{
  "patent_number": "US 11743673",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "Smart Speaker System Adapts Sound Based on Speaker Placement",
  "original_title": "Audio processing apparatus and method therefor",
  "summary": "This patent describes an audio system that intelligently chooses how to play different parts of a sound through different speakers, adapting its method based on where each speaker is placed in a room.",
  "what_it_does": "The patent describes an audio processing system that receives sound information, including separate sound parts (audio components) and data about where your speakers (audio transducers) are located. A \"renderer circuit\" then creates the actual sound signals for these speakers. Crucially, a \"render controller circuit\" picks different ways to play the sound (rendering modes, like stereo or 3D audio) for different speakers or even different sound parts. For example, if one speaker is out of place compared to its ideal spot, the system might use a different rendering mode for that speaker or a group of speakers to make the sound still feel right, as described in claim 1 and 4. It can also adjust based on the type of sound, like speech versus music.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Systems that only use a single rendering mode for all speakers and all audio components, without adaptation.",
    "Audio systems that do not consider the actual physical position of the speakers when choosing how to render sound.",
    "Systems that cannot apply different rendering modes to different *subsets* of speakers simultaneously.",
    "Systems that cannot apply different rendering modes to different *audio components* (e.g., a voice track vs. background music).",
    "Basic stereo or surround sound systems that do not dynamically adapt rendering based on speaker position deviations."
  ],
  "filed": "2021-01-20",
  "granted": "2023-08-29",
  "expires": "2041-01-20",
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Koninklijke Philips NV",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/koninklijke-philips-nv",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Arnoldus Werner Johannes Oomen",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/arnoldus-werner-johannes-oomen"
    },
    {
      "name": "Werner Paulus Josephus De Bruijn",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/werner-paulus-josephus-de-bruijn"
    },
    {
      "name": "Aki Sakari Harma",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/aki-sakari-harma"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 0,
  "tags": [
    "consumer_electronics",
    "software",
    "telecommunications"
  ],
  "abstract": "An audio processing apparatus comprises a receiver (705) which receives audio data including audio components and render configuration data including audio transducer position data for a set of audio transducers (703). A renderer (707) generating audio transducer signals for the set of audio transducers from the audio data. The renderer (7010) is capable of rendering audio components in accordance with a plurality of rendering modes. A render controller (709) selects the rendering modes for the renderer (707) from the plurality of rendering modes based on the audio transducer position data. The renderer (707) can employ different rendering modes for different subsets of the set of audio transducers the render controller (709) can independently select rendering modes for each of the different subsets of the set of audio transducers (703). The render controller (709) can select the rendering mode for a first audio transducer of the set of audio transducers (703) in response to a position of the first audio transducer relative to a predetermined position for the audio transducer. The approach may provide improved adaptation, e.g. to scenarios where most speakers are at desired positions whereas a subset deviate from the desired position(s).",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11743673/audio-processing-apparatus-and-method-therefor",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11743673/audio-processing-apparatus-and-method-therefor/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US11743673",
  "relatedPatents": [
    {
      "patentNumber": "11178503",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "How Smart Speakers Adapt Sound to Your Room and Listening Spot",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11178503/system-for-rendering-and-playback-of-object-based-audio-in-various-listening-env"
    },
    {
      "patentNumber": "10743125",
      "countryCode": "US",
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      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10743125/audio-processing-apparatus-with-channel-remapper-and-object-renderer"
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      "countryCode": "US",
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      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11006212/upward-firing-loudspeaker-having-asymmetric-dispersion-for-reflected-sound-rende"
    },
    {
      "patentNumber": "10276149",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "How Voice Assistants Change Their Speech Based on How You Talk",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10276149/dynamic-text-to-speech-output"
    },
    {
      "patentNumber": "10362429",
      "countryCode": "US",
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    }
  ]
}