Playback device setting according to threshold(s)

• US 9,516,419 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2016
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Oishi, Tetsuro, Bush, William H
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUIN, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US15/070,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20160198260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 266 Days
• Field of Search: 381/303
• 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: H04R 1/323 for loudspeakers H04R1/34 and H04R1/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/001 Adaptation of signal processing in PA systems in dependence of presence of noise
• 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 2420/03 Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/03 Synergistic effects of band splitting and sub-band processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• 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 29/002 Loudspeaker arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/007 for public address systems public address systems per se H04R27/00
• 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 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 2420/07 Synergistic effects of band splitting and sub-band processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/307 Frequency adjustment, e.g. tone control H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

Embodiments described herein involve configuring a playback device based on the detection of a barrier remaining in proximity to the playback device until a gating condition is satisfied. In an example embodiment, a playback device receives sensor data, and determines, based on the received sensor data, that a barrier has remained within a threshold proximity to the playback device for at least a threshold duration of time. In response to determining that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least the threshold duration time, a playback configuration is applied to the playback device. This playback device may adjusts audio output of the playback device at one or more frequency ranges. After applying the playback configuration, the playback device play backs audio content according to the playback configuration.

Claims

1. A playback device comprising:

one or more processors; and

tangible, computer-readable media having instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the playback device to perform a method comprising;

receiving sensor data;

determining, based on the received sensor data, that a barrier has remained within a threshold proximity to the playback device for at least a threshold duration of time;

in response to determining that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least the threshold duration of time, applying, to the playback device, a playback configuration that adjusts audio output of the playback device at one or more frequency ranges; and

causing one or more speakers to play back audio content according to the playback configuration.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein determining that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least the threshold duration of time comprises determining that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least a threshold portion of the threshold duration of time.

3. The playback device of claim 1, wherein determining that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least the threshold duration of time comprises:

detecting, within the received sensor data, first sensor data indicating that the barrier was in proximity to the playback device at a first instance;

detecting, within the received sensor data, second sensor data indicating that the barrier remained in proximity to the playback device at one or more second instances following the first instance; and

detecting, based on the second sensor data, that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least the threshold duration of time following the first instance.

4. The playback device of claim 1, wherein receiving sensor data comprises receiving audio data representing audio emitted by the one or more speakers, wherein the method further comprises:

determining, based on the received audio data, that the barrier is distorting audio output of the playback device by at least one of (a) a first distortion threshold indicating a first level of distortion or (b) a second distortion threshold indicating a second level of distortion that is higher than the first level of distortion, wherein a first time period corresponds to the first distortion threshold and a second time period that is shorter than the first time period corresponds to the second distortion threshold; and

selecting, as the threshold duration of time, one of (a) the first time period or (b) the second time period based on determining that the barrier is distorting audio output of the playback device by at least the first distortion threshold or the second distortion threshold, respectively.

5. The playback device of claim 4, wherein the method further comprises causing the one or more speakers to emit audio, and wherein receiving audio data representing audio emitted by the one or more speakers comprises one of:

receiving, via a microphone, audio data indicating that the barrier is in proximity to the playback device or receiving, via a network interface from a recording device, audio data indicating that the barrier is in proximity to the playback device.

6. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the one or more speakers are arranged to output audio in one or more output directions, wherein the playback device comprises one or more proximity sensors arranged to detect barriers in at least the one or more output directions, and wherein determining that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least the threshold duration of time comprises determining that sensor data from the one or more proximity sensors indicates that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least the threshold duration of time.

7. The playback device of claim 6, wherein the one or more speakers comprises a first speaker and a second speaker, wherein determining that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least the threshold duration of time comprises determining that sensor data from the one or more proximity sensors indicates that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the first speaker for at least the threshold duration of time, and wherein applying, to the playback device, the playback configuration that adjusts audio output of the playback device at one or more frequency range comprises applying the playback configuration to audio output by the first speaker.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, via a playback device, sensor data;

determining, based on the received sensor data, that a barrier has remained within a threshold proximity to the playback device for at least a threshold duration of time;

in response to determining that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least the threshold duration of time, applying, to the playback device, a playback configuration that adjusts audio output of the playback device at one or more frequency ranges; and

