Stackable communications system

• US 10,154,341 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Lockett, David A., Heaton, Kurtis G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Truong, Kenny H
• Application Number:
  US14/139,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20140112485A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,814 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4436 Power management, e.g. shutting down unused components of the receiver power management in computer systems G06F1/3203; hibernate or awake process in computer systems G06F9/4418
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/108 the cable being constituted by a pair of wires
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/00 Details of selecting apparatus or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2203/12 Beamforming aspects for stereophonic sound reproduction with loudspeaker arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/002 Non-adaptive circuits, e.g. manually adjustable or static, for enhancing the sound image or the spatial distribution control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field H04S7/30
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0021 Side-by-side or stacked arrangements

Abstract

An audio system that comprises an audio server and individual speaker clients may be connected. Individual speaker clients may or may not be the same physical configuration. When the audio server detects each speaker client, the audio server configures each speaker to a particular purpose. This allows remote configurable speakers to be used for different features. Other audio devices may also be connected to the audio server.

Claims

1. An audio system, comprising:

an audio server that processes audio portions of media content;

wherein the audio server serves one or more audio processing devices; and

a plurality of speaker clients, each speaker client in the plurality of speaker clients being configurable by the audio server to perform functionality of any type of speaker among two or more types of speakers;

wherein the audio server is configured to;

detect a speaker client of the plurality of speaker clients, wherein the speaker client comprises of a plurality of speaker modules, the plurality of speaker modules comprising at least a high-frequency module and a low-frequency module;

determine a location of the speaker client;

determine a speaker type for the speaker client based on the determined location, the speaker type among the two or more types of speakers;

transfer configuration data to configure speaker type characteristics of the speaker client based at least on the determined speaker type, the configuration data instructing the speaker client to perform as the determined speaker type by changing an output frequency characteristic of the speaker client by disabling a speaker module of the plurality of speaker modules.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio server is resident in a speaker bar.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a display subsystem that is configured to display a graphical interface to a user;

a user input subsystem that is configured to receive user command input that selects the speaker client and indicates a preferred configuration from the graphical interface for the speaker client selected by a user; and

wherein the audio server is configured to reconfigure the speaker client based upon the received user command input.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the speaker client further comprises an indicator that indicates a preferred configuration of the speaker client.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a configuration detection subsystem that detects a preferred configuration of the speaker client; and

wherein the audio server configures the speaker client based at least on the preferred configuration for the speaker client.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio server and the speaker client are connected via wireless connections.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a newly placed speaker client transmits a signal to the audio server to initiate detection and configuration of the newly placed speaker client.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein all speaker clients detected and configured by the audio server have a common physical configuration.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio server comprises a module on a stackable communications system.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio server is connected to a stackable communications system.

11. A method for processing audio portions of media content, comprising:

detecting, by an audio server, a speaker client in a plurality of speaker clients, each speaker client in the plurality of speaker clients being configurable remotely to perform functionality of any type of speaker in two or more types of speakers, wherein the speaker client comprises of a plurality of speaker modules, the plurality of speaker modules comprising at least a high-frequency module and a low-frequency module;

wherein the audio server serves one or more audio processing devices;

determining, by the audio server, a location of the speaker client; and

determining, by the audio server, a speaker type for the speaker client based on the determined location, the speaker type among the two or more types of speakers;

transferring, by the audio server, configuration data to configure speaker type characteristics of the speaker client based at least on the determined speaker type, the configuration data instructing the speaker client to perform as the determined speaker type by changing an output frequency characteristic of the speaker client by disabling a speaker module of the plurality of speaker modules.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the audio server is resident in a speaker bar.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying a graphical interface to a user;

receiving user command input that selects the speaker client and indicates a preferred configuration from the graphical interface for the speaker client selected by a user; and

reconfiguring the speaker client based upon the received user command input.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the speaker client comprises an indicator that indicates a preferred configuration of the speaker client.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting a preferred configuration of the speaker client; and

selecting the preferred configuration for the speaker client.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the audio server and the speaker client are connected via wireless connections.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein a newly placed speaker client transmits a signal to the audio server to initiate detection and configuration of the newly placed speaker client.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein all speaker clients detected and configured by the audio server have a common physical configuration.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the audio server comprises a module on a stackable communications system.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the audio server is connected to a stackable communications system.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

an audio server that processes audio portions of media content;

wherein the audio server serves one or more audio processing devices; and

wherein the audio server comprises;

a subsystem, on the audio server, implemented at least partially in hardware, that detects a speaker client of a plurality of speaker clients, each speaker client in the plurality of speaker clients being configurable by the audio server to perform functionality of any type of speaker among two or more types of speakers, wherein the speaker client comprises of a plurality of speaker modules, the plurality of speaker modules comprising at least a high-frequency module and a low-frequency module;

a subsystem, on the audio server, implemented at least partially in hardware, that determines a location of the speaker client;

a subsystem, on the audio server, implemented at least partially in hardware, that determines a speaker type for the speaker client based on the determined location, the speaker type among the two or more types of speakers;

transfers configuration data to configure speaker type characteristics of the speaker client based at least on the determined speaker type, the configuration data instructing the speaker client to perform as the determined speaker type by changing an output frequency characteristic of the speaker client by disabling a speaker module of the plurality of speaker modules.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the audio server is resident in a speaker bar.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a subsystem, on the audio server, implemented at least partially in hardware, that displays a graphical interface to a user;

a subsystem, on the audio server, implemented at least partially in hardware, that receives user command input that selects the speaker client and indicates a preferred configuration from the graphical interface for the speaker client selected by a user; and

wherein the audio server is configured to reconfigure the speaker client based upon the received user command input.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the speaker client comprises an indicator that indicates a preferred configuration, among the plurality of remotely configurable configurations, of the speaker client.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a subsystem, on the audio server, implemented at least partially in hardware, that detects a preferred configuration of the speaker client; and

wherein the audio server is configured to select the preferred configuration for the speaker client.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the audio server and the speaker clients are connected via wireless connections.

27. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein a newly placed speaker client transmits a signal to the audio server to initiate detection and configuration of the newly placed speaker client.

28. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein all speaker clients detected and configured by the audio server have a common physical configuration.

29. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the audio server comprises a module on a stackable communications system.

30. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the audio server is connected to a stackable communications system.