Calibration based on audio content

• US 11,006,232 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2020
• Issued: 05/11/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Hartung, Klaus, Wilberding, Dayn
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thang V
• Application Number:
  US17/129,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20210112354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 141 Days
• 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: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
• 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 7/305 Electronic adaptation of stereophonic audio signals to reverberation of the listening space H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

An example playback device is configured to (i) receive, via a network interface, data representing a command to play back audio content, where the audio content is a first type of audio content, (ii) during playback of the first type of audio content via an audio amplifier configured to drive a speaker, apply a first calibration and a second calibration to playback by the playback device, where the first calibration at least partially offsets one or more acoustic characteristics of an environment surrounding the playback device when applied to playback by the playback device, and where the second calibration corresponds to the first type of audio content, and (iii) during playback of a second type of audio content via the audio amplifier configured to drive the speaker, apply a third calibration to playback by the playback device, where the third calibration corresponds to the second type of audio content.

Claims

1. A system comprising a playback device, the playback device comprising:

a network interface;

an audio amplifier configured to drive a speaker;

at least one processor;

non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to;

receive, via the network interface, data representing a command to play back audio content, wherein the audio content is a first type of audio content;

during playback of the first type of audio content via the audio amplifier configured to drive the speaker, apply a first calibration and a second calibration to playback by the playback device, wherein the first calibration at least partially offsets one or more acoustic characteristics of an environment surrounding the playback device when applied to playback by the playback device, and wherein the second calibration corresponds to the first type of audio content; and

during playback of a second type of audio content via the audio amplifier configured to drive the speaker, apply a third calibration to playback by the playback device, wherein the third calibration corresponds to the second type of audio content.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to apply the third calibration to playback by the playback device comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:

detect that the second type of audio content is to be played back; and

responsive to the detection that the second type of audio content is to be played back, apply the third calibration to playback by the playback device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first type of audio content corresponds to audio content from a first source, and wherein the second type of audio content corresponds to audio content from a second source.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first type of audio content corresponds to voice, and wherein the second type of audio content corresponds to music.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a server, the server comprising:

an additional network interface;

at least one additional processor;

additional non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

additional program instructions stored on the additional non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one additional processor such that the server is configured to;

stream, via the additional network interface, the second type of audio content to the playback device.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a control device, the control device comprising:

an additional network interface;

at least one additional processor;

additional non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

additional instructions stored in the additional non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one additional processor such that the control device is configured to;

receive input data representing a user-defined equalization setting; and

send, via the additional network interface to the playback device, data representing the user-defined equalization setting; and

wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to apply the third calibration to playback by the playback device comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to;

receive, via the network interface, the data representing the user-defined equalization setting; and

while playing back the second type of audio content via the audio amplifier configured to drive the speaker, apply the third calibration and the user-defined equalization setting to playback by the playback device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more acoustic characteristics of the environment surrounding the playback device comprise background noise in the environment.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein applying the third calibration to playback by the playback device comprises applying neither the first calibration nor the second calibration to playback by the playback device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to receive, via the network interface, data representing the command to play back audio content comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to receive, via the network interface from a control device, the data representing the command to play back audio content.

10. A playback device comprising:

a network interface;

an audio amplifier configured to drive a speaker;

at least one processor;

non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to;

receive, via the network interface, data representing a command to play back audio content, wherein the audio content is a first type of audio content;

during playback of the first type of audio content via the audio amplifier configured to drive the speaker, apply a first calibration and a second calibration to playback by the playback device, wherein the first calibration at least partially offsets one or more acoustic characteristics of an environment surrounding the playback device when applied to playback by the playback device, and wherein the second calibration corresponds to the first type of audio content; and

during playback of a second type of audio content via the audio amplifier configured to drive the speaker, apply a third calibration to playback by the playback device, wherein the third calibration corresponds to the second type of audio content.

11. The playback device of claim 10, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to apply the third calibration to playback by the playback device comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:

detect that the second type of audio content is to be played back; and

responsive to the detection that the second type of audio content is to be played back, apply the third calibration to playback by the playback device.

12. The playback device of claim 10, wherein the first type of audio content corresponds to audio content from a first source, and wherein the second type of audio content corresponds to audio content from a second source.