causing, via the playback device, one or more speakers to play back audio content according to the playback configuration.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least the threshold duration of time comprises determining that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least a threshold portion of the threshold duration of time.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein determining that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least the threshold duration of time comprises:

detecting, within the received sensor data, first sensor data indicating that the barrier was in proximity to the playback device at a first instance;

detecting, within the received sensor data, second sensor data indicating that the barrier remained in proximity to the playback device at one or more second instances following the first instance; and

detecting, based on the second sensor data, that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least the threshold duration of time following the first instance.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving sensor data comprises receiving audio data representing audio emitted by the one or more speakers, wherein the method further comprises:

determining, based on the received audio data, that the barrier is distorting audio output of the playback device by at least one of (a) a first distortion threshold indicating a first level of distortion or (b) a second distortion threshold indicating a second level of distortion that is higher than the first level of distortion, wherein a first time period corresponds to the first distortion threshold and a second time period that is shorter than the first time period corresponds to the second distortion threshold; and

selecting, as the threshold duration of time, one of (a) the first time period or (b) the second time period based on determining that the barrier is distorting audio output of the playback device by at least the first distortion threshold or the second distortion threshold, respectively.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises causing the one or more speakers to emit audio, and wherein receiving audio data representing audio emitted by the one or more speakers comprises one of:

receiving, via a microphone, audio data indicating that the barrier is in proximity to the playback device or receiving, via a network interface from a recording device, audio data indicating that the barrier is in proximity to the playback device.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more speakers are arranged to output audio in one or more output directions, wherein the playback device comprises one or more proximity sensors arranged to detect barriers in at least the one or more output directions, and wherein determining that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least the threshold duration of time comprises determining that sensor data from the one or more proximity sensors indicates that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least the threshold duration of time.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more speakers comprises a first speaker and a second speaker, wherein determining that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least the threshold duration of time comprises determining that sensor data from the one or more proximity sensors indicates that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the first speaker for at least the threshold duration of time, and wherein applying, to the playback device, the playback configuration that adjusts audio output of the playback device at one or more frequency range comprises applying the playback configuration to audio output by the first speaker.

15. A tangible non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including a set of instructions for execution by a processor, the set of instructions, when executed, cause a playback device to perform operations comprising:

receiving sensor data;

determining, based on the received sensor data, that a barrier has remained within a threshold proximity to the playback device for at least a threshold duration of time;

in response to determining that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least the threshold duration of time, applying, to the playback device, a playback configuration that adjusts audio output of the playback device at one or more frequency ranges; and

causing one or more speakers to play back audio content according to the playback configuration.

16. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein determining that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least the threshold duration of time comprises determining that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least a threshold portion of the threshold duration of time.

17. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein determining that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least the threshold duration of time comprises:

detecting, within the received sensor data, first sensor data indicating that the barrier was in proximity to the playback device at a first instance;

detecting, within the received sensor data, second sensor data indicating that the barrier remained in proximity to the playback device at one or more second instances following the first instance; and

detecting, based on the second sensor data, that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least the threshold duration of time following the first instance.

18. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein receiving sensor data comprises receiving audio data representing audio emitted by the one or more speakers, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining, based on the received audio data, that the barrier is distorting audio output of the playback device by at least one of (a) a first distortion threshold indicating a first level of distortion or (b) a second distortion threshold indicating a second level of distortion that is higher than the first level of distortion, wherein a first time period corresponds to the first distortion threshold and a second time period that is shorter than the first time period corresponds to the second distortion threshold; and

selecting, as the threshold duration of time, one of (a) the first time period or (b) the second time period based on determining that the barrier is distorting audio output of the playback device by at least the first distortion threshold or the second distortion threshold, respectively.

19. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise causing the one or more speakers to emit audio, and wherein receiving audio data representing audio emitted by the one or more speakers comprises one of:

receiving, via a microphone, audio data indicating that the barrier is in proximity to the playback device or receiving, via a network interface from a recording device, audio data indicating that the barrier is in proximity to the playback device.

20. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more speakers are arranged to output audio in one or more output directions, wherein the playback device comprises one or more proximity sensors arranged to detect barriers in at least the one or more output directions, and wherein determining that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least the threshold duration of time comprises determining that sensor data from the one or more proximity sensors indicates that the barrier has remained within the threshold proximity to the playback device for at least the threshold duration of time.