Wireless and wired speaker hub for a home theater system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An entertainment system comprising:
- a speaker housing having a loudspeaker, wherein the loudspeaker is configured to broadcast a first channel of an audio signal;
a transmitter located proximate to the speaker in a first selected area of a room and configured to wirelessly transmit a plurality of channels of the audio signal, wherein the plurality of channels is different than the first channel;
a receiver located remote from the transmitter in a second selected area of the room, wherein the receiver is configured to wirelessly receive the plurality of channels; and
a second speaker housing located proximate to the receiver and having a second loudspeaker and an amplifier, wherein the amplifier is configured to amplify at least two of the received channels, and wherein the second loudspeaker is configured to broadcast one of the amplified channels and route the other amplified channel to a third speaker housing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for communicating audio, video, and/or control signals within a home entertainment system. A plurality of audio channels is communicated between a wireless transmitter and a wireless receiver. The wireless transmitter is located proximate to a speaker housing. In some embodiments the speaker housing also encloses a center channel loudspeaker. The center channel loudspeaker transmits an audio signal to a remote loudspeaker. An exemplary remote loudspeaker is a subwoofer loudspeaker. The subwoofer loudspeaker provides one or more received audio channels to one or more surround loudspeakers.
33 Citations
40 Claims
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1. An entertainment system comprising:
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a speaker housing having a loudspeaker, wherein the loudspeaker is configured to broadcast a first channel of an audio signal;
a transmitter located proximate to the speaker in a first selected area of a room and configured to wirelessly transmit a plurality of channels of the audio signal, wherein the plurality of channels is different than the first channel;
a receiver located remote from the transmitter in a second selected area of the room, wherein the receiver is configured to wirelessly receive the plurality of channels; and
a second speaker housing located proximate to the receiver and having a second loudspeaker and an amplifier, wherein the amplifier is configured to amplify at least two of the received channels, and wherein the second loudspeaker is configured to broadcast one of the amplified channels and route the other amplified channel to a third speaker housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A housing comprising:
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a wireless receiver configured to receive a plurality of channels;
an amplifier configured to amplify at least three of the plurality of received channels; and
a loudspeaker configured to broadcast one of the at least three amplified channels and output at least two of the at least three amplified channels. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. In a surround sound system having a plurality of distinct audio channels, a method of distributing audio channels comprising:
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wirelessly transmitting at least two of the audio channels from a transmitter located proximate to a first speaker to a wireless receiver located proximate to a second speaker;
amplifying the wirelessly transmitted channels with amplifier circuitry located proximate to the second speaker;
routing a first one of the amplified audio channels to the second speaker using a wired connection; and
routing a second one of the amplified audio channels to a third speaker using a wired connection. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An entertainment system configured to receive an audio signal from an input device and provide the audio signal to a plurality of remote loudspeaker, the system comprising:
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a center channel loudspeaker comprising a transmitter module configured to receive an audio signal and transmit the audio signal to a remote loudspeaker, wherein the audio signal includes a plurality of different channels; and
a remote loudspeaker having a receiver configured to receive the audio signal and distribute at least one of the received audio channels to a surround loudspeaker. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for routing an audio signal in a home theater system, the method comprising:
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receiving a first audio signal which comprises a plurality of audio channels;
amplifying one of the plurality of audio channels;
transmitting a second audio signal which comprises at least two audio channels from the plurality of audio channels;
amplifying one of the transmitted audio channels; and
providing the amplified audio channel to a surround loudspeaker via a wired connection.
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40. A multi-room entertainment system comprising:
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a transmitter located in a first room and configured to wirelessly transmit a plurality of channels of an audio signal;
a receiver located in a second room, wherein the receiver is configured to wirelessly receive the plurality of channels; and
a speaker housing located proximate to the receiver and having a loudspeaker and an amplifier, wherein the amplifier is configured to amplify at least two of the received channels, and wherein the loudspeaker is configured to broadcast one of the amplified channels and route the other amplified channel to a second loudspeaker housing.
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Specification