Calibration State Tracking for Multi-Room Playback Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing media playback systems face challenges in maintaining calibration across multiple playback devices, especially when devices are powered off and back on or moved to different zones, leading to inconsistencies in audio playback quality due to varying acoustic environments.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a calibration state variable that is stored and shared among devices within the media playback system, allowing for the maintenance of a calibrated state through power cycling and zone changes, with a control device initiating calibration procedures as needed based on detected changes in device status and environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If playback devices are powered off and back on or moved to different zones, then device flexibility and reconfigurability are improved, but calibration consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calibration actions by storing calibration state variables in a database before devices are powered off or moved. When devices restart or change zones, the system retrieves and applies the pre-stored calibration state, eliminating the need for recalibration and maintaining calibration consistency across reconfiguration events.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring device status changes (power state, zone location) and automatically triggering calibration state retrieval or updates. This closed-loop feedback ensures that calibration consistency is maintained by detecting when recalibration is needed and executing the appropriate calibration procedures.
2Reliability
If calibration procedures are automatically triggered for each device status change, then calibration consistency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of performing full calibration procedures for every device status change, the system applies partial action by only triggering calibration when actually needed. The system checks calibration state variables and device status to determine whether full calibration, partial calibration, or no calibration is required, reducing unnecessary system complexity while maintaining calibration consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service by automatically managing calibration state variables without requiring user intervention. The calibration management module autonomously detects device status changes, retrieves appropriate calibration states from the database, and applies them to devices, simplifying the user experience while maintaining complex calibration consistency internally.
3Reliability
If calibration state variables are stored and shared among multiple devices, then calibration maintenance is improved, but data management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges calibration state management across multiple devices by implementing a centralized database that stores and shares calibration state variables. This consolidation allows all playback devices in a zone to access and share calibration data, simplifying individual device complexity while improving overall calibration maintenance through centralized data management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a calibration management module as an intermediary between devices and the calibration database. This mediator handles all data management operations, including storing, retrieving, and synchronizing calibration state variables, thereby shielding individual devices from data management complexity while enabling effective calibration maintenance across the system.
Data Source
AI summary
Example techniques involve a calibration state variable. An example implementation receives, via a network interface, an indication that the first playback device is calibrated. Based on receiving the indication that the first playback device is calibrated, the example implementation updates a calibration state variable to indicate that the first playback device is calibrated, wherein the calibration state variable is stored in the data storage. The example implementation sends, via the network interface, an indication of the updated calibration state variable to a second device.