Sound field calibration using listener localization

• US 9,084,058 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2011
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Reilly, Jonathon, Van Erven, Niels
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUTHERS, DOUGLAS JOHN
• Application Number:
  US13/340,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20130170647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,293 Days
• Field of Search: 381/81, 381/80, 381/77, 381/17, 381/58, 381/18, 381/310
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/023 Monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/80 using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
• 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 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 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/008 Visual indication of individual signal levels visual indication of stereophonic sound image H04S7/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone
• 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: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus to calibrate sounds fields are disclosed. An example device includes a location sensor receiving location data, a processor triangulating the position of a listener based on the location data, and an audio processing component generating a sound field with audio characteristics based on the position of the listener.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more sensors to receive first location data associated with the apparatus;

a network interface to receive second location data from a second apparatus, the network interface different from the one or more sensors, the second apparatus to generate a second sound field during playback of media, the second apparatus different from the apparatus and the second apparatus to be in communication with the apparatus;

an audio processing component to generate a first sound field during playback of the media; and

a processor to;

determine, using the first location data and the second location data, a distance of a first listener from the apparatus;

determine, using the first location data and the second location data, a distance of a second listener from the second apparatus;

modify the first sound field based on the distance of the first listener; and

facilitate modification of the second sound field based on the distance of the second listener.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the processor and the audio processing component are the same.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors include an infrared receiver and a camera.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the first location data includes infrared signals and video data.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors include a microphone.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the first location data includes acoustic wave information.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the first location data includes a timestamp.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors receive a packet with an associated Received Signal Strength Indicator signal.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the processor is to modify the first sound field by adjusting a first audio characteristic of the first sound field, the first audio characteristic to include at least one of volume level, bass level, or Digital Signal Processing effects.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the processor is to triangulate the distance of the first listener in real-time.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the processor is to triangulate the distance of the first listener using a multiple-device configuration.

12. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a first zone player, first location data associated with the first zone player, the first zone player generating a first sound field during playback of media;

receiving, at the first zone player, second location data associated with a second zone player, the second zone player generating a second sound field during playback of the media, wherein the second zone player is different from the first zone player and the second zone player is in communication with the first zone player;

triangulating, at the first zone player using the first location data and the second location data, a distance of a first listener from the first zone player;

triangulating, at the first zone player using the first location data and the second location data, a distance of a second listener from the second zone player; and

modifying the first sound field based on the distance of the first listener and the second sound field based on the distance of the second listener.

13. A method as defined in claim 12, further comprising:

updating the first location data in real-time; and

updating the second location data in real-time.

14. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein if the received first location data or the received second location data is null, then the respective zone player returns to a default sound field.

15. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the first location data or the second location data is associated with a plurality of listeners.

16. A computer readable storage device or storage disc storing instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to execute a method, comprising:

facilitating collecting, at a first multimedia playback device, first location information associated with the first multimedia playback device, the first multimedia playback device to generate a first sound field during playback of an audio signal;

facilitating receiving, at the first multimedia playback device, second location information associated with a second multimedia playback device, the second multimedia playback device to generate a second sound field during playback of the audio signal, the second multimedia playback device different from the first multimedia playback device and the second multimedia playback device to be in communication with the first multimedia playback device;

determining, at the first multimedia playback device using the first location information, a distance of a first listener from the first multimedia playback device;

determining, at the first multimedia playback device using the second location information, a distance of a second listener from the second multimedia playback device;

calibrating the first sound field based on the distance of the first listener; and

facilitating adjusting the second sound field based on the distance of the second listener.

17. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 16, wherein the sensor is integrated in the first multimedia playback device.

18. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 16, wherein the sensor is external to the first multimedia playback device.

19. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 16, wherein the sensor includes at least one of a camera, an infrared receiver, a radio frequency receiver or a microphone.

20. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 16, wherein the sensor collects the first location information in real-time.