Updating playback device configuration information based on calibration data

• US 10,405,116 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2017
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Jarvis, Simon, Hartung, Klaus, Davies, Chris, Sheen, Tim
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Hemant S
• Application Number:
  US15/859,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20180124535A1
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 700 94
• 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/008 Visual indication of individual signal levels visual indication of stereophonic sound image H04S7/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/00 Indicating arrangements; Control arrangements, e.g. balance control
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/40 Visual indication of stereophonic sound image

Abstract

A computing device may transmit playback device configuration information to a given playback device. The computing device may then receive calibration data corresponding to each playback device of a plurality of playback devices, and receive playback device characteristic data indicating at least one playback device characteristic for each playback device of the plurality of playback devices. Based on at least the received calibration data and the received playback device characteristic data, the computing device may determine updated playback device configuration information and transmit data indicating the updated playback device configuration information to the given playback device.

Claims

1. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a computing device to perform operations comprising:

transmitting playback device configuration information to a given playback device, wherein the playback device is located in a first playback environment;

after transmitting the playback device configuration information, receiving calibration data corresponding to each playback device of a plurality of playback devices, wherein each playback device in the plurality of playback devices is located in a playback environment other than the first playback environment;

after transmitting the playback device configuration information, receiving playback device characteristic data indicating at least one playback device characteristic for each playback device of the plurality of playback devices;

based on at least the received calibration data and the received playback device characteristic data, determining updated playback device configuration information; and

transmitting data indicating the updated playback device configuration information to the given playback device.

2. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the calibration data corresponds to a respective calibration event associated with each respective playback device in the plurality of playback devices.

3. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the playback device configuration information comprises a target frequency response for the given playback device, and wherein determining updated playback device configuration information comprises updating the target frequency response.

4. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein determining the updated playback device configuration information comprises identifying an audio processing algorithm, and wherein the transmitted data indicating the updated playback device configuration information comprises the identified audio processing algorithm.

5. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

transmitting the updated playback device configuration information to each playback device in the plurality of playback devices.

6. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein determining the updated playback device configuration information is based on a particular playback device characteristic, and wherein the updated playback device configuration information is transmitted to the given playback device based on at least the given playback device having the particular playback device characteristic.

7. Tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause a playback device to perform operations comprising:

determining configuration information for the playback device;

based on the determined configuration information, calibrating the playback device;

after calibrating the playback device, transmitting calibration data to a computing device, wherein the calibration data comprises data corresponding to the calibration of the playback device, and wherein the calibration data further comprises data indicating the configuration information;

after calibrating the playback device, transmitting data to the computing device indicating at least one playback device characteristic for the playback device;

receiving, from the computing device, data indicating updated configuration information; and

applying the updated configuration information when playing back audio content.

8. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, from the computing device, a request for the calibration data.

9. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the configuration information for the playback device comprises a target frequency response curve corresponding to a model of the playback device.

10. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein transmitting data to the computing device indicating at least one playback device characteristic for the playback device comprises transmitting data to the computing device indicating at least one playback device characteristic for the playback device according to a periodic scheduling of transmitting data indicating the at least one playback device characteristic.

11. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the data indicating at least one playback device characteristic for the playback device comprises data indicating manual equalization adjustments that have been applied to the playback device.

12. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the configuration information comprises a first audio processing algorithm and wherein the updated configuration information comprises a second audio processing algorithm, and wherein the second audio processing algorithm differs from the first audio processing algorithm based at least in part on the data indicating at least one playback device characteristic for the playback device.

13. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

storing in local memory, the updated configuration information.

14. A method comprising:

determining by a playback device, configuration information for the playback device;

based on the determined configuration information, calibrating the playback device;

after calibrating the playback device, transmitting by the playback device to a computing device, calibration data comprising (i) data corresponding to the calibration of the playback device and (ii) data indicating the configuration information;

after calibrating the playback device, transmitting by the playback device to the computing device, data indicating at least one playback device characteristic for the playback device;

receiving, by the playback device from the computing device, data indicating updated configuration information; and

applying by the playback device, the updated configuration information when playing back audio content.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving, by the playback device from the computing device, a request for the calibration data.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the configuration information for the playback device comprises a target frequency response curve corresponding to a model of the playback device.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein transmitting by the playback device to the computing device, data indicating at least one playback device characteristic for the playback device comprises:

transmitting by the playback device to the computing device, data indicating at least one playback device characteristic for the playback device according to a periodic scheduling of transmitting data indicating the at least one playback device characteristic.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the data indicating at least one playback device characteristic for the playback device comprises data indicating manual equalization adjustments that have been applied to the playback device.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the configuration information comprises a first audio processing algorithm and wherein the updated configuration information comprises a second audio processing algorithm, and wherein the second audio processing algorithm differs from the first audio processing algorithm based at least in part on the data indicating at least one playback device characteristic for the playback device.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

storing in local memory, the updated configuration information.