Calibration using multiple recording devices

• US 10,841,719 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2019
• Issued: 11/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Hartung, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US16/556,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20190387338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 381 58, 381 51, 381 98
• 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 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: H04S 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone

Abstract

Example techniques may involve calibration with multiple recording devices. An implementation may include a mobile device receiving data indicating that a calibration sequence for multiple playback devices has been initiated in a venue. The mobile device displays a prompt to include the first mobile device in the calibration sequence for the multiple playback devices and a particular selectable control that, when selected, includes the first mobile device in the calibration sequence. During the calibration sequence, the mobile device records calibration audio as played back by the multiple playback devices and transmits data representing the recorded calibration audio to a computing device. The computing device determines a calibration for the multiple playback devices in the venue based on the data representing the calibration audio recorded by the first mobile device and data representing calibration audio recorded by second mobile devices while the multiple playback devices played back the calibration audio.

Claims

1. A method to be performed by a first mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving data indicating that a calibration sequence for multiple playback devices has been initiated, wherein each playback device of the multiple playback devices comprises one or more respective processors, one or more respective audio transducers, and one or more respective amplifiers configured to drive the one or more respective audio transducers, and wherein the multiple playback devices are located in a venue;

based on receiving the data indicating that the calibration sequence for the multiple playback devices has been initiated, displaying, via a controller interface on a graphical display of the first mobile device, (i) a prompt to include the first mobile device in the calibration sequence for the multiple playback devices and (ii) a particular selectable control that, when selected, includes the first mobile device in the calibration sequence;

based on detecting selection of the particular selectable control, during the calibration sequence, recording, via a microphone of the first mobile device, at least a portion of calibration audio as played back by the multiple playback devices; and

transmitting, via a network interface of the first mobile device, data representing the recorded calibration audio to a computing device, wherein the computing device determines a calibration for the multiple playback devices in the venue based on (i) the data representing the calibration audio recorded by the first mobile device and (ii) data representing calibration audio recorded by one or more second mobile devices while the multiple playback devices played back the calibration audio.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a first response, the first response indicating an acoustic response of the venue to the calibration audio as detected by the microphone of the first mobile device, wherein transmitting the data representing the recorded calibration audio comprises transmitting data representing the determined first response.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting movement of the first mobile device relative to the venue during the calibration sequence; and

normalizing the first response to the detected movement of the first mobile device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein detecting movement of the first mobile device relative to the venue during the calibration sequence comprises determining signals representing respective propagation delays between the multiple playback devices and the first mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the data indicating that the calibration sequence for multiple playback devices has been initiated comprises receiving, via the network interface of the first mobile device from the computing device, one or more messages indicating that the calibration sequence has been initiated.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the data indicating that the calibration sequence for multiple playback devices has been initiated comprises detecting, via the microphone of the first mobile device, audio data representing an audio signal indicating that the calibration sequence for multiple playback devices has been initiated.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based on detecting selection of the particular selectable control, sending, via the network interface of the first mobile device to the computing device, one or more messages indicating that the first mobile device is included in the calibration sequence.

8. A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a first mobile device to cause the first mobile device to perform functions comprising:

receiving data indicating that a calibration sequence for multiple playback devices has been initiated, wherein each playback device of the multiple playback devices comprises one or more respective processors, one or more respective audio transducers, and one or more respective amplifiers configured to drive the one or more respective audio transducers, and wherein the multiple playback devices are located in a venue;

based on receiving the data indicating that the calibration sequence for the multiple playback devices has been initiated, displaying, via a controller interface on a graphical display of the first mobile device, (i) a prompt to include the first mobile device in the calibration sequence for the multiple playback devices and (ii) a particular selectable control that, when selected, includes the first mobile device in the calibration sequence;

based on detecting selection of the particular selectable control, during the calibration sequence, recording, via a microphone of the first mobile device, at least a portion of calibration audio as played back by the multiple playback devices; and

transmitting, via a network interface of the first mobile device, data representing the recorded calibration audio to a computing device, wherein the computing device determines a calibration for the multiple playback devices in the venue based on (i) the data representing the calibration audio recorded by the first mobile device and (ii) data representing calibration audio recorded by one or more second mobile devices while the multiple playback devices played back the calibration audio.

