METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MULTIPLE AUDIO OUTPUTS

• US 20100064339A1
• Filed: 09/05/2008
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Wadey, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,239,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/151
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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 21/4398 involving reformatting operations of audio signals details of audio signal transcoding G10L19/173
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/607 for more than one sound signal, e.g. stereo, multilanguages H04N5/602 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A method for transmitting audio signals. The method of transmitting audio signals may include separately transmitting a video signal and an audio signal. Further, the method of transmitting audio signals may include transmitting a first video signal and a first audio signal to one component, transmitting a second video signal to the same component and separately transmitting a second audio signal to a second component.

Claims

1. A device for transmitting an audio stream separately from a video stream, comprising:

an input operative to receive a first signal and a second signal;

a first tuner operative to receive the first signal from the input comprising a first audio signal and a first video signal;

a second tuner operative to receive the second signal from the input comprising a second audio signal and a second video signal;

a first output operative to transmit the first audio signal and the first video signal;

a second output operative to transmit the second video signal; and

a third output operative to transmit the second audio signal.

2. The transmission device of claim 1, further comprising:

a first demodulator accepting the first signal from the first tuner and configured to generate a first audio signal and first video signal from the first signal; and

a second demodulator accepting the second signal from the second tuner and configured to generate the second signal into a second audio signal and second video signal.

3. The transmission device of claim 1, wherein the second audio signal is a wireless signal.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the device further comprises an enclosure surrounding at least the first tuner, second tuner and first demodulator; and

the second demodulator is located externally of the enclosure.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein:

the device further comprises a fourth output passing through the enclosure and operative to transmit the second video signal and second audio signal;

the second demodulator couples to the fourth output;

the second output is formed on the second demodulator; and

the third output is formed on the second demodulator.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising an enclosure surrounding at least the first tuner, second tuner, first demodulator and second demodulator.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a user input, the user input operative to change a frequency of at least the second audio signal.

8. A method for transmitting at least a first and second audio signal, comprising:

transmitting the first audio signal to a first device;

transmitting a first video signal to the first device, the first video signal associated with the first audio signal;

transmitting a second audio signal to a second device; and

transmitting a second video signal to the first device, the second video signal associated with the second audio signal.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising stripping the second audio signal from the second video signal prior to transmitting either the second audio signal or the second video signal.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a command to adjust the second video signal relative to the first video signal;

in response to receiving the command, transmitting the second audio signal to the first device; and

further in response to receiving the command, transmitting the first audio signal to the second device.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

displaying the first video signal on a first screen area of the first device; and

displaying the second video signal on a second area of the first device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

switching the first video signal to display on the second screen area of the first device;

switching the second video signal to display on the first screen area of the first device;

halting transmitting the first audio signal to the first device and the second audio signal to the second device;

transmitting the first audio signal to the second device; and

transmitting the second audio signal to the first device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first screen area surrounds the second screen area.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the first and second audio signals are wirelessly transmitted.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the second audio signal cannot be perceived without the second device.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein all transmissions are performed by a third device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the third device is a set-top box.

18. A method for transmitting information, comprising:

providing a first video signal for display on a first screen area of a first device;

providing a second video signal for display on a second screen area of the first device;

providing a first audio signal to the first device; and

providing a second audio signal to a second device.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

generating the first video signal and the first audio signal; and

generating the second video signal and the second audio signal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the operation of separating the second set of information comprises:

receiving the second set of information as a single signal including both the second video signal and second audio signal modulated together; and

demodulating the second video signal from the second audio signal.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the second audio signal is converted from a first format to a second format; and

the second audio signal is provided to the second device in the second format.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the second format is a radio frequency.