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US-12621619-B2 - Playback device configuration

US12621619B2US 12621619 B2US12621619 B2US 12621619B2US-12621619-B2

Abstract

Examples described herein involve configuring a playback device based on distortion, such as that caused by a barrier. One implementation may involve causing the playback device to play audio content according to an existing playback configuration, determining an existing frequency response of the playback device in a given system, and determining whether a difference between the existing frequency response of the playback device in the given system and a predetermined frequency response for the playback device is greater than a predetermined distortion threshold. If it is determined that the difference between the existing frequency response of the playback device and the predetermined frequency response for the playback device is greater than the predetermined distortion threshold, then the existing playback configuration of the playback device is changed to an updated playback configuration of the playback device and the playback device plays audio content according to the updated playback configuration.

Inventors

  • Tetsuro Oishi
  • William H. Bush

Assignees

  • SONOS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20240517

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A playback device comprising: at least one first audio transducer; at least one second audio transducer; at least one processor; at least one sensor; a housing carrying the at least one sensor, the at least one first audio transducer, the at least one second audio transducer, and the at least one processor; and at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: set a first playback configuration for the playback device, wherein, when the first playback configuration is set, the at least one first audio transducer is configured to reproduce one or more first audio channels and the at least one second audio transducer is configured to reproduce one or more second audio channels; play back first audio via the at least one first audio transducer and the at least one second audio transducer according to the first playback configuration; detect, via the at least one sensor, an impairment to the at least one first audio transducer; based on detection of the impairment: (i) disable the at least one first audio transducer and (ii) set a second playback configuration in place of the first playback configuration, when the second playback configuration is set, the at least one second audio transducer is configured to reproduce the one or more first audio channels and the one or more second audio channels; and play back second audio via the at least one second audio transducer according to the second playback configuration.
  2. 2 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a proximity sensor, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to detect the impairment to the at least one first audio transducer comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: detect, via the proximity sensor, the impairment within a threshold proximity to the at least one first audio transducer.
  3. 3 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one microphone, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to detect the impairment to the at least one first audio transducer comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: capture, via the at least one microphone, data representing output by the at least one first audio transducer; and determine that the captured data represents a change to the output of the at least one first audio transducer corresponding to the impairment.
  4. 4 . The playback device of claim 3 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to determine that the captured data represents the change to the output of the at least one first audio transducer corresponding to the impairment comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: determine that the captured data indicates that the output of the at least one first audio transducer is being distorted by more than a threshold.
  5. 5 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: detect that the impairment to the at least one first audio transducer has been removed; and based on detection that the impairment to the at least one first audio transducer has been removed: (i) re-enable the at least one first audio transducer and (ii) set the first playback configuration in place of the second playback configuration.
  6. 6 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one second audio transducer comprises multiple second audio transducers, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to play back the second audio via the at least one second audio transducer according to the second playback configuration comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: during playback of the second audio via the at least one second audio transducer according to the second playback configuration, reproduce the one or more first audio channels and the one or more second audio channels via the multiple second audio transducers.
  7. 7 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to play back the second audio via the at least one second audio transducer according to the second playback configuration comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to: play back the second audio via the at least one second audio transducer according to the second playback configuration in synchrony with playback of additional audio content by at least one additional playback device.
  8. 8 . A media playback system comprising: one or more playback devices comprising at least one first audio transducer and at least one second audio transducer; at least one processor; at least one sensor; and at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the media playback system is configured to: set a first playback configuration for the one or more playback devices, wherein, when the first playback configuration is set, the at least one first audio transducer is configured to reproduce one or more first audio channels and the at least one second audio transducer is configured to reproduce one or more second audio channels; play back first audio via the at least one first audio transducer and the at least one second audio transducer according to the first playback configuration; detect, via the at least one sensor, an impairment to the at least one first audio transducer; based on detection of the impairment: (i) disable the at least one first audio transducer and (ii) set a second playback configuration in place of the first playback configuration, when the second playback configuration is set, the at least one second audio transducer is configured to reproduce the one or more first audio channels and the one or more second audio channels; and play back second audio via the at least one second audio transducer according to the second playback configuration.
  9. 9 . The media playback system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a proximity sensor, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the media playback system is configured to detect the impairment to the at least one first audio transducer comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the media playback system is configured to: detect, via the proximity sensor, the impairment within a threshold proximity to the at least one first audio transducer.
  10. 10 . The media playback system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one microphone, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the media playback system is configured to detect the impairment to the at least one first audio transducer comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the media playback system is configured to: capture, via the at least one microphone, data representing output by the at least one first audio transducer; and determine that the captured data represents a change to the output of the at least one first audio transducer corresponding to the impairment.
  11. 11 . The media playback system of claim 10 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the media playback system is configured to determine that the captured data represents the change to the output of the at least one first audio transducer corresponding to the impairment comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the media playback system is configured to: determine that the captured data indicates that the output of the at least one first audio transducer is being distorted by more than a threshold.
  12. 12 . The media playback system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the media playback system is configured to: detect that the impairment to the at least one first audio transducer has been removed; and based on detection that the impairment to the at least one first audio transducer has been removed: (i) re-enable the at least one first audio transducer and (ii) set the first playback configuration in place of the second playback configuration.
  13. 13 . The media playback system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one second audio transducer comprises multiple second audio transducers, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the media playback system is configured to play back the second audio via the at least one second audio transducer according to the second playback configuration comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the media playback system is configured to: during playback of the second audio via the at least one second audio transducer according to the second playback configuration, reproduce the one or more first audio channels and the one or more second audio channels via the multiple second audio transducers.
