Identifying electronic devices in a room using a spread code

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12155408-B2
Application number	US-202318303367-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2023
Priority date	Sep 18, 2018
Publication date	Nov 26, 2024
Grant date	Nov 26, 2024

Abstract

Disclosed herein are system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method and/or computer program product embodiments, and/or combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for identifying electronic devices in a room using a spread code. In some embodiments, a first electronic device receives a spread spectrum signal from a second electronic device over an audio data channel. The first electronic device determines a time of receipt of the spread spectrum signal based on despreading. The first electronic device calculates a distance between the first electronic device and the second electronic device based on the time of receipt and a time of transmission. The first electronic device determines the second electronic device is not in the room with the first electronic device based on the calculated distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for adjusting playback of audiovisual content at a location, comprising:
receiving, by at least one processor at a first electronic device at the location, a spread spectrum signal from a second electronic device over an audio data channel;
despreading the spread spectrum signal based on a spreading code;
determining a time of receipt of the spread spectrum signal based on the despreading;
receiving a time of transmission of the spread spectrum signal;
calculating an airtime delay associated with the second electronic device based on the time of receipt and the time of transmission;
determining a direction of the second electronic device from the first electronic device based on the spread spectrum signal from the second electronic device and beam forming techniques; and
adjusting, for the location, the playback of the audiovisual content at the second electronic device based on the airtime delay associated with the second electronic device and the direction of the second electronic device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting comprises:
adjusting, for the location, the playback of the audiovisual content at the second electronic device based on a second airtime delay associated with a third electronic device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting comprises:
calculating, for the location, a playback delay for the second electronic device based on the airtime delay associated with the second electronic device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the adjusting comprises:
transmitting the playback delay to the second electronic device, wherein the second electronic device changes an amount of the audiovisual content to buffer based on the playback delay.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the adjusting comprises:
transmitting the playback delay to the second electronic device, wherein the second electronic device changes a playback offset for the audiovisual content based on the playback delay.

6. The computer-implemented of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting comprises:
adjusting, for the location, the playback of the audiovisual content at the second electronic device to cause a sound wave from the second electronic device and a sound wave from a third electronic device to arrive at the location at approximately the same time, wherein the sound wave from the second electronic device corresponds to the sound wave from the third electronic device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting comprises:
adjusting, for the location, the playback of the audiovisual content at the second electronic device to simulate a virtual surround sound experience.

8. A system, comprising:
a memory; and
at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:
receive, at a location, a spread spectrum signal from a first electronic device over an audio data channel;
despread the spread spectrum signal based on a spreading code;
determine a time of receipt of the spread spectrum signal based on the despreading;
receive a time of transmission of the spread spectrum signal;
calculate an airtime delay associated with the first electronic device based on the time of receipt and the time of transmission;
determine a direction of the first electronic device from the system based on the spread spectrum signal from the first electronic device and beam forming techniques; and
adjust, for the location, playback of audiovisual content at the first electronic device based on the airtime delay associated with the first electronic device and the direction of the first electronic device.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein to adjust, for the location, the playback of the audiovisual content at the first electronic device, the at least one processor is configured to:
adjust, for the location, the playback of the audiovisual content at the first electronic device based on a second airtime delay associated with a second electronic device.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein to adjust, for the location, the playback of the audiovisual content at the first electronic device, the at least one processor is configured to:
calculate, for the location, a playback delay for the first electronic device based on the airtime delay associated with the first electronic device.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein to adjust, for the location, the playback of the audiovisual content at the first electronic device, the at least one processor is configured to:
transmit the playback delay to the first electronic device, wherein the first electronic device changes an amount of the audiovisual content to buffer based on the playback delay.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein to adjust, for the location, the playback of the audiovisual content at the first electronic device, the at least one processor is configured to:
transmit the playback delay to the first electronic device, wherein the first electronic device changes a playback offset for the audiovisual content based on the playback delay.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein to adjust, for the location, the playback of the audiovisual content at the first electronic device, the at least one processor is configured to:
adjust, for the location, the playback of the audiovisual content at the first electronic device to cause a sound wave from the first electronic device and a sound wave from a second electronic device to arrive at the location at approximately the same time, wherein the sound wave from the first electronic device corresponds to the sound wave from the second electronic device.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein to adjust, for the location, the playback of the audiovisual content at the first electronic device, the at least one processor is configured to:
adjust, for the location, the playback of the audiovisual content at the first electronic device to simulate a virtual surround sound experience.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one computing device, cause the at least one computing device to perform operations comprising:
receiving, at the at least one computing device at a location, a spread spectrum signal from a first electronic device over an audio data channel;
despreading the spread spectrum signal based on a spreading code;
determining a time of receipt of the spread spectrum signal based on the despreading;
receiving a time of transmission of the spread spectrum signal;
calculating an airtime delay associated with the first electronic device based on the time of receipt and the time of transmission;
determining a direction of the first electronic device from the at least one computing device based on the spread spectrum signal from the first electronic device and beam forming techniques; and
adjusting, for the location, playback of audiovisual content at the first electronic device based on the airtime delay associated with the first electronic device and the direction of the first electronic device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the adjusting comprises:
adjusting, for the location, the playback of the audiovisual content at the first electronic device based on a second airtime delay associated with a second electronic device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the adjusting comprises:
calculating, for the location, a playback delay for the first electronic devic

Assignees

• Roku Inc

Inventors

• Curtis Robert Caston
• Ely Mark
• Møller Brian Thoft Moth

Classifications

• H04L65/765

  intermediate · CPC title

• H04R3/12

  for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers {(specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407)} · CPC title

• H04J2013/0096

  Network synchronisation · CPC title

• H04R2430/20

  Processing of the output signals of the acoustic transducers of an array for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic (H04R2203/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04L65/764

  at the destination  (reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355) · CPC title