Environmental sensing for a unique portable speaker listening experience

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10616684-B2
Application number	US-201816006316-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2018
Priority date	May 15, 2018
Publication date	Apr 7, 2020
Grant date	Apr 7, 2020

Abstract

A networked speaker system automatically adjusts certain audio speaker system settings based on whether the system is inside a building or has been moved outside. Also, techniques are described for adjusting speaker driver direction based on walls or other barriers in a room or based on the location of a listener.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
at least one computer medium that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one processor to:
identify whether at least a first audio speaker is located inside a building or outdoor;
responsive to identifying that the first audio speaker is located inside a building, establish a first value of at least a first audio setting of the first audio speaker;
responsive to identifying that the first audio speaker is located outdoor, establish a second value of the first audio setting of the first audio speaker;
responsive to identifying that the first audio speaker is located inside a building, identify a location of at least one listener; and
establish a speaker driver orientation such that a center channel of N-channel audio produced by plural speakers in the building is directed toward the listener.

2. A device comprising:
at least one computer medium that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one processor to:
identify whether at least a first audio speaker is located inside a building or outdoor;
responsive to identifying that the first audio speaker is located inside a building, establish a first value of at least a first audio setting of the first audio speaker;
responsive to identifying that the first audio speaker is located outdoor, establish a second value of the first audio setting of the first audio speaker;
responsive to identifying that the first audio speaker is located inside a building, identify a location of at least one barrier in the building; and
establish a speaker driver orientation such that a center channel of N-channel audio produced by plural speakers in the building is directed away from the barrier.

3. A method, comprising:
receiving indication of whether at least a first speaker is located inside a building;
responsive to identifying that the first speaker is located inside the building, identifying a location of at least one listener; and
establishing a speaker driver orientation such that a center channel of N-channel audio produced by plural speakers in the building is directed toward the listener.

4. A method, comprising:
receiving indication of whether at least a first speaker is located inside a building;
responsive to identifying that the first speaker is located inside the building, identifying a location of at least one barrier in the building; and
establishing a speaker driver orientation such that a center channel of N-channel audio produced by plural speakers in the building is directed away from the barrier.

5. An audio speaker system, comprising:
at least a first audio speaker associated with a first speaker driver; and
at least one processor configured with instructions for:
establishing a first audio configuration of the first audio speaker responsive to receiving indication that the first audio speaker is located inside a building;
establishing a second audio configuration of the first audio speaker responsive to receiving indication that the first audio speaker is located outdoors; and
establishing an orientation of a speaker driver orientation responsive to identifying that the first audio speaker is located inside a building based on a listener location or a barrier location.

6. The audio speaker system of claim 5 , wherein the instructions are executable for:
establishing the orientation of the speaker driver orientation responsive to identifying that the first audio speaker is located inside a building based on a listener location.

7. The audio speaker system of claim 5 , wherein the instructions are executable for:
establishing the orientation of the speaker driver orientation responsive to identifying that the first audio speaker is located inside a building based on a barrier location.

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Milne James R
• Burgueno Allison Joi
• Resch Keith
• Carlsson Gregory Peter

Classifications

• H04S2400/01

  Multi-channel, i.e. more than two input channels, sound reproduction with two speakers wherein the multi-channel information is substantially preserved · CPC title

• H04S7/303

  Tracking of listener position or orientation · CPC title

• H04S3/008

  in which the audio signals are in digital form, i.e. employing more than two discrete digital channels (data reduction aspects thereof based on psychoacoustics G10L19/02) · CPC title

• H04R2227/003

  Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet · CPC title

• H04R2205/024

  Positioning of loudspeaker enclosures for spatial sound reproduction · CPC title