# US 9,521,488 B2 · Playback device setting based on distortion > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,521,488 B2 - Document ID: US9521488B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/066,072 - Filed: 2016-03-10 - Published: 2016-06-30 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-17 - Assignees: Sonos, Inc. - Applicants: Sonos, Inc. - Inventors: Tetsuro Oishi; William H Bush - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9521488B2 ## CPC - H04R 29/007: {for public address systems (public address systems per se H04R27/00)} - G06F 3/165: {Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path} - H04R 1/323: {for loudspeakers (H04R1/34 and H04R1/40 take precedence)} - 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 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 27/00: Public address systems (circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; {monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007}; amplifiers H03F) - H04R 29/001: {for loudspeakers (H04R29/007 takes precedence)} - H04R 29/002: {Loudspeaker arrays} - H04S 7/307: {Frequency adjustment, e.g. tone control (H04S7/301 takes precedence)} - H04R 2227/001: Adaptation of signal processing in PA systems in dependence of presence of noise - 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 2420/03: Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers - H04R 2430/03: Synergistic effects of band splitting and sub-band processing - H04R 2499/13: Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles - H04S 2400/01: Multi-channel, i.e. more than two input channels, sound reproduction with two speakers wherein the multi-channel information is substantially preserved - H04S 2420/07: Synergistic effects of band splitting and sub-band processing - 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) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04S: STEREOPHONIC SYSTEMS ## Abstract Embodiments described herein involve configuring a playback device based on the detection of a barrier in proximity to the playback device. In an example embodiment, a playback device causes one or more speakers to emit audio and then receives audio data representing at least a portion of the emitted audio. The playback device determines, based on the received audio data, that a barrier is distorting audio output of the playback device by at least a distortion threshold. In response to determining that the barrier is distorting audio output of the playback device beyond the distortion threshold, the playback device applies a playback configuration that at least partially offsets the distortion. The playback device may cause the one or more speakers to play back audio content according to the playback configuration. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A playback device comprising: one or more processors; and tangible, computer-readable media having instructions encoded therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the playback device to perform a method comprising: causing one or more speakers to emit audio; receiving audio data representing at least a portion of the emitted audio; determining, based on the received audio data, that a barrier is distorting audio output of the playback device by at least a distortion threshold; in response to determining that the barrier is distorting audio output of the playback device beyond the distortion threshold, applying, to the playback device, a playback configuration that at least partially offsets the distortion of the playback device; and causing the one or more speakers to play back audio content according to the playback configuration. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device is operating in a given environment that comprises the barrier, and wherein determining that the barrier is distorting audio output of the playback device by at least the distortion threshold comprises: determining, based on the received audio data, a response of the given environment to the emitted audio; and determining that a difference between a frequency response of the playback device and the determined response of the given environment exceeds the distortion threshold. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The playback device of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises calibrating a frequency response of the playback device for audio output within a given environment, and wherein determining that the difference between the frequency response of the playback device and the determined response of the given environment exceeds the distortion threshold comprises determining that a difference between the calibrated frequency response of the playback device and the determined response of the given environment exceeds the distortion threshold. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The playback device of claim 2, wherein determining that the difference between the frequency response of the playback device and the determined response of the given environment exceeds the distortion threshold comprises determining that the determined response of the given environment differs from the frequency response of the playback device at one or more frequency ranges by more than the distortion threshold. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The playback device of claim 2, wherein the playback device is configured to emit audio across a given frequency range, and wherein determining that the difference between the frequency response of the playback device and the determined response of the given environment exceeds the distortion threshold comprises determining that average distortion of the frequency response of the playback device across the given frequency range exceeds the distortion threshold. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The playback device of claim 1, wherein receiving audio data representing at least a portion of the emitted audio comprises one of: receiving, via a microphone, audio data indicating that the barrier is in proximity to the playback device or receiving, via a network interface from a recording device, audio data indicating that the barrier is in proximity to the playback device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device comprises a first speaker and a second speaker, wherein determining that the barrier is distorting audio output of the playback device by at least the distortion threshold comprises determining (i) that the barrier is distorting the first speaker by at least the distortion threshold and (ii) distorting the second speaker by less than the distortion threshold, and wherein applying, to the playback device, the playback configuration comprises applying the playback configuration to audio output by the first speaker. ### Claim 8 A method comprising: causing, via a playback device, one or more speakers to emit audio; receiving, via the playback device, audio data representing at least a portion of the emitted audio; determining, via the playback device based on the received audio data, that a barrier is distorting audio output of the playback device by at least a distortion threshold; in response to determining that the barrier is distorting audio output of the playback device beyond the distortion threshold, applying, to the playback device, a playback configuration that at least partially offsets the distortion of the playback device; and causing, via the playback device, the one or more speakers to play back audio content according to the playback configuration. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the playback device is operating in a given environment that comprises the barrier, and wherein determining that the barrier is distorting audio output of the playback device by at least the distortion threshold comprises: determining, based on the received audio data, a response of the given environment to the emitted audio; and determining that a difference between a frequency response of the playback device and the determined response of the given environment exceeds the distortion threshold. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises calibrating a frequency response of the playback device for audio output within a given environment, and wherein determining that the difference between the frequency response of the playback device and the determined response of the given environment exceeds the distortion threshold comprises determining that a difference between the calibrated frequency response of the playback device and the determined response of the given environment exceeds the distortion threshold. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein determining that the difference between the frequency response of the playback device and the determined response of the given environment exceeds the distortion threshold comprises determining that the determined response of the given environment differs from the frequency response of the playback device at one or more frequency ranges by more than the distortion threshold. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the playback device is configured to emit audio across a given frequency range, and wherein determining that the difference between the frequency response of the playback device and the determined response of the given environment exceeds the distortion threshold comprises determining that average distortion of the frequency response of the playback device across the given frequency range exceeds the distortion threshold. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein receiving audio data representing at least a portion of the emitted audio comprises one of: receiving, via a microphone, audio data indicating that the barrier is in proximity to the playback device or receiving, via a network interface from a recording device, audio data indicating that the barrier is in proximity to the playback device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the playback device comprises a first speaker and a second speaker, wherein determining that the barrier is distorting audio output of the playback device by at least the distortion threshold comprises determining (i) that the barrier is distorting the first speaker by at least the distortion threshold and (ii) distorting the second speaker by less than the distortion threshold, and wherein applying, to the playback device, the playback configuration comprises applying the playback configuration to audio output by the first speaker. ### Claim 15 A tangible non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including a set of instructions for execution by a processor, the set of instructions, when executed, cause a playback device to perform operations comprising: causing one or more speakers to emit audio; receiving audio data representing at least a portion of the emitted audio; determining, based on the received audio data, that a barrier is distorting audio output of the playback device by at least a distortion threshold; in response to determining that the barrier is distorting audio output of the playback device beyond the distortion threshold, applying, to the playback device, a playback configuration that at least partially offsets the distortion of the playback device; and causing the one or more speakers to play back audio content according to the playback configuration. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The tangible non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the playback device is operating in a given environment that comprises the barrier, and wherein determining that the barrier is distorting audio output of the playback device by at least the distortion threshold comprises: determining, based on the received audio data, a response of the given environment to the emitted audio; and determining that a difference between a frequency response of the playback device and the determined response of the given environment exceeds the distortion threshold. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The tangible non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise calibrating a frequency response of the playback device for audio output within a given environment, and wherein determining that the difference between the frequency response of the playback device and the determined response of the given environment exceeds the distortion threshold comprises determining that a difference between the calibrated frequency response of the playback device and the determined response of the given environment exceeds the distortion threshold. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The tangible non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein determining that the difference between the frequency response of the playback device and the determined response of the given environment exceeds the distortion threshold comprises determining that the determined response of the given environment differs from the frequency response of the playback device at one or more frequency ranges by more than the distortion threshold. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The tangible non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the playback device is configured to emit audio across a given frequency range, and wherein determining that the difference between the frequency response of the playback device and the determined response of the given environment exceeds the distortion threshold comprises determining that average distortion of the frequency response of the playback device across the given frequency range exceeds the distortion threshold. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The tangible non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein receiving audio data representing at least a portion of the emitted audio comprises one of: receiving, via a microphone, audio data indicating that the barrier is in proximity to the playback device or receiving, via a network interface from a recording device, audio data indicating that the barrier is in proximity to the playback device.