Audio Output Balancing During Synchronized Playback

• US 20150222993A1
• Filed: 02/06/2014
• Published: 08/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Ramos, Aurelio Rafael, Sheen, Timothy W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,226,073 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 11/008 of digital or coded signals
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/001 Digital control of analog signals
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/20 Automatic control H03G3/005 takes precedence; combined with volume compression or expansion H03G7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 11/00 Transducers of moving-armature or moving-core type acoustic diaphragm of magnetisable material directly coacting with electromagnet H04R13/00
• 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 2430/03 Synergistic effects of band splitting and sub-band processing
• 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 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 3/14 Cross-over networks
• 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 2400/03 Aspects of down-mixing multi-channel audio to configurations with lower numbers of playback channels, e.g. 7.1 -> 5.1 H04S2400/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/307 Frequency adjustment, e.g. tone control H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and method are provided herein for balancing of outputs from playback devices playing audio content in synchrony. In one embodiment, the balancing of outputs may involve receiving a first audio signal to be played by a first playback device according to a first crossover frequency, determining a limiting result by applying a limiting function associated with a second playback device to a second audio signal to be played by the second playback device according to a second crossover frequency, and based on the first limiting result, configuring the first playback device to play the first audio signal according to a third crossover frequency. In some cases, the first and second playback devices may be configured to play the first and second audio signals, respectively, in synchrony.

Claims

1. A first playback device comprising:

a processor; and

memory having stored thereon instructions executable by the processor to cause the first playback device to perform functions comprising;

receiving a first audio signal, wherein the first playback device is configured to play the first audio signal according to a first crossover frequency;

determining a first limiting result by applying a limiting function to a second audio signal, wherein the second audio signal is configured for playback by a second playback device according to a second crossover frequency, and wherein the limiting function is associated with the second playback device; and

based on the first limiting result, configuring the first playback device to play the first audio signal according to a third crossover frequency.

2. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the first audio signal and second audio signal are first and second audio components, respectively, of an audio content, and wherein the first playback device is configured to play the first audio signal in synchrony with a playback of the second audio signal by the second playback device.

3. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

playing the first audio signal according to the third crossover frequency in synchrony with a playback of the second audio signal by the second playback device.

4. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

sending to the second playback device data indicating the third crossover frequency; and

configuring the second playback device to play the second audio signal according to a fourth crossover frequency, wherein the fourth crossover frequency is determined based on the third crossover frequency.

5. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining a fourth crossover frequency based on the third crossover frequency and the second audio signal;

sending to the second playback device data indicating the fourth crossover frequency; and

configuring the second playback device to play the second audio signal according to the fourth crossover frequency.

6. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

prior to determining the first limiting result, receiving the limiting function associated with the second playback device.

7. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the first audio signal comprises content in a first frequency range, and wherein the second audio signal comprises content in a second frequency range different from the first frequency range.

13. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the first audio signal comprises content in a first frequency range, and wherein the second audio signal comprises content in a second frequency range different from the first frequency range.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, by a first playback device, audio content comprising a first audio signal and a second audio signal, wherein the first playback device is configured to play the first audio signal according to a first crossover frequency in synchrony with the playback of the second audio signal according to a second crossover frequency by a second playback device;

determining a first limiting result by applying, by the first playback device, a first limiting function to the first audio signal, wherein the first limiting function is associated with the first playback device;

determining a second limiting result by applying, by the first playback device, a second limiting function to the second audio signal, wherein the second limiting function is associated with the second playback device; and

based on the first limiting result and the second limiting result, configuring the first playback device to play the first audio signal according to a third crossover frequency.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

playing the first audio signal according to the third crossover frequency in synchrony with a playback of the second audio signal by the second playback device.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

sending to the second playback device data indicating the third crossover frequency; and

configuring the second playback device to play the second audio signal according to a fourth crossover frequency, wherein the fourth crossover frequency is determined based on the third crossover frequency.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining a fourth crossover frequency based on the third crossover frequency and the second audio signal;

sending to the second playback device data indicating the fourth crossover frequency; and

configuring the second playback device to play the second audio signal according to the fourth crossover frequency.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

prior to determining the first limiting result, receiving the limiting function associated with the second playback device.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving a first audio signal, wherein the first playback device is configured to play the first audio signal according to a first crossover frequency;

determining a first limiting result by applying a limiting function to a second audio signal, wherein the second audio signal is configured for playback by a second playback device according to a second crossover frequency, and wherein the limiting function is associated with the second playback device; and

based on the first limiting result, configuring the first playback device to play the first audio signal according to a third crossover frequency.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the first audio signal and second audio signal are first and second audio components, respectively, of an audio content, and wherein the first playback device is configured to play the first audio signal in synchrony with a playback of the second audio signal by the second playback device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the functions further comprise:

playing the first audio signal according to the third crossover frequency in synchrony with a playback of the second audio signal by the second playback device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the functions further comprise:

sending to the second playback device data indicating the third crossover frequency; and

configuring the second playback device to play the second audio signal according to a fourth crossover frequency, wherein the fourth crossover frequency is determined based on the third crossover frequency.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining a fourth crossover frequency based on the third crossover frequency and the second audio signal;

sending to the second playback device data indicating the fourth crossover frequency; and

configuring the second playback device to play the second audio signal according to the fourth crossover frequency.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the functions further comprise:

prior to determining the first limiting result, receiving the limiting function associated with the second playback device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the first audio signal comprises content in a first frequency range, and wherein the second audio signal comprises content in a second frequency range different from the first frequency range.