Playback based on acoustic signals

• US 11,122,382 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2020
• Issued: 09/14/2021
• 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): Kurr, Jason R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Suthers, Douglas J
• Application Number:
  US17/104,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20210084431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 293 Days
• Field of Search: 381 80
• 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 playback based on acoustic signals in a system including a first playback device and a second playback device. A first playback device may detect a first acoustic signal. The first playback device sends, to a network device, data corresponding to the detected first acoustic signal. The network device may generate one or more instructions based on the sent data corresponding to the detected first acoustic signal and send data representing such instructions to the first playback device. Based on the instructions, the first playback device plays back audio content. Further, the second playback device may stop playing back audio content based on further instructions.

Claims

1. A system comprising a first playback device and a second playback device, the first playback device comprising:

a microphone;

a first network interface;

at least one first processor;

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

first program instructions stored on the at least one first tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the at least one first processor, cause the first playback device to perform first functions comprising;

while the second playback device is playing back first audio content, detecting, via the microphone, a user-generated oratory signal;

sending, to a network device via the first network interface over a digital data network, data corresponding to the detected user-generated oratory signal;

receiving, via the first network interface over the digital data network, one or more first commands determined by the network device based on the sent data corresponding to the detected user-generated oratory signal; and

playing back second audio content based on the one or more first commands, and

the second playback device comprising;

a second network interface;

at least one second processor;

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

second program instructions stored on the at least one second tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the at least one second processor, cause the second playback device to perform second functions comprising;

receiving, via the second network interface over the digital data network, one or more second commands determined by the network device based on the sent data corresponding to the detected user-generated oratory signal; and

after receiving the one or more second commands, stopping the playback of the first audio content based on the one or more second commands.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first functions further comprise:

before detecting the detected user-generated oratory signal, playing back the first audio content in synchrony with the playback of the first audio content via the second playback device in a group.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein stopping the playback of the first audio content based on the one or more second commands comprises removing the second playback device from the group.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first audio content and the second audio content each comprise different respective potions of the same audio content.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first functions comprise playing back the first audio content before detecting the detected user-generated oratory signal, and wherein playing back the second audio content based on the one or more first commands comprises resuming playback of the same audio content.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second playback device comprises a microphone, and wherein the second functions further comprise:

while the second playback device is playing back the second audio content, detecting, via the microphone of the second playback device, an additional user-generated oratory signal;

sending, to the network device via the second network interface over the digital data network, data corresponding to the additional detected user-generated oratory signal;

receiving, via second network interface over the digital data network, one or more additional commands determined by the network device based on the sent data corresponding to the additional detected user-generated oratory signal; and

playing back third audio content based on the one or more additional commands.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein playing back the second audio content based on the one or more first commands comprises playing back the second audio content in synchrony with playback of the second audio content via a third playback device in a group.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third playback device, the third playback device comprising:

a third network interface;

at least one third processor;

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

third program instructions stored on the at least one third tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the at least one third processor, cause the third playback device to perform third functions comprising;

playing back the first audio content in synchrony with the playback of the first audio content in synchrony with the second playback device in a group;

receiving, via the third network interface over the digital data network, one or more third commands determined by the network device based on the sent data corresponding to the detected user-generated oratory signal; and

after receiving the one or more third commands, stopping the playback of the first audio content based on the one or more third commands.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital data network comprise a wide area network and a local area network, and wherein sending the data corresponding to the detected user-generated oratory signal comprises sending, to the network device via the first network interface over the local area network and the wide area network, the data corresponding to the detected user-generated oratory signal.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein detecting the user-generated oratory signal comprises detecting, via the microphone, acoustic wave information representing the user-generated oratory signal.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the network device comprises a controller device.

12. A system comprising a first playback device, a second playback device, and a network device, the first playback device comprising:

a microphone;

a first network interface;

at least one first processor;

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

first program instructions stored on the at least one first tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the at least one first processor, cause the first playback device to perform first functions comprising;

while the second playback device is playing back first audio content, detecting, via the microphone, a user-generated oratory signal;

sending, to the network device via the first network interface over a digital data network, data corresponding to the detected user-generated oratory signal;

receiving, via the first network interface over the digital data network, one or more first commands determined by the network device based on the sent data corresponding to the detected user-generated oratory signal; and

playing back second audio content based on the one or more first commands,

the second playback device comprising;

a second network interface;

at least one second processor;

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

second program instructions stored on the at least one second tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the at least one second processor, cause the second playback device to perform second functions comprising;

receiving, via the second network interface over the digital data network, one or more second commands determined by the network device based on the sent data corresponding to the detected user-generated oratory signal; and

after receiving the one or more second commands, stopping the playback of the first audio content based on the one or more second commands, and

the network device comprising;

a third network interface;

at least one third processor;

