AUDIO PLAYER DEVICE FOR SYNCHRONOUS PLAYBACK OF AUDIO SIGNALS WITH A COMPATIBLE DEVICE

• US 20070142944A1
• Filed: 12/04/2006
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tunnel IP LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Syncronation, Inc.
• Inventors: Goldberg, Benjamin, Goldberg, David, Simon, Neil
• Granted Patent: US 7,742,740 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0025 Automatic or semi-automatic music composition, e.g. producing random music, applying rules from music theory or modifying a musical piece automatically producing a series of tones G10H1/26
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0083 using wireless transmission, e.g. radio, light, infrared
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/40 Rhythm
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/076 for extraction of timing, tempo; Beat detection tempo display G10H2220/081; tempo control G10H2210/375
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/175 for jam sessions or musical collaboration through a network, e.g. for composition, ensemble playing or repeating; Compensation of network or internet delays therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/251 Mobile telephone transmission, i.e. transmitting, accessing or controlling music data wirelessly via a wireless or mobile telephone receiver, analog or digital, e.g. DECT GSM, UMTS smartphone, PDA or palmtop used for musical purposes G10H2230/015; mobile ringtone G10H2230/021
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/305 Internet or TCP/IP protocol use for any electrophonic musical instrument data or musical parameter transmission purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/325 Synchronizing two or more audio tracks or files according to musical features or musical timings synchronised lyrics, e.g. for karaoke G10H2220/011
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/58 of audio determination or detection of speech characteristics in general G10L25/00; speech recognition in general G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method, system and apparatus for playing an audio signal synchronously on a first mobile audio player and at least a second mobile audio player. More particularly, the invention pertains to an audio player device enabled for wireless transmission and reception of an audio signal. In one aspect, a delay enables the audio signal to be played synchronously on the audio player with a second audio player. In another aspect synchronization signals are used to play the audio signal synchronously on the first audio player and the second audio player.

Claims

1. An audio player device for playing audio signals synchronously with a compatible player comprising:

an interunit transmitter/receiver for transmitting and receiving audio signals; and

an audio player for playing the audio signals, the audio player further comprising;

audio storage for storing audio signals received by the interunit transmitter/receiver;

a unit controller for preparing audio signals from audio storage for transmission to the compatible player and for preparing received audio signals to be played;

a means for outputting audio signals from the audio player, the audio signals being received by the interunit transmitter/receiver or from storage; and

a delay that delays the audio signals received by the transmitter/receiver from playing to enable a user of the audio player to play an audio signal synchronously with a user of the compatible audio player, the compatible audio player playing the audio signal from storage.

2. The audio player device of claim 1, wherein the interunit transmitter/receiver comprises a wireless transmitter/receiver.

3. The audio player device of claim 1 further comprising local feedback loops.

4. The audio player device of claim 3 wherein the delay delays the audio signal received from the local feedback loop from playing.

5. The audio player device of claim 1, wherein the delay comprises a digital buffer.

6. The audio player device of claim 1, wherein the audio player device comprises a telephone and the transmitter/receiver connects through the telephone network.

7. A method for the shared enjoyment of music between a first audio player device and at least one second audio player device, comprising:

playing audio signals on the first audio player device while wirelessly transmitting synchronization signals from the first audio player device to the at least one second audio player device; and

receiving the synchronization signals by the at least one second audio player device, wherein the synchronization signals enable the audio signals on the at least one second player device to be played synchronously with the playing of the audio signals on the first audio player device;

wherein, the first and the at least one second audio player devices are mobile.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein the synchronization signals adjust the position of the audio signal playing on the at least one second audio player.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein a delay is introduced into either or the first audio player device or the at least one second audio player device.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising transferring of a file comprising the audio signals from the first audio player device to the at least one second audio player device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the transmitting occurs during transferring.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising establishing whether the audio signal is present on the at least one second audio player device.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the transmitting uses a link layer with a protocol selected from the group consisting of 802.11, Bluetooth, ultrawideband, HiperLAN and WDCT.

