Detecting the nearest playback device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11188294-B2
Application number	US-202017008372-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2020
Priority date	Feb 28, 2019
Publication date	Nov 30, 2021
Grant date	Nov 30, 2021

Abstract

Examples described herein relate to transitioning a playback session between portable playback devices such as “smart” headphones, earbuds, and handheld speakers with playback devices of a zone-based media playback system. Exemplary techniques facilitate continuity of playback when transitioning between locations (e.g., from at home to on-the-go or vice versa) or between listening paradigms (e.g., personal or out-loud playback of audio content). An example implementation includes detecting a swap trigger, determining the source playback device(s) and target playback device(s), and performing a playback session swap between the source playback device(s) and target playback device(s).

First claim

We claim:

1. A portable playback device comprising:
one or more microphones;
one or more batteries;
one or more processors;
a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the portable playback device to perform functions comprising:
receiving an indication to perform presence detection of one or more playback devices;
transmitting one or more messages instructing the one or more playback devices to transmit respective audio signals for presence detection;
after transmitting the one or more messages, receiving, via a first microphone, a first audio signal;
determining a time-frequency representation of the first audio signal;
based on the time-frequency representation of the first audio signal and data indicating respective reference audio signals, determining that the first audio signal comprises a superposition of a second audio signal transmitted by a first playback device and a third audio signal transmitted by a second playback device;
based on the first audio signal, determining a first magnitude associated with the second audio signal and a second magnitude associated with the third audio signal;
based on determining that the first magnitude is greater than the second magnitude, determining that the first playback device is arranged in closer proximity than the second playback device to the portable playback device; and
transitioning a playback session between the portable playback device and the first playback device.

2. The portable playback device of claim 1 , wherein receiving the indication to perform presence detection of one or more playback devices comprises:
receiving data representing a first playback session swap input; and
wherein transmitting the one or more messages instructing the one or more playback devices to transmit respective audio signals for presence detection comprises:
based on receiving the data representing the first playback session swap input, transmitting the one or more messages instructing the one or more playback devices to transmit the respective audio signals for presence detection.

3. The portable playback device of claim 1 , wherein receiving the indication to perform presence detection of one or more playback devices comprises:
detecting a user interaction with the portable playback device; and
based on the user interaction, determining a predicted swap command state, and
wherein transmitting one or more messages instructing one or more playback devices to transmit respective audio signals for presence detection comprises:
based on determining the predicted swap command state, transmitting the one or more messages instructing the one or more playback devices to transmit the respective audio signals for presence detection.

4. The portable playback device of claim 3 , wherein detecting the user interaction with the portable playback device comprises:
determining that an interaction has occurred on a control interface of the portable playback device.

5. The portable playback device of claim 1 , wherein the functions further comprise:
determining available presence detection techniques of the one or more playback devices; and
based on the available presence detection techniques, selecting an audio chirp technique as a presence detection technique.

6. The portable playback device of claim 1 , wherein the functions further comprise:
connecting to a network;
after connecting to the network, receiving state information of the one or more playback devices connected to the network; and
based on the state information, determining that the first playback device and the second playback device are swap-capable playback devices.

7. The portable playback device of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the one or more messages instructing the one or more playback devices to transmit respective audio signals for presence detection comprises:
transmitting a message to all of the one or more playback devices to transmit respective audio signals for presence detection.

8. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a portable playback device to perform functions comprising:
receiving an indication to perform presence detection of one or more playback devices;
transmitting one or more messages instructing the one or more playback devices to transmit respective audio signals for presence detection;
after transmitting the one or more messages, receiving, via a first microphone, a first audio signal;
determining a time-frequency representation of the first audio signal;
based on the time-frequency representation of the first audio signal and data indicating respective reference audio signals, determining that the first audio signal comprises a superposition of a second audio signal transmitted by a first playback device and a third audio signal transmitted by a second playback device;
based on the first audio signal, determining a first magnitude associated with the second audio signal and a second magnitude associated with the third audio signal;
based on determining that the first magnitude is greater than the second magnitude, determining that the first playback device is arranged in closer proximity than the second playback device to the portable playback device; and
transitioning a playback session between the portable playback device and the first playback device.

9. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein receiving the indication to perform presence detection of one or more playback devices comprises:
receiving data representing a first playback session swap input; and
wherein transmitting the one or more messages instructing one or more playback devices to transmit respective audio signals for presence detection comprises:
based on receiving the data representing the first playback session swap input, transmitting the one or more messages instructing the one or more playback devices to transmit the respective audio signals for presence detection.

10. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein receiving an indication to perform presence detection of one or more playback devices comprises:
detecting a user interaction with the portable playback device; and
based on the user interaction, determining a predicted swap command state, and
wherein transmitting one or more messages instructing one or more playback devices to transmit respective audio signals for presence detection comprises:
based on determining the predicted swap command state, transmitting the one or more messages instructing the one or more playback devices to transmit the respective audio signals for presence detection.

11. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein detecting the user interaction with the portable playback device comprises:
determining that an interaction has occurred on a control interface of the portable playback device.

12. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the functions further comprise:
determining available presence detection techniques of the one or more playback devices; and
based on the available presence detection techniques, selecting an audio chirp technique as a presence detection technique.

13. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the functions further comprise:
connecting to a network;
after connecting to the network, receiving state information of the one or more playback devices connected to the network; and
based on the state information, determining that the first playback device and the seco

Assignees

• Sonos Inc

Inventors

• Wilberding Dayn
• Nam Youjin
• Toulis Tadeo T
• Harris Jonathan Cole
• Devine Patrick
• Millington Nicholas A J
• Vautrin Jodi
• Ramos Maria-Jose
• Bannon Richard
• Sheldon Michael
• Lin Ted
• Kuper Ron
• Lewis Kirsten
• Harwood Jake
• Herbst Jonathan
• Jones Daniel
• Sia Henry

Classifications

• G01S5/16

  using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves · CPC title

• H04R2227/003

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

• H04R2227/005

  Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use · CPC title

• H04R2205/021

  Aspects relating to docking-station type assemblies to obtain an acoustical effect, e.g. the type of connection to external loudspeakers or housings, frequency improvement · CPC title

• H04R27/00

  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 title