Audio Control Using a Wireless Home Entertainment Hub

• US 20080065233A1
• Filed: 06/08/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rateze Remote Mgmt. L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Technology Patents & Licensing Incorporated
• Inventors: Igoe, Patrick T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,920,932 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/1
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/08 by combining tones G10H1/14, G10H1/16 take precedence; chord G10H1/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440209 for formatting on an optical medium, e.g. DVD
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method of controlling presentation of audio data in a home entertainment system using a wireless home entertainment hub comprises obtaining a registration of at least one audio sink device, where the at least one audio sink device is capable of receiving a first number of audio channels used for presenting the audio data to a user in the home entertainment system. The audio data comprising a second number of audio channels, wherein the second number of audio channels is greater than the first number of audio channels, is received from a source device at the wireless home entertainment hub. The audio data received is processed in response to the capabilities of the at least one audio sink device by down-mixing the audio data to the first number of audio channels. The processed audio data is transmitted to the at least one audio sink device for presentation to the user.

Claims

1. A method of controlling presentation of audio data in a home entertainment system using a wireless home entertainment hub, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining a registration of at least one audio sink device, wherein the at least one audio sink device is capable of receiving a first number of audio channels used for presenting the audio data to a user in the home entertainment system;

(b) receiving from a source device at the wireless home entertainment hub the audio data comprising a second number of audio channels, wherein the second number of audio channels is greater than the first number of audio channels;

(c) processing the audio data received in step (b) in response to the capabilities of the at least one audio sink device by down-mixing the audio data to the first number of audio channels; and

(d) transmitting the processed audio data from step (c) to the at least one audio sink device for presentation to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting of step (d) includes wirelessly sending each channel of the first number of audio channels of the down-mixed audio data to a different audio sink device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting of step (d) includes broadcasting the processed audio data to the at least one audio sink device

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one audio sink device includes one or more wireless speakers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each channel of the first number of down-mixed audio data is matched to a different audio sink device based on presentation capabilities of the respective audio sink device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the capabilities of the at least one audio sink device are determined by broadcasting a request for a reply from each audio sink device that includes the presentation capabilities of the respective audio sink device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the presentation capabilities include a frequency range for audio data output.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the presentation capabilities include a position within the home entertainment system.

9. A method of controlling presentation of audio data in home entertainment system using a wireless home entertainment hub, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining a registration with at least one audio sink device, wherein the at least one audio sink device is capable of receiving a first number of audio channels used for presenting audio data to a user in the home entertainment system;

(b) receiving from a source device at the wireless home entertainment hub audio data comprising a second number of audio channels, wherein the second number of audio channels is less than or equal to the first number of audio channels;

(c) processing the audio data in response to the capabilities of the at least one audio sink device by matching each audio channel of the second number of audio channels with a different audio sink device; and

(d) transmitting the audio data to a subset of the at least one audio sink device, wherein the subset includes each audio sink device matched in step (c) to an audio channel of the second number of audio channels.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the transmitting of step (d) includes wirelessly sending each audio channel of the first number of audio channels of the audio data to a different audio sink device.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

(e) deriving one or more additional audio channels from the audio data for one or more of the audio sink devices not included in the subset of the at least one audio sink device in step (d).

(f) transmitting the one or more additional audio channels to the one or more audio sink devices from step (e).

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more additional audio channels are derived for the one or more audio sink devices not included in the subset of the at least one audio sink device based on presentation capabilities of the one or more audio sink devices.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the capabilities of the at least one audio sink device are determined by broadcasting a request for a reply from each audio sink device that includes the presentation capabilities of the audio sink device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the presentation capabilities include a frequency range for audio data output.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the presentation capabilities include a position within the home entertainment system.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one audio sink device includes one or more wireless speakers.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

(e) transmitting an instruction to one or more audio sink devices not included in the subset of the at least one audio sink device in step (d) to enter a low power mode.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more audio sink devices of step (e) are not receiving audio data.

19. A method of controlling a presentation of audio data in home entertainment system using a wireless home entertainment hub, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining a registration with at least one audio sink device;

(b) receiving a first instruction from a user to change the volume of the audio data being presented from the at least one audio sink device in the home entertainment system; and

(c) transmitting a second instruction to the at least one audio sink device to change the volume of the audio output.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein changing the volume of the audio data includes muting the volume of the audio data.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the first instruction is received after activating an actuator on a remote control by a user.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the second instruction is broadcast to the at least one audio sink device.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the second instruction is wirelessly transmitted to each audio sink device.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one audio sink device includes one or more wireless speakers.