Methods, devices and systems for bluetooth audio transmission

• US 10,681,479 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2015
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cassia Networks Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cassia Networks Inc.
• Inventors: Zhao, Jiamin, Zhao, Fuyong, Zhang, Kunpeng, Liang, Fan
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hu, Rui M
• Application Number:
  US14/919,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20160227319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,693 Days
• Field of Search: 455 412, 4551142, 343861
• 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 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A device for providing audio data to a plurality of Bluetooth audio devices is provided. The device includes one or more Bluetooth transceivers for communicating with the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices, at least one network interface, one or more processors, and a memory for storing instructions executable by the one or more processors. The one or more processors may be configured to receive the audio data via the at least one network interface, decode the audio data for audio playing, and transmit the decoded audio data to the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices via the one or more Bluetooth transceivers.

Claims

1. A device for providing audio data to a plurality of Bluetooth audio devices, comprising:

one or more Bluetooth transceivers for communicating with the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices;

at least one network interface;

one or more processors; and

a memory for storing instructions executable by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

receive a user input from a client device, wherein the user input identifies the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices for playing a first audio data and a second audio data;

receive the first and second audio data from one or more sources different from the client device via the at least one network interface based at least on the received user input, wherein the first audio data is received from a first source different from the client device, the second audio data is received from a second source different from the client device, wherein each of the first and second sources is a network site, and wherein the first source is different from the second source;

decode the first and second audio data for audio playing;

determine a plurality of audio channels associated with the first audio data based on locations of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices;

transmit the first decoded audio data to one or more of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices via the one or more Bluetooth transceivers, in response to the received user input and based on the determined plurality of audio channels; and

transmit the second decoded audio data to one of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices at a different location from those of the one or more of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices receiving the first audio data, in response to the received user input, wherein the one of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices receiving the second decoded audio data is different from the one or more of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices receiving the first decoded audio data;

wherein the user input further identifies an audio playing mode associated with the first and second audio data, and wherein one or more processors are further configured to transmit the first and second decoded audio data to the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices based on the audio playing mode; and

wherein the audio playing mode is a sleep mode, and wherein one or more processors are further configured to cause a volume of each of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices to decrease gradually.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the source includes at least one of Bluetooth enabled device, a remote cloud-based network system, or the Internet.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the user input further identifies a theme associated with the first and second audio data, and wherein one or more processors are further configured to adjust, based on the theme, a light intensity of a plurality of Bluetooth lighting devices via the one or more Bluetooth transceivers.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

obtain a plurality of audio channels based on the first and second decoded audio data, each of the audio channels including a portion of the first and second decoded audio data;

determine an audio channel associated with each of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices; and

transmit the portion of the first and second decoded audio data corresponding to the associated audio channel to each of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive the first and second audio data from a client device via the one or more Bluetooth transceivers.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

send a request to a client device for user account information associated with the first and second audio data;

receive the user account information from the client device; and

retrieve, based on the user account information, the first and second audio data from Internet via the at least one network interface.

7. A method for providing audio data to a plurality of Bluetooth audio devices, comprising:

receiving a user input from a client device, wherein the user input identifies the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices for playing a first audio data and a second audio data;

receiving the first and second data from one or more sources different from the client device via at least one network interface based at least on the received user input, wherein the first audio data is received from a first source different from the client

device, the second audio data is received from a second source different from the client device, wherein each of the first and second sources is a network site, and wherein the first source is different from the second source;

decoding the first and second audio data for audio playing;

determining a plurality of audio channels associated with the first audio data based on locations of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices;

transmitting the decoded first audio data to the one or more of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices via one or more Bluetooth transceivers, in response to the received user input and based the determined plurality of audio channels; and

simultaneously transmitting the decoded second audio data to one of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices at a different location from those of the one or more of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices receiving the first audio data, in response to the received user input, wherein the one of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices receiving the decoded second audio is different from the one or more of the plurality Bluetooth audio device receiving the first decoded audio data;

wherein the user input further identifies an audio playing mode associated with the first and second audio data, and the first and second decoded audio data is transmitted to the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices based on the audio playing mode; and

wherein the audio playing mode is a sleep mode, the method further comprising;

causing a volume of each of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices to decrease gradually.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the source includes at least one of a Bluetooth-enabled device, a remote cloud-based network system, or the Internet.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the user input further identifies a theme associated with the first and second audio data, the method further comprising:

adjusting, based on the theme, a light intensity of a plurality of Bluetooth lighting devices via the one or more Bluetooth transceivers.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

obtaining a plurality of audio channels based on the first and second decoded audio data, each of the audio channels including a portion of the first and second decoded audio data;

determining an audio channel associated with each of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices; and

transmitting the portion of the first and second decoded audio data corresponding to the associated audio channel to each of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving the first and second audio data from a client device via the one or more Bluetooth transceivers.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

sending a request to a client device for user account information associated with the first and second audio data;

receiving the user account information from the client device; and

retrieving, based on the user account information, the first and second audio data from Internet via the at least one network interface.

13. A device for providing audio data to a plurality of Bluetooth audio devices, comprising:

one or more Bluetooth transceivers for communication with the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices;

at least one network interface;

one or more processors; and

a memory for storing instructions executable by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

receive a user input from a client device, wherein the user input identifies the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices for playing a first audio data and a second audio data;

receive the first and second audio data from one or more sources different from the client device via the at least one network interface based at least on the received user input, wherein the first audio data is received from a fist source different from the client device, the second audio data is received from a second source different from the client device, wherein each of the first and second sources is a network site, and wherein the first source is different from the second source;

decode the first and second audio data for audio playing;

determine a plurality of audio channels associated with the first audio data based on locations of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices;

transmit the first decoded audio data to one or more of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices via the one or more Bluetooth transceivers, in response to the received user input and based on the determined plurality of audio channels; and

transmit the second decoded audio data to one of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices at a different location from those of the one or more of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices receiving the first audio data, in response to the received user input, wherein the one of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices receiving the second decoded audio data is different from the one or more of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices receiving the first decoded audio data;

wherein the user input further identifies an audio playing mode associated with the first and second audio data, and wherein one or more processors are further configured to transmit the first and second decoded audio data to the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices based on the audio playing mode; and

wherein the audio playing mode is a wake-up mode, and wherein one or more processors are further configured to cause a volume of each of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices to increase gradually.

14. A method for providing audio data to a plurality of Bluetooth audio devices, comprising:

receiving a user input from a client device, wherein the user input identifies the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices for playing a first audio data and a second audio data;

receiving the first and second audio data from one or more sources different from the client device via at least one network interface based at least on the received user input, wherein the first audio data is received form a first source different from the client device, the second audio data is received from a second source different from the client device, wherein each of the first and second sources is a network site, and wherein the first source is different from the second source;

decoding the first and second audio data for audio playing;

determining a plurality of audio channels associated with the first audio data based on locations of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices;

transmitting the decoded first audio data to one or more of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices via one or more Bluetooth transceivers, in response to the received user input and based the determined plurality of audio channels; and

simultaneously transmitting the decoded second audio data to one of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices at a different location from those of the one or more of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices receiving the first audio data, in response to the received user input, wherein the one of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices receiving the decoded second audio is different from the one or more of the plurality Bluetooth audio device receiving the first decoded audio data;

wherein the user input further identifies an audio playing mode associated with the first and second audio data, and the first and second decoded audio data is transmitted to the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices based on the audio playing mode; and

wherein the audio playing mode is a wake-up mode, the method further comprising;

causing a volume of each of the plurality of Bluetooth audio devices to increase gradually.