Playback based on user settings

• US 10,945,089 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2019
• Issued: 03/09/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Reilly, Jonathon, Van Erven, Niels
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Suthers, Douglas J
• Application Number:
  US16/658,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20200053504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 381 81, 381 80, 381 77, 381 17, 381 58, 381 18, 381310
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/023 Monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/80 using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
• 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 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 29/001 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: H04S 7/301 Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/302 Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation H04S7/301 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/303 Tracking of listener position or orientation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Example techniques relate to adjusting playback settings based on listener location. An example implementation involves a playback device receiving instructions to play back audio content in the first zone and first location data indicating first locations of one or more users relative to the first zone. The playback device determines that one or more location-based listener preferences are set in the media playback system and generates a sound field in the listening environment according to the location-based listener preferences and the first locations of the one or more users relative to the first zone. The playback device receives second location data indicating second locations of one or more users relative to the first zone and modifies the sound field in the listening environment according to the location-based listener preferences and the second locations of the one or more users relative to the first zone.

Claims

1. A media playback system to be operated in a listening environment, the media playback system comprising:

a first zone including a first playback device;

a second zone including a second playback device;

a network interface;

one or more location sensors;

one or more processors;

data storage storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the media playback system to perform functions comprising;

receiving, via the network interface, data representing instructions to play back audio content in the first zone;

receiving, via the one or more location sensors, first location data indicating first locations of one or more users relative to the first zone;

determining that one or more location-based listener preferences are set in the media playback system;

generating a sound field in the listening environment according to (i) the location-based listener preferences, (ii) the first locations of the one or more users relative to the first zone, and (iii) locations of the one or more users relative to the second zone, wherein generating the sound field comprises the first playback device and the second playback device rendering the audio content in synchrony;

receiving, via the one or more location sensors, second location data indicating second locations of one or more users relative to the first zone, wherein the second locations are different from the first locations; and

modifying the sound field in the listening environment according to (i) the location-based listener preferences and (ii) the second locations of the one or more users relative to the first zone.

2. The media playback system of claim 1, wherein the first zone is set to a given volume setting, and wherein generating the sound field comprises:

based on a given location-based listener preference set in the media playback system, adjusting a volume level of the first playback device from the given volume setting based on relative distances of the one or more users to the first playback device.

3. The media playback system of claim 1, wherein generating the sound field further comprises:

based on a given location-based listener preference set in the media playback system, adjusting an equalization of the second playback device to increase output in bass frequencies.

4. The media playback system of claim 1, wherein modifying the sound field in the listening environment comprises:

when the location data indicates that the one or more users are in the second zone and that the first zone excludes users, adjusting volume levels of at least one of (a) the first zone and (b) the second zone to create an omni-directional effect in the second zone.

5. The media playback system of claim 1, wherein generating the sound field comprises:

based on a given location-based listener preference set in the media playback system, increasing a volume level of the second playback device relative to the first playback device when the location data indicates that the one or more users are in the first zone and that the second zone excludes users.

6. The media playback system of claim 5, wherein generating the sound field further comprises:

based on the given location-based listener preference set in the media playback system, decreasing a volume level of the first playback device relative to the second playback device.

7. The media playback system of claim 1, wherein generating the sound field comprises generating the sound field according to a first equalization corresponding to the first locations of the one or more users relative to the first zone, and wherein modifying the sound field in the listening environment according to the location-based listener preferences comprises generating the sound field according to a second equalization corresponding to the second locations of the one or more users relative to the first zone.

8. The media playback system of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving, via the one or more location sensors, third location data indicating locations of one or more additional users relative to the first zone; and

modifying the sound field in the listening environment according to (i) the location-based listener preferences and (ii) the locations of the one or more additional users relative to the first zone.

9. The media playback system of claim 8, wherein modifying the sound field in the listening environment according to (i) the location-based listener preferences and (ii) the locations of the one or more additional users relative to the first zone comprises:

balancing the sound field among the locations of the one or more users and the locations of the one or more additional users.

10. A method to be performed by a media playback system comprising a first zone including a first playback device and a second zone including a second playback device, the method comprising:

receiving data representing instructions to play back audio content in the first zone;

receiving, via one or more location sensors, first location data indicating first locations of one or more users relative to the first zone;

determining that one or more location-based listener preferences are set in the first zone;

generating a sound field in a listening environment according to (i) the location-based listener preferences, (ii) the first locations of the one or more users relative to the first zone, and (iii) locations of the one or more users relative to the second zone, wherein generating the sound field comprises the first playback device and the second playback device rendering the audio content in synchrony;

receiving, via the one or more location sensors, second location data indicating second locations of one or more users relative to the first zone, wherein the second locations are different from the first locations; and

modifying the sound field in the listening environment according to (i) the location-based listener preferences and (ii) the second locations of the one or more users relative to the first zone.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first zone is set to a given volume setting, and wherein generating the sound field comprises:

based on a given location-based listener preference set in the media playback system, adjusting a volume level of the first playback device from the given volume setting based on relative distances of the one or more users to the first playback device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein generating the sound field further comprises:

based on a given location-based listener preference set in the media playback system, adjusting an equalization of the second playback device to increase output in bass frequencies.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein modifying the sound field in the listening environment comprises:

when the location data indicates that the one or more users are in the second zone and that the first zone excludes users, adjusting volume levels of at least one of (a) the first zone and (b) the second zone to create an omni-directional effect in the second zone.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein generating the sound field comprises:

based on a given location-based listener preference set in the media playback system, increasing a volume level of the second playback device relative to the first playback device when the location data indicates that the one or more users are in the first zone and that the second zone excludes users.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein generating the sound field further comprises:

based on the given location-based listener preference set in the media playback system, decreasing a volume level of the first playback device relative to the second playback device.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein generating the sound field comprises generating the sound field according to a first equalization corresponding to the first locations of the one or more users relative to the first zone, and wherein modifying the sound field in the listening environment according to the location-based listener preferences comprises generating the sound field according to a second equalization corresponding to the second locations of the one or more users relative to the first zone.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, via the one or more location sensors, third location data indicating locations of one or more additional users relative to the first zone; and

modifying the sound field in the listening environment according to (i) the location-based listener preferences and (ii) the locations of the one or more additional users relative to the first zone.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein modifying the sound field in the listening environment according to (i) the location-based listener preferences and (ii) the locations of the one or more additional users relative to the first zone comprises:

balancing the sound field among the locations of the one or more users and the locations of the one or more additional users.

19. A first playback device of a first zone in a media playback system, the first playback device comprising:

a network interface;

one or more location sensors;

one or more processors;

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

receiving, via the network interface, data representing instructions to play back audio content in the first zone;

receiving, via the one or more location sensors, first location data indicating first locations of one or more users relative to the first zone;

determining that one or more location-based listener preferences are set in the media playback system;

generating a sound field in a listening environment according to (i) the location-based listener preferences, (ii) the first locations of the one or more users relative to the first zone, and (iii) locations of the one or more users relative to a second zone of the media playback system, wherein generating the sound field comprises the first playback device and a second playback device of the second zone rendering the audio content in synchrony;

receiving, via the one or more location sensors, second location data indicating second locations of one or more users relative to the first zone, wherein the second locations are different from the first locations; and

modifying the sound field in the listening environment according to (i) the location-based listener preferences and (ii) the second locations of the one or more users relative to the first zone.

20. The first playback device of claim 19, wherein modifying the sound field in the listening environment comprises:

when the location data indicates that the one or more users are in the first zone and that the second zone excludes users, adjusting volume levels of at least one of (a) the first zone and (b) the second zone to create an omni-directional effect in the second zone.