13. The playback device of claim 10, wherein the first type of audio content corresponds to voice, and wherein the second type of audio content corresponds to music.

14. The playback device of claim 10, further comprising program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:

stream, via the network interface, the second type of audio content from a content server.

15. The playback device of claim 10, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to apply the third calibration to playback by the playback device comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:

receive, via the network interface, data representing a user-defined equalization setting, wherein the user-defined equalization setting was set via a control interface on a mobile device; and

while playing back the second type of audio content via the audio amplifier configured to drive the speaker, apply the third calibration and the user-defined equalization setting to playback by the playback device.

16. The playback device of claim 10, wherein the one or more acoustic characteristics of the environment surrounding the playback device comprise background noise in the environment.

17. The playback device of claim 10, wherein applying the third calibration to playback by the playback device comprises applying neither the first calibration nor the second calibration to playback by the playback device.

18. The playback device of claim 10, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to receive, via the network interface, data representing the command to play back audio content comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to receive, via the network interface from a control device, the data representing the command to play back audio content.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a playback device to:

receive, via a network interface, data representing a command to play back audio content, wherein the audio content is a first type of audio content;

during playback of the first type of audio content via an audio amplifier configured to drive a speaker, apply a first calibration and a second calibration to playback by the playback device, wherein the first calibration at least partially offsets one or more acoustic characteristics of an environment surrounding the playback device when applied to playback by the playback device, and wherein the second calibration corresponds to the first type of audio content; and

during playback of a second type of audio content via the audio amplifier configured to drive the speaker, apply a third calibration to playback by the playback device, wherein the third calibration corresponds to the second type of audio content.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the playback device to apply the third calibration to playback by the playback device comprise program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the playback device to:

detect that the second type of audio content is to be played back; and

responsive to the detection that the second type of audio content is to be played back, apply the third calibration to playback by the playback device.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the first type of audio content corresponds to audio content from a first source, and wherein the second type of audio content corresponds to audio content from a second source.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the first type of audio content corresponds to voice, and wherein the second type of audio content corresponds to music.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the playback device to apply the third calibration to playback by the playback device comprise program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the playback device to:

receive, via the network interface, data representing a user-defined equalization setting, wherein the user-defined equalization setting was set via a control interface on a mobile device; and

while playing back the second type of audio content via the audio amplifier configured to drive the speaker, apply the third calibration and the user-defined equalization setting to playback by the playback device.

24. A system comprising a playback device and a server;

wherein the playback device comprises;

a first network interface;

an audio amplifier configured to drive a speaker;

at least one first processor;

at least one first non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the at least one first non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one first processor such that the playback device is configured to;

receive, via the first network interface, data representing a command to play back audio content, wherein the audio content is a first type of audio content;

during playback of the first type of audio content via the audio amplifier configured to drive the speaker, apply a first calibration and a second calibration to playback by the playback device, wherein the first calibration at least partially offsets one or more acoustic characteristics of an environment surrounding the playback device when applied to playback by the playback device, and wherein the second calibration corresponds to the first type of audio content; and

during playback of a second type of audio content via the audio amplifier configured to drive the speaker, apply a third calibration to playback by the playback device, wherein the third calibration corresponds to the second type of audio content; and

wherein the server comprises;

a second network interface;

at least one second processor;

at least one second non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the at least one second non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one second processor such that the server is configured to;

send, via the second network interface to the playback device, data representing the second type of audio content.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the system further comprises a control device, the control device comprising:

a third network interface;

at least one third processor;

at least one third non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the at least one third non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one third processor such that the control device is configured to;

send, via the second network interface to the playback device, data representing one or more instructions to play the second type of audio content.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising program instructions stored on the at least one third non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one third processor such that the control device is configured to:

display an indication of metadata associated with the second type of audio content.

27. The system of claim 24, further comprising program instructions stored on the at least one second non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one second processor such that the server is configured to:

send, via the second network interface to the playback device, data representing one or more instructions to play the first type of audio content.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the first type of audio content corresponds to audio content from a first source, and wherein the second type of audio content corresponds to audio content from a second source.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the first type of audio content corresponds to voice, and wherein the second type of audio content corresponds to music.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the one or more acoustic characteristics of the environment surrounding the playback device comprise background noise in the environment.