US 10,945,089 B2Granted

Playback based on user settings

AssigneeSonos, Inc.

InventorsJonathon Reilly, Niels Van Erven

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Example techniques relate to adjusting playback settings based on listener location. An example implementation involves a playback device receiving instructions to play back audio content in the first zone and first location data indicating first locations of one or more users relative to the first zone. The playback device determines that one or more location-based listener preferences are set in the media playback system and generates a sound field in the listening environment according to the location-based listener preferences and the first locations of the one or more users relative to the first zone. The playback device receives second location data indicating second locations of one or more users relative to the first zone and modifies the sound field in the listening environment according to the location-based listener preferences and the second locations of the one or more users relative to the first zone.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A media playback system to be operated in a listening environment, the media playback system comprising:

a first zone including a first playback device;
a second zone including a second playback device;
a network interface;
one or more location sensors;
one or more processors;
data storage storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the media playback system to perform functions comprising:
receiving, via the network interface, data representing instructions to play back audio content in the first zone;
receiving, via the one or more location sensors, first location data indicating first locations of one or more users relative to the first zone;
determining that one or more location-based listener preferences are set in the media playback system;
generating a sound field in the listening environment according to (i) the location-based listener preferences, (ii) the first locations of the one or more users relative to the first zone, and (iii) locations of the one or more users relative to the second zone, wherein generating the sound field comprises the first playback device and the second playback device rendering the audio content in synchrony;
receiving, via the one or more location sensors, second location data indicating second locations of one or more users relative to the first zone, wherein the second locations are different from the first locations;
and
modifying the sound field in the listening environment according to (i) the location-based listener preferences and (ii) the second locations of the one or more users relative to the first zone.

10 more elements

A method to be performed by a media playback system comprising a first zone including a first playback device and a second zone including a second playback device, the method comprising:

receiving data representing instructions to play back audio content in the first zone;
receiving, via one or more location sensors, first location data indicating first locations of one or more users relative to the first zone;
determining that one or more location-based listener preferences are set in the first zone;
generating a sound field in a listening environment according to (i) the location-based listener preferences, (ii) the first locations of the one or more users relative to the first zone, and (iii) locations of the one or more users relative to the second zone, wherein generating the sound field comprises the first playback device and the second playback device rendering the audio content in synchrony;
receiving, via the one or more location sensors, second location data indicating second locations of one or more users relative to the first zone, wherein the second locations are different from the first locations;
and
modifying the sound field in the listening environment according to (i) the location-based listener preferences and (ii) the second locations of the one or more users relative to the first zone.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/658,896Filed 21 Oct 2019 · continuation
Priority: 29 Dec 2011
Published: US 2020/0053504 A113 Feb 2020
Granted: 9 Mar 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification21 codes

H04S 7/303
Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation: tracking of listener position or orientation
G01S 3/023
Using radio waves: monitoring or calibrating
G01S 3/80
Direction-finders for determining the direction from which infrasonic, sonic, ultrasonic or electromagnetic waves, or particle emission, not…:…
G06F 3/165
Sound input; Sound output: management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path

Family

Application13/340,126Parent of this continuation · filed 29 Dec 2011
Application14/726,921Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Jun 2015
US 9,084,058 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Jul 2015
Application15/056,553Parent of this continuation · filed 29 Feb 2016
Application15/166,241Parent of this continuation · filed 26 May 2016
Application15/235,598Parent of this continuation · filed 12 Aug 2016
US 9,930,470 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 27 Mar 2018
US 10,334,386 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 25 Jun 2019
US 2020/0053504 A1Pre-grant publication · published 13 Feb 2020
US 10,455,347 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2013/0170647 A1Published application
US 2015/0264508 A1Published application
US 2016/0183022 A1Published application
US 2016/0277861 A1Published application
US 2016/0353224 A1Published application
US 10,945,089 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.