18473811. SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REDUCING AUDIO QUALITY BASED ON ACOUSTIC ENVIRONMENT simplified abstract (Sonos, Inc.)

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REDUCING AUDIO QUALITY BASED ON ACOUSTIC ENVIRONMENT

Organization Name

Sonos, Inc.

Inventor(s)

Ryan Michael Bello of Sammamish WA (US)

Daniel Jones of London (GB)

Peter Dodds of Santa Barbara CA (US)

Briet Louise Brown of Boston MA (US)

Christopher Pike of Manchester (GB)

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REDUCING AUDIO QUALITY BASED ON ACOUSTIC ENVIRONMENT - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18473811 titled 'SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REDUCING AUDIO QUALITY BASED ON ACOUSTIC ENVIRONMENT

Simplified Explanation

The disclosed innovation involves improving the media playback experience by selectively reducing audio quality based on aspects of the acoustic environment, such as the number and locations of users, noise levels, and device locations. The system monitors devices and sensors to determine opportunities for quality reduction, conserving resources for other purposes.

• Media playback systems selectively reduce audio quality based on acoustic environment conditions.
• Reduction in audio quality is determined by factors like user presence, noise levels, and device locations.
• Monitoring devices and sensors help identify opportunities for quality reduction to conserve resources.

Potential Applications

This technology could be applied in:

• Home entertainment systems
• Public spaces with multiple audio playback devices
• Virtual reality and augmented reality environments

Problems Solved

This technology addresses issues such as:

• Resource conservation in media playback systems
• Optimization of audio quality based on environmental factors

Benefits

The benefits of this technology include:

• Enhanced user experience through optimized audio quality
• Efficient resource allocation in media playback systems

Potential Commercial Applications

Potential commercial applications of this technology include:

• Audio equipment manufacturers
• Entertainment venues
• Virtual reality and augmented reality developers

Possible Prior Art

One possible prior art could be the use of adaptive audio streaming technologies that adjust audio quality based on network conditions to ensure smooth playback.

How does the system determine the optimal level of audio quality reduction based on the acoustic environment?

The system may use algorithms that analyze the data collected from sensors and devices to make real-time adjustments to audio quality.

What impact does the reduction in audio quality have on the overall user experience?

While the reduction in audio quality may conserve resources, it is essential to ensure that it does not significantly degrade the user experience. Testing and user feedback can help determine the optimal balance between resource conservation and user satisfaction.

Original Abstract Submitted

The disclosed playback devices, media playback systems, and/or methods improve upon the media playback experience by selectively reducing audio quality under certain conditions. The reduction of audio quality may be based on one or more aspects of the acoustic environment, such as the number and locations of one or more users, noise levels, playback device locations relative to the acoustic environment, etc. The media playback system may monitor or periodically poll each of one or more playback devices and other devices or sensors in and around an acoustic environment to determine whether there are opportunities to reduce audio quality for one or more playback devices. This reduction in quality allows the media playback system to conserve resources in one or more aspects and, potentially, divert those resources to other aspects for purposes.