the electrical signal by the playback device;

determining, based on the measured electrical current, an impedance modulation of the passive speaker; and

determining the information identifying a type of speaker based on the determined impedance modulation of the speaker.

13. The computing device of claim 11, where the speaker identification data is stored in a speaker identification database and deriving speaker identification data comprises receiving information from a speaker identification circuit in the one or more passive speakers which can be used to retrieve speaker identification data from the speaker identification database.

14. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises displaying an error screen indicating that no compatible speaker was detected when deriving speaker identification data is not successful because none of the one or more passive speakers is compatible with configuration process for the playback system.

15. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises displaying an error screen indicating that mixed types of speakers were detected when deriving speaker identification data results in detecting several of the one or more passive speakers that are not the same type of speaker.

16. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by one or more processors of a computing device to cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:

receiving from an audio device, speaker identification data, wherein the speaker identification data indicates one or more passive speakers connected to the audio device in a playback, wherein the speaker identification data is derived based upon at least an electrical signal sent to and returned from the one or more passive speakers, wherein the electrical signal is sent by the audio device including an audio stage comprising one or more amplifiers, and wherein the speaker identification data comprises information identifying a type of speaker;

displaying a graphical user interface screen on the computing device based upon the identified type of speaker, where the displayed information and selectable options are dependent upon the identified type of speaker;

displaying a completion screen on the computing device indicating that an outdoor speaker is configured when the identified type is an outdoor speaker;

determining whether the playback system is in a home theater configuration based on determining whether the audio device is configured as a master playback device in the playback system;

displaying a confirmation screen on the computing device indicating that the one or more passive speakers are configured as surround speakers with audio enhancements applied when the playback system is not in a home theater configuration;

determining whether the audio device is a master playback device when the playback system is a home theater configuration;

displaying a confirmation screen on the computing device indicating the one or more speakers are configured as surround speakers with audio enhancements applied when the audio device is not a master playback device;

determining if the playback system includes surround speakers when the audio device is a master playback device;

displaying a confirmation screen on the computing device indicating the one or more passive speakers are configured as front speakers and surround speakers with audio enhancements applied when the audio device is a master playback device and the playback system includes surround speakers; and

displaying a confirmation screen on the computing device indicating the one or more passive speakers are configured as front speakers with audio enhancements applied when the audio device is a master playback device and the playback system does not include surround speakers.

17. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises playing back an audio signal with equalizer curve applied that is based upon information from the derived speaker identification data.