Intelligently increasing the sound level of player

• US 9,729,115 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2012
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Kallai, Christopher, Chamness, Mike, Ericson, Michael Darrell Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Saunders, Jr., Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOONEY, JAMES K
• Application Number:
  US13/458,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20130287228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,929 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/10 having semiconductor devices
• 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: H04R 3/14 Cross-over networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/00 Stereophonic arrangements stereophonic pick-ups H04R9/16, H04R11/12, H04R17/08, H04R19/10

Abstract

Techniques for optimizing a player based on the addition of a second player are disclosed. In an embodiment, when a first player no longer needs to play certain audio frequencies due to the addition of a second player, the gain of the first player is automatically increased as part of the setup process. In another embodiment, when a first player needs to play certain audio frequencies, for example due to the removal of a second player, the gain of the first player is automatically decreased. Many other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a first playback device via a wireless network, a first audio signal, while the first playback device is in a first grouping configuration;

after receiving the first audio signal, amplifying, by the first playback device according to a gain parameter, the first audio signal to be reproduced by at least one speaker of the first playback device while the first playback device is in the first grouping configuration, wherein the first audio signal is associated with a first plurality of audio channels;

adjusting, by the first playback device, the first grouping configuration of the first playback device to form a second grouping configuration with a second playback device;

receiving, by the first playback device via the wireless network, a second audio signal, wherein the second audio signal defines a range of frequencies;

determining that the second audio signal is associated with a second plurality of audio channels comprising a low frequency audio channel;

in response to the determination that the second audio signal is associated with the second plurality of audio channels comprising the low frequency audio channel, determining, by the first playback device based on the second grouping configuration, that (a) no more than a portion of the range of audio frequencies is to be reproduced by the at least one speaker of the first playback device and (b) an increase in sound pressure level (SPL) is allowed for the portion of the range of audio frequencies to be reproduced by the at least one speaker of the first playback device;

automatically increasing, by the first playback device, the gain parameter to a higher gain parameter in the second grouping configuration; and

amplifying, by the playback device according to the higher gain parameter, the portion of the second audio signal including the range of audio frequencies to be reproduced by the at least one speaker of the first playback device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining, by the first playback device in real-time, the higher gain parameter based on the portion of the range of audio frequencies to be reproduced by the at least one speaker.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the higher gain parameter is defined prior to the determination that no more than the portion of the range of audio frequencies is to be reproduced by the at least one speaker.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying, by the first playback device, a signal processing filter to the second audio signal so that no more than the portion of the range of the audio frequencies is to be reproduced by the at least one speaker.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving, by the first playback device from the controller device via the wireless network, a signal indicating that a different player is to augment the reproduction of the range of audio frequencies.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the determination that no more than the portion of the range of audio frequencies is to be reproduced by the at least one speaker comprises determining that a different player is to augment the reproduction of the range of audio frequencies.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first grouping configuration comprises the first playback device being configured as a full-range player.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first playback device and second playback device are stereo paired in the second grouping configuration.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating, by the first playback device, a state variable which indicates that the first playback device is paired with the second playback device in the second grouping configuration.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first grouping configuration comprises a first plurality of playback devices located in a first plurality of zones and the second grouping configuration comprises a second plurality of playback devices located in a second plurality of zones.

11. A computer readable storage medium including instructions for execution by a processor, the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to implement a method comprising:

receiving, by a first playback device via a wireless network, a first audio signal, while the first playback device is in a first grouping configuration;

after receiving the first audio signal, amplifying, by the first playback device according to a gain parameter, the first audio signal to be reproduced by at least one speaker of the first playback device while the first playback device is in the first grouping configuration, wherein the first audio signal is associated with a first plurality of audio channels;

adjusting, by the first playback device, the first grouping configuration of the first playback device to form a second grouping configuration with a second playback device;

receiving, by the first playback device via the wireless network, a second audio signal, wherein the second audio signal defines a range of frequencies;