14. The method of claim 7 further comprising delaying the playing of the audio signal on the at least one second audio player device.

15. A method for synchronously playing an audio signal on a first mobile audio player synchronously with the same audio signal on a second mobile audio player, comprising:

storing the audio signal on an audio media on the first audio player;

transmitting the audio signal from the audio media of the first mobile audio player, the transmission having a time period of transmission;

receiving the audio signal transmitted from the first mobile audio player on an input port of the second audio player;

playing the received audio signal on an audio output of the second audio player with a delay between the input port and the audio output port of the second audio player, the playing having a playing time;

transferring the audio signal from the audio media to the audio output of the first audio player with a delay between the audio media and the audio output.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein playing additionally comprises a delay between the input port and the audio output port of the second audio player.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving the audio signal on an input port of the first audio player.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising playing the received audio signal on an audio output of the first audio player with a predetermined delay between the input port and the audio output of the first audio player.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the time of transmitting comprises less than half of the playing time.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising playing the stored audio signal on an audio output of the first audio player with a delay between the transmitting of the audio signal and the audio output of the first audio player.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising receiving the audio signal transmitted from the first mobile audio player through a loopback address to the receiver of the first mobile audio player and playing the music received through the loopback address on an audio output of the first mobile audio player.

22. A mobile audio player device enabled to play an audio signal synchronously with a compatible mobile audio player, comprising:

means for storing the audio signal on an audio media;

means for transmitting the audio signal from the audio media;

means for receiving an audio signal transmitted from a compatible mobile audio player;

means for playing the received audio signal;

a delay means to synchronize playing of the received audio signal between the mobile audio player and the compatible mobile audio player.

23. The audio player device of claim 22, wherein the means for transmitting is wireless.

24. The audio player device of claim 22 further comprising local feedback loops.

25. The audio player device of claim 24 wherein the delay means delays the audio signal received from the local feedback loop from playing.

26. The audio player device of claim 22, wherein the delay means comprises a digital buffer.

27. The audio player device of claim 22, wherein the audio player device comprises a telephone and the transmitting means connects through the telephone network.

28. An audio player device for synchronous playing of audio signals with a plurality of compatible devices, comprising:

a base electronic product selected from the group consisting of a telephone, a portable audio device, an MP3 player, and a portable digital assistant;

a unit directly integrated with the base electronic product, for enabling wireless transmission and reception of an audio signal for shared listening between a plurality of compatible devices, the unit further comprising;

a player for playing an audio signal, the audio player further comprising a storage unit for storing the audio signal;

an interunit transmitter/receiver for transmitting the audio signal from the storage unit and for receiving an audio signal transmitted from another audio player;

a controller unit for preparing the audio signals for the interunit transmitter/receiver for transmission to another audio player and for preparing the audio signals from the interunit transmitter/receiver received from another audio player;

a delay that delays the audio signal from playing on the player;

wherein, the delay enables the audio signal to be played synchronously on the audio player, wherein the audio signal is received by the receiver, and on the other audio player, wherein the audio signal is obtained from storage.

29. The audio player device of claim 28, wherein the interunit transmitter/receiver is wireless.

30. The audio player device of claim 28 further comprising local feedback loops.

31. The audio player device of claim 30 wherein the delay delays the audio signal received from the local feedback loop from playing.

32. The audio player device of claim 28, wherein the delay comprises a digital buffer.

33. A method for simultaneously playing an audio signal between a first portable audio player and a second portable audio player, comprising:

transmitting the audio signal from the first audio player to the second audio player;

playing the audio signal on the first audio player;

introducing a first delay between the transmitting and the playing;

sending a second delay from the first audio player to the second audio player;

playing the audio signal received from the first audio player on the second audio player; and

introducing a second delay on the second audio player so that the playing on the first audio player and the playing on the second audio player occur roughly simultaneously.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the second delay is constant.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein the second delay is variable.

36. The method of claim 33 further comprising transferring a file comprising the audio signal from the first audio player to the second audio player.

