Audio output balancing

• US 9,794,707 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2016
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Ramos, Aurelio Rafael
• Primary Examiner(s): Edun, Muhammad N
• Application Number:
  US15/343,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20170055091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 348 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/001 Digital control of analog signals
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 7/002 in untuned or low-frequency amplifiers, e.g. audio amplifiers H03G7/007, H03G7/001, H03G7/008, H03G7/02, H03G7/06 take precedence
• 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 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• 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 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 3/14 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 1/007 in which the audio signals are in digital form data reduction aspects thereof based on psychoacoustics G10L19/02
• 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 7/307 Frequency adjustment, e.g. tone control H04S7/301 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/308 Electronic adaptation dependent on speaker or headphone connection

Abstract

Systems and methods 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, determining a first limiting result by applying to a second audio signal a limiting function associated with a second playback device, determining a limiting function based on the first limiting result, and configuring the first playback device to apply the determined limiting function when playing the first audio signal. 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:

one or more processors; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first playback device to perform functions comprising;

receiving audio content to be played back by the first playback device and a second playback device in synchrony, wherein the audio content comprises a first component to be played by the first playback device and a second component to be played by the second playback device;

generating a limited second component by applying, to the second component, a first volume-limiting function that is associated with the second playback device; and

transmitting the limited second component to the second playback device for playback.

2. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

prior to receiving the audio content, receiving a command to form a bonded zone with the second playback device.

3. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

identifying, in memory storage, the first volume-limiting function that is associated with the second playback device.

4. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving, from the second playback device, the first volume-limiting function that is associated with the second playback device.

5. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the audio content comprises stereo audio content, wherein the first component of the audio content is a left channel component of the audio content, and the second component of the audio content is a right channel component of the audio content.

6. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the first component of the audio content comprises audio content in a first frequency range, and the second component of the audio content comprises audio content in a second frequency range that is different from the first frequency range.

7. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining a second volume-limiting function based on the limited second component; and

applying the second volume-limiting function to the first component when playing the first component in synchrony with the playback of the limited second component by the second playback device.

8. The first playback device of claim 7, wherein determining the second volume-limiting function based on the limited second component comprises:

determining a limiting result that represents playback of the second component by the second playback device based on applying the first volume-limiting function to the second component; and

determining the second volume-limiting function based on the limiting result.

9. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a first playback device to perform functions comprising:

receiving audio content to be played back by the first playback device and a second playback device in synchrony, wherein the audio content comprises a first component to be played by the first playback device and a second component to be played by the second playback device;

generating a limited second component by applying to the second component a first volume-limiting function that is associated with the second playback device; and

transmitting the limited second component to the second playback device for playback.

10. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 9, wherein the functions further comprise:

prior to receiving the audio content, receiving a command to form a bonded zone with the second playback device.

11. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 9, wherein the functions further comprise:

identifying in memory storage, the first volume-limiting function that is associated with the second playback device.

12. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 9, wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving from the second playback device, the first volume-limiting function that is associated with the second playback device.

13. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 9, wherein the audio content comprises stereo audio content, wherein the first component of the audio content is a left channel component of the audio content, and the second component of the audio content is a right channel component of the audio content.

14. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 9, wherein the first component of the audio content comprises audio content in a first frequency range, and the second component of the audio content comprises audio content in a second frequency range that is different from the first frequency range.

15. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 9, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining a second volume-limiting function based on the limited second component; and

applying the second volume-limiting function to the first component when playing the first component in synchrony with the playback of the limited second component by the second playback device.

16. A method comprising:

receiving by a first playback device, audio content to be played back by the first playback device and a second playback device in synchrony, wherein the audio content comprises a first component to be played by the first playback device and a second component to be played by the second playback device;

generating by the first playback device, a limited second component by applying to the second component a first volume-limiting function that is associated with the second playback device; and

transmitting by the first playback device the limited second component to the second playback device for playback.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

prior to receiving the audio content, receiving a command to form a bonded zone with the second playback device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the audio content comprises stereo audio content, wherein the first component of the audio content is a left channel component of the audio content, and the second component of the audio content is a right channel component of the audio content.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first component of the audio content comprises audio content in a first frequency range, and the second component of the audio content comprises audio content in a second frequency range that is different from the first frequency range.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining a second volume-limiting function based on the limited second component; and

applying the second volume-limiting function to the first component when playing the first component in synchrony with the playback of the limited second component by the second playback device.