Multi-Channel Playback of Audio Content

• US 20160157016A1
• Filed: 12/01/2014
• Published: 06/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Chamness, Mike, Ramos, Aurelio Rafael, Sheen, Timothy, Lehnert, Hilmar
• Granted Patent: US 9,973,851 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/403 loud-speakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/403 Linear arrays of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2203/12 Beamforming aspects for stereophonic sound reproduction with loudspeaker arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/024 Positioning of loudspeaker enclosures for spatial sound reproduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/002 Non-adaptive circuits, e.g. manually adjustable or static, for enhancing the sound image or the spatial distribution control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field H04S7/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/002 Non-adaptive circuits, e.g. manually adjustable or static, for enhancing the sound image or the spatial distribution control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field H04S7/30

Abstract

An example method is performed by a media playback system comprising a plurality of audio drivers having a first radiation pattern. The method includes receiving data representing audio content, where each datum of the data indicates (i) a frequency and (ii) an amplitude corresponding to the frequency. The method further includes, for each audio driver of the plurality of audio drivers, determining a transfer function; processing each datum of the data based on (i) the frequency indicated by the given datum and (ii) the determined transfer function; and providing, to the given audio driver, a respective signal representing the data processed for the given audio driver, thereby causing the plurality of audio drivers to play back the audio content according to a second radiation pattern that is different from the first radiation pattern. An example media playback system and an example non-transitory computer-readable medium related to the example method is also disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A media playback system comprising:

a processor;

a plurality of audio drivers having a first radiation pattern; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the media playback system to perform functions comprising;

receiving data representing audio content, wherein each datum of the data indicates (i) a frequency and (ii) an amplitude corresponding to the frequency; and

for each audio driver of the plurality of audio drivers;

determining a transfer function;

processing each datum of the data based on (i) the frequency indicated by the given datum and (ii) the determined transfer function; and

providing, to the given audio driver, a respective signal representing the data processed for the given audio driver,

thereby causing the plurality of audio drivers to play back the audio content according to a second radiation pattern that is different from the first radiation pattern.

2. The media playback system of claim 1, wherein determining the transfer function comprises determining the transfer function based on one or more of (i) a radiation pattern of one or more of the plurality of audio drivers, (ii) an orientation of one or more of the plurality of audio drivers with respect to the media playback system, (iii) a position of one or more of the plurality of audio drivers with respect to the media playback system, and (iv) one or more characteristics of an environment of the media playback system.

3. The media playback system of claim 1,

wherein the determined transfer function is a frequency-dependent transfer function, and

wherein processing each datum comprises using the determined transfer function to determine a new amplitude corresponding to the given datum.

4. The media playback system of claim 1,

wherein the determined transfer function is a frequency-dependent transfer function, and

wherein processing each datum comprises using the determined transfer function to determine a phase offset corresponding to the given datum.

5. The media playback system of claim 1, wherein processing each datum for each audio driver of the plurality of audio drivers comprises using a different frequency-dependent transfer function to process the data for each audio driver of the plurality of audio drivers.

6. The media playback system of claim 1, wherein providing the respective signal for each audio driver comprises, based on the data processed for the given audio driver, providing an analog signal to input terminals of the given audio driver.

7. The media playback system of claim 1, wherein the media playback system is a first playback device, and wherein the received data correspond to a first channel of the audio content, the functions further comprising:

receiving a command to play back the first channel of the audio content; and

performing the functions of claim 1 based on receiving the command, wherein the respective signal representing the data processed for the given audio driver corresponds to the first channel of the audio content.

8. The media playback system of claim 7, the functions further comprising causing the plurality of audio drivers to play back the first channel of the audio content in synchrony with a second playback device playing back a second channel of the audio content.

9. The media playback system of claim 1, wherein the received data is first received data corresponding to a first channel of a plurality of channels of the audio content, the functions further comprising:

receiving a command to play back a monaural channel of the audio content;

based on receiving the command, receiving second data corresponding to the monaural channel of the audio content; and

based on the received second data, providing to the plurality of audio drivers additional respective signals, wherein the additional respective signals each represent the monaural channel of the audio content.

10. The media playback system of claim 1, wherein the media playback system is a first playback device that is included in a bonded zone with a second playback device, and wherein the received data is first received data corresponding to a first channel of a plurality of channels of the audio content, the functions further comprising:

receiving a command to leave the bonded zone;

based on receiving the command, receiving second data corresponding to a monaural channel of the audio content; and

based on the received second data, providing to the plurality of audio drivers additional respective signals, wherein the additional respective signals each represent the monaural channel of the audio content.

11. The media playback system of claim 1, wherein the received data is first received data, the functions further comprising:

receiving second data from a sensor, wherein the received second data indicates one or more characteristics of an environment of the media playback system; and

processing each datum for each audio driver based on the received second data.

12. The media playback system of claim 11, the functions further comprising:

playing back the audio content prior to processing any of the received first data;

continuing to play back the audio content while processing the received first data; and

providing, to the plurality of audio drivers, respective signals representing the processed data, thereby modifying the play back of the audio content based on the one or more characteristics of the environment.

13. The media playback system of claim 11, wherein the media playback system is a playback device, wherein the sensor is a proximity sensor, and wherein the received second data indicates a location of the playback device relative to an additional playback device.

14. The media playback system of claim 11, wherein the sensor is an accelerometer, and wherein the received second data indicates an orientation of the media playback system.

15. The media playback system of claim 1, the functions further comprising:

generating, via at least one of the plurality of audio drivers, an outgoing sound wave that propagates through an environment of the media playback system;

detecting an incoming sound wave generated by the outgoing sound wave reflecting from one or more objects of the environment; and

processing each datum for each audio driver based on the detected incoming sound wave.

16. The media playback system of claim 1, wherein the media playback system further comprises:

a first playback device; and

a second playback device comprising at least one of the plurality of audio drivers,

wherein processing each datum of the data for each audio driver comprises processing each datum of the data for each audio driver by the first playback device.

17. A method performed by a media playback system comprising a plurality of audio drivers having a first radiation pattern, the method comprising:

receiving data representing audio content, wherein each datum of the data indicates (i) a frequency and (ii) an amplitude corresponding to the frequency; and

for each audio driver of the plurality of audio drivers;

determining a transfer function;

processing each datum of the data based on (i) the frequency indicated by the given datum and (ii) the determined transfer function; and

providing, to the given audio driver, a respective signal representing the data processed for the given audio driver,

thereby causing the plurality of audio drivers to play back the audio content according to a second radiation pattern that is different from the first radiation pattern.

18. The method of claim 17,

wherein the determined transfer function is a frequency-dependent transfer function, and

wherein processing each datum comprises using the determined transfer function to determine a new amplitude corresponding to the given datum.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a media playback system cause the media playback system to perform functions comprising:

receiving data representing audio content, wherein each datum of the data indicates (i) a frequency and (ii) an amplitude corresponding to the frequency, wherein the media playback system comprises a plurality of audio drivers having a first radiation pattern; and

for each audio driver of the plurality of audio drivers;

determining a transfer function;

processing each datum of the data based on (i) the frequency indicated by the given datum and (ii) the determined transfer function; and

providing, to the given audio driver, a respective signal representing the data processed for the given audio driver,

thereby causing the plurality of audio drivers to play back the audio content according to a second radiation pattern that is different from the first radiation pattern.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19,

wherein the determined transfer function is a frequency-dependent transfer function, and

wherein processing each datum comprises using the determined transfer function to determine a new amplitude corresponding to the given datum.