Audio processing algorithm database

• US 10,127,008 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2016
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Sheen, Timothy W., Jarvis, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): SIEGEL, DAVID F
• Application Number:
  US15/357,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20170068510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• 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 maintaining a database of audio processing algorithms. Maintaining the database may involve generating or updating audio processing algorithm entries. In one example, generating an audio processing algorithm may involve a computing device causing a playback device to play a first audio signal in a playback zone, receiving (i) data indicating one or more characteristics of a playback zone, and (ii) data indicating a second audio signal detected by a microphone of the playback device in the playback zone. Based on the second audio signal and a characteristic of the playback device, an audio processing algorithm may be determined. The an association between the determined audio processing algorithm at least one of the one or more characteristics of the playback zone may be stored in the database.

Claims

1. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving data indicating a first audio signal detected by a microphone of a first playback device while the first playback device is playing a second audio signal in a first playback zone;

based on the first audio signal and a characteristic of the first playback device, determining an acoustic characteristic of the first playback zone by removing the characteristic of the first playback device from the first audio signal;

based on the determined acoustic characteristic of the first playback zone and a predetermined audio characteristic, determining an audio processing algorithm that, when applied to audio output of a given playback device in a given playback zone that has the acoustic characteristic of the first playback zone, adjusts the audio output of the given playback device in the given playback zone to have the predetermined audio characteristic; and

causing an association between the determined audio processing algorithm and the determined acoustic characteristic of the first playback zone to be stored in a database.

2. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

causing the first playback device to apply the determined audio processing algorithm when playing audio content in the first playback zone to output a third audio signal having the predetermined audio characteristic.

3. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the audio processing algorithm is a first audio processing algorithm, and wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving data indicating a third audio signal detected by a microphone of a second playback device while the second playback device is playing a fourth audio signal in a second playback zone;

based on the third audio signal and a characteristic of the second playback device, determining an acoustic characteristic of the second playback zone by removing the characteristic of the second playback device from the fourth audio signal;

based on the acoustic characteristic of the second playback zone and the predetermined audio characteristic, determining a second audio processing algorithm that, when applied to audio output of a given playback device in a given playback zone that has the acoustic characteristic of the second playback zone, adjusts the audio output of the given playback device in the given playback zone to have the predetermined audio characteristic; and

causing to be stored in a database, an association between the determined second audio processing algorithm and the determined acoustic characteristic of the second playback zone.

4. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 3, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining that the acoustic characteristic of the second playback zone is the same as the acoustic characteristic of the first playback zone;

responsively, determining a third audio processing algorithm based on the first audio processing algorithm and the second audio processing algorithm; and

causing to be stored in the database, an association between the third audio processing algorithm and the acoustic characteristic of the first playback zone.

5. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

prior to receiving data indicating the first audio signal detected by the microphone of the first playback device, causing the first playback device to play the second audio signal.

6. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving data indicating one or more characteristics of the first playback zone, wherein the one or more characteristics of the first playback zone comprises one or more of;

(a) a dimension of the first playback zone, (b) an audio reflectivity characteristic of the first playback zone (c) an intended use of the first playback zone, (d) a number of furnishings in the first playback zone, (e) size of furniture in the first playback zone, and (f) types of furnishings in the first playback zone; and

causing to be stored in the database, an association between the one or more characteristics of the first playback zone and the audio processing algorithm.

7. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving data indicating an acoustic characteristic of a second playback zone;

identifying, in the database, an audio processing algorithm for the second playback zone based on a match between the acoustic characteristic of the second playback zone and the first acoustic characteristic of the first playback zone; and

transmitting data indicating the audio processing algorithm to a second playback device of the second playback zone.

19. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein determining the acoustic characteristic of the first playback zone comprises removing a characteristic of the microphone from the first audio signal to determine the acoustic characteristic of the first playback zone.

8. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving (i) data indicating one or more characteristics of a first playback zone, and (ii) data indicating a first audio signal detected by a microphone of a first playback device while the first playback device is playing a second audio signal in the first playback zone;

based on the first audio signal and a characteristic of the first playback device, determining an acoustic characteristic of the first playback zone by removing the characteristic of the first playback device from the first audio signal;

based on the determined acoustic characteristic of the first playback zone and a predetermined audio characteristic, determining an audio processing algorithm that, when applied to audio output of a given playback device in a given playback zone that has the acoustic characteristic of the first playback zone, adjusts the audio output of the given playback device in the given playback zone to have the predetermined audio characteristic; and

causing to be stored in a database, an association between the determined audio processing algorithm and at least one of the one or more characteristics of the first playback zone.

9. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the one or more characteristics of the first playback zone comprises one or more of the following:

(a) a dimension of the first playback zone, (b) an audio reflectivity characteristic of the first playback zone (c) an intended use of the first playback zone, (d) a number of furnishings in the first playback zone, (e) size of furniture in the first playback zone, (f) types of furnishings in the first playback zone, and (g) an acoustic characteristic of the first playback zone.

10. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the audio processing algorithm is a first audio processing algorithm, and wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving (i) data indicating one or more characteristics of a second playback zone, and (ii) data indicating a third audio signal detected by a microphone of a second playback device while the second playback device is playing a fourth audio signal in the second playback zone;

based on the first audio signal and a characteristic of the second playback device, determining an acoustic characteristic of the second playback zone by removing the characteristic of the second playback device from the first audio signal;

based on the determined acoustic characteristic of the first playback zone and the predetermined audio characteristic, determining a second audio processing algorithm that, when applied to audio output of a given playback device in a given playback zone that has the acoustic characteristic of the second playback zone, adjusts the audio output of the given playback device in the given playback zone to have the predetermined audio characteristic; and

causing an association between the determined second audio processing algorithm and at least one of the one or more characteristics of the second playback zone to be stored in the database.

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

determining that at least one of the one or more characteristics of the second playback zone is the same as the at least one of the one or more characteristics of the first playback zone;

responsively, determining a third audio processing algorithm based on the first audio processing algorithm and the second audio processing algorithm; and

causing to be stored in the database, an association between the third audio processing algorithm and the at least one of the one or more characteristics of the first playback zone.

12. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, and wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving data indicating an acoustic characteristic of a second playback zone;

identifying, in the database, an audio processing algorithm for the second playback zone based on a match between the acoustic characteristic of the second playback zone and the first acoustic characteristic of the first playback zone; and

transmitting data indicating the audio processing algorithm to a second playback device of the second playback zone.

20. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein determining the acoustic characteristic of the first playback zone comprises removing a characteristic of the microphone from the first audio signal to determine the acoustic characteristic of the first playback zone.

13. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a computing device to perform functions comprising:

maintaining a database of (i) a plurality of audio processing algorithms and (ii) a plurality of playback zone characteristics, wherein each audio processing algorithm of the plurality of audio processing algorithms corresponds to at least one playback zone characteristic of the plurality of playback zone characteristics, and wherein application of a given audio processing algorithm in the database to a first playback zone modifies playback of audio content in the first playback zone having at least one corresponding playback zone characteristic to have a predetermined acoustic characteristic;

receiving data indicating one or more characteristics of a second playback zone of a playback device;

based on the data, identifying, in the database, an audio processing algorithm corresponding to the one or more characteristics of the second playback zone; and

transmitting to the playback device, data indicating the identified audio processing algorithm to cause the playback device in the second playback zone to apply the identified audio processing algorithm when playing audio content in the second playback zone such that playback of audio content in the second playback zone has the same predetermined acoustic characteristic.

14. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the data indicating one or more characteristics of the second playback zone comprises data indicating an audio signal detected by a microphone of the playback device in the second playback zone.

15. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein identifying in the database, the audio processing algorithm, further comprises:

determining an acoustic characteristic of the second playback zone based on the detected audio signal and a characteristic of the playback device; and

identifying in the database, an audio processing algorithm based on the determined acoustic characteristic of the second playback zone.

16. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the predetermined acoustic characteristic comprises a particular audio equalization.

17. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the data indicating one or more characteristics of the second playback zone is received from a network device configured for controlling the playback device.

18. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the one or more characteristics of the second playback zone of the playback device comprises one or more of the following:

(a) a dimension of the second playback zone, (b) an audio reflectivity characteristic of the second playback zone (c) an intended use of the second playback zone, (d) a number of furniture in the second playback zone, (e) size of furniture in the second playback zone, (f) types of furniture in the second playback zone, and (g) an acoustic characteristic of the second playback zone.