Playback device calibration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11457327-B2
Application number	US-202017005026-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2020
Priority date	May 8, 2012
Publication date	Sep 27, 2022
Grant date	Sep 27, 2022

Abstract

A first subwoofer may be configured to output multimedia content in synchrony with at least one other playback device and a second subwoofer. The first subwoofer may, based on a received indication of an acoustic characteristic of the at least one other playback device, determine a crossover frequency of (i) the first subwoofer and the second subwoofer and (ii) the at least one other playback device. After determining the crossover frequency, the first subwoofer may output a first tone set and a second tone set in synchrony with the second subwoofer and the at least one other playback device, and after outputting the first tone set and the second tone set, receive, from a controller device, an indication of a selected one of the first tone set or the second tone set. Based on the selected tone set, the first subwoofer may adjust a phase setting of the first subwoofer.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system comprising:
a first subwoofer;
at least one playback device;
at least one processor;
at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium; and
program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
determine a respective first crossover frequency of each of the first subwoofer and the at least one playback device that are part of a synchrony group and configured to output multimedia content in synchrony;
receive an instruction for a second subwoofer to join the synchrony group such that the second subwoofer is configured to output multimedia content in synchrony with the first subwoofer and the at least one playback device;
based on the instruction, cause the second subwoofer to join the synchrony group that includes the at least one playback device and the first subwoofer such that the second subwoofer is configured to output multimedia content in synchrony with the first subwoofer and the at least one playback device;
based on causing the second subwoofer to join the synchrony group:
determine (i) a second crossover frequency of the at least one playback device and (ii) a first crossover frequency of the second subwoofer; and
cause one or more configuration settings of at least the first subwoofer to be updated, wherein the one or more configuration settings includes a gain scale setting; and
cause a computing device to display a visualization of the synchrony group that includes the first subwoofer, the at least one playback device, and the second subwoofer.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause the one or more configuration settings of at least the first subwoofer to be updated comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause dB increments on the gain scale of at least the first subwoofer to be updated.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause the one or more configuration settings of at least the first subwoofer to be updated comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause a gain midpoint on the gain scale of at least the first subwoofer to be updated.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the respective first crossover frequency of the first subwoofer matches the respective first crossover frequency of the at least one playback device.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause the one or more configuration settings of the first subwoofer to be updated comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
transmit a set of configuration settings to the first subwoofer; and
cause the first subwoofer to adjust the one or more configuration settings of the first subwoofer based on the transmitted set of configuration settings.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the set of configuration settings is stored at the at least one playback device, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to transmit the set of configuration settings to the first subwoofer comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the at least one playback device is configured to:
transmit the set of configuration settings to the first subwoofer.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause the one or more configuration settings of the first subwoofer to be updated comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
cause the one or more configuration settings of the first subwoofer to be updated based on an acoustic characteristic of the synchrony group.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
detect that the second subwoofer has joined the synchrony group such that the second subwoofer is configured to output multimedia content in synchrony with the at least one playback device and the first subwoofer; and
based on the detecting, cause a respective gain scale setting of the second subwoofer to be updated.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the set of configuration settings is stored at the first subwoofer, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause the respective gain scale setting of the second subwoofer to be updated comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first subwoofer is configured to:
transmit a set of configuration settings to the second subwoofer, wherein the set of configuration settings includes the gain scale setting; and
cause the second subwoofer to adjust one or more configuration settings of the second subwoofer based on the transmitted set of configuration settings.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause the respective gain scale setting of the second subwoofer to be updated comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the second subwoofer is configured to:
detect that the synchrony group includes the first subwoofer; and
based on the detecting, update the respective gain scale setting of the second subwoofer.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
while the second subwoofer is outputting multimedia content in synchrony with the at least one playback device and the first subwoofer:
receive, by the computing device, an indication of a user request to modify a gain scale setting of the second subwoofer;
cause the gain scale setting of the second subwoofer to be updated based on the updated gain scale setting; and
cause the computing device to display an indication that the gain scale setting has been updated based on the user request.

12. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium is provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a system to:
determine a respective first crossover frequency of each of a first subwoofer and at least one playback device that are part of a synchrony group and configured to output multimedia content in synchrony;
receive an instruction for a second subwoofer to join the synchrony group such that the second subwoofer is configured to output multimedia content in synchrony with the first subwoofer and the at least one playback device;
based on the instruction, cause the second subwoofer to join the synchrony group that includes the at least one playback device and the first subwoofer such that the second subwoofer is configured to output multimedia content in synchrony with the first subwoofer and the at least one playback device;
based on causing the second subwoofer to join the synchrony group:
determine (i

Assignees

• Sonos Inc

Inventors

• Griffiths Neil
• Chamness Mike

Classifications

• 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

• H04R2227/005

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

• H04R3/14

  Cross-over networks · CPC title

• H04S7/307

  Frequency adjustment, e.g. tone control (H04S7/301 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04R29/001

  for loudspeakers (H04R29/007 takes precedence) · CPC title