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

third program instructions stored on the at least one third tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the at least one third processor, cause the second playback device to perform third functions comprising;

determining the one or more first commands and one or more second commands based on the sent data corresponding to the detected user-generated oratory signal;

sending, to the first playback device via the second network interface over the digital data network, the one or more first commands; and

sending, to the second playback device via the second network interface over the digital data network, the one or more second commands.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first functions further comprise:

before detecting the user-generated oratory signal, playing back the first audio content in synchrony with the playback of the first audio content via the second playback device in a group, wherein stopping the playback of the first audio content based on the one or more second commands comprises removing the second playback device from the group.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the first audio content and the second audio content each comprise different respective potions of the same audio content.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first functions comprise playing back the first audio content before detecting the user-generated oratory signal, and wherein playing back the second audio content based on the one or more first commands comprises resuming playback of the same audio content.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the second playback device comprises a microphone, and wherein the second functions further comprise:

while the second playback device is playing back the second audio content, detecting, via the microphone of the second playback device, an additional user-generated oratory signal;

sending, to the network device via the second network interface over the digital data network, data corresponding to the additional detected user-generated oratory signal;

receiving, via second network interface over the digital data network, one or more additional commands determined by the network device based on the sent data corresponding to the additional detected user-generated oratory signal; and

playing back third audio content based on the one or more additional commands.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein playing back the second audio content based on the one or more first commands comprises playing back the second audio content in synchrony with playback of the second audio content via a third playback device in a group.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein detecting the user-generated oratory signal comprises detecting, via the microphone, acoustic wave information representing the user-generated oratory signal.

19. A system comprising a first playback device, a second playback device, and a controller device, the first playback device comprising:

a microphone;

a first network interface;

at least one first processor;

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

first program instructions stored on the at least one first tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the at least one first processor, cause the first playback device to perform first functions comprising;

while the second playback device is playing back first audio content, detecting, via the microphone, a user-generated oratory signal;

sending, to a network device via the first network interface over a digital data network, data corresponding to the detected user-generated oratory signal;

receiving, via the first network interface over the digital data network, one or more first commands determined by the network device based on the sent data corresponding to the detected user-generated oratory signal; and

playing back second audio content based on the one or more first commands,

the second playback device comprising;

a second network interface;

at least one second processor;

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

second program instructions stored on the at least one second tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the at least one second processor, cause the second playback device to perform second functions comprising;

receiving, via the second network interface over the digital data network, one or more second commands determined by the network device based on the sent data corresponding to the detected user-generated oratory signal; and

after receiving the one or more second commands, stopping the playback of the first audio content based on the one or more second commands, and

the controller device comprising;

a third network interface;

at least one third processor;

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

third program instructions stored on the at least one third tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the at least one third processor, cause the controller device to perform third functions comprising;

sending, via the third network interface to the first playback device, one or more second instructions to cease playback of the second audio content.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first functions further comprise:

before detecting the user-generated oratory signal, playing back the first audio content in synchrony with the playback of the first audio content via the second playback device in a group, wherein stopping the playback of the first audio content based on the one or more second commands comprises removing the second playback device from the group.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the first audio content and the second audio content each comprise different respective potions of the same audio content.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the first functions comprise playing back the first audio content before detecting the user-generated oratory signal, and wherein playing back the second audio content based on the one or more first commands comprises resuming playback of the same audio content.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the second playback device comprises a microphone, and wherein the second functions further comprise:

while the second playback device is playing back the second audio content, detecting, via the microphone of the second playback device, an additional user-generated oratory signal;

sending, to the network device via the second network interface over the digital data network, data corresponding to the additional detected user-generated oratory signal;

receiving, via second network interface over the digital data network, one or more additional commands determined by the network device based on the sent data corresponding to the additional detected user-generated oratory signal; and

playing back third audio content based on the one or more additional commands.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein detecting the user-generated oratory signal comprises detecting, via the microphone, acoustic wave information representing the user-generated oratory signal.

25. A system comprising a first playback device and a network device, the first playback device comprising:

a microphone;

a first network interface;

at least one first processor;

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

first program instructions stored on the at least one first tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the at least one first processor, cause the first playback device to perform first functions comprising;

while a second playback device is playing back first audio content, detecting, via the microphone, a user-generated oratory signal;

sending, to the network device via the first network interface over a digital data network, data corresponding to the detected user-generated oratory signal;

receiving, via the first network interface over the digital data network, one or more first commands determined by the network device based on the sent data corresponding to the detected user-generated oratory signal; and

playing back second audio content based on the one or more first commands, and

the network device comprising;

a second network interface;

at least one second processor;

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

second program instructions stored on the at least one second tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the at least one second processor, cause the network device to perform second functions comprising;

determining the one or more first commands based on the sent data corresponding to the detected user-generated oratory signal;

sending, to the first playback device via the second network interface over the digital data network, the one or more first commands;

determining one or more second commands based on the sent data corresponding to the detected user-generated oratory signal, the one or more second commands instructing the second playback device to stop playback of the first audio content; and

sending, to the second playback device via the second network interface over the digital data network, the one or more second commands.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the first functions further comprise:

before detecting the user-generated oratory signal, playing back the first audio content in synchrony with the playback of the first audio content via the second playback device in a group, wherein stopping the playback of the first audio content based on the one or more second commands comprises removing the second playback device from the group.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the first audio content and the second audio content each comprise different respective potions of the same audio content.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the first functions comprise playing back the first audio content before detecting the user-generated oratory signal, and wherein playing back the second audio content based on the one or more first commands comprises resuming playback of the same audio content.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the second playback device comprises a microphone, and wherein the second functions further comprise:

while the second playback device is playing back the second audio content, detecting, via the microphone of the second playback device, an additional user-generated oratory signal;

sending, to the network device via the second network interface over the digital data network, data corresponding to the additional detected user-generated oratory signal;

receiving, via second network interface over the digital data network, one or more additional commands determined by the network device based on the sent data corresponding to the additional detected user-generated oratory signal; and

playing back third audio content based on the one or more additional commands.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein detecting the user-generated oratory signal comprises detecting, via the microphone, acoustic wave information representing the user-generated oratory signal.