Audio processing algorithms

• US 11,029,917 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2020
• Issued: 06/08/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Sheen, Timothy W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siegel, David
• Application Number:
  US16/827,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20200356337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• 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 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: H04S 7/307 Frequency adjustment, e.g. tone control H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

An example implementation involves a computing device transmitting, via a local area network, a command that instructs a playback device to play a particular audio signal. The example implementation also involves the computing device receiving data indicating a detected audio signal corresponding to playback of the particular audio signal by the playback device, where the detected audio signal includes a portion of the particular audio signal. The implementation further involves the computing device obtaining data indicating a predetermined audio characteristic and determining an audio processing algorithm based on the detected audio signal and the predetermined audio characteristic. The example implementation involves causing the playback device to apply the determined audio processing algorithm when playing audio via at least one speaker.

Claims

1. A playback device comprising:

a network interface;

an audio stage comprising an amplifier;

one or more processors; and

a housing, the housing carrying at least the network interface, the audio stage, the one or more processors, and data storage having stored therein instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the playback device to perform functions comprising;

calibrating the playback device, wherein calibrating the playback device comprises;

determining that the playback device is in a particular type of zone;

querying, via the network interface, a database of pre-determined calibrations for a particular pre-determined calibration, the particular pre-determined calibration offsetting acoustic characteristics of a model zone that simulates the particular type of zone, wherein the model zone is based on additional zones corresponding to the particular type of zone, wherein the model zone includes one or more known materials having a given reflectivity characteristic, and wherein the database is hosted by one or more servers remote from the playback device;

applying the particular pre-determined calibration to the audio stage of the playback device; and

playing back first audio via the calibrated audio stage and one or more speakers.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device comprises a microphone, and wherein determining that the playback device is in the particular type of zone comprises:

playing back second audio via the audio stage and one or more speakers;

while playing back the second audio, recording, via the microphone, audio in an environment around the playback device; and

determining that the playback device is in the particular type of zone based on the recorded audio.

3. The playback device of claim 1, wherein determining that the playback device is in the particular type of zone comprises receiving, via the network interface from a control device, data representing the particular type of zone, wherein the data is based on user input at the control device indicating the particular type of zone.

4. The playback device of claim 1, wherein determining that the playback device is in the particular type of zone comprises receiving, via the network interface from a control device, data representing the particular type of zone, wherein the data is based on user input at the control device indicating the particular type of zone.

5. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the model zone has known dimensions, and wherein the particular pre-determined calibration offsets acoustic characteristics of the model zone having known dimensions and including the one or more known materials having the given reflectivity characteristic.

6. The playback device of claim 1, wherein determining that the playback device is in the particular type of zone comprises accessing, from the data storage, a model of the playback device, wherein playback devices of that model are configured to be positioned in the particular type of zone;

and wherein querying the database of pre-determined calibrations for the particular pre-determined calibration comprises querying the database using the model of the playback device to retrieve the particular pre-determined calibration.

7. The playback device of claim 1, wherein calibration using the database of pre-determined calibrations is a first type of calibration, wherein the particular pre-determined calibration is based on audio processing algorithms determined from multiple calibrations of a second type performed in respective zones to approximate the model zone, and wherein the second type of calibration configured to offset acoustic characteristics of a particular zone in which the playback device is located.

8. The playback device of claim 1, wherein calibration using the database of pre-determined calibrations is a first type of calibration, and wherein the functions further comprise:

after calibrating the playback device with the first type of calibration, receiving an instruction to calibrate the playback device with a second type of calibration;

based on the instruction to calibrate the playback device with the second type of calibration, calibrating the playback device with the second type of calibration, wherein calibrating the playback device with the second first type of calibration comprises;

outputting calibration audio via the audio stage and the one or more speakers while a microphone records the calibration audio output;

determining a particular calibration of the second type, the particular calibration of the second type based on the recorded calibration audio output such that the particular calibration of the second type offsets acoustic characteristics of the particular zone in which the playback device is located when applied to the audio stage of the playback device; and

applying the particular calibration of the second type to the audio stage of the playback device in place of the particular pre-determined calibration of the first type.

