Portable Speaker Equalization Using Stored Room Response Matching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Portable playback devices face challenges in calibrating themselves to account for changing acoustic environments due to their frequent repositioning and lack of access to network devices or remote databases for multi-location acoustic response detection.

Innovation Solution

These devices utilize built-in microphones and a locally stored database of calibration settings and room responses, which are generated from previous multi-location calibration processes, to determine a localized acoustic response and apply corresponding calibration settings for optimal audio output.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If portable playback devices frequently reposition to different locations, then adaptability to various environments is improved, but calibration accuracy deteriorates due to changing acoustic responses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to various environmentsVSAvoidcalibration accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs multi-location acoustic response detection in advance and stores the data in a remote database. When the playback device is repositioned, it retrieves pre-stored calibration data corresponding to the new location, avoiding the need for real-time recalibration and maintaining calibration accuracy across different environments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A remote database serves as an intermediary between the playback device and calibration data. The database stores acoustic response data from multiple locations and provides the appropriate calibration settings to the playback device based on its current position, enabling accurate calibration without requiring the device to perform complex real-time measurements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If portable playback devices perform self-calibration without network devices, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to limited acoustic response detection capability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveself-calibration capabilityVSAvoidacoustic response detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The playback device is equipped with built-in microphones that enable it to perform self-calibration by detecting acoustic responses in its environment. The device autonomously retrieves calibration data from a remote database based on its location and applies the appropriate settings, eliminating the need for external network devices while maintaining operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The playback device integrates multiple functions including audio playback, location identification, acoustic response detection via built-in microphones, and self-calibration. This multi-functionality allows the device to operate independently without requiring separate network devices for calibration while maintaining measurement precision through access to pre-stored calibration data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Measurement precision

If portable playback devices access remote databases for calibration data, then calibration accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases due to network dependency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecalibration accuracyVSAvoidnetwork dependency

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The remote database acts as an intermediary that stores comprehensive calibration data from multiple locations. The playback device communicates with this database to retrieve pre-computed calibration settings, which simplifies the device's own calibration processing requirements while maintaining high calibration accuracy through access to professionally collected acoustic response data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables self-calibration of portable playback devices in various environments without relying on network devices, ensuring consistent audio quality by matching the determined acoustic response with stored data for effective equalization and frequency adjustment.

Implementation Method 1

capturing, via the microphone, audio data representing reflections of the audio content within a room in which the portable playback device is located

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcoustic reflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentUS11374547B2Audio calibration of a portable playback device

Publication Date: 2022.06.28 SONOS INC

AI summary

Disclosed herein are example techniques to facilitate calibrating a portable playback device. An example implementation involves determining that a playback device is to perform an equalization calibration of the playback device and initiating the equalization calibration. Initiating the equalization calibration involves (i) outputting audio content, (ii) capturing audio data representing reflections of the audio content within an area in which the playback device is located, (iii) determining an acoustic response of the area in which the playback device is located, (iv) selecting a stored acoustic response from the acoustic response database that is most similar to the determined acoustic response of the area in which the playback device is located, and (v) applying to the audio content, via the playback device, a set of stored audio calibration settings associated with the selected stored acoustic area response.