IP Library Granted Patent US 12,634,652
Granted Patent B2
US 12,634,652 · App. 19/028,592 · Granted May 19, 2026

Media playback based on sensor data

Inventors: Jonathon Reilly (Cambridge, MA); Niels Van Erven (Santa Barbara, CA)
Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
H04S7/303G01S3/023G01S3/80G06F3/165H04L41/22H04L67/1042H04R3/04H04R27/00H04R29/001H04R29/008H04S7/302H04R2227/005H04R2430/01H04S7/301
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,634,652
App. No.
19/028,592
Granted
May 19, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Example techniques relate to playback based on acoustic signals in a system including a first network device and a second network device. A first network device may detect a presence of a user using a camera and/or infrared sensors. The first network device sends, in response to detecting the presence of the user, a particular signal via the first network interface. The second network device receives data corresponding to the particular signal and plays back an audio output corresponding to the particular signal.

Claims (112)

1 . A network device comprising:

at least one audio transducer;

a camera;

a microphone;

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to:

receive, via the camera, image data representing at least a portion of a listening area;

generate, based on the received image data, first information representing a position of at least one listener;

receive, via the microphone, acoustic wave data representing audio played in the listening area by a first playback device and a second playback device;

generate, based on the received acoustic wave data, second information;

determine, based on at least the generated first information and the generated second information, relative positioning of the at least one listener to the first playback device and the second playback device;

determine one or more audio characteristics configured to adjust a sound field produced by the first playback device and the second playback device during playback according to the determined relative positioning of the at least one listener to the first playback device and the second playback device;

cause, via a network interface, the first playback device to play back at least a first portion of audio content according to the determined one or more audio characteristics;

cause, via the network interface, the second playback device to play back at least a second portion of the audio content according to the determined one or more audio characteristics; and

play back at least a third portion of the audio content according to the determined one or more audio characteristics via the at least one audio transducer.

2 . The network device of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to cause the first playback device to play back at least the first portion of the audio content comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to:

obtain the audio content; and

send, to the first playback device via the network interface, at least the first portion of the audio content.

3 . The network device of claim 2 , wherein one or more of (a) a first portion of the obtained audio, (b) a second portion of the obtained audio, and (c) a third portion of the obtained audio are the same.

4 . The network device of claim 2 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to cause the first playback device to play back at least the first portion of the audio content comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to: cause the first playback device to play back at least the first portion of the audio content in synchrony with playback of at least the third portion of the audio content by the network device.

5 . The network device of claim 4 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to:

send, to the first playback device via the network interface, a synchronization signal.

6 . The network device of claim 2 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to obtain the audio content comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to:

obtain the audio content via the network interface.

7 . The network device of claim 2 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to obtain the audio content comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to:

obtain the audio content via a line-in interface.

8 . The network device of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to determine the one or more audio characteristics comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to:

determine at least one first filter corresponding to the first playback device based on at least the generated first information and the generated second information, wherein during playback, the at least one first filter modifies the first portion of the audio content to adjust a first portion of the sound field; and

determine at least one second filter corresponding to the first playback device based on at least the generated first information and the generated second information, wherein during playback, the at least one second filter modifies the first portion of the audio content to adjust a second portion of the sound field.

9 . The network device of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to cause the first playback device to play back at least the first portion of the audio content comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to:

send, to the first playback device, an indication of the determined adjusted audio characteristic.

10 . The network device of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to cause the first playback device to play back at least the first portion of the audio content comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to:

send, to the first playback device, an indication of at least a portion of one or more of (a) the generated first information and (b) the generated second information.

11 . The network device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to cause the first playback device to play back at least the first portion of the audio content comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to:

cause the first playback device to play back at least the first portion of the audio content in synchrony with playback of at least the second portion of the audio content by the second playback device.

12 . The network device of claim 11 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to:

send, to the first playback device via the network interface, a synchronization signal.

13 . The network device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to:

cause display of status information regarding the first playback device.

14 . The network device of claim 13 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to:

cause an additional network device to display status information representing at least one status of the first playback device.

15 . The network device of claim 13 , further comprising a screen, wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to:

cause display of the status information regarding the first playback device comprises causing display, via the screen, of the status information.

16 . The network device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to determine the one or more audio characteristics comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to:

determine one or more audio characteristics configured to substantially direct the sound field generated by at least the first playback device and the second playback device at a particular listening location.

17 . The network device of claim 16 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to:

perform a location scan of an environment; and

determine the particular listening location based on one or more listener locations identified during the location scan.

18 . The network device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to determine the one or more audio characteristics comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to:

determine one or more audio characteristics configured to adjust an equalization of the sound field generated by at least the first playback device and the second playback device.

19 . The network device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more audio characteristics comprises at least one first audio characteristic, and wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the network device is configured to:

generate third information;

determine, based on at least the generated third information, at least one second audio characteristic;

cause the first playback device to play back according to the at least one second audio characteristic; and

cause the second playback device to play according to the at least one second audio characteristic.