9. A method to be performed by a playback device, the method comprising:

calibrating the playback device, wherein calibrating the playback device comprises;

determining that the playback device is in a particular type of zone;

querying, via a network interface of the playback device, a database of pre-determined calibrations for a particular pre-determined calibration, the particular pre-determined calibration offsetting acoustic characteristics of a model zone that simulates the particular type of zone, wherein the model zone is based on additional zones corresponding to the particular type of zone, wherein the model zone includes one or more known materials having a given reflectivity characteristic, and wherein the database is hosted by one or more servers remote from the playback device;

applying the particular pre-determined calibration to an audio stage of the playback device; and

playing back first audio via the calibrated audio stage and one or more speakers.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the playback device comprises a microphone, and wherein determining that the playback device is in the particular type of zone comprises:

playing back second audio via the audio stage and one or more speakers;

while playing back the second audio, recording, via the microphone, audio in an environment around the playback device; and

determining that the playback device is in the particular type of zone based on the recorded audio.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein determining that the playback device is in the particular type of zone comprises receiving, via the network interface from a control device, data representing the particular type of zone, wherein the data is based on user input at the control device indicating the particular type of zone.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein determining that the playback device is in the particular type of zone comprises receiving, via the network interface from a control device, data representing the particular type of zone, wherein the data is based on user input at the control device indicating the particular type of zone.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the model zone has known dimensions, and wherein the particular pre-determined calibration offsets acoustic characteristics of the model zone having known dimensions and including the one or more known materials having the given reflectivity characteristic.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein determining that the playback device is in the particular type of zone comprises accessing a model of the playback device, wherein playback devices of that model are configured to be positioned in the particular type of zone;

and wherein querying the database of pre-determined calibrations for the particular pre-determined calibration comprises querying the database using the model of the playback device to retrieve the particular pre-determined calibration.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein calibration using the database of pre-determined calibrations is a first type of calibration, wherein the particular pre-determined calibration is based on audio processing algorithms determined from multiple calibrations of a second type performed in respective zones to approximate the model zone, and wherein the second type of calibration configured to offset acoustic characteristics of a particular zone in which the playback device is located.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein calibration using the database of pre-determined calibrations is a first type of calibration, and wherein the method further comprises:

after calibrating the playback device with the first type of calibration, receiving an instruction to calibrate the playback device with a second type of calibration;

based on the instruction to calibrate the playback device with the second type of calibration, calibrating the playback device with the second type of calibration, wherein calibrating the playback device with the second first type of calibration comprises;

outputting calibration audio via the audio stage and the one or more speakers while a microphone records the calibration audio output;

determining a particular calibration of the second type, the particular calibration of the second type based on the recorded calibration audio output such that the particular calibration of the second type offsets acoustic characteristics of the particular zone in which the playback device is located when applied to the audio stage of the playback device; and

applying the particular calibration of the second type to the audio stage of the playback device in place of the particular pre-determined calibration of the first type.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a processor of a playback device to cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:

calibrating the playback device, wherein calibrating the playback device comprises;

determining that the playback device is in a particular type of zone;

querying, via a network interface of the playback device, a database of pre-determined calibrations for a particular pre-determined calibration, the particular pre-determined calibration offsetting acoustic characteristics of a model zone that simulates the particular type of zone, wherein the model zone is based on additional zones corresponding to the particular type of zone, wherein the model zone includes one or more known materials having a given reflectivity characteristic, and wherein the database is hosted by one or more servers remote from the playback device;

applying the particular pre-determined calibration to an audio stage of the playback device; and

playing back first audio via the calibrated audio stage and one or more speakers.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the playback device comprises a microphone, and wherein determining that the playback device is in the particular type of zone comprises:

playing back second audio via the audio stage and one or more speakers;

while playing back the second audio, recording, via the microphone, audio in an environment around the playback device; and

determining that the playback device is in the particular type of zone based on the recorded audio.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein determining that the playback device is in the particular type of zone comprises receiving, via the network interface from a control device, data representing the particular type of zone, wherein the data is based on user input at the control device indicating the particular type of zone.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein determining that the playback device is in the particular type of zone comprises receiving, via the network interface from a control device, data representing the particular type of zone, wherein the data is based on user input at the control device indicating the particular type of zone.