Crossover frequency adjustments for audio speakers

• US 9,008,330 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2012
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Sheen, Timothy W., Ericson, Michael Darrell Andrew, Bush, William H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jamal, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US13/630,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20140093096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 381/99
• US Class Current: 381/99
• 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 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/00 Signal processing covered by H04R, not provided for in its groups
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• 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 3/14 Cross-over networks

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for adjusting a crossover frequency between a plurality of audio speakers rendering audio content. In one example, a first subset of a plurality of audio speakers may be rendering a first sub-range of a range of audio frequencies of an audio content, and a second subset of speakers of the plurality of audio speakers may be rendering a second sub-range of the range of audio frequencies. In this example, the first sub-range and the second sub-range may be substantially separated at the crossover frequency. In one case, a playback volume at which the audio content is being rendered may be adjusted. In one instance, the crossover frequency may be adjusted in response to the volume adjustment to improve the audio content rendering quality by the respective subsets of audio speakers in the plurality of audio speakers.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

causing a first subset of a plurality of audio speakers to render a first sub-range of a range of audio frequencies of an audio content, and a second subset of the plurality of audio speakers to render a second sub-range of the range of audio frequencies, wherein the first sub-range and the second sub-range are substantially separated at a first crossover frequency;

detecting a playback volume adjustment of the audio content rendered by the plurality of speakers; and

causing an adjustment of the first crossover frequency substantially separating the first sub-range and second sub-range based on the adjusted playback volume, such that the first subset of speakers renders a sub-range of the range of audio frequencies that is different from the first sub-range and the second subset of speakers renders a sub-range of the range of audio frequencies that is different from the second sub-range.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sub-range of the range of audio frequencies is determined according to first audio rendering characteristics of the first subset of the plurality of audio speakers, and wherein the second sub-range of the range of audio frequencies is determined according to second audio rendering characteristics of the second subset of the plurality of audio speakers.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein causing an adjustment of the first crossover frequency substantially separating the first sub-range and second sub-range based on the volume adjustment comprises:

determining a new crossover frequency based on predetermined relationships between the playback volume adjustment and the first and second audio rendering characteristics; and

causing an adjustment of the first crossover frequency to such that the first crossover frequency is the same as the determined new crossover frequency.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein causing an adjustment of the first crossover frequency substantially separating the first sub-range and second sub-range based on the volume adjustment comprises:

detecting a rendition of the first sub-range of the audio content at the adjusted playback volume;

determining a crossover frequency adjustment based on the detected rendition of the first sub-range of the audio content; and

causing the adjustment of the first crossover frequency based on the determined crossover frequency adjustment.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining a crossover frequency adjustment based on the detected rendition of the first sub-range of the audio content comprises:

determining that a crossover frequency adjustment will improve a quality of the rendition of the first sub-range of the range of audio frequencies of the audio content at the adjusted playback volume.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein determining a crossover frequency adjustment based on the detected rendition of the first sub-range of the audio content comprises:

determining a level of audio distortion in the detected rendition of the first sub-range of the audio content; and

determining a crossover frequency adjustment based on the level of audio distortion.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

associating the adjusted first crossover frequency with the adjusted playback volume; and

storing the association between the adjusted first crossover frequency and the adjusted playback volume.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein causing a first subset of a plurality of audio speakers to render a first sub-range of a range of audio frequencies of an audio content comprises causing at least one audio speaker in a playback device from the first subset of the plurality of audio speakers to render the first sub-range of the range of audio frequencies of the audio content, and wherein causing a second subset of the plurality of audio speakers to render a second sub-range of the range of audio frequencies comprises causing at least one audio speaker in the playback device from the second subset of the plurality of audio speakers to render the second sub-range of the range of audio frequencies of the audio content.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing a third subset of the plurality of audio speakers to render a third sub-range of the range of audio frequencies, wherein the third sub-range and the second sub-range are substantially separated at a second crossover frequency; and

causing an adjustment of the second crossover frequency substantially separating the second sub-range and the third sub-range based on the volume adjustment, such that the second subset of speakers renders a sub-range of the range of audio frequencies that is different from the second sub-range and the third subset of speakers renders a sub-range of the range of audio frequencies that is different from the third sub-range.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein causing a first subset of a plurality of audio speakers to render a first sub-range of a range of audio frequencies of an audio content comprises causing at least one audio speaker in a playback device from the first subset of the plurality of audio speakers to render the first sub-range of the range of audio frequencies of the audio content, wherein causing a second subset of the plurality of audio speakers to render a second sub-range of the range of audio frequencies comprises causing at least one audio speaker in the playback device from the second subset of the plurality of audio speakers to render the second sub-range of the range of audio frequencies of the audio content, and wherein causing a third subset of the plurality of audio speakers to render a third sub-range of the range of audio frequencies comprises causing at least one audio speaker in the playback device from the third subset of the plurality of audio speakers to render the third sub-range of the range of audio frequencies of the audio content.