determining that the second audio signal is associated with a second plurality of audio channels comprising a low frequency audio channel,

in response to the determination that the second audio signal is associated with the second plurality of audio channels comprising the low frequency audio channel, determining, by the first playback device based on the second grouping configuration, that (a) no more than a portion of the range of audio frequencies is to be reproduced by the at least one speaker of the first playback device and (b) an increase in sound pressure level (SPL) is allowed for the portion of the range of audio frequencies to be reproduced by the at least one speaker of the first playback device;

automatically increasing, by the first playback device, the gain parameter to a higher gain parameter in the second grouping configuration; and

amplifying, by the playback device according to the higher gain parameter, the portion of the second audio signal including the range of audio frequencies to be reproduced by the at least one speaker of the first playback device.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, the method further comprising determining, by the first playback device, in real-time the higher gain parameter based on the portion of the range of audio frequencies to be reproduced by the at least one speaker.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the higher gain parameter is defined prior to the determination that no more than the portion of the range of audio frequencies it to be reproduced by the at least one speaker.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, the method further comprising applying, by the first playback device, a signal processing filter to the second audio signal so that no more than the portion of the range of the audio frequencies is to be reproduced by the at least one speaker.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, the method further comprising receiving, by the first playback device from the controller device via the wireless network, a signal indicating that a different player is to augment the reproduction of the range of audio frequencies.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the different player comprises a subwoofer.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the determination that no more than the portion of the range of audio frequencies is to be reproduced by the at least one speaker comprises determining that a different player is to augment the reproduction of the range of audio frequencies.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the first grouping configuration comprises the first playback device being configured as a full-range player.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the first playback device and second playback device are stereo paired in the second grouping configuration.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, the method further comprising updating, by the first playback device, a state variable which indicates that the first playback device is paired with the second playback device in the second grouping configuration.

21. A first playback device comprising:

an amplifier for receiving a first audio signal and amplifying, according to a gain parameter, the first audio signal to be reproduced by at least one speaker of the first playback device while the first playback device is in a first grouping configuration, wherein the first audio signal is associated with a first plurality of audio channels; and

a processor for (i)

adjusting, by the first playback device, the first grouping configuration of the first playback device to form a second grouping configuration with a second playback device;

(ii) receiving, by the first playback device, a second audio signal, wherein the second audio signal defines a range of frequencies;

(iii) determining that the second audio signal is associated with a second plurality of audio channels comprising a low frequency audio channel, (iv) in response to the determination that the second audio signal is associated with the second plurality of audio channels comprising the low frequency audio channel, (v) automatically determining, by the first playback device based on the second grouping configuration, that (a) no more than a portion of the range of audio frequencies is to be reproduced by the at least one speaker of the first playback device and (b) an increase in sound pressure level (SPL) is allowed for the portion of the range of audio frequencies to be reproduced by the at least one speaker of the first playback device; and

(vi) automatically increasing, by the playback device, the gain parameter to a higher gain parameter in the second grouping configuration;

wherein the amplifier amplifies, according to the higher gain parameter, the portion of the range of audio frequencies to be reproduced by the at least one speaker of the first playback device.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein the processor makes the determination that no more than the portion of the range of audio frequencies is to be reproduced by the at least one speaker.

23. The device of claim 21 wherein the processor applies a signal processing filter to the second audio signal so that no more than the portion of the range of the audio frequencies is to be reproduced by the at least one speaker.

24. The device of claim 21, wherein the higher gain parameter is defined prior to the determination that no more than the portion of the range of audio frequencies is to be reproduced by the at least one speaker.

25. The device of claim 21, wherein the first grouping configuration comprises the first playback device being configured as a full-range player.

26. The device of claim 21, wherein the first playback device and second playback device are stereo paired in the second grouping configuration.

27. The device of claim 21, wherein the processor is further arranged to update, by the first playback device, a state variable which indicates that the first playback device is paired with the second playback device in the second grouping configuration.