Audio processing algorithms

• US 9,952,825 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2014
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Sheen, Timothy W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): SIEGEL, DAVID F
• Application Number:
  US14/481,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20160011846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• 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: H04S 7/307 Frequency adjustment, e.g. tone control H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

Examples described herein involve determining an audio processing algorithm for a playback device to apply when playing audio content in a playback zone. Determining the audio processing algorithm may involve causing the playback device to play a first audio signal in the playback zone, receiving data indicating a second audio signal detected by a microphone of the playback device. Based on the second audio signal and a characteristic of the playback device, an audio processing algorithm may be determined. The audio processing algorithm may be calculated, or identified in a database based on an acoustic characteristic of the playback zone. The acoustic characteristic of the playback zone may be determined based on the second audio signal and the characteristic of the playback device. The audio processing algorithm may then be applied by the playback device.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a processor; and

memory having stored thereon instructions executable by the processor to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising;

causing a first playback device to play a first audio signal in a playback zone;

causing a second playback device to play a second audio signal in the playback zone;

receiving from the first playback device, data indicating a third audio signal detected by a microphone of the first playback device, the third audio signal comprising (i) a portion corresponding to the first audio signal, and (ii) a portion corresponding to the second audio signal played by a second playback device;

based on the third audio signal and an acoustic characteristic of the first playback device, determining an audio processing algorithm; and

transmitting data indicating the determined audio processing algorithm to the first playback device to cause the first playback device to apply the determined audio processing algorithm when playing audio content in the playback zone.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein determining the audio processing algorithm further comprises:

determining one or more characteristics of the playback zone based on the third audio signal and the acoustic characteristic of the first playback device; and

selecting, from a plurality of pre-determined audio processing algorithms, a particular audio processing algorithm corresponding to the one or more characteristics of the playback zone as the audio processing algorithm.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein causing the second playback device to play the second audio signal comprises:

causing the second playback device to play the second audio signal after playback of the first audio signal by the first playback device is complete.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the first audio signal is orthogonal to the second audio signal.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the first playback device and the second playback device are in a zone group of playback devices configured to play audio content in synchrony.

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein determining the audio processing algorithm further comprises:

determining one or more characteristics of the playback zone based on the third audio signal and the acoustic characteristic of the first playback device; and

calculating the audio processing algorithm based on the one or more characteristics of the playback zone and a target audio characteristic.

3. The computing device of 1, wherein causing the second playback device to play the second audio signal comprises:

causing the second playback device to play the second audio signal in synchrony with the playback of the first audio signal by the first playback device.

8. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory having stored thereon instructions executable by one or more processors of a computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

causing a first playback device to play a first audio signal in a playback zone;

causing a second playback device to play a second audio signal in the playback zone;

receiving from the first playback device, data indicating a third audio signal detected by a microphone of the first playback device, the third audio signal comprising (i) a portion corresponding to the first audio signal, and (ii) a portion corresponding to the second audio signal played by a second playback device;

based on the third audio signal and an acoustic characteristic of the first playback device, determining an audio processing algorithm; and

transmitting data indicating the determined audio processing algorithm to the first playback device to cause the first playback device to apply the determined audio processing algorithm when playing audio content in the playback zone.

9. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 8, wherein determining the audio processing algorithm further comprises:

determining one or more characteristics of the playback zone based on the third audio signal and the acoustic characteristic of the first playback device; and

selecting, from a plurality of pre-determined audio processing algorithms, a particular audio processing algorithm corresponding to the one or more characteristics of the playback zone as the audio processing algorithm.

10. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 8, wherein causing the second playback device to play the second audio signal comprises:

causing the second playback device to play the second audio signal in synchrony with the playback of the first audio signal by the first playback device.

11. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 8, wherein causing the second playback device to play the second audio signal comprises:

causing the second playback device to play the second audio signal after playback of the first audio signal by the first playback device is complete.

12. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 8, wherein the first audio signal is orthogonal to the second audio signal.

13. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 8, wherein the first playback device and the second playback device are in a zone group of playback devices configured to play audio content in synchrony.

14. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 8, wherein determining the audio processing algorithm further comprises:

determining one or more characteristics of the playback zone based on the third audio signal and the acoustic characteristic of the first playback device; and

calculating the audio processing algorithm based on the one or more characteristics of the playback zone and a target audio characteristic.

15. A method comprising:

causing, by a computing device, a first playback device to play a first audio signal in a playback zone;

causing, by the computing device, a second playback device to play a second audio signal in the playback zone;

receiving, by the computing device from the first playback device, data indicating a third audio signal detected by a microphone of the first playback device, the third audio signal comprising (i) a portion corresponding to the first audio signal, and (ii) a portion corresponding to the second audio signal played by a second playback device;

based on the third audio signal and an acoustic characteristic of the first playback device, determining, by the computing device, an audio processing algorithm; and

transmitting, by the computing device, data indicating the determined audio processing algorithm to the first playback device to cause the first playback device to apply the determined audio processing algorithm when playing audio content in the playback zone.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining, by the computing device, one or more characteristics of the playback zone based on the third audio signal and the acoustic characteristic of the first playback device; and

selecting, by the computing device, from a plurality of pre-determined audio processing algorithms, a particular audio processing algorithm corresponding to the one or more characteristics of the playback zone as the audio processing algorithm.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein causing, by the computing device, the second playback device to play the second audio signal comprises:

causing, by the computing device, the second playback device to play the second audio signal in synchrony with the playback of the first audio signal by the first playback device.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein causing, by the computing device, the second playback device to play the second audio signal comprises:

causing, by the computing device, the second playback device to play the second audio signal after playback of the first audio signal by the first playback device is complete.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first audio signal is orthogonal to the second audio signal.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein determining, by the computing device, the audio processing algorithm further comprises:

determining, by the computing device, one or more characteristics of the playback zone based on the third audio signal and the acoustic characteristic of the first playback device; and

calculating, by the computing device, the audio processing algorithm based on the one or more characteristics of the playback zone and a target audio characteristic.