Manipulation of playback device response using signal processing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12389180-B2
Application number	US-202418643902-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2024
Priority date	Aug 21, 2015
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

Example techniques involve outputting multiple audio channels using a multiple driver playback device. An example playback device receives a first and second channel of audio content. The playback device plays back play back the first channel via a first group of audio transducers such that the first group of audio transducers form, via superposition, a first response lobe having a maximum in a first direction. Further, the playback device plays back the second channel via a second group of audio transducers such that the second group of audio transducers form, via superposition, a second response lobe having a maximum in a second direction that is separated by an angle of at least 45° from the first direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by at least one processor such that a first playback device is configured to:
receive data representing audio content;
receive data representing one or more characteristics of a listening environment;
generate, based on the received data representing the audio content and the received data representing the one or more characteristics of the listening environment, a plurality of audio signals that form an audio image when played back concurrently, the plurality of audio signals comprising (i) first audio having a first response lobe with a maximum along a first direction, (ii) second audio having a second response lobe with a maximum along a second direction, (iii) third audio having a third response lobe with a maximum along a third direction, (iv) fourth audio having a fourth response lobe with a maximum along a fourth direction, and (v) fifth audio having a fifth response lobe with a maximum along a fifth direction;
play back the first audio, the second audio, and the third audio via two or more first audio transducers;
cause, via a network interface, a second playback device to play back the fourth audio via one or more second audio transducers in synchrony with playback of the first audio, the second audio, and the third audio; and
cause, via the network interface, a third playback device to play back the fifth audio via one or more third audio transducers in synchrony with playback of the first audio, the second audio, and the third audio.

2. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more characteristics of the listening environment comprise a size of the listening environment, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to generate the plurality of audio signals comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to:
generate the plurality of audio signals based on the size of the listening environment.

3. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to generate the plurality of audio signals based on the size of the listening environment comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to:
manipulate at least two of the first audio, the second audio, the third audio, the fourth audio, and the fifth audio to widen the audio image using superposition according to the size of the listening environment.

4. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to generate the plurality of audio signals based on the size of the listening environment comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to:
modify respective amplitudes of the at least two of the first audio, the second audio, the third audio, the fourth audio, and the fifth audio.

5. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more characteristics of the listening environment comprise locations of walls or other sound barriers within the listening environment, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to generate the plurality of audio signals comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to:
generate the plurality of audio signals based on the locations of sound barriers within the listening environment.

6. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to cause the second playback device to play back the fourth audio via the one or more second audio transducers comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to:
send, via the network interface, a digital data stream representing the fourth audio.

7. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the first playback device is integral to a television, and wherein the received data representing the audio content comprises audio content of a video.

8. A system comprising:
a first playback device comprising two or more first audio transducers;
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 system is configured to:
receive data representing audio content;
receive data representing one or more characteristics of a listening environment;
generate, based on the received data representing the audio content and the received data representing the one or more characteristics of the listening environment, a plurality of audio signals that form an audio image when played back concurrently, the plurality of audio signals comprising (i) first audio having a first response lobe with a maximum along a first direction, (ii) second audio having a second response lobe with a maximum along a second direction, (iii) third audio having a third response lobe with a maximum along a third direction, (iv) fourth audio having a fourth response lobe with a maximum along a fourth direction, and (v) fifth audio having a fifth response lobe with a maximum along a fifth direction;
play back the first audio, the second audio, and the third audio via the two or more first audio transducers;
cause, via a network interface, a second playback device to play back the fourth audio via one or more second audio transducers in synchrony with playback of the first audio, the second audio, and the third audio; and
cause, via the network interface, a third playback device to play back the fifth audio via one or more third audio transducers in synchrony with playback of the first audio, the second audio, and the third audio.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more characteristics of the listening environment comprise a size of the listening environment, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to generate the plurality of audio signals comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
generate the plurality of audio signals based on the size of the listening environment.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to generate the plurality of audio signals based on the size of the listening environment comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
manipulate at least two of the first audio, the second audio, the third audio, the fourth audio, and the fifth audio to widen the audio image using superposition according to the size of the listening environment.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor

Assignees

• Sonos Inc

Inventors

• Chamness Mike
• Kadri Romi

Classifications

• H04S2400/13

  Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in stereophonic sound systems · CPC title

• H04S7/307

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

• H04S7/30

  Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field · CPC title

• H04S2400/05

  Generation or adaptation of centre channel in multi-channel audio systems · CPC title

• H04S7/305

  Electronic adaptation of stereophonic audio signals to reverberation of the listening space (H04S7/301 takes precedence) · CPC title