Sonos, Inc.

Matt Nelson

Neil W Griffiths

Chris Bierbower

Paul Kafadar

Examples described herein involve a playback device performing one or more playback device actions based on locations of one or more physical contacts on an external surface of the playback device. A processor of the playback device may receive from an array of proximity sensors underlying an external surface of the playback device, location data indicating a physical contact at a location on the external surface. Based on at least the location, the processor may identify a playback device action from a plurality of playback device actions, and cause at least the playback device to perform the identified playback device action. The playback device may further include at least one orientation sensor from which the processor may also receive orientation data indicating an orientation of the playback device. The processor may identify the playback device action also based on the orientation of the playback device.

Playback device control

Examples described herein involve a playback device having capacitive sensors. In an example implementation, an enclosure of a playback device includes: a first external surface comprising a speaker grille; a second external surface substantially orthogonal to the first external surface; and an array of capacitive sensors underlying the second external surface of the playback device. The array of capacitive sensors includes a first subset of capacitive sensors underlying a first region of the second external surface, a second subset of capacitive sensors underlying a second region of the second external surface, and a third subset of capacitive sensors underlying a third region of the second external surface. The enclosure and sensors may be arranged such that a particular side of the first region is adjacent to a first side of the second region, a particular side of the third region is adjacent to a second side of the second region.

Playback device with capacitive sensors

Examples described herein involve a playback device with an enclosure including a first external surface where out-ward facing speakers of the playback device are positioned and a second external surface substantially orthogonal to the first external surface, an array of proximity sensors underlying the second external surface of the playback device; and an orientation sensor. The playback device receives data user input, the user input comprising a first physical contact at a first location on the array of proximity sensors followed by a second physical contact at a second location on the array of proximity sensors; and in response to receiving the data, causes a playback volume of the playback device to change. The playback volume increases if the orientation sensor indicates that the enclosure is in a first orientation and decrease if the orientation sensor indicates that the enclosure is in a second orientation.

Examples described herein involve a playback device performing one or more playback device actions based on locations of one or more physical contacts on an external surface of the playback device. A processor of the playback device may receive from an array of proximity sensors underlying an external surface of the playback device, location data indicating a physical contact at a location on the external surface. Based on at least the location, the processor may identify a playback device action from a plurality of playback device actions, and cause at least the playback device to perform the identified playback device action. The playback device may further include at least one orientation sensor from which the processor may also receive orientation data indicating an orientation of the playback device. The processor may identify identify the playback device action also based on the orientation of the playback device.

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Santa Barbara, CA, United States of America

Matt Nelson