Multi-channel pairing in a media system

• US 9,219,959 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2014
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Kallai, Christopher, Ericson, Michael Darrell Andrew, Lambourne, Robert A., Reimann, Robert, Triplett, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCORD, PAUL C
• Application Number:
  US14/299,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20140286507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94
• 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: H03G 3/20 Automatic control H03G3/005 takes precedence; combined with volume compression or expansion H03G7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3005 in amplifiers suitable for low-frequencies, e.g. audio amplifiers H03G3/32, H03G3/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 5/165 Equalizers; Volume or gain control in limited frequency bands
• 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 2420/01 Input selection or mixing for amplifiers or loudspeakers for hearing aids H04R25/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/03 Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• 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 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• 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 2400/01 Multi-channel, i.e. more than two input channels, sound reproduction with two speakers wherein the multi-channel information is substantially preserved
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/30 Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field

Abstract

Technology for grouping, consolidating, and pairing individual playback devices with network capability (players) to stimulate a multi-channel listening environment is disclosed. Particularly, the embodiments described herein enable two or more playback devices to be paired, such that multi-channel audio is achieved. Such embodiments may be used to produce stereo and multi-channel audio environments for television and movies.

Claims

1. A playback device configured to output audio in a multi-channel listening environment, the playback device comprising:

a network interface configured to receive audio data over a network;

a plurality of speaker drivers configured to output audio based on the audio data;

one or more processors; and

tangible, non-transitory, computer readable memory comprising instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the playback device to (i) process the audio data before the playback device outputs audio from the plurality of speaker drivers, (ii) determine that a type of pairing of the playback device comprises one of at least a first type of pairing or a second type of pairing, (iii) configure the playback device to perform a first equalization of the audio data before outputting audio based on the audio data from the plurality of speaker drivers when the type of pairing is determined to comprise the first type of pairing, and (iv) configure the playback device to perform a second equalization of the audio data before outputting audio based on the audio data from the plurality of speaker drivers when the type of pairing is determined to comprise the second type of pairing.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein performing the first equalization comprises using a first type of pass filter to modify the audio data before outputting audio based on the audio data from the plurality of speaker drivers, wherein performing the second equalization comprises using a second type of pass filter to modify the audio data before outputting audio based on the audio data from the plurality of speaker drivers, and wherein the first type of pass filter and the second type of pass filter are different.

3. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the first type of pairing comprises no pairing with another playback device and the second type of pairing comprises pairing with one or more additional playback devices.

4. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the first type of pairing comprises pairing with a second playback device and the second type of pairing comprises pairing with a plurality of playback devices.

5. The playback device of claim 1, wherein in the first type of pairing, the playback device is configured to output audio comprising two channel sound via the plurality of speaker drivers, and wherein in the second type of pairing, the playback device is configured to output audio comprising no more than one channel of the two channel sound via the plurality of speaker drivers.

6. The playback device of claim 1, wherein in the first type of pairing, the playback device is configured to output audio of a first audio channel of the audio data via the plurality of speaker drivers and wherein in the second type of pairing, the playback device is configured to output audio of a second audio channel of the audio data via the plurality of speaker drivers, and wherein the first audio channel and the second audio channel are different.

7. The playback device of claim 1, wherein in the first type of pairing, the playback device is configured to output audio based on the audio data via the plurality of speaker drivers in a stereo mode, and wherein in the second type of pairing, the playback device is configured to output audio based on the audio data via the plurality of speaker drivers in a theater mode.

8. The playback device of claim 1, wherein in the first type of pairing, the playback device is configured to output audio based on the audio data via the plurality of speaker drivers, and wherein in the second type of pairing, the playback device is configured to output audio based on the audio data via the plurality of speaker drivers in a consolidated mode.

9. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device is further configured to (i) separate the audio data into separate audio channels, (ii) output audio based on audio data of at least one separate audio channel from the plurality of speaker drivers, and (ii) transmit at least one additional separate audio channel over the network.

10. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device is further configured to receive a signal from a controller over the network, wherein the signal comprises an instruction for the playback device to pair with one or more playback devices.

11. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device is further configured to receive a signal from a controller over the network, wherein the signal comprises an instruction to configure the playback device in consolidation mode.

12. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device further comprises a button that when selected configures the playback device to output audio comprising one channel of the audio device.

13. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the network is a wireless network.

14. A method for outputting audio in a multi-channel listening environment, wherein the method is performed by a playback device, the method comprising:

receiving audio data over a network;

processing the audio data before the playback device outputs audio from a plurality of speaker drivers based on the audio data;

when the playback device is configured for a first type of pairing, performing a first equalization of the audio data before outputting audio based on the audio data from the plurality of speaker drivers;

when the playback device is configured for a second type of pairing, performing a second equalization of the audio data before outputting audio based on the audio data from the plurality of speaker drivers.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein performing the first equalization comprises using a first type of pass filter to modify the audio data before outputting audio based on the audio data from the plurality of speaker drivers, wherein performing the second equalization comprises using a second type of pass filter to modify the audio data before outputting audio based on the audio data from the plurality of speaker drivers, and wherein the first type of pass filter and the second type of pass filter are different.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first type of pairing comprises no pairing with another playback device and the second type of pairing comprises pairing with one or more additional playback devices.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the first type of pairing comprises pairing with a second playback device and the second type of pairing comprises pairing with a plurality of playback devices.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein in the first type of pairing, the playback device is configured to output audio comprising two channel sound via the plurality of speaker drivers, and wherein in the second type of pairing, the playback device is configured to output audio comprising no more than one channel of the two channel sound via the plurality of speaker drivers.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein in the first type of pairing, the playback device is configured to output audio comprising a first audio channel of the audio data via the plurality of speaker drivers, and wherein in the second type of pairing, the playback device is configured to output audio comprising a second audio channel of the audio data via the plurality of speaker drivers, and wherein the first audio channel and the second audio channel are different.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein in the first type of pairing, the playback device is configured to output audio based on the audio data via the plurality of speaker drivers in a stereo mode, and wherein in the second type of pairing, the playback device is configured to output audio based on the audio data via the plurality of speaker drivers in a theater mode.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising separating the audio data into separate audio channels, wherein at least one separate audio channel is output from the plurality of speaker drivers and at least one additional separate audio channel is transmitted over the network.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising sending a signal over the network to a controller that is configured to select a channel of the audio data that is output from the plurality of speaker drivers.