INTERNET PROTOCOL STREAMING AUDIO SYSTEM

• US 20100172512A1
• Filed: 03/19/2010
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Clearone Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ClearOne Communications Inc. (Clearone Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cardenas, Herman, Braithwaite, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/727,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20100172512A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/77
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/683 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2823 Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network device-related reporting H04L43/065; arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/233 Processing of audio elementary streams monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234 Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating encoded video stream scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• 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 21/4398 involving reformatting operations of audio signals details of audio signal transcoding G10L19/173
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4402 involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6332 directed to client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6338 directed to network

Abstract

This disclosure describes an internet protocol streaming audio system 20. This system 20 includes a TCP/IP LAN network 200 that streams the digital audio signal and a plurality of network speaker nodes 100 coupled to the TCP/IP LAN network 200. An individual network speaker node 100 includes a network controller 120 that controls the processing of the digital audio signal to and from the LAN network where the network controller 120 further includes an embedded controller with memory. In addition, the network speaker node 100 includes a network interface 110 that couples the network controller 120 to the LAN network 200. Further, the network speaker node 100 includes an audio format converter 121 that couples to the network controller 120 and converts and formats the digital audio signal. Additionally, the network speaker node 100 includes a pre-amplifier 123 and an amplifier 125.

Claims

1. An internet protocol streaming audio system, comprising:

a TCP/IP LAN network that streams the digital audio signal; and

a plurality of network speaker nodes coupled to said TCP/IP LAN network, wherein an individual network speaker node further comprises;

a network controller that controls the processing of the digital audio signal to and from said LAN network, said network controller further comprises an embedded controller with memory;

a network interface that couples said network controller to said LAN network;

an audio format converter that couples to said network controller and converts and formats the digital audio signal; and

a pre-amplifier and an amplifier.

2. The claim of claim 1 further comprising a networked audio source node device coupled to said TCP/IP LAN network

3. The claim of claim 1 wherein said embedded controller is an embedded web server controller.

4. The claim of claim 1 further comprising an internet interface coupled to said network speaker nodes via said LAN network.

5. The claim of claim 1 further comprising a legacy converter and controller coupled to said LAN network.

6. A method of making an internet protocol streaming audio system, comprising:

providing a TCP/IP LAN network that streams the digital audio signal; and

coupling a plurality of network speaker nodes said TCP/IP LAN network, wherein an individual network speaker node further comprises;

a network controller that controls the processing of the digital audio signal to and from said LAN network, said network controller further comprises an embedded controller with memory;

a network interface that couples said network controller to said LAN network;

an audio format converter that couples to said network controller and converts and formats the digital audio signal; and

a pre-amplifier and an amplifier.

7. The claim of claim 6 further comprising a networked audio source node device coupled to said TCP/IP LAN network

8. The claim of claim 6 wherein said embedded controller is an embedded web server controller.

9. The claim of claim 6 further comprising an internet interface coupled to said network speaker nodes via said LAN network.

10. The claim of claim 6 further comprising a legacy converter and controller coupled to said LAN network.

11. A method of using an internet protocol streaming audio system, comprising:

providing a TCP/IP LAN network that streams the digital audio signal; and

streaming the digital audio signal to a plurality of network speaker nodes coupled to said TCP/IP LAN network, wherein an individual network speaker node further comprises;

a network controller that controls the processing of the digital audio signal to and from said LAN network, said network controller further comprises an embedded controller with memory;

a network interface that couples said network controller to said LAN network;

an audio format converter that couples to said network controller and converts and formats the digital audio signal; and

a pre-amplifier and an amplifier.

12. The claim of claim 11 further comprising a networked audio source node device coupled to said TCP/IP LAN network

13. The claim of claim 11 wherein said embedded controller is an embedded web server controller.

14. The claim of claim 11 further comprising an internet interface coupled to said network speaker nodes via said LAN network.

15. The claim of claim 11 further comprising a legacy converter and controller coupled to said LAN network.

16. A program storage device readable by a programmable device that tangibly embodies a program of instructions executable by the programmable device to perform a method of using an internet protocol streaming audio system, comprising:

providing a TCP/IP LAN network that streams the digital audio signal; and

streaming the digital audio signal to a plurality of network speaker nodes coupled to said TCP/IP LAN network, wherein an individual network speaker node further comprises;

a network controller that controls the processing of the digital audio signal to and from said LAN network, said network controller further comprises an embedded controller with memory;

a network interface that couples said network controller to said LAN network;

an audio format converter that couples to said network controller and converts and formats the digital audio signal; and

a pre-amplifier and an amplifier.

17. The claim of claim 16 further comprising a networked audio source node device coupled to said TCP/IP LAN network

18. The claim of claim 16 wherein said embedded controller is an embedded web server controller.

19. The claim of claim 16 further comprising an internet interface coupled to said network speaker nodes via said LAN network.

20. The claim of claim 16 further comprising a legacy converter and controller coupled to said LAN network.