  14. 14 . The media playback system of claim 8 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the media playback system is configured to play back the second audio via the at least one second audio transducer according to the second playback configuration comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the media playback system is configured to: play back the second audio via the at least one second audio transducer according to the second playback configuration in synchrony with playback of additional audio content by at least one additional playback device.
  15. 15 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by at least one processor such that a media playback system is configured to: set a first playback configuration for one or more playback devices of the media playback system, wherein, when the first playback configuration is set, at least one first audio transducer of the one or more playback devices is configured to reproduce one or more first audio channels and at least one second audio transducer of the one or more playback devices is configured to reproduce one or more second audio channels; play back first audio via the at least one first audio transducer and the at least one second audio transducer according to the first playback configuration; detect, via at least one sensor, an impairment to the at least one first audio transducer; based on detection of the impairment: (i) disable the at least one first audio transducer and (ii) set a second playback configuration in place of the first playback configuration, when the second playback configuration is set, the at least one second audio transducer is configured to reproduce the one or more first audio channels and the one or more second audio channels; and play back second audio via the at least one second audio transducer according to the second playback configuration.
  16. 16 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a proximity sensor, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the media playback system is configured to detect the impairment to the at least one first audio transducer comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the media playback system is configured to: detect, via the proximity sensor, the impairment within a threshold proximity to the at least one first audio transducer.
  17. 17 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one microphone, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the media playback system is configured to detect the impairment to the at least one first audio transducer comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the media playback system is configured to: capture, via the at least one microphone, data representing output by the at least one first audio transducer; and determine that the captured data represents a change to the output of the at least one first audio transducer corresponding to the impairment.
  18. 18 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the media playback system is configured to determine that the captured data represents the change to the output of the at least one first audio transducer corresponding to the impairment comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the media playback system is configured to: determine that the captured data indicates that the output of the at least one first audio transducer is being distorted by more than a threshold.
  19. 19 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the media playback system is configured to: detect that the impairment to the at least one first audio transducer has been removed; and based on detection that the impairment to the at least one first audio transducer has been removed: (i) re-enable the at least one first audio transducer and (ii) set the first playback configuration in place of the second playback configuration.
  20. 20 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the at least one second audio transducer comprises multiple second audio transducers, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the media playback system is configured to play back the second audio via the at least one second audio transducer according to the second playback configuration comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the media playback system is configured to: during playback of the second audio via the at least one second audio transducer according to the second playback configuration, reproduce the one or more first audio channels and the one or more second audio channels via the multiple second audio transducers.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/069,042, filed on Dec. 20, 2022, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,991,506 on May 21, 2024, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/033,818, filed on Sep. 27, 2020, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,540,073 on Dec. 27, 2022, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/713,858, filed on Dec. 13, 2019, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,791,407 on Sep. 29, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/416,648, filed on May 20, 2019, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,511,924 on Dec. 17, 2019, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/102,499, filed on Aug. 13, 2018, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,299,055 on May 21, 2019, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/681,640, filed on Aug. 21, 2017, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,051,399 on Aug. 14, 2018, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/339,260, filed on Oct. 31, 2016, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,743,208 on Aug. 22, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/066,049, filed on Mar. 10, 2016, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,521,487 on Dec. 13, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/921,781, filed on Oct. 23, 2015, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,439,021 on Sep. 6, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/216,325, filed on Mar. 17, 2014, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,264,839 on Feb. 16, 2016, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure is related to consumer goods and, more particularly, to methods, systems, products, features, services, and other elements directed to media playback or some aspect thereof. BACKGROUND Options for accessing and listening to digital audio in an out-loud setting were limited until in 2003, when SONOS, Inc. filed for one of its first patent applications, entitled “Method for Synchronizing Audio Playback between Multiple Networked Devices,” and began offering a media playback system for sale in 2005. The Sonos Wireless HiFi System enables people to experience music from many sources via one or more networked playback devices. Through a software control application installed on a smartphone, tablet, or computer, one can play what he or she wants in any room that has a networked playback device. Additionally, using the controller, for example, different songs can be streamed to each room with a playback device, rooms can be grouped together for synchronous playback, or the same song can be heard in all rooms synchronously. Given the ever growing interest in digital media, there continues to be a need to develop consumer-accessible technologies to further enhance the listening experience. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Features, aspects, and advantages of the presently disclosed technology may be better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: FIG. 1 shows an example media playback system configuration in which certain embodiments may be practiced; FIG. 2 shows a functional block diagram of an example playback device; FIG. 3 shows a functional block diagram of an example control device; FIG. 4 shows an example controller interface; FIG. 5 shows an example flow diagram for playback configuration based on barrier proximity; FIG. 6 shows an example arrangement of a playback device; FIG. 7 shows another example arrangement of a playback device; FIG. 8 shows example frequency responses of a playback device; and FIG. 9 shows an example controller interface including an indication of a barrier. The drawings are for the purpose of illustrating example embodiments, but the inventions are not limited to the arrangements and instrumentality shown in the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION I. Overview Embodiments described herein involve dynamically configuring a playback device based on the detection, by the playback device, of a barrier in proximity to the playback device. In practice, playback devices are positioned in a variety of places throughout various locations, such as a home or business. In many cases, other objects are placed on or around the playback device, either intentionally or unintentionally. For example, various household items, such as picture frames and potted plants, may be placed near the playback device. In some circumstances, placing a particular object near the playback device is merely convenient, while in other circumstances, the particular object is used to hide the playback device. In other cases, the playback device is placed near a wall or inside an object, such as a cabinet. In any such case, the playback device's surroundings may act as a barrier to the audio output of the playback device. In some circumstances, when a barrier, such as an object or wall, is in proximity to the playback