# US 11,444,375 B2 · Frequency routing based on orientation

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,444,375 B2
- Document ID: US11444375B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/216,318
- Filed: 2021-03-29
- Published: 2021-09-23
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2011-07-19
- Assignees: Sonos, Inc.
- Applicants: Sonos, Inc
- Inventors: Christopher Kallai; Michael Darrell Andrew Ericson; Jonathan P. Lang; Craig Wisneski; Jonathon Reilly; Seamus Daly; Todd Mansfield
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11444375B2

## CPC

- H01Q 3/24: varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
- G06F 3/162: {Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs}
- G06F 3/165: {Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path}
- H03G 5/165: {Equalizers; Volume or gain control in limited frequency bands}
- H04B 7/0834: {based on external parameters, e.g. subscriber speed or location}
- H04R 3/04: for correcting frequency response
- H04R 3/12: for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers {(specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407)}
- H04R 29/007: {for public address systems (public address systems per se H04R27/00)}
- H04S 7/302: {Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation (H04S7/301 takes precedence)}
- H04S 7/303: {Tracking of listener position or orientation}
- 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
- H04S 7/307: {Frequency adjustment, e.g. tone control (H04S7/301 takes precedence)}
- H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H03G: CONTROL OF AMPLIFICATION
- H04B: TRANSMISSION
- 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)
- H04S: STEREOPHONIC SYSTEMS

## Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus for frequency routing based on orientation are disclosed. An example method includes receiving, by a playback device, an audio data stream. The example method includes determining, by the playback device, an orientation of the playback device. The example method includes routing, by the playback device, a first set of frequencies in the audio data stream to at least one of a plurality of speaker drivers based on the first orientation. The example method includes routing, by the playback device, a second set of frequencies in the audio data stream to the at least one of the plurality of speaker drivers based on the second orientation, wherein the first set of frequencies is different than the second set of frequencies.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A first playback device comprising:
at least one processor;
at least one orientation sensor;
a plurality of speakers comprising a first speaker and a second speaker; and
at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to:
while receiving multi-channel audio content from a media source, determine whether the first playback device is paired with a second playback device and use the orientation sensor to determine an orientation of the first playback device;
while the first playback device is not paired with the second playback device and when the first playback device is determined to be in a first orientation, play a first channel of the multi-channel audio content via the first speaker and play a second channel of the multi-channel audio content via the second speaker;
while the first playback device is not paired with the second playback device and when the first playback device is determined to be in a second orientation, play the first channel of the multi-channel audio content via the second speaker and play the second channel of the multi-channel audio content via the first speaker; and
while the first playback device is paired with the second playback device regardless of orientation of the first playback device, provide the first channel of the multi-channel audio content and the second channel of the multi-channel audio content to the second playback device for playback.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the at least one orientation sensor comprises an accelerometer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the first playback device is configured to play audiovisual content, wherein the audiovisual content comprises video content and the multi-channel audio content, and wherein the first playback device further comprises:
a display screen configured to display the video content of the audiovisual content.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the first orientation comprises a horizontal orientation, and wherein the second orientation comprises a vertical orientation.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the first orientation comprises the first speaker facing a first direction and the second orientation comprises the first speaker facing a second direction.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The first playback device 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 play the first channel of the multi-channel audio content via the first speaker and play the second channel of the multi-channel audio content via the second speaker comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to (i) route the first channel of the multi-channel audio content to the first speaker and (ii) route the second channel of the multi-channel audio content to the second speaker; and
wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to play the first channel of the multi-channel audio content via the second speaker and play the second channel of the multi-channel audio content via the first speaker comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to (i) route the second channel of the multi-channel audio content to the first speaker and (ii) route the first channel of the multi-channel audio content to the second speaker.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The first playback device 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 play the first channel of the multi-channel audio content via the first speaker and play the second channel of the multi-channel audio content via the second speaker comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to (i) play the first channel of the multi-channel audio content via the first speaker according to a first equalization setting and (ii) play the second channel of the multi-channel audio content via the second speaker according to a second equalization setting; and
wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to play the second channel of the multi-channel audio content via the first speaker and play the first channel of the multi-channel audio content via the second speaker comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to (i) play the second channel of the multi-channel audio content via the first speaker according to the second equalization setting and (ii) play the first channel of the multi-channel audio content via the second speaker according to the first equalization setting.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The first playback device of claim 1, wherein the first playback device comprises one of a smartphone or a tablet computer.

### Claim 9

Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising program instructions that are executable by at least one processor such that a first playback device is configured to perform functions comprising:
while receiving multi-channel audio content received from a media source, determining whether the first playback device is paired with a second playback device and using at least one orientation sensor to determine an orientation of the first playback device;
while the first playback device is not paired with the second playback device and when the first playback device is determined to be in a first orientation, playing a first channel of the multi-channel audio content via a first speaker of the first playback device and playing a second channel of the multi-channel audio content via a second speaker of the first playback device;
while the first playback device is not paired with the second playback device and when the first playback device is determined to be in a second orientation, playing the first channel of the multi-channel audio content via the second speaker and playing the second channel of the multi-channel audio content via the first speaker; and
while the first playback device is paired with the second playback device regardless of orientation of the first playback device, provide the first channel of the multi-channel audio content and the second channel of the multi-channel audio content to the second playback device for playback.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the at least one orientation sensor comprises an accelerometer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the first playback device is configured to play audiovisual content, wherein the audiovisual content comprises video content and the multi-channel audio content, and wherein the first playback device further comprises a display screen configured to display the video content of the audiovisual content.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the first orientation comprises a horizontal orientation, and wherein the second orientation comprises a vertical orientation.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the first orientation comprises the first speaker facing a first direction and the second orientation comprises the first speaker facing a second direction.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein playing the first channel of the multi-channel audio content via the first speaker and playing the second channel of the multi-channel audio content via the second speaker comprises (i) routing the first channel of the multi-channel audio content to the first speaker and (ii) routing the second channel of the multi-channel audio content to the second speaker; and
wherein playing the first channel of the multi-channel audio content via the second speaker and playing the second channel of the multi-channel audio content via the first speaker comprises (i) routing the second channel of the multi-channel audio content to the first speaker and (ii) routing the first channel of the multi-channel audio content to the second speaker.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein playing the first channel of the multi-channel audio content via the first speaker and playing the second channel of the multi-channel audio content via the second speaker comprises (i) playing the first channel of the multi-channel audio content via the first speaker according to a first equalization setting and (ii) playing the second channel of the multi-channel audio content via the second speaker according to a second equalization setting; and
wherein playing the second channel of the multi-channel audio content via the first speaker and playing the first channel of the multi-channel audio content via the second speaker (i) playing the second channel of the multi-channel audio content via the first speaker according to the second equalization setting and (ii) playing the first channel of the multi-channel audio content via the second speaker according to the first equalization setting.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the first playback device comprises one of a smartphone or a tablet computer.

### Claim 17

A method performed by a first playback device, the method comprising:
while the first playback device is receiving multi-channel audio content from a media source, determining whether the first playback device is paired with a second playback device and using an orientation sensor to determine an orientation of the first playback device;
while the first playback device is not paired with the second playback device and when the first playback device is determined to be in a first orientation, playing a first channel of the multi-channel audio content via a first speaker of the first playback device and playing a second channel of the multi-channel audio content via a second speaker of the first playback device;
while the first playback device is not paired with the second playback device and when the first playback device is determined to be in a second orientation, playing the first channel of the multi-channel audio content via the second speaker and playing the second channel of the multi-channel audio content via the first speaker; and
while the first playback device is paired with the second playback device regardless of orientation of the first playback device, provide the first channel of the multi-channel audio content and the second channel of the multi-channel audio content to the second playback device for playback.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method claim 17, wherein the first playback device is configured to play audiovisual content, wherein the audiovisual content comprises video content and the multi-channel audio content, and wherein the first playback device further comprises a display screen configured to display the video content of the audiovisual content.

### Claim 19 (depends on 9)

The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the first orientation comprises the first speaker facing a first direction and the second orientation comprises the first speaker facing a second direction.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the first playback device comprises one of a smartphone or a tablet computer.