Audio Processing Algorithms

• US 20160011846A1
• Filed: 09/09/2014
• Published: 01/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Sheen, Timothy W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,952,825 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 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: H04S 7/307 Frequency adjustment, e.g. tone control H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

Examples described herein involve determining an audio processing algorithm for a playback device to apply when playing audio content in a playback zone. Determining the audio processing algorithm may involve causing the playback device to play a first audio signal in the playback zone, receiving data indicating a second audio signal detected by a microphone of the playback device. Based on the second audio signal and a characteristic of the playback device, an audio processing algorithm may be determined. The audio processing algorithm may be calculated, or identified in a database based on an acoustic characteristic of the playback zone. The acoustic characteristic of the playback zone may be determined based on the second audio signal and the characteristic of the playback device. The audio processing algorithm may then be applied by the playback device.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a processor; and

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

causing a playback device in a playback zone to play a first audio signal;

receiving from the playback device, data indicating a second audio signal detected by a microphone of the playback device, the second audio signal comprising a portion corresponding to the first audio signal;

based on the second audio signal and an acoustic characteristic of the playback device, determining an audio processing algorithm; and

transmitting data indicating the determined audio processing algorithm to the playback device.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein applying of the determined audio processing algorithm by the playback device when playing the first audio signal in the playback zone produces a third audio signal having an audio characteristic substantially the same as a predetermined audio characteristic.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein determining the audio processing algorithm further comprises:

determining an acoustic characteristic of the playback zone based on the second audio signal and an acoustic characteristic of the playback device; and

selecting from a plurality of audio processing algorithms, an audio processing algorithm corresponding to the determined acoustic characteristic of the playback zone.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein determining the audio processing algorithm further comprises:

determining an acoustic characteristic of the playback zone based on the second audio signal and an acoustic characteristic of the playback device; and

calculating the audio processing algorithm based on the acoustic characteristic of the playback zone and a predetermined audio characteristic.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein determining an audio processing algorithm comprises:

determining one or more parameters for the audio processing algorithm.

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

causing a reference playback device in an anechoic chamber to play a measurement signal;

receiving from the reference playback device, data indicating an audio signal detected by a microphone of the reference playback device, wherein the detected audio signal comprises a portion corresponding to the measurement signal played in the anechoic chamber; and

determining the acoustic characteristic of the playback device based on a comparison between the detected audio signal and the measurement signal.

7. A computing device comprising:

a processor; and

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

causing a first playback device to play a first audio signal in a playback zone;

causing a second playback device to play a second audio signal in the playback zone;

receiving from the first playback device, data indicating a third audio signal detected by a microphone of the first playback device, the third audio signal comprising (i) a portion corresponding to the first audio signal, and (ii) a portion corresponding to the second audio signal played by a second playback device;

based on the third audio signal and an acoustic characteristic of the first playback device, determining an audio processing algorithm; and

transmitting data indicating the determined audio processing algorithm to the first playback device.

8. The computing device of claim 7, wherein applying of the determined audio processing algorithm by the first playback device when playing the first audio signal in the playback zone produces a fourth audio signal having an audio characteristic substantially the same as a predetermined audio characteristic.

9. The computing device of claim 7, wherein determining the audio processing algorithm further comprises:

determining an acoustic characteristic of the playback zone based on the third audio signal and an acoustic characteristic of the first playback device; and

selecting from a plurality of audio processing algorithms, an audio processing algorithm corresponding to the acoustic characteristic of the playback zone.

10. The playback device of claim 7, wherein causing a second playback device to play a second audio signal comprises:

causing the second playback device to play the second audio signal in synchrony with the playback of the first audio signal by the first playback device.

11. The first playback device of claim 7, wherein causing a second playback device to play a second audio signal comprises:

causing the second playback device to play the second audio signal after playback of the first audio signal by the first playback device is complete.

12. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the first audio signal is orthogonal to the second audio signal.

13. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the first playback device and the second playback device are in a zone group of playback devices configured to play audio content in synchrony.

14. A playback device comprising:

a processor;

a microphone; and

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

while in a playback zone, playing a first audio signal;

detecting by the microphone, a second audio signal, the second audio signal comprising a portion corresponding to the first audio signal;

based on the second audio signal and an acoustic characteristic of the playback device, determining an audio processing algorithm; and

applying the determined audio processing algorithm to audio data corresponding to a media item when playing the media item in the playback zone.

15. The playback device of claim 14, wherein applying of the determined audio processing algorithm when playing the first audio signal in the playback zone produces a third audio signal having an audio characteristic substantially the same as a predetermined audio characteristic.

16. The playback device of claim 14, wherein determining the audio processing algorithm further comprises:

determining one or more characteristics of the playback zone based on the second audio signal and the acoustic characteristic of the playback device; and

selecting from a plurality of audio processing algorithms, an audio processing algorithm corresponding to the one or more characteristics of the playback zone.

17. The playback device of claim 14, wherein determining an audio processing algorithm comprises:

sending to a computing device, a transmission that indicates (i) the second audio signal and (ii) a characteristic of the playback device; and

receiving from the computing device, data indicating the audio processing algorithm.

18. The playback device of claim 14, wherein the functions further comprise:

storing in the memory, the determined audio processing algorithm.

19. The playback device of claim 14, wherein applying the audio processing algorithm to the audio data comprises modifying a frequency equalization of the media item.

20. The playback device of claim 14, wherein applying the audio processing algorithm to the audio data comprises modifying a volume range of the media item.