TRANSFERRING OF AUDIO ROUTING IN A PREMISES DISTRIBUTION NETWORK

• US 20140376737A1
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GN Netcom A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Original Assignee: GN Netcom A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Inventors: Goldman, Tomasz Jerzy
• Granted Patent: US 9,344,798 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6083 by interfacing with the vehicle audio system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A wireless audio rendering device, such as headset (2) or speaker phone (3), which audio rendering device (2, 3) is adapted to be paired with a wireless audio gateway device, such as a smart phone (1), whereby a first radio link (4) for transmitting audio can be established between the audio gateway (1) and the first audio rendering device (2). The first audio rendering device (2) is adapted to wirelessly recognise a second audio rendering device (3) also paired with the audio gateway device (1). When brought within an activation distance (D1-D3) of the second audio rendering device (3) the first audio rendering device (2) is adapted to initiate an audio transfer step, in which the first audio link (4) is replaced by a second radio link (5) for transmitting audio between the audio gateway (1) and the second audio rendering device (3). The invention also relates to a method of audio transferring and an audio rendering device for use with the method.

Claims

1. A wireless first audio rendering device, such as headset or speaker phone, which first audio rendering device is adapted to be paired with a wireless audio gateway device, such as a smart phone, whereby a first radio link for transmitting audio can be established between the audio gateway and the audio rendering device, wherein the first audio rendering device is adapted to wirelessly recognise a second audio rendering device also paired with the audio gateway device, and whereby the first audio rendering device when brought within an activation distance of the second audio rendering device is adapted to initiate an audio transfer step, in which the first audio link is replaced by a second radio link for transmitting audio between the first audio gateway device and the second audio rendering device.

2. A wireless audio rendering device according to claim 1 comprising a Bluetooth transceiver whereby the radio link may comprise a Bluetooth synchronous connection-oriented (SCO) link.

3. A wireless audio rendering device according to claim 1, comprising a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transceiver and employing the Bluetooth Low Energy Proximity Profile to detect a proximate second audio rendering device and offering the user to define this audio rendering device as a peer device.

4. A wireless audio rendering device according to claim 1, wherein the activation distance is based on received signal strength indication (RSSI), whereby at least one of the first and second audio rendering device must detect a received signal strength indication above a predetermined level, before the audio transfer step is initiated.

5. A wireless audio rendering device according to claim 1, wherein the activation distance is based on bit error rate (BER), whereby at least one of the first and second audio rendering device must determine a bit error rate below a predetermined level, before the audio transfer step is initiated.

6. A wireless audio rendering device according to claim 1, comprising a near field communication circuit, whereby it can recognise a second audio rendering device also comprising a near field communication (NFC) circuit.

7. A wireless audio rendering device according to claim 6, wherein the activation distance D2, D3 is defined by the Near Field Communication circuit.

8. A wireless audio rendering device according to claim 1, wherein the audio transfer step is adapted to be initiated when the first and second audio rendering devices are brought within an activation distance of each other, which activation distance is less than 30 cm, preferably less 20 cm, most preferably less than 10 cm.

9. A wireless audio rendering device according to claim 1, wherein the audio transfer step also is adapted to be initiated when the audio gateway device and one of the audio rendering devices are brought with an activation distance of each other, which activation distance is less than 30 cm, preferably less 20 cm, most preferably less than 10 cm.

10. A wireless system comprising at least one audio gateway device, such as a smart phone, and at least first and second audio rendering devices according to claim 1.

11. A wireless system according to claim 10, wherein at least two of the three devices comprise a microphone, and wherein the audio transfer step is initiated when the two devices comprising a microphone are bumped against each other, whereby the two microphones detect a bumping noise at the same point in time.

12. A wireless system according to claim 10, wherein the audio transfer step includes an activation of a motion sensor of at least the audio gateway device or one of the audio rendering devices.

13. A wireless system according to claim 12, wherein the activation of the motion sensor includes shaking at least the audio gateway device or one of the audio rendering devices.

14. A wireless system according to claim 10, wherein at least two of the three devices comprise a motion sensor, and wherein the audio transfer step is initiated when the two devices comprising a motion sensor are bumped against each other, whereby the two motion sensors detect a motion at the same point in time.

15. A method of transferring audio routing in a premises distribution network, comprising at least one audio gateway device, such as a smart phone and at least first and second audio rendering devices, such as a wireless headsets and/or speaker phones, and wherein a first radio link for transmitting audio is established between the audio gateway and the first audio rendering device, wherein audio rendering devices and eventually the audio gateway device are adapted to recognise each other and are brought within an activation distance of each other to initiate an audio transfer step, in which the first audio link is replaced by a second radio link for transmitting audio between the audio gateway and the second audio rendering device.