Distributed wireless speaker system with light show

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9426551-B2
Application number	US-201414163542-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2014
Priority date	Jan 24, 2014
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

In an audio speaker network, the individual speakers of the network have lamps on them that are controlled to present a light show in synchrony with the audio being played by the system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
at least one computer memory that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one processor for:
sending lamp control signals to at least a first lamp on a housing of a first speaker in a network of speakers according to a first light show configuration;
sending lamp control signals to at least a second lamp on a housing of a second speaker in the network of speakers according to the first light show configuration;
determining whether any new lamps are detected in the network of speakers and/or determining whether a location of the first lamp or second lamp has changed; and
responsive to determining that at least one new lamp is detected in the network of speakers and/or determining that a location of the first lamp or second lamp has changed, establishing a new light show configuration.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the lamp control signals cause the lamps to be energized and deenergized in synchrony with the a beat associated with audio played on the system.

3. The device of claim 1 , comprising plural lamps on each housing.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the lamps are fixedly attached to the housings.

5. The device of claim 3 , wherein at least one lamp is removably attached to the respective housing, the lamp being removably attached in that it may be engaged and disengaged with the housing using hand pressure without the need for a tool.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the lamps are light emitting diodes (LED).

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein each speaker is associated with a network address such that it may addressed separately from the other speakers in the network to energize its respective lamp independently of other lamps of other respective speakers in the network.

8. Method comprising:
establishing a lamp energization program for plural audio speakers in a network of speakers;
sending respective lamp control signals to respective lamps on respective speakers in the network of speakers according to the lamp energization program; and
presenting on a display at least one user interface (UI) comprising:
at least a first element selectable for indicating that new lamps have been added to the network of speakers; and/or
at least a second element selectable to indicate a change in location of at least one of the lamps in the network of speakers; and
at least a third element presenting a list of at least one lamp energization program and operable to permit a user to select a lamp energization program from the third element according to which the lamp control signals are established.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the lamp energization program is based on a rhythm of the audio.

10. The method of claim 8 , comprising sending lamp control signals to plural lamps on each speaker.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the lamps are fixedly attached to the speakers.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein at least one lamp is removably attached to the respective speaker, the lamp being removably attached in that it may be engaged and disengaged with the speaker using hand pressure without the need for a tool.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the lamps are light emitting diodes (LED).

14. The method of claim 8 , comprising addressing the lamp control signals to network addresses of the respective speakers.

15. System comprising:
at least one computer memory that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one processor for:
controlling respective lamps on respective audio speakers in an audio speaker network to present a light show in synchrony with audio being played by the audio speaker network; and
presenting on a display at least one user interface (UI) comprising:
information indicating the UI pertains to the tune currently playing in the audio speaker network;
at least a first element operable to permit a user to select a particular color from a list of colors to be illuminated when a certain type of sound is played in the audio speaker network
at least a second element operable to permit a user to select the certain type of sound with which the particular color to be illuminated is associated.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the instructions are executable to send to the lamps lamp control signals to cause the lamps to be energized and deenergized in synchrony with the a beat associated with audio played on the system.

17. The system of claim 15 , comprising the speakers and plural lamps on each speaker.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the lamps are fixedly attached to the speakers.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein at least one lamp is removably attached to the respective speaker, the lamp being removably attached in that it may be engaged and disengaged with the speaker using hand pressure without the need for a tool.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein each speaker is associated with a network address such that it may addressed separately from the other speakers in the network to energize its respective lamp independently of other lamps of other respective speakers in the network.

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Carlsson Gregory Peter
• Milne James R
• Richman Steven Martin
• Zustak Frederick J

Classifications

• H05B47/12

  by detecting audible sound · CPC title

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• H05B47/19

  via wireless transmission · CPC title

• H04R1/028 Primary

  associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles · CPC title

• H04R2227/003

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