Orientation-Based Playback Device Microphone Selection

Abstract

Aspects of a multi-orientation playback device including at least one microphone array are discussed. A method may include determining an orientation of the playback device which includes at least one microphone array and determining at least one microphone training response for the playback device from a plurality of microphone training responses based on the orientation of the playback device. The at least one microphone array can detect a sound input, and the location information of a source of the sound input can be determined based on the at least one microphone training response and the detected sound input. Based on the location information of the source, the directional focus of the at least one microphone array can be adjusted, and the sound input can be captured based on the adjusted directional focus.

1 . A playback device comprising:
 one or more microphones;   at least one processor;   a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and   program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:
 determine that the playback device is in a first orientation; 
 based on determining that the playback device is in the first orientation, activate the one or more microphones for sound processing; 
 after determining that the playback device is in the first orientation, determine that the playback device is in a second orientation; 
 based on determining that the playback device is in the second orientation, deactivate all microphones of the playback device for sound processing. 
   
     
     
         2 . The playback device of  claim 1 , further comprising program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:
 detect a sound input; and   based on detecting the sound input, determine a response curve of a given microphone of the one or more microphones.   
     
     
         3 . The playback device of  claim 2 , further comprising program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:
 determine whether to activate or deactivate the given microphone based on the response curve of the given microphone.   
     
     
         4 . The playback device of  claim 2 , further comprising program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:
 determine a location of a source of the detected sound input.   
     
     
         5 . The playback device of  claim 4 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to determine the location of the source of the detected sound input comprises program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:
 compare the response curve of the given microphone with one or more training responses corresponding to respective positions of the source of the detected sound input relative to the playback device to select a given training response of the one or more training responses for determining the location of the source of the detected sound input.   
     
     
         6 . The playback device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to determine that the playback device is in the first orientation comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to determine that the playback device is in the first orientation based on an output of the at least one sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The playback device of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of an accelerometer or a gyroscope. 
     
     
         8 . The playback device of  claim 1 , wherein (i) the first orientation is a substantially horizontal orientation and the second orientation is a substantially vertical orientation, or (ii) the first orientation is a substantially vertical orientation and the second orientation is a substantially horizontal orientation. 
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a playback device to:
 determine that the playback device is in a first orientation;   based on determining that the playback device is in the first orientation, activate one or more microphones of the playback device for sound processing;   after determining that the playback device is in the first orientation, determine that the playback device is in a second orientation;   based on determining that the playback device is in the second orientation, deactivate all microphones of the playback device for sound processing.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is also provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the playback device to:
 detect a sound input; and   based on detecting the sound input, determine a response curve of a given microphone of the one or more microphones.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is also provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the playback device to:
 determine whether to activate or deactivate the given microphone based on the response curve of the given microphone.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is also provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the playback device to:
 determine a location of a source of the detected sound input.   
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the playback device to determine the location of the source of the detected sound input comprise program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the playback device to:
 compare the response curve of the given microphone with one or more training responses corresponding to respective positions of the source of the detected sound input relative to the playback device to select a given training response of the one or more training responses for determining the location of the source of the detected sound input.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the playback device to determine that the playback device is in the first orientation comprise program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the playback device to determine that the playback device is in the first orientation based on an output of at least one sensor of the playback device. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of an accelerometer or a gyroscope. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein (i) the first orientation is a substantially horizontal orientation and the second orientation is a substantially vertical orientation, or (ii) the first orientation is a substantially vertical orientation and the second orientation is a substantially horizontal orientation. 
     
     
         17 . A method carried out by a playback device, the method comprising:
 determining that the playback device is in a first orientation;   based on determining that the playback device is in the first orientation, activating one or more microphones of the playback device for sound processing;   after determining that the playback device is in the first orientation, determining that the playback device is in a second orientation;   based on determining that the playback device is in the second orientation, deactivating all microphones of the playback device for sound processing.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 detecting a sound input; and   based on detecting the sound input, determining a response curve of a given microphone of the one or more microphones.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 determining whether to activate or deactivate the given microphone based on the response curve of the given microphone.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 determining a location of a source of the detected sound input.