11. A system comprising:

at least one processor;

a non-transitory computer readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium and executable by the at least one processor to perform functions comprising;

causing a first subset of a plurality of audio speakers to render a first sub-range of a range of audio frequencies of an audio content, and a second subset of speakers of the plurality of audio speakers to render a second sub-range of the range of audio frequencies, wherein the first sub-range and the second sub-range are substantially separated at a first crossover frequency;

detecting a playback volume adjustment of the audio content rendered by the plurality of speakers; and

causing an adjustment of the first crossover frequency separating the first sub-range and second sub-range based on the adjusted playback volume, such that the first subset of speakers renders a sub-range of the range of audio frequencies that is different from the first sub-range and the second subset of speakers renders a sub-range of the range of audio frequencies that is different from the second sub-range.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first sub-range of the range of audio frequencies is determined according to first audio rendering characteristics of the first subset of the plurality of audio speakers, and wherein the second sub-range of the range of audio frequencies is determined according to second audio rendering characteristics of the second subset of the plurality of audio speakers.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein causing an adjustment of the first crossover frequency substantially separating the first sub-range and second sub-range based on the volume adjustment comprises:

determining a new crossover frequency based on predetermined relationships between the playback volume adjustment and the first and second audio rendering characteristics; and

causing an adjustment of the first crossover frequency to such that the first crossover frequency is the same as the determined new crossover frequency.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein causing an adjustment of the first crossover frequency substantially separating the first sub-range and second sub-range based on the volume adjustment comprises:

detecting a rendition of the first sub-range of the audio content at the adjusted playback volume;

determining a crossover frequency adjustment based on the detected rendition of the first sub-range of the audio content; and

causing the adjustment of the first crossover frequency based on the determined crossover frequency adjustment.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein determining a crossover frequency adjustment based on the detected rendition of the first sub-range of the audio content comprises:

determining that a crossover frequency adjustment will improve a quality of the rendition of the first sub-range of the range of audio frequencies of the audio content at the adjusted playback volume.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein determining a crossover frequency adjustment based on the detected rendition of the first sub-range of the audio content comprises:

determining a level of audio distortion in the detected rendition of the first sub-range of the audio content; and

determining a crossover frequency adjustment based on the level of audio distortion.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the system comprises the plurality of audio speakers.

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

causing a first subset of a plurality of audio speakers to render a first sub-range of a range of audio frequencies of an audio content, and a second subset of speakers of the plurality of audio speakers to render a second sub-range of the range of audio frequencies, wherein the first sub-range and the second sub-range are substantially separated at a first crossover frequency;

detecting a playback volume adjustment of the audio content rendered by the plurality of speakers; and

causing an adjustment of the first crossover frequency separating the first sub-range and second sub-range based on the adjusted playback volume, such that the first subset of speakers renders a sub-range of the range of audio frequencies that is different from the first sub-range and the second subset of speakers renders a sub-range of the range of audio frequencies that is different from the second sub-range.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein causing a first subset of a plurality of audio speakers to render a first sub-range of a range of audio frequencies of an audio content comprises causing at least one audio speaker in a playback device from the first subset of the plurality of audio speakers to render the first sub-range of the range of audio frequencies of the audio content, and wherein causing a second subset of the plurality of audio speakers to render a second sub-range of the range of audio frequencies comprises causing at least one audio speaker in the playback device from the second subset of the plurality of audio speakers to render the second sub-range of the range of audio frequencies of the audio content.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions are further executable by the computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

causing a third subset of the plurality of audio speakers to render a third sub-range of the range of audio frequencies, wherein the third sub-range and the second sub-range are substantially separated at a second crossover frequency; and

causing an adjustment of the second crossover frequency substantially separating the second sub-range and the third sub-range based on the volume adjustment, such that the second subset of speakers renders a sub-range of the range of audio frequencies that is different from the second sub-range and the third subset of speakers renders a sub-range of the range of audio frequencies that is different from the third sub-range.