Distributed wireless speaker system with light show

• US 9,426,551 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2014
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Carlsson, Gregory Peter, Milne, James R., Richman, Steven Martin, Zustak, Frederick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khai N
• Application Number:
  US14/163,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20150215691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 315/312, 381/332, 381/59, 381/390, 340/3.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0056 Audio equipment, e.g. music instruments, radios or speakers
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• 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: H05B 47/12 by detecting audible sound
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

In an audio speaker network, the individual speakers of the network have lamps on them that are controlled to present a light show in synchrony with the audio being played by the system.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

at least one computer memory that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one processor for;

sending lamp control signals to at least a first lamp on a housing of a first speaker in a network of speakers according to a first light show configuration;

sending lamp control signals to at least a second lamp on a housing of a second speaker in the network of speakers according to the first light show configuration;

determining whether any new lamps are detected in the network of speakers and/or determining whether a location of the first lamp or second lamp has changed; and

responsive to determining that at least one new lamp is detected in the network of speakers and/or determining that a location of the first lamp or second lamp has changed, establishing a new light show configuration.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the lamp control signals cause the lamps to be energized and deenergized in synchrony with the a beat associated with audio played on the system.

3. The device of claim 1, comprising plural lamps on each housing.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the lamps are fixedly attached to the housings.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein at least one lamp is removably attached to the respective housing, the lamp being removably attached in that it may be engaged and disengaged with the housing using hand pressure without the need for a tool.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the lamps are light emitting diodes (LED).

7. The device of claim 1, wherein each speaker is associated with a network address such that it may addressed separately from the other speakers in the network to energize its respective lamp independently of other lamps of other respective speakers in the network.

8. Method comprising:

establishing a lamp energization program for plural audio speakers in a network of speakers;

sending respective lamp control signals to respective lamps on respective speakers in the network of speakers according to the lamp energization program; and

presenting on a display at least one user interface (UI) comprising;

at least a first element selectable for indicating that new lamps have been added to the network of speakers; and

/or

at least a second element selectable to indicate a change in location of at least one of the lamps in the network of speakers; and

at least a third element presenting a list of at least one lamp energization program and operable to permit a user to select a lamp energization program from the third element according to which the lamp control signals are established.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the lamp energization program is based on a rhythm of the audio.

10. The method of claim 8, comprising sending lamp control signals to plural lamps on each speaker.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the lamps are fixedly attached to the speakers.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one lamp is removably attached to the respective speaker, the lamp being removably attached in that it may be engaged and disengaged with the speaker using hand pressure without the need for a tool.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the lamps are light emitting diodes (LED).

14. The method of claim 8, comprising addressing the lamp control signals to network addresses of the respective speakers.

15. System comprising:

at least one computer memory that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one processor for;

controlling respective lamps on respective audio speakers in an audio speaker network to present a light show in synchrony with audio being played by the audio speaker network; and

presenting on a display at least one user interface (UI) comprising;

information indicating the UI pertains to the tune currently playing in the audio speaker network;

at least a first element operable to permit a user to select a particular color from a list of colors to be illuminated when a certain type of sound is played in the audio speaker network

at least a second element operable to permit a user to select the certain type of sound with which the particular color to be illuminated is associated.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions are executable to send to the lamps lamp control signals to cause the lamps to be energized and deenergized in synchrony with the a beat associated with audio played on the system.

17. The system of claim 15, comprising the speakers and plural lamps on each speaker.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the lamps are fixedly attached to the speakers.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one lamp is removably attached to the respective speaker, the lamp being removably attached in that it may be engaged and disengaged with the speaker using hand pressure without the need for a tool.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein each speaker is associated with a network address such that it may addressed separately from the other speakers in the network to energize its respective lamp independently of other lamps of other respective speakers in the network.