Conditional content enhancement

• US 9,967,689 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2016
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Kadri, Romi
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Norman
• Application Number:
  US15/280,979
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 381 77, 381 81, 381 85, 381107, 381123, 381 56, 381 58, 381119, 381300, 381303, 381 59, 381 61, 381 80, 455450, 455464, 37910101
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• 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 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

Abstract

An example playback device may identify a first version of audio content for play back from a first source, and further identify a first value of an audio characteristic of the first version of the audio content, where the playback device includes a capability corresponding to the audio characteristic. The playback device may determine that the first value of the audio characteristic of the first version of the audio content does not match the capability of the playback device. The playback device may then identify a second version of the audio content from a second source, where the second version of the audio content includes the audio characteristic having a second value that is closer to the capability of the playback device. The playback device may then cause playback of the second version of the audio content.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying, by a playback device, a first version of audio content for play back from a first source;

causing, by the playback device, playback of the first version of the audio content;

identifying, by the playback device, a first value of an audio characteristic of the first version of the audio content, wherein the playback device comprises a capability corresponding to the audio characteristic;

determining, by the playback device, that the first value of the audio characteristic of the first version of the audio content does not match the capability of the playback device;

identifying, by the playback device, a second version of the audio content from a second source, wherein the second version of the audio content includes the audio characteristic having a second value, and wherein the second value of the audio characteristic is closer to the capability of the playback device;

before causing playback of the second version of the audio content, synchronizing playback of the second version of the audio content with playback of the first version of the audio content;

causing playback of the second version of the audio content in synchrony with the first version of the audio content;

after causing playback of the second version of the audio content, reducing a playback volume of the first version of the audio content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio characteristic comprises a number of audio channels for playback, wherein the first value of the number of audio channels of the first version of the audio content is a first number, wherein the playback device is grouped in a media playback system with other playback devices such that the capability of the playback device comprises a second number of audio channels for playback, and wherein the second value of the number of audio channels for the second version of the audio content is the second number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein playing back the first version of the audio content comprises playing back the first version of the audio content before identifying the first value of the audio characteristic of the first version of the audio content.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an update to the capability of the playback device, wherein determining that the first value of the audio characteristic of the first version of the audio content does not match the capability of the playback device comprises determining that the first value of the audio characteristic of the first version of the audio content does not match the updated capability of the playback device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the playback device is a first playback device in a media playback system, wherein the audio characteristic is a number of audio channels for playback, and wherein determining the update to the capability of the first playback device comprises determining that a second playback device in the media playback system has been grouped with the first playback device for synchronous playback.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the audio characteristic comprises a sample rate, and wherein the update to the capability of the playback device comprises a change in the network bandwidth associated with the playback device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the second version of the audio content from the second source comprises searching available sources for the second version of the audio content having the second value.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the playback device is a first playback device in a media playback system, and wherein causing playback of the second version of the audio content comprises causing playback by a second playback device in the media playback system.

9. A playback device comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium that, when executed by the processor, cause the playback device to perform functions comprising;

identifying a first version of audio content for play back from a first source;

causing playback of the first version of the audio content;

identifying a first value of an audio characteristic of the first version of the audio content, wherein the playback device comprises a capability corresponding to the audio characteristic;

determining that the first value of the audio characteristic of the first version of the audio content does not match the capability of the playback device;

identifying a second version of the audio content from a second source, wherein the second version of the audio content includes the audio characteristic having a second value, and wherein the second value of the audio characteristic is closer to the capability of the playback device;

before causing playback of the second version of the audio content, synchronizing playback of the second version of the audio content with playback of the first version of the audio content;

causing playback of the second version of the audio content in synchrony with the first version of the audio content;

after causing playback of the second version of the audio content, reducing a playback volume of the first version of the audio content.

10. The playback device of claim 9, wherein the audio characteristic comprises a number of audio channels for playback, wherein the first value of the number of audio channels of the first version of the audio content is a first number, wherein the playback device is grouped in a media playback system with other playback devices such that the capability of the playback device comprises a second number of audio channels for playback, and wherein the second value of the number of audio channels for the second version of the audio content is the second number.

11. The playback device of claim 9, wherein playing back the first version of the audio content comprises playing back the first version of the audio content

before identifying the first value of the audio characteristic of the first version of the audio content.

12. The playback device of claim 9, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:

determining an update to the capability of the playback device, wherein determining that the first value of the audio characteristic of the first version of the audio content does not match the capability of the playback device comprises determining that the first value of the audio characteristic of the first version of the audio content does not match the updated capability of the playback device.

13. The playback device of claim 12, wherein the playback device is a first playback device in a media playback system, wherein the audio characteristic is a number of audio channels for playback, and wherein determining the update to the capability of the first playback device comprises determining that a second playback device in the media playback system has been grouped with the first playback device for synchronous playback.

14. The playback device of claim 12, wherein the audio characteristic comprises a sample rate, and wherein the update to the capability of the playback device comprises a change in the network bandwidth associated with the playback device.

15. The playback device of claim 9, wherein identifying the second version of the audio content from the second source comprises searching available sources for the second version of the audio content having the second value.

16. The playback device of claim 9, wherein the playback device is a first playback device in a media playback system, and wherein causing playback of the second version of the audio content comprises causing playback by a second playback device in the media playback system.

17. The playback device of claim 9, wherein identifying the first value for the audio characteristic of the first version of the audio content comprises sampling the first version of the audio content.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for causing a playback device to perform functions comprising:

identifying a first version of audio content for play back from a first source;

causing playback of the first version of the audio content;

identifying a first value of an audio characteristic of the first version of the audio content, wherein the playback device comprises a capability corresponding to the audio characteristic;

determining that the first value of the audio characteristic of the first version of the audio content does not match the capability of the playback device;

identifying a second version of the audio content from a second source, wherein the second version of the audio content includes the audio characteristic having a second value, and wherein the second value of the audio characteristic is closer to the capability of the playback device;

before causing playback of the second version of the audio content, synchronizing playback of the second version of the audio content with playback of the first version of the audio content;

causing playback of the second version of the audio content in synchrony with the first version of the audio content;

after causing playback of the second version of the audio content, reducing a playback volume of the first version of the audio content.