Apparatus and Method for Transmission of Audio Signals

• US 20090318082A1
• Filed: 06/23/2008
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Briffett, Neil, Sinton, Lee Corey
• Granted Patent: US 8,909,147 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a method is presented which comprises searching for at least a device that is capable of a point-to-point transmission of media data. If such a device is not selected for the point-to-point transmission, a transmission of the media data is started on a second communication interface using a broadcast transmission.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

searching on a first communication interface for at least one device capable of a point-to-point transmission of media data; and

if a device is not selected for the point-to-point transmission, starting transmission of the media data on a second communication interface using a broadcast transmission.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising basing the selection for the point-to-point transmission at least in part on a user input.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising listing said at least one device capable of said point-to-point transmission of media data based at least in part on an estimated distance.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising estimating the distance based at least in part on at least one of a received signal strength or a signal delay.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising basing the selection for the point-to-point transmission at least in part on a predetermined setting.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication interface is a Bluetooth™

interface.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the Bluetooth™

interface uses an advanced audio distribution profile.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communication interface comprises an FM transmitter.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communication interface comprises a digital broadcast interface.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communication interface comprises a DVB-H transmitter.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a first communication interface capable of a point-to-point transmission of media data;

,

a second communication interface capable of a broadcast transmission,;

a control unit configured to receive a selection of a device to which media data shall be transmitted on the first communication interface; and

if said selection is not received, transmit the media data on the second communication interface using the broadcast transmission.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a user interface configured to generate a signal corresponding to the selection of a device.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control unit is further configured to list at least one device that is capable of a point-to-point transmission of media data based at least in part on an estimated distance.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the control unit is further configured to estimate the distance based at least in part on at least one of a received signal strength or a signal delay.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a memory to store at least one predetermined setting for the selection of the point-to-point transmission.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first communication interface is a Bluetooth™

interface.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the Bluetooth™

interface uses an advanced audio distribution profile.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second communication interface comprises an FM transmitter.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second communication interface comprises a digital broadcast interface.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second communication interface comprises a DVB-H transmitter.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a first means for communication capable of a point-to-point transmission of media data;

,

a second means for communication capable of a broadcast transmission;

,

a means for controlling configured to receive a selection of at least one device with which a communication shall be initiated for transmission of media data using the first means for communication;

, and

if said selection is not received, transmitting the media data using the second means for communication in the broadcast transmission.

22. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer program program code comprising:

code for searching on a first communication interface for at least one device capable of a point-to-point transmission of media data; and

code for starting transmission of the media data on a second communication interface using a broadcast transmission, if a device is not selected for the point-to-point transmission.

23. A computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, perform:

searching for at least one device capable of a point-to-point transmission of media data; and

if a device is not selected for the point-to-point transmission, starting transmission of the media data on a second communication interface using a broadcast transmission.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, further encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, further perform a selection for the point-to-point transmission based at least in part on a predetermined setting.

25. A chipset comprising at least one controller module, the controller module being configured to:

search for at least one device capable of a point-to-point transmission of media data;

if a device is not selected for the point-to-point transmission, start transmission of the media data on a second communication interface using a broadcast transmission.

26. The chipset of claim 25, wherein the first communication interface is a Bluetooth™

interface, and the second communication interface is an FM transmitter.