Networked speaker system with LED-based wireless communication and personal identifier

• US 9,924,286 B1
• Filed: 10/20/2016
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Milne, James R., Carlsson, Gregory Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Cors, Nathan
• Application Number:
  US15/298,649
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/024 Positioning of loudspeaker enclosures for spatial sound reproduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/07 Use of position data from wide-area or local-area positioning systems in hearing devices, e.g. program or information selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
• 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 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/303 Tracking of listener position or orientation

Abstract

A networked speaker system communicates using Li-Fi. The LEDs implementing the Li-Fi may also have modes in which they are used to map the walls of a room in which the speakers are located, detect the locations of speakers in the room, and detect and classify listeners in the room. Based on this, waveform analysis may be applied to input audio to establish equalization and delays that are optimal for the room geometry, speaker locations, and listener locations.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

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

control at least a first light emitting diode (LED) associated with at least a first audio speaker assembly to communicate at least a first message with at least a second audio speaker assembly; and

control the first LED to emit a detection signal detectable by at least one receiver configured to provide an indication of the detection signal to at least one processor which is programmed for determining, based on the indication including a time of receipt of the detection signal, a first location in an enclosure in which the first audio speaker is located;

based on the first location, establish at least one audio setting of at least one audio speaker;

determine plural time differences between respective times of receipt of plural received returns from respective returns of respective detection signals, and respective transmission times of the respective detection signals;

correlate the plural time differences to corresponding distances;

determine that first ones of the plural received returns have amplitudes satisfying a threshold;

determine that second ones of the plural received returns have amplitudes not satisfying the threshold;

based at least in part on the second ones of the plural received returns not having amplitudes satisfying the threshold, output the first location based on at least one of the plural distances associated with the second ones of the plural received returns; and

based at least in part on the first ones of the plural received returns having amplitudes satisfying the threshold, not output the first location.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is integral to the first audio speaker assembly.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is disposed in a module separate from the first audio speaker assembly and associated with the first audio speaker assembly.

4. The device of claim 1, comprising the processor.

5. The device of claim 1, comprising the first LED.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to:

based at least in part on the first location, establish at least one setting of at least one of the audio speakers.

7. A method, comprising:

using at least a first light emitter to communicate with a receiver using a bidirectional wireless communication technology comprising plural light emitting diodes (LEDs) to establish light-based communication using communication symbols;

using an amplitude of a return of at least one emission from the first light emitter and at least a time of receipt of the return to determine a first location in an enclosure in which the light emitter is located;

based at least in part on the first location, establishing at least one setting of at least one speaker to establish a speaker configuration that directs sound at the first location;

determining plural time differences between respective times of receipt of plural received returns from respective return locations of respective detection signals, and respective transmission times of the respective detection signals;

correlating the plural time differences to corresponding distances;

determining that first ones of the plural received returns have amplitudes satisfying a threshold;

determining that second ones of the plural received returns have amplitudes not satisfying the threshold;

based at least in part on the first ones of the plural received returns having amplitudes satisfying the threshold, not outputting the first location; and

based at least in part on the second ones of the plural received returns not having amplitudes satisfying the threshold, outputting the first location.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising using the first light emitter to communicate with at least one speaker in a network of speakers.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising outputting an identity of a thing at the first location in the enclosure.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising integrating the first light emitter into the second speaker.

11. The method of claim 9, comprising integrating the first light emitter into a module separate from and configured for association with the second speaker.

12. A system, comprising:

plural audio speakers at least some of which are associated with respective light emitting diode (LED)-based assemblies for communicating data between at least some of the audio speakers; and

at least one processor configured for;

determining, using times of receipt of reflections of signals from at least a first one of the assemblies, a first location of at least one first object in an enclosure in which at least some of the audio speakers are located;

based at least in part on the first location, establishing at least one setting of at least one of the audio speakers;

identifying plural time differences between respective times of receipt of plural received returns from respective return locations of respective detection signals, and respective transmission times of the respective detection signals;

obtaining distances from the plural time differences;

identifying that first ones of the plural received returns have amplitudes satisfying a threshold;

identifying that second ones of the plural received returns have amplitudes not satisfying the threshold;

based at least in part on the first ones of the plural received returns having amplitudes satisfying the threshold, not outputting the first location; and

based at least in part on the second ones of the plural received returns not having amplitudes satisfying the threshold, outputting the first location.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is integral to at least one of the audio speakers.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is disposed in a module separate from the audio speakers and associable with at least a first one of the audio speakers.

15. The system of claim 12, comprising plural light receivers and plural light emitting diodes (LED) establishing the assemblies.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured with instructions executable to:

output an identity of the first object at the first location.