20 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that are executable by at least one processor such that a network device is configured to:

receive, via a camera of the network device, image data representing at least a portion of a listening area;

generate, based on the received image data, first information representing a position of at least one listener;

receive, via a microphone of the network device, acoustic wave data representing audio played in the listening area by a first playback device and a second playback device;

generate, based on the received acoustic wave data, second information;

determine, based on at least the generated first information and the generated second information, relative positioning of the at least one listener to the first playback device and the second playback device;

determine one or more audio characteristics configured to adjust a sound field produced by the first playback device and the second playback device during playback according to the determined relative positioning of the at least one listener to the first playback device and the second playback device;

cause, via a network interface, the first playback device to play back at least a first portion of audio content according to the determined one or more audio characteristics;

cause, via the network interface, the second playback device to play back at least a second portion of the audio content according to the determined one or more audio characteristics; and

play back at least a third portion of the audio content according to the determined one or more audio characteristics via at least one audio transducer of the network device.

21 . A system comprising:

a network device comprising a network interface, a camera, a microphone, and at least one audio transducer;

a first playback device;

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

receive, via the camera, image data representing at least a portion of a listening area;

generate, based on the received image data, first information representing a position of at least one listener;

receive, via the microphone, acoustic wave data representing audio played in the listening area;

generate, based on the received acoustic wave data, second information;

determine, based on at least the generated first information and the generated second information, relative positioning of the at least one listener to the first playback device and a second playback device;

determine one or more audio characteristics configured to adjust a sound field produced by the first playback device and a second playback device during playback according to the determined relative positioning of the at least one listener to the first playback device and the second playback device;

cause, via the network interface, the first playback device to play back at least a first portion of audio content according to the determined one or more audio characteristics;

cause, via the network interface, the second playback device to play back at least a second portion of the audio content according to the determined one or more audio characteristics; and

play back at least a third portion of the audio content according to the determined one or more audio characteristics via the at least one audio transducer.

22 . The system of claim 21 , further comprising the second playback device, wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

receive the second portion of the audio content; and

play back the second portion of the audio content according to the determined one or more audio characteristics.

23 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause the first playback device to play back at least the first portion of the audio content comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

obtain the audio content; and

send, to the first playback device via the network interface, at least the first portion of the audio content.

24 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause the first playback device to play back at least the first portion of the audio content comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to: cause the first playback device to play back at least the first portion of the audio content in synchrony with playback of at least the third portion of the audio content by the network device.

25 . A system comprising:

a first network device comprising a first network interface, a camera, and a microphone;

a second network device comprising a second network interface;

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

receive, via the camera, image data representing at least a portion of a listening area;

generate, based on the received image data, first information representing a position of at least one listener;

receive, via the microphone, acoustic wave data representing audio played in the listening area by a first playback device and a second playback device;

generate, based on the received acoustic wave data, second information;

determine, based on at least the generated first information and the generated second information, relative positioning of the at least one listener to the first playback device and the second playback device;

determine one or more audio characteristics configured to adjust a sound field produced by the first playback device and the second playback device during playback according to the determined relative positioning of the at least one listener to the first playback device and the second playback device;

send, via the second network interface of the second network device, a command to play back audio content;

cause, via the first network interface of the first network device, the first playback device to play back at least a first portion of the audio content according to the determined one or more audio characteristics; and

cause, via the first network interface of the first network device, the second playback device to play back at least a second portion of the audio content according to the determined one or more audio characteristics.

26 . The system of claim 25 , further comprising the first playback device, wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

receive, via a third network interface, the first portion of the audio content; and

play back the first portion of the audio content according to the determined one or more audio characteristics.

27 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause the first playback device to play back at least the first portion of the audio content comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

obtain the audio content; and

send, to the first playback device via the first network interface, at least the first portion of the audio content.

28 . The system of claim 27 ,

wherein the first network device comprises at least one speaker,

wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

play back at least a third portion of the audio content according to the determined audio characteristic; and

wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to cause the first playback device to play back at least the first portion of the audio content comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:

cause the first playback device to play back at least the first portion of the audio content in synchrony with playback of at least the third portion of the audio content by the first network device.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 30, 2026
From: SONOS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 074533/0615 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 21, 2025
From: REILLY, JONATHON; VAN ERVEN, NIELS
To: SONOS, INC.
Reel/Frame 069943/0478 →
Continuity (11)
Continuation 18308065 · Apr 27, 2023
Continuation 17543014 · Dec 6, 2021
Continuation 17207640 · Mar 20, 2021
Continuation 17104466 · Nov 25, 2020
Continuation 16658896 · Oct 21, 2019
Continuation 15235598 · Aug 12, 2016
Continuation 15166241 · May 26, 2016
Continuation 15056553 · Feb 29, 2016
Continuation 14726921 · Jun 1, 2015
Continuation 13340126 · Dec 29, 2011
Related Publication 20250168584A1 · May 22, 2025
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