Concurrent multi-loudspeaker calibration

• US 10,129,674 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2018
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Sheen, Timothy, Ramos, Aurelio
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thang V
• Application Number:
  US15/909,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20180192216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 257 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/20 Automatic control H03G3/005 takes precedence; combined with volume compression or expansion H03G7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 5/005 of digital signals
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 5/16 Automatic control
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 5/165 Equalizers; Volume or gain control in limited frequency bands
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/22 for obtaining desired frequency characteristic only circuit for combining transducers having different responses H04R3/00; for hearing aids H04R25/407
• 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: H04R 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/008 Visual indication of individual signal levels visual indication of stereophonic sound image H04S7/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• 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 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone

Abstract

Examples involve calibration of a synchronous playback group. In an example implementation, a first playback device forms a synchronous playback group with a second playback device. While part of the synchronous playback group, the first playback device receives a command to repeatedly emit a calibration sound according to a sequence for duration of time. Based on the command, the first playback device emits the calibration sound contemporaneously with emission of the calibration sound by the second playback device. Emission of the calibration sound by the first playback device and emission of the calibration sound by the second playback device are staggered such that each emitted calibration sound is delayed relative to a preceding emitted calibration sound. After the duration of time, the first playback device receives data indicating audio processing coefficients and applies the audio processing coefficients when playing back audio content in the synchronous playback group.

Claims

1. A first playback device comprising:

one or more processors;

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

forming a synchronous playback group with at least a second playback device;

while part of the synchronous playback group, receiving a command to repeatedly emit a calibration sound according to a sequence for a duration of time, wherein the sequence comprises the calibration sound cycling through frequencies of a calibration frequency range, and wherein the command instructs each playback device of the synchronous playback group to emit the calibration sound;

based on the command, emitting the calibration sound contemporaneously with emission of the calibration sound by at least the second playback device, wherein emission of the calibration sound by the first playback device and emission of the calibration sound by the second playback device are staggered such that each emitted calibration sound is delayed relative to a preceding emitted calibration sound;

after the duration of time, receiving data indicating audio processing coefficients; and

applying the audio processing coefficients to audio content when playing back the audio content as part of the synchronous playback group.

2. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the duration of time is proportional to a number of playback devices in the synchronous playback group.

3. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the calibration sound comprises (i) a first component that includes noise frequencies between a minimum of the calibration frequency range and a first threshold frequency, and (ii) a second component that sweeps through frequencies between a second threshold frequency and a maximum of the calibration frequency range.

4. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the calibration sound comprises a baseline tone that covers frequencies of the calibration frequency range within a given duration, and wherein the functions further comprise:

selecting, as the calibration sound, a particular calibration sound that is substantially proportional in duration to a product of the given duration of the baseline tone and a number of playback devices in the synchronous playback group.

5. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the calibration sound comprises a baseline tone that covers frequencies of the calibration frequency range within a given duration, and wherein the delay of each emitted calibration sound relative to preceding emitted calibration sounds is based on the given duration of the baseline tone, and wherein the command to emit the calibration sound further indicates the delay.

6. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the calibration frequency range is inclusive of frequencies from 20-20,000 Hertz.

7. The first playback device of claim 1, wherein receiving the command to repeatedly emit the calibration sound according to the sequence for the duration of time comprises receiving the command from a controller device configured to control playback of audio content by the first playback device.

8. The first playback device of claim 7, wherein receiving data indicating audio processing coefficients comprising receiving the data indicating the audio processing coefficients from the controller device.

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

forming a synchronous playback group with at least a second playback device;

while part of the synchronous playback group, receiving a command to repeatedly emit a calibration sound according to a sequence for a duration of time, wherein the sequence comprises the calibration sound cycling through frequencies of a calibration frequency range, and wherein the command instructs each playback device of the synchronous playback group to emit the calibration sound;

based on the command, emitting the calibration sound contemporaneously with emission of the calibration sound by at least the second playback device, wherein emission of the calibration sound by the first playback device and emission of the calibration sound by the second playback device are staggered such that each emitted calibration sound is delayed relative to a preceding emitted calibration sound;

after the duration of time, receiving data indicating audio processing coefficients; and

applying the audio processing coefficients to audio content when playing back the audio content as part of the synchronous playback group.

10. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the duration of time is proportional to a number of playback devices in the synchronous playback group.

11. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the calibration sound comprises (i) a first component that includes noise frequencies between a minimum of the calibration frequency range and a first threshold frequency, and (ii) a second component that sweeps through frequencies between a second threshold frequency and a maximum of the calibration frequency range.

12. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the calibration sound comprises a baseline tone that covers frequencies of the calibration frequency range within a given duration, and wherein the functions further comprise:

selecting, as the calibration sound, a particular calibration sound that is substantially proportional in duration to a product of the given duration of the baseline tone and a number of playback devices in the synchronous playback group.

13. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the calibration sound comprises a baseline tone that covers frequencies of the calibration frequency range within a given duration, and wherein the delay of each emitted calibration sound relative to preceding emitted calibration sounds is based on the given duration of the baseline tone, and wherein the command to emit the calibration sound further indicates the delay.

14. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the calibration frequency range is inclusive of frequencies from 20-20,000 Hertz.

15. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein receiving the command to repeatedly emit the calibration sound according to the sequence for the duration of time comprises receiving the command from a controller device configured to control playback of audio content by the first playback device, and wherein receiving data indicating audio processing coefficients comprising receiving the data indicating the audio processing coefficients from the controller device.

16. A method comprising:

forming, via a first playback device, a synchronous playback group with at least a second playback device;

while part of the synchronous playback group, receiving, via the first playback device, a command to repeatedly emit a calibration sound according to a sequence for a duration of time, wherein the sequence comprises the calibration sound cycling through frequencies of a calibration frequency range, and wherein the command instructs each playback device of the synchronous playback group to emit the calibration sound;

based on the command, emitting, via the first playback device, the calibration sound contemporaneously with emission of the calibration sound by at least the second playback device, wherein emission of the calibration sound by the first playback device and emission of the calibration sound by the second playback device are staggered such that each emitted calibration sound is delayed relative to a preceding emitted calibration sound;

after the duration of time, receiving, via the first playback device, data indicating audio processing coefficients; and

applying, via the first playback device, the audio processing coefficients to audio content when playing back the audio content as part of the synchronous playback group.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the calibration sound comprises (i) a first component that includes noise frequencies between a minimum of the calibration frequency range and a first threshold frequency, and (ii) a second component that sweeps through frequencies between a second threshold frequency and a maximum of the calibration frequency range.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the calibration sound comprises a baseline tone that covers frequencies of the calibration frequency range within a given duration, and wherein the method further comprises:

selecting, as the calibration sound, a particular calibration sound that is substantially proportional in duration to a product of the given duration of the baseline tone and a number of playback devices in the synchronous playback group.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the calibration sound comprises a baseline tone that covers frequencies of the calibration frequency range within a given duration, and wherein the delay of each emitted calibration sound relative to preceding emitted calibration sounds is based on the given duration of the baseline tone, and wherein the command to emit the calibration sound further indicates the delay.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving the command to repeatedly emit the calibration sound according to the sequence for the duration of time comprises receiving the command from a controller device configured to control playback of audio content by the first playback device, and wherein receiving data indicating audio processing coefficients comprising receiving the data indicating the audio processing coefficients from the controller device.