37. The method of claim 33 wherein the first delay and the second delay are the same.

38. The method of claim 33 further comprising transmitting the audio signal from the first audio player to the first audio player through a loopback address.

39. A first portable audio player for roughly simultaneously playing an audio signal with a second portable audio player, comprising:

means for transmitting the audio signal from the first audio player to the second audio player;

means for playing the audio signal on the first audio player;

means for introducing a first delay between the transmitting and the playing;

means for sending a second delay from the first audio player to the second audio player, wherein the second delay enables the first and second audio players to listen to the audio signal transmitted by the first audio player roughly simultaneously; and

means for receiving a second delay on the first audio player from the second audio player for playing received audio signals on the first audio player simultaneously with the second audio player, wherein the second audio player sent the signal to the first audio player.

40. The first portable audio player of claim 39, wherein the second delay is constant.

41. The first portable audio player of claim 39, wherein the second delay is variable.

42. The first portable audio player of claim 39 further comprising a means for transferring a file comprising the audio signal from the first audio player to the second audio player.

43. The first portable audio player of claim 39 wherein the first delay and the second delay are the same.

44. The first portable player of claim 39 further comprising a means for transmitting the audio signal from the first audio player to the first audio player through a loopback address.

45. A method for a first mobile audio player to play an audio signal that is present on the first mobile audio player synchronously with the same audio signal on a second mobile audio player, comprising:

establishing whether the audio signal is present on the second audio player;

sending a synchronization signal from the first audio player to the second audio player; and

using the synchronization signal to play the audio signal synchronously on the first audio player and the second audio player.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the synchronization signal adjusts the position of the audio signal playing on the second audio player.

47. The method of claim 45 wherein the synchronization signal is sent using a link layer involving a protocol chosen from the group consisting of 802.11, Bluetooth, ultrawideband, HiperLAN, and WDCT.

48. The method of claim 45 further comprising transferring a file comprising the audio signals from the first audio player to the second audio player.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the sending is coincident with transferring.

50. A method for playing an audio signal on a first mobile audio player on a second mobile audio player in the presence of a rebroadcaster, comprising:

playing the audio signal on the first audio player;

broadcasting the audio from the first audio player;

receiving the audio signal on the rebroadcaster from the first audio player;

rebroadcasting the received audio signal from the rebroadcaster;

receiving the rebroadcast audio signal on the second audio player from the rebroadcaster; and

playing the audio signal on the second audio player with the first audio player.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein playing the audio signal on the second audio player additionally comprises introducing a delay between receiving and playing the audio signal.

52. The method of claim 50 wherein playing the audio signal on the first audio player further comprises introducing a delay between transmitting and playing the audio signal.

53. The method of claim 50 wherein the time of broadcasting the audio signal comprises less than half of the playing time.

54. The method of claim 50 wherein the playing of the audio signal of the first audio player and the playing of the signal on the second audio player is synchronous.

55. The method of claim 50 additionally comprising playing the audio signal on the rebroadcaster.

56. The method of claim 50 wherein the rebroadcaster is mobile.

57. A system for playing an audio signal synchronously on a first mobile audio player and a second mobile audio player, comprising:

a transmitter on the first player from which the audio signal is transmitted to the second player;

a delay that is transmitted by the transmitter that comprises the delay from the time of reception to the time of playing on the second player;

an input port on the second player for receiving the audio signal and the delay transmitted from the first player;

an audio output on the second player for playing the audio signal with the delay from the time of inputting the audio signal at the input port of the second player;

wherein an audio output on the first player and the audio output on the second player play the audio signal synchronously.

58. The system of claim 57 wherein the transmitter device uses analog radio frequency transmission.

59. The system of claim 57 wherein the transmitter device uses digital radio frequency transmission.

60. The system of claim 57 wherein the transmitter device uses telephony.

61. The system of claim 57 wherein the transmitter device uses a communications system selected from the group consisting of CDMA and GSM.

62. The system of claim 57 wherein the transmitter device is non-mobile.

63. The system of claim 57 wherein the time of transmitting the audio signal comprises less than half of the playing time.