Switching to a second audio interface between a computer apparatus and an audio apparatus

• US 10,206,031 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2016
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation (Dolby Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation (Dolby Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dickins, Glenn N., Erinjippurath, Gopal, Spittle, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins, Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ganmavo, Kuassi
• Application Number:
  US15/094,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20160302004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/10 Program control for peripheral devices G06F13/14 - G06F13/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/06 Use of more than one graphics processor to process data before displaying to one or more screens
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 2201/40 Combined gain and bias control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/08 Mouthpieces; Microphones; Attachments therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/24 Structural combinations of separate transducers or of two parts of the same transducer and responsive respectively to two or more frequency ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/01 Input selection or mixing for amplifiers or loudspeakers
• 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 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10

Abstract

An audio apparatus is configured to switch, when there exists a first audio interface between the audio apparatus and a computer apparatus, to using a second audio interface between the audio apparatus and the computer apparatus, the second audio interface being different from the first audio interface. The switching comprises: receiving, via the first audio interface, combined audio data and non-audio data, the non-audio data comprising a request to switch to using the second audio interface; obtaining the request from the data; and, in response to obtaining the request, transmitting to the computer apparatus a confirmation of switching to using the second audio interface. The audio apparatus and the computer apparatus are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A computer apparatus configured to switch, when there exists a first audio interface between the computer apparatus and an audio apparatus, to using a second audio interface for communication between the computer apparatus and the audio apparatus, the second audio interface being different from the first audio interface, the audio apparatus including at least one acoustic actuator to render an audio signal received from the computer apparatus, by at least:

performing a discovery process by which the computer apparatus determines one or more capabilities of the audio apparatus;

selecting, based at least in part on the capabilities, the second audio interface;

obtaining audio data to be transmitted to the audio apparatus;

combining non-audio data with the audio data, the non-audio data comprising a request to switch to using the second audio interface;

transmitting the combined audio data and non-audio data to the audio apparatus using the first audio interface;

waiting for a confirmation from the audio apparatus that it has switched to using the second audio interface, wherein a first plurality of audio channels is defined for the first interface, the first plurality of audio channels including at least one microphone audio channel and at least one speaker audio channel.

2. The computer apparatus of claim 1, configured to combine the non-audio data with the audio data by modulating the non-audio data onto a carrier signal and adding the modulated carrier signal to the audio data.

3. The computer apparatus of claim 2, configured to use the second audio interface to communicate with the audio apparatus after, and as a result of, receiving the confirmation from the audio apparatus.

4. The computer apparatus of claim 3, configured to use the second audio interface to access or control additional functionality of the audio apparatus, the additional functionality being unavailable via the first audio interface.

5. The computer apparatus of claim 1, configured to use the first audio interface to communicate with the audio apparatus if the confirmation from the audio apparatus is not received within a given period of time.

6. The computer apparatus of claim 1, wherein more audio channels are defined for the second audio interface than are defined for the first audio interface.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising software instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a computer apparatus, or of an audio apparatus, cause the computer apparatus to be configured in accordance with claim 1.

7. An audio apparatus configured to switch, when there exists a first audio interface between the audio apparatus and a computer apparatus, to using a second audio interface for communication between the audio apparatus and the computer apparatus, the second audio interface being different from the first audio interface, the audio apparatus including at least one acoustic actuator to render an audio signal received from the computer apparatus, by at least:

providing the computer apparatus with audio apparatus capability information;

receiving, via the first audio interface, combined audio data and non-audio data, the non-audio data comprising a request to switch to using the second audio interface, the second audio interface corresponding with the audio apparatus capability information;

obtaining the request from the data; and

in response to obtaining the request, transmitting to the computer apparatus a confirmation of switching to using the second audio interface, wherein a first plurality of audio channels is defined for the first interface, the first plurality of audio channels including at least one microphone audio channel and at least one speaker audio channel.

8. The audio apparatus of claim 7, configured to obtain the data by demodulation of a modulated carrier signal combined with the audio data.

9. The audio apparatus of claim 7, configured to send the confirmation by at least:

obtaining audio data to be transmitted to the computer apparatus;

combining non-audio data with the audio data, the non-audio data comprising the confirmation; and

transmitting the combined audio data and non-audio data to the computer apparatus using the first audio interface.

10. The audio apparatus of claim 7, further configured to use the second audio interface to communicate with the computer apparatus after, and as a result of, obtaining the request.

11. The audio apparatus of claim 7, further configured switch from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation, after, and as a result of, obtaining the request, the second mode of operation comprising additional functionality as compared with the first mode of operation.

12. The audio apparatus of claim 7, wherein two or more capture channels are defined for the second audio interface, wherein each of the capture channels is an audio channel for carrying audio data from the audio apparatus to the computer apparatus.

13. The audio apparatus of claim 12, comprising a first microphone and a second microphone, being further configured to:

transmit an audio signal captured by the first microphone to the computer apparatus via a first one of the capture channels; and

transmit an audio signal captured by the second microphone to the computer apparatus via a second one of the capture channels.

14. The audio apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first one of the microphones is arranged to capture an audio signal representative mainly of a user'"'"'s voice.

15. The audio apparatus of claim 12, wherein the second one of the microphones is arranged to capture an audio signal representative mainly of ambient noise.

16. The audio apparatus of claim 7, wherein three or more render channels are defined for the second audio interface, wherein each of the render channels is an audio channel for carrying audio data from the computer apparatus to the audio apparatus.

17. The audio apparatus of claim 16, comprising a first acoustic actuator, a second acoustic actuator and a third acoustic actuator, being further configured to:

use the first acoustic actuator to render an audio signal received from the computer apparatus via a first one of the render channels; and

use the second acoustic actuator to render an audio signal received from the computer apparatus via a second one of the render channels; and

use the third acoustic actuator to render an audio signal received from the computer apparatus via a third one of the render channels.

18. The audio apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first and second acoustic actuators are left and right loudspeakers, respectively.

19. The audio apparatus of claim 17, wherein the third acoustic actuators is configured to render a low frequency audio signal.