Wireless audio and data interactive system and method

• US 20020143415A1
• Filed: 03/27/2002
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fleetwood Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fleetwood Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Guthrie, Warren, Buehler, William S., Derks, Harry G.
• Application Number:
  US10/107,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20020143415A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B

Abstract

An audio and data interactive system and method includes at least one base unit and at least one remote unit. The at least one base unit has a first microprocessor-based control and the at least one student unit has a second microprocessor-based control, a speaker system and a wireless transceiver. The first control combines digital data with at least one audio signal within the human hearing range and supplies the combined digital data and audio signal to the first transceiver. The second control separates the combined digital data and audio signal from the second transceiver into the digital data in the audio signal. The second control supplies the audio signal to the speaker system and causes the second wireless transceiver to transmit in response to the digital data.

Claims

1. An audio and data interactive system, comprising:

at least one base unit having a first microcomputer-based control and a first wireless transceiver;

at least one remote unit having a second microcomputer-based control, a speaker system and a second wireless transceiver;

said first control combining digital data with at least one audio signal within human hearing range in a combined digital data and audio signal and supplying the combined digital data and audio signal to said first transceiver;

said second control separating the combined digital data and audio signal from said second transceiver into the digital data and the audio signal;

said second control supplying the audio signal to said speaker system; and

said second control causing said second wireless transceiver to transmit in response to the digital data.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said speaker system includes a headphone.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said second control causes said second wireless transceiver to transmit remote unit audio in response to the digital data.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said first and second transceivers define a plurality of audio channels between the at least one remote unit and the at least one base unit.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said second control of said at least one student unit connects the corresponding speaker system to one of said audio channels in response to said digital data.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein said at least one of said audio channels defines at least one intercom channel between the base unit and the remote units, said at least one intercom channel providing communication between the at least one base unit and said at least one remote unit.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said second control of at least one of said student units connects the corresponding speaker system to said at least one intercom channel in response to said digital data.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein at least one of said audio channels defines a content channel, said content channel conveying content to the at least one remote unit.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said at least one audio signal is selected from at least one of (i) an output of a headphone and (ii) pre-recorded material.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said first and second transceivers define at least one monitoring channel between said at least one remote unit and said at least one base unit, said monitoring channel allowing the at least one base unit to monitor audio generated at said at least one remote unit.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said second control causes said second wireless transceiver to transmit audio generated at the associated remote unit in response to said digital data.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said second control causes said second wireless transceiver to transmit remote unit audio in response to said digital data.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein said base unit includes another speaker system to convert audio generated at said at least one remote unit to human perceptible audio.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein said second control combines additional digital data with audio generated at said at least one remote unit in a combined additional digital data and remote unit audio signal and supplies the combined additional digital data and remote unit audio signal to said second transceiver, and wherein said first control separates the combined additional digital data and remote unit audio signal from said first transceiver into the additional digital data and the remote unit audio signal.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said additional digital data conveys information selected from at least one of (i) remote test performance, (ii) strength of the signal received by the remote unit, and (iii) status of operation of the remote unit.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said base unit includes another speaker system to convert the remote unit audio output signal to human perceptible audio.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said base unit includes a microphone.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said at least one audio signal is selected from at least one of (i) an output of said another microphone and (ii) pre-recorded lesson material.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said speaker system includes a headphone.

21. The method of claim 20 including selectively transmitting remote unit audio in response to the digital data.

22. The method of claim 19 including defining a plurality of audio channels between the at least one remote unit and the at least one base unit with said first and second transceivers.

23. The method of claim 22 including connecting the corresponding speaker system of said at least one remote unit to one of said audio channels in response to said digital data.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein at least one of said audio channels defines at least one intercom channel between the at least one remote unit and the at least one base unit with said first and second transceivers and providing communication between the base unit and the corresponding remote unit with said at least one intercom channel.

25. The method of claim 24 including connecting the corresponding speaker system of at least one of said remote units to said at least one intercom channel in response to said digital data.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein at least one of said audio channels defines a content channel, said content channel conveying content to the at least one remote unit.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said content is selected from at least one of (i) an output of a headphone and (ii) pre-recorded material.

28. The method of claim 19 including defining at least one monitoring channel with said first and second transceivers between the at least one remote unit and the at least one base unit and monitoring audio generated at said at least one remote unit with said monitoring channel.

29. The method of claim 28 including causing said second transceiver of said at least one remote unit to transmit remote unit audio on said monitoring channel in response to said digital data.

30. The method of claim 19 including causing said second wireless transceiver to transmit remote unit audio in response to said digital data.

31. The method of claim 19 including providing another speaker system at said base unit to convert the remote audio output signal to human perceptible audio.

32. The method of claim 19 including combining additional digital data with audio generated at said at least one remote unit in a combined additional digital data and remote unit audio signal and supplying the combined additional digital data and remote unit audio signal to said second transceiver, and further separating the combined additional digital data and remote unit audio signal from said first transceiver into the additional digital data and the remote unit audio signal.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said additional digital data includes information selected from at least one of (i) data on remote test performance, (ii) strength of signal received by the remote unit, and (iii) status of operation of the remote unit.

34. The method of claim 32 including providing another speaker system with said base unit and converting the remote unit audio output signal to human perceptible audio with said another speaker system.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein said another speaker system includes a headphone.

36. The method of claim 35 including selecting said at least one audio signal from at least one of (i) an output of said headphone and (ii) pre-recorded material.

19. A wireless audio and data interactive method, comprising:

providing at least one base unit having a first microcomputer-based control and a first wireless transceiver;

providing at least one remote unit having a second microcomputer-based control, a speaker system and a second wireless transceiver;

combining digital data with at least one audio signal within human hearing range in a combined digital data and audio signal and supplying the combined digital data and audio signal to said first transceiver;

separating the combined digital data and audio signal from said second transceiver into the digital data and the audio signal;

supplying the separated audio signal to said speaker system; and

causing said second wireless transceiver to transmit in response to the separated digital data.

37. An audio and data interactive system, comprising:

at least one base unit having a first microcomputer-based control and a first wireless transceiver;

at least one remote unit having a second microcomputer-based control, a speaker system and a second wireless transceiver;

said first control combining digital data with at least one audio signal within human hearing range in a combined data and audio signal, and supplying the combined data and audio signal to said first transceiver;

said second control separating the combined data and audio signal received by said second transceiver into the digital data and the audio signal;

said second control supplying the audio signal to said speaker system;

said second control combining additional digital data with a remote unit audio in combined additional digital data and remote unit audio signal and supplying the combined additional digital data and remote unit audio signal to said second transceiver; and

said first control separating the combined additional digital data and remote unit audio signal from said first transceiver into additional digital data and remote unit audio signal.

38. A wireless audio and data interactive method, comprising:

providing at least one base unit having a first microcomputer-based control and a first wireless transceiver;

at least one remote unit having a second microcomputer-based control, a speaker system and a second wireless transceiver;

combining digital data with at least one audio signal within human hearing range and supplying the combined data and audio signal to said first transceiver;

separating the combined data and audio signal from said second transceiver into the digital data and the audio signal;

supplying the separated audio signal to said speaker system;

combining additional digital data with remote unit audio in a combined additional data and remote unit audio signal and supplying the combined additional data and remote unit audio signal to said second transceiver; and

separating the combined additional data and remote unit audio signal into the additional digital data and the remote unit audio signal.