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

determining a first response, the first response indicating an acoustic response of the venue to the calibration audio as detected by the microphone of the first mobile device, wherein transmitting the data representing the recorded calibration audio comprises transmitting data representing the determined first response.

10. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the functions further comprise:

detecting movement of the first mobile device relative to the venue during the calibration sequence; and

normalizing the first response to the detected movement of the first mobile device.

11. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein detecting movement of the first mobile device relative to the venue during the calibration sequence comprises determining signals representing respective propagation delays between the multiple playback devices and the first mobile device.

12. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein receiving the data indicating that the calibration sequence for multiple playback devices has been initiated comprises receiving, via the network interface of the first mobile device from the computing device, one or more messages indicating that the calibration sequence has been initiated.

13. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein receiving the data indicating that the calibration sequence for multiple playback devices has been initiated comprises detecting, via the microphone of the first mobile device, audio data representing an audio signal indicating that the calibration sequence for multiple playback devices has been initiated.

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

based on detecting selection of the particular selectable control, sending, via the network interface of the first mobile device to the computing device, one or more messages indicating that the first mobile device is included in the calibration sequence.

15. A first mobile device comprising:

a graphical display;

a network interface;

one or more processors; and

data storage storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the first mobile device to perform functions comprising;

receiving data indicating that a calibration sequence for multiple playback devices has been initiated, wherein each playback device of the multiple playback devices comprises one or more respective processors, one or more respective audio transducers, and one or more respective amplifiers configured to drive the one or more respective audio transducers, and wherein the multiple playback devices are located in a venue;

based on receiving the data indicating that the calibration sequence for the multiple playback devices has been initiated, displaying, via a controller interface on the graphical display of the first mobile device, (i) a prompt to include the first mobile device in the calibration sequence for the multiple playback devices and (ii) a particular selectable control that, when selected, includes the first mobile device in the calibration sequence;

based on detecting selection of the particular selectable control, during the calibration sequence, recording, via a microphone of the first mobile device, at least a portion of calibration audio as played back by the multiple playback devices; and

transmitting, via the network interface of the first mobile device, data representing the recorded calibration audio to a computing device, wherein the computing device determines a calibration for the multiple playback devices in the venue based on (i) the data representing the calibration audio recorded by the first mobile device and (ii) data representing calibration audio recorded by one or more second mobile devices while the multiple playback devices played back the calibration audio.

16. The first mobile device of claim 15, wherein the functions further comprise:

determining a first response, the first response indicating an acoustic response of the venue to the calibration audio as detected by the microphone of the first mobile device, wherein transmitting the data representing the recorded calibration audio comprises transmitting data representing the determined first response.

17. The first mobile device of claim 16, wherein the functions further comprise:

detecting movement of the first mobile device relative to the venue during the calibration sequence; and

normalizing the first response to the detected movement of the first mobile device.

18. The first mobile device of claim 17, wherein detecting movement of the first mobile device relative to the venue during the calibration sequence comprises determining signals representing respective propagation delays between the multiple playback devices and the first mobile device.

19. The first mobile device of claim 15, wherein receiving the data indicating that the calibration sequence for multiple playback devices has been initiated comprises receiving, via the network interface of the first mobile device from the computing device, one or more messages indicating that the calibration sequence has been initiated.

20. The first mobile device of claim 15, wherein receiving the data indicating that the calibration sequence for multiple playback devices has been initiated comprises detecting, via the microphone of the first mobile device, audio data representing an audio signal indicating that the calibration sequence for multiple playback devices has been initiated.