# US 10,873,819 B2 · Orientation-based playback device microphone selection

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- Number: US 10,873,819 B2
- Document ID: US10873819B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/424,825
- Filed: 2019-05-29
- Published: 2019-09-12
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2016-09-30
- Assignees: Sonos, Inc.
- Applicants: Sonos, Inc.
- Inventors: Brendan Welch; Romi Kadri; Jonathon Reilly
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873819B2

## CPC

- H04R 29/005: {Microphone arrays}
- G01S 3/803: using amplitude comparison of signals derived from receiving transducers or transducer systems having differently-oriented directivity characteristics
- H04R 3/005: {for combining the signals of two or more microphones (specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407)}
- H04R 29/007: {for public address systems (public address systems per se H04R27/00)}
- G01S 3/8003: {Diversity systems specially adapted for direction finding}
- H04R 1/406: {microphones}
- H04R 3/12: for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers {(specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407)}
- H04R 5/04: Circuit arrangements, {e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments (combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S)}
- H04R 2201/401: 2D or 3D arrays of transducers
- H04R 2201/405: Non-uniform arrays of transducers or a plurality of uniform arrays with different transducer spacing
- H04R 2205/024: Positioning of loudspeaker enclosures for spatial sound reproduction
- H04R 2227/003: Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
- H04R 2227/005: Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
- H04R 2420/07: Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
- H04R 2430/20: Processing of the output signals of the acoustic transducers of an array for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic (H04R2203/12 takes precedence)
- H04R 2430/21: Direction finding using differential microphone array [DMA]
- H04R 2499/11: Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
- H04S 7/301: {Automatic calibration of stereophonic sound system, e.g. with test microphone}
- H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K)
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- H04S: STEREOPHONIC SYSTEMS

## Abstract

Aspects of a multi-orientation playback device including at least one microphone array are discussed. A method may include determining an orientation of the playback device which includes at least one microphone array and determining at least one microphone training response for the playback device from a plurality of microphone training responses based on the orientation of the playback device. The at least one microphone array can detect a sound input, and the location information of a source of the sound input can be determined based on the at least one microphone training response and the detected sound input. Based on the location information of the source, the directional focus of the at least one microphone array can be adjusted, and the sound input can be captured based on the adjusted directional focus.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A playback device comprising:
a set of microphones including a first subset of microphones and a second subset of microphones;
an orientation sensor;
a network interface;
a processor;
a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and
program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the processor, cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:
detecting, via the set of microphones, a first sound input;
determining that the playback device is in a first orientation based on a first output of the orientation sensor;
based on the determination that the playback device is in the first orientation, selecting the first subset of microphones instead of the second subset of microphones for sound processing;
processing the first sound input using the selected first subset of microphones detections;
executing a first set of one or more commands contained in the processed first sound input;
detecting, via the set of microphones, a second sound input;
determining that the playback device is in a second orientation based on a second output of the orientation sensor;
based on the determination that the playback device is in the second orientation, selecting the second subset of microphones instead of the first subset of microphones for sound processing;
processing the second sound input using the selected second subset of microphones detections; and
executing a second set of one or more commands contained in the processed second sound input.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The playback device of claim 1, wherein detecting, via the set of microphones, the first sound input comprises:
detecting, via the set of microphones, an initial portion of the first sound input;
determining a first position of a first source of the first sound input based on the first orientation and the detected initial portion of the first sound input;
adjusting directional focus of the set of microphones based on the determined first position of the first source; and
capturing an additional portion of the first sound input based on the adjusted directional focus of the set of microphones.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The playback device of claim 2, wherein detecting, via the of microphones, the second sound input comprises:
detecting, via the set of microphones, an initial portion of the second sound input;
determining a second position of a second source of the second sound input based on the second orientation and the detected initial portion of the second sound input;
adjusting directional focus of the set of microphones based on the determined second position of the second source; and
capturing an additional portion of the second sound input based on the adjusted directional focus of the set of microphones.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The playback device of claim 1, further comprising program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the processor, cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:
based on the selection of the first subset of microphones instead of the second subset of microphones for sound processing, activating the selected first subset of microphones for sound processing.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The playback device of claim 1, further comprising program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the processor, cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:
based on the selection of the first subset of microphones instead of the second subset of microphones for sound processing, deactivating the second subset of microphones for sound processing.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The playback device of claim 1, further comprising program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the processor, cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:
based on the selection of the second subset of microphones instead of the first subset of the set of microphones for sound processing, activating the selected second subset of microphones for sound processing.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The playback device of claim 1, further comprising program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the processor, cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:
based on the selection of the second subset of microphones instead of the first subset of microphones for sound processing, deactivating the first subset of microphones for sound processing.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The playback device of claim 1, wherein the first orientation is a horizontal orientation in which the longest side of the playback device is substantially parallel to a surface on which the playback device is positioned.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The playback device of claim 1, wherein the first orientation is a vertical orientation in which the longest side of the playback device is substantially perpendicular to a surface on which the playback device is positioned.

### Claim 10

A method comprising:
detecting, via a set of microphones of a playback device, a first sound input;
determining, by the playback device, that the playback device is in a first orientation based on a first output of an orientation sensor of the playback device;
based on the determination that the playback device is in the first orientation, selecting, by the playback device, a first subset of microphones of the set of microphones of the playback device instead of a second subset of microphones of the set of microphones of the playback device for sound processing;
processing, by the playback device, the first sound input using the selected first subset of microphones detections;
executing, by the playback device, a first set of one or more commands contained in the processed first sound input;
detecting, via the set of microphones of the playback device, a second sound input;
determining, by the playback device, that the playback device is in a second orientation based on a second output of the orientation sensor;
based on the determination that the playback device is in the second orientation, selecting the second subset of microphones instead of the first subset of microphones for sound processing;
processing, by the playback device, the second sound input using the selected second subset of microphones detections; and
executing, by the playback device, a second set of one or more commands contained in the processed second sound input.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein detecting, via the set of microphones, the first sound input comprises:
detecting, via the set of microphones, an initial portion of the first sound input;
determining, by the playback device, a first position of a first source of the first sound input based on the first orientation and the detected initial portion of the first sound input;
adjusting, by the playback device, directional focus of the set of microphones based on the determined first position of the first source; and
capturing, by the playback device, an additional portion of the first sound input based on the adjusted directional focus of the set of microphones.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein detecting, via the set of microphones, the second sound input comprises:
detecting, via the set of microphones, an initial portion of the second sound input;
determining, by the playback device, a second position of a second source of the second sound input based on the second orientation and the detected initial portion of the second sound input;
adjusting, by the playback device, directional focus of the set of microphones based on the determined second position of the second source; and
capturing, by the playback device, an additional portion of the second sound input based on the adjusted directional focus of the set of microphones.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
based on the selection of the first subset of microphones instead of the second subset of microphones for sound processing, deactivating, by the playback device, the second subset of microphones for sound processing.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
based on the selection of the second subset of microphones instead of the first subset of the set of microphones for sound processing, activating, by the playback device, the selected second subset of microphones for sound processing.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
based on the selection of the second subset of microphones instead of the first subset of microphones for sound processing, deactivating, by the playback device, the first subset of microphones for sound processing.

### Claim 16

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by a processor of a playback device to cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:
detecting, via a set of microphones of the playback device, a first sound input;
determining that the playback device is in a first orientation based on a first output of an orientation sensor of the playback device;
based on the determination that the playback device is in the first orientation, selecting a first subset of microphones of the set of microphones of the playback device instead of a second subset of microphones of the set of microphones of the playback device for sound processing;
processing the first sound input using the selected first subset of microphones detections;
executing a first set of one or more commands contained in the processed first sound input;
detecting, via the set of microphones of the playback device, a second sound input;
determining that the playback device is in a second orientation based on a second output of the orientation sensor;
based on the determination that the playback device is in the second orientation, selecting the second subset of microphones instead of the first subset of microphones for sound processing;
processing the second sound input using the selected second subset of microphones detections; and
executing a second set of one or more commands contained in the processed second sound input.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein detecting, via the set of microphones, the first sound input comprises:
detecting, via the set of microphones, an initial portion of the first sound input;
determining a first position of a first source of the first sound input based on the first orientation and the detected initial portion of the first sound input;
adjusting directional focus of the set of microphones based on the determined first position of the first source; and
capturing an additional portion of the first sound input based on the adjusted directional focus of the set of microphones.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein detecting, via the set of microphones, the second sound input comprises:
detecting, via the set of microphones, an initial portion of the second sound input;
determining a second position of a second source of the second sound input based on the second orientation and the detected initial portion of the second sound input;
adjusting directional focus of the set of microphones based on the determined second position of the second source; and
capturing an additional portion of the second sound input based on the adjusted directional focus of the set of microphones.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the processor, cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:
based on the selection of the first subset of microphones instead of the second subset of microphones for sound processing, deactivating the second subset of microphones for sound processing.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the processor, cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:
based on the selection of the second subset of microphones instead of the first subset of microphones for sound processing, deactivating the first subset of microphones for sound processing.