Audio output balancing during synchronized playback

• US 9,226,073 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2014
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Ramos, Aurelio Rafael, Sheen, Timothy W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edun, Muhammad N
• Application Number:
  US14/174,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20150222993A1
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 that represents playback of a second audio signal by a second playback device by applying, to the second audio signal, a pre-determined volume-limiting function that is associated with the second playback device, wherein the second playback device is configured to playback the second audio signal according to a second crossover frequency, and wherein the first limiting result indicates frequencies at which a playback volume of the second playback device is limited

determining a third crossover frequency based on the indicated frequencies at which the playback volume of the second playback device is limited, wherein the third crossover frequency is higher than the first crossover frequency; and

configuring the first playback device to play the first audio signal according to the 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 pre-determined volume-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.

8. The playback device of claim 1, wherein determining the third crossover frequency comprises determining a third crossover frequency that is higher than (a) the first crossover frequency and (b) at least a portion of the indicated frequencies at which the playback volume of the second playback device is limited.

9. 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, by the first playback device, a first limiting result that represents playback of a first audio signal by the first payback device by applying, to the first audio signal, a first pre-determined volume-limiting function that is associated with the first playback device;

determining, by the first playback device, a second limiting result that represents playback of a second audio signal by a second payback device by applying, to the second audio signal, a second pre-determined volume-limiting function that is associated with the second playback device, wherein the second limiting result indicates frequencies at which a playback volume of the second playback device is limited; and

determining a third crossover frequency based on the indicated frequencies at which the playback volume of the second playback device is limited, wherein the third crossover frequency is higher than the first crossover frequency, and wherein the first limiting result indicates that the first playback device is less limited at the frequencies at which the playback volume of the second playback device is limited; and

configuring the first playback device to play the first audio signal according to the third crossover frequency.

10. The method of claim 9, 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.

11. The method of claim 9, 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.

12. The method of claim 9, 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.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

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

14. The method of claim 9, 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.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the third crossover frequency comprises determining a third crossover frequency that is higher than (a) the first crossover frequency and (b) at least a portion of the indicated frequencies at which the playback volume of the second playback device is limited.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a first playback device 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 that represents playback of a second audio signal by a second playback device by applying, to the second audio signal, a pre-determined volume-limiting function that is associated with the second playback device, wherein the second playback device is configured to playback the second audio signal according to a second crossover frequency, and wherein the first limiting result indicates frequencies at which a playback volume of the second playback device is limited;

determining a third crossover frequency based on the indicated frequencies at which the playback volume of the second playback device is limited, wherein the third crossover frequency is higher than the first crossover frequency; and

configuring the first playback device to play the first audio signal according to the third crossover frequency.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, 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.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, 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.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, 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.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, 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.

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

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

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, 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.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein determining the third crossover frequency comprises determining a third crossover frequency that is higher than (a) the first crossover frequency and (b) at least a portion of the indicated frequencies at which the playback volume of the second playback device is limited.