Multiple Room Communication System and Method

• US 20180070187A1
• Filed: 09/02/2016
• Published: 03/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Inventors: Drinkwater, Don L., Patil, Naganagouda B.
• Granted Patent: US 10,057,698 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F

Abstract

A method for operating a wireless audio playback device that has an electro-acoustic transducer and a microphone, wherein the wireless audio playback device is configured for playback of audio signals received from a plurality of digital audio sources and for synchronized audio playback with one or more other wireless audio playback devices. A particular predefined user action is detected. Based on the detection, wireless communication with another wireless audio playback device is enabled. Then an audio signal received by the device microphone is transmitted to and played by the other wireless audio playback device.

Claims

1-3. -3. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

9-10. -10. (canceled)

14-21. -21. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. A wireless audio playback device that is configured for playback of audio signals received from a plurality of digital audio sources and for synchronized audio playback with one or more other wireless audio playback devices, comprising:

an electro-acoustic transducer;

a first microphone that is configured to detect speech;

a wireless network interface that provides for wireless communication with a second wireless audio playback device;

a user interface comprising a user-operable button; and

a processor that is configured to execute instructions that cause the wireless audio playback device to;

detect a single operation of the button and in response automatically connect with a particular audio source, such that the particular audio source begins playing on the electro-acoustic transducer;

while the wireless audio playback device is playing the particular audio source, detect a double operation of the button, and in response stop playing the particular audio source and establish a wireless local area network communication channel with the second wireless audio playback device;

after establishing a wireless local area network communication channel with the second wireless audio playback device, wirelessly transmit to the second wireless audio playback device, over the wireless local area network communication channel, speech detected by the first microphone, where the second wireless audio playback device has a second microphone that is configured to detect speech; and

then

receive from the second wireless audio playback device over the wireless local area network communication channel speech that was detected by the second microphone of the second wireless audio playback device; and

then

play the received speech using the electro-acoustic transducer.

4. The wireless audio playback device of claim 25, wherein the wireless audio playback device is located in one room and the second wireless audio playback device is located in a different room.

6. The wireless audio playback device of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions that cause the wireless audio playback device to detect an operation of a portable computing device and in response stop playing the particular audio source and establish a wireless local area network communication channel with the second wireless audio playback device.

7. The wireless audio playback device of claim 25, wherein the providing processor is further configured to execute instructions that cause the wireless audio playback device to detect a voice command and in response stop playing the particular audio source and establish a wireless local area network communication channel with the second wireless audio playback device.

8. The wireless audio playback device of claim 25, wherein the wireless audio playback device is synchronized for audio playback with at least two other wireless audio playback devices, wherein the processor is further configured to select one of the other wireless audio playback devices to communicate with.

11. The wireless audio playback device of claim 25, wherein the second wireless audio playback device comprises wireless headphones.

22. The wireless audio playback device of claim 25, wherein the processor is configured to wirelessly transmit to the second wireless audio playback device speech detected by the first microphone only for a predetermined amount of time after the detection of the double push of the button.

28. The wireless audio playback device of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions that cause the wireless audio playback device to, after detecting a double operation of the button, activate the first microphone so it is configured to detect speech, where the activation is only for a predetermined short time, or the activation is as long as speech is detected and for a short time thereafter.

26. A system, comprising:

first and second wireless audio playback devices that are each configured for playback of audio signals received from a plurality of digital audio sources and for synchronized audio playback with one or more other wireless audio playback devices, each of the first and second wireless audio playback devices comprising;

an electro-acoustic transducer;

a user interface comprising a user-operable button;

a microphone that is configured to detect speech;

a wireless network interface that provides for wireless communication with another wireless audio playback device; and

a processor that is configured to execute instructions that cause the wireless audio playback device to;

detect a single operation of the button and in response automatically connect with a particular audio source, such that the particular audio source begins playing on the electro-acoustic transducer;

while the wireless audio playback device is playing the particular audio source, detect a double operation of the button, and in response stop playing the particular audio source and establish a wireless local area network communication channel with the other wireless audio playback device;

after establishing a wireless local area network communication channel with the other wireless audio playback device, wirelessly transmit to the another wireