SHAPING SOUND RESPONSIVE TO SPEAKER ORIENTATION

• US 20130022221A1
• Filed: 07/19/2011
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Kallai, Christopher, Ericson, Michael Darrell Andrew, Lang, Jonathan P., Wisneski, Craig, Reilly, Jonathon, Daly, Seamus, Mansfield, Todd
• Granted Patent: US 9,042,556 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/300
• 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: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 5/165 Equalizers; Volume or gain control in limited frequency bands
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0834 based on external parameters, e.g. subscriber speed or location
• 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 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: H04S 7/302 Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation H04S7/301 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/303 Tracking of listener position or orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/307 Frequency adjustment, e.g. tone control H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

Techniques for shaping sound based on a speaker orientation are disclosed. In an embodiment, an audio data stream is obtained by a zone player having one or more speaker drivers, an orientation of the zone player is determined, and sound is reproduced by the zone player based on the orientation. The sound may be further shaped based on other states of the zone player in addition to orientation. The overall sound may be shaped from one zone player or from a collection of zone players.

Claims

1. A method for shaping sound, the method comprising:

receiving an audio data stream by a playback device;

determining an orientation of the playback device;

configuring the playback device to reproduce a stereophonic sound using a plurality of speakers based on a first orientation and the audio data stream; and

configuring the playback device to reproduce a monaural sound using the plurality of speakers based on a second orientation and the audio data stream.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

configuring the playback device to reproduce a monaural sound for a first frequency range of the audio data stream and the stereophonic sound for a second frequency range of the audio data stream, which is different than the first frequency range, using the plurality of speakers based on the first orientation.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first frequency range is below a threshold frequency and the second frequency range is above the threshold frequency.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

configuring the playback device to reproduce a monaural sound using a tweeter regardless of the first and second orientations.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

routing a first set of frequencies in the audio data stream to at least one of the plurality of speakers based on the first orientation; and

routing a second set of frequencies in the audio data stream to the at least one of the plurality of speakers based on the second orientation, wherein the first set of frequencies is different than the second set of frequencies.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the playback device to reproduce the stereophonic sound is performed by processing the audio stream data by the playback device to play in stereo;

and wherein configuring the playback device to reproduce a monaural sound is performed by processing the audio data stream by the playback device to play in monaural.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the playback device to reproduce a stereophonic sound is based on a second state of the playback device in addition to the first orientation;

and wherein configuring the playback device to reproduce a monaural sound is based on the second state of the playback device in addition to the second orientation.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second state comprises any of:

a pairing between an additional playback device, a grouping with an additional playback device, and a consolidation with an additional playback device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising filtering orientation sensor data provided by an orientation sensor to reduce vibration effects, the orientation sensor data used to determine the orientation of the playback device and to provide equalization settings for the playback device based on the orientation.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing an offset introduced by vibration and playback device non-linearity before determining the orientation of the playback device.

11. A tangible computer readable storage medium including a set of instructions for execution by a processor, the set of instructions, when executed, implement a method for shaping sound, the method comprising:

receiving an audio data stream by a playback device;

determining an orientation of the playback device;

configuring the playback device to reproduce a stereophonic sound using a plurality of speakers based on a first orientation and the audio data stream; and

configuring the playback device to reproduce a monaural sound using the plurality of speakers based on a second orientation and the audio data stream.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

configuring the playback device to reproduce a monaural sound for a first frequency range of the audio data stream and the stereophonic sound for a second frequency range of the audio data stream, which is different than the first frequency range, using the plurality of speakers based on the first orientation.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the first frequency range is below a threshold frequency and the second frequency range is above the threshold frequency.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

configuring the playback device to reproduce a monaural sound using a tweeter regardless of the first and second orientations.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

routing a first set of frequencies in the audio data stream to at least one of the plurality of speakers based on the first orientation; and

routing a second set of frequencies in the audio data stream to the at least one of the plurality of speakers based on the second orientation, wherein the first set of frequencies is different than the second set of frequencies.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein configuring the playback device to reproduce the stereophonic sound is performed by processing the audio stream data by the playback device to play in stereo;

and wherein configuring the playback device to reproduce a monaural sound is performed by processing the audio data stream by the playback device to play in monaural.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein configuring the playback device to reproduce a stereophonic sound is based on a second state of the playback device in addition to the first orientation;

and wherein configuring the playback device to reproduce a monaural sound is based on the second state of the playback device in addition to the second orientation.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the second state comprises any of:

a pairing between an additional playback device, a grouping with an additional playback device, and a consolidation with an additional playback device.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises filtering orientation sensor data provided by an orientation sensor to reduce vibration effects, the orientation sensor data used to determine the orientation of the playback device and to provide equalization settings for the playback device based on the orientation.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises removing an offset introduced by vibration and playback device non-linearity before determining the orientation of the playback device.

21. A playback device configured to receive an audio data stream and output the audio data stream, the playback device comprising:

a plurality of speakers to provide audio output, each of the plurality of speakers facing a particular direction with respect to the playback device, wherein the plurality of speakers are to receive and output the audio data stream; and

an orientation sensor to determine an orientation of the playback device, the orientation sensor to provide the orientation to;

configure the playback device to reproduce a stereophonic sound using the plurality of speakers based on a first orientation and the audio data stream; and

configure the playback device to reproduce a monaural sound using the plurality of speakers based on a second orientation and the audio data stream.

22. The playback device of claim 21, wherein the orientation sensor is to provide the orientation to configure the playback device to reproduce a monaural sound for a first frequency range of the audio data stream and the stereophonic sound for a second frequency range of the audio data stream, which is different than the first frequency range, using the plurality of speakers based on the first orientation.

23. The playback device of claim 22, wherein the first frequency range is below a threshold frequency and the second frequency range is above the threshold frequency.

24. The playback device of claim 21, wherein the orientation sensor is to provide the orientation to configure the playback device to reproduce a monaural sound using a tweeter regardless of the first and second orientations.

25. The playback device of claim 21, wherein the playback device is to:

route a first set of frequencies in the audio data stream to at least one of the plurality of speakers based on the first orientation; and

route a second set of frequencies in the audio data stream to the at least one of the plurality of speakers based on the second orientation, wherein the first set of frequencies is different than the second set of frequencies.

26. The playback device of claim 21, wherein the playback device is configured to reproduce the stereophonic sound by processing the audio stream data by the playback device to play in stereo;

and wherein the playback device is configured to reproduce a monaural sound by processing the audio data stream by the playback device to play in monaural.

27. The playback device of claim 21, wherein the playback device is configured to reproduce a stereophonic sound is based on a second state of the playback device in addition to the first orientation;

and wherein the playback device is configured to reproduce a monaural sound is based on the second state of the playback device in addition to the second orientation.

28. The playback device of claim 27, wherein the second state comprises any of:

a pairing between an additional playback device, a grouping with an additional playback device, and a consolidation with an additional playback device.

29. The playback device of claim 21, further comprising a processor to filter orientation sensor data provided by an orientation sensor to reduce vibration effects, the orientation sensor data used to determine the orientation of the playback device and to provide equalization settings for the playback device based on the orientation.

30. The playback of claim 21, further comprising a processor to remove an offset introduced by vibration and playback device non-linearity before determining the orientation of the playback device.