Position-based playback of multichannel audio

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12407097-B2
Application number	US-202418950411-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2024
Priority date	Jul 19, 2011
Publication date	Sep 2, 2025
Grant date	Sep 2, 2025

Abstract

Techniques for shaping sound based on a speaker orientation are disclosed. In an embodiment, an audio data stream is obtained by a zone player having one or more speaker drivers, an orientation of the zone player is determined, and sound is reproduced by the zone player based on the orientation. The sound may be further shaped based on other states of the zone player in addition to orientation. The overall sound may be shaped from one zone player or from a collection of zone players.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
determining a first position of a first playback device, wherein the first playback device comprises a first audio transducer oriented at a first direction and a second audio transducer oriented at a second direction, wherein the second direction is different from the first direction;
receiving, via a second playback device, media content comprising multichannel audio content;
generating, via the second playback device based on (i) the received multichannel audio content and (ii) the first position, first audio according to a first sound characteristic;
generating, via the second playback device based on the received multichannel audio content, second audio; and
causing synchronous playback of (i) the generated first audio via the first audio transducer and the second audio transducer of the first playback device, and (ii) the generated second audio via the second playback device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing playback of the generated first audio comprises sending, from the second playback device to the first playback device, the generated first audio via a network interface of the second playback device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second playback device comprises a display.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the second audio comprises
generating the second audio based on the first position of the first playback device.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a second position of a third playback device, and wherein generating the first audio comprises generating the first audio based on the second position.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first direction is aligned with a direction that faces a listening location, and wherein the second direction is aligned with a direction that does not face the listening location.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the first audio comprises generating a first set of one or more channels and a second set of one or more channels, and wherein causing output of the generated first audio comprises (i) causing, via the first audio transducer, output of a first channel of the first set of one or more channels, and (ii) causing, via the second audio transducer, output of a second channel of the second set of one or more channels.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein generating the first audio comprises (i) generating the first set of one or more channels corresponding to a first range of frequencies, and (ii) generating the second set of one or more channels corresponding to a second range of frequencies.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second playback device comprises one or more sensors, and wherein generating the first audio played via the first playback device comprises generating the first audio based on sensor signals received via the one or more sensors of the second playback device.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein, in the first position, (i) the first audio transducer is aimed toward a listening location, and (ii) the second audio transducer is aimed away from the listening location.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second playback device comprises a third audio transducer oriented at a third direction and a fourth audio transducer oriented at a fourth direction, wherein the fourth direction is different from the third direction.

12. A second playback device comprising:
one or more processors; and
tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising program instructions executable by the one or more processors that cause the second playback device to:
determine a first position of a first playback device, wherein the first playback device comprises a first audio transducer oriented at a first direction and a second audio transducer oriented at a second direction, wherein the second direction is different from the first direction;
receive media content comprising multichannel audio content;
generate first audio according to a first sound characteristic based on (i) the received multichannel audio content and (ii) the first position;
generate second audio based on the received multichannel audio content; and
cause synchronous playback of (i) the generated first audio via the first audio transducer and the second audio transducer of the first playback device, and (ii) the generated second audio via the second playback device.

13. The second playback device of claim 12 , wherein the program instructions executable by the one or more processors that cause the second playback device to cause synchronous playback of the generated first audio via the first audio transducer and the second audio transducer of the first playback device comprise program instructions executable by the one or more processors that cause the second playback device to:
send the generated first audio from the second playback device to the first playback device via a network interface of the second playback device.

14. The second playback device of claim 12 , further comprising a display.

15. The second playback device of claim 12 , wherein the program instructions executable by the one or more processors that cause the second playback device to generate second audio based on the received multichannel audio content comprises program instructions executable by the one or more processors that cause the second playback device to:
generate the second audio based on the first position of the first playback device.

16. The second playback device of claim 12 , further comprising program instructions executable by the one or more processors that cause the second playback device to:
determine a second position of a third playback device; and
wherein the program instructions executable by the one or more processors that cause the second playback device to generate the first audio comprise program instructions executable by the one or more processors that cause the second playback device to generate first audio according to the first sound characteristic based on (i) the received multichannel audio content and (ii) the first position comprise program instructions executable by the one or more processors that cause the second playback device to generate the first audio based on the second position.

17. The second playback device of claim 12 , wherein the first direction is aligned with a direction that faces a listening location, and wherein the second direction is aligned with a direction that does not face the listening location.

18. The second playback device of claim 12 , wherein:
the program instructions executable by the one or more processors that cause the second playback device to generate first audio according to the first sound characteristic based on (i) the received multichannel audio content and (ii) the first position comprise program instructions executable by the one or more processors that cause the second playback device to generate a first set of one or more channels and a second set of one or more channels; and
the program instructions executable by the one or more processors that cause the second playback device to cause synchronous playback of (i) the generated first audio via the first audio transducer and the second audio transducer of the first playback device, and (ii) the generated second audio via the second playback device comprise program instructions executable by the one or more processors that cause the second playback device to (i) cause, via the first audio transducer, output of a first channel of the first set of one or more channels, and (ii) cause, via the second audio transduc

Assignees

• Sonos Inc

Inventors

• Kallai Christopher
• Ericson Michael Darrell Andrew
• Lang Jonathan P
• Wisneski Craig
• Reilly Jonathon
• Daly Seamus
• Mansfield Todd

Classifications

• H04R2227/005

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

• H04R2227/003

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

• H04R29/007

  for public address systems (public address systems per se H04R27/00) · CPC title

• H04R3/04

  for correcting frequency response · CPC title

• H04B7/0834

  based on external parameters, e.g. subscriber speed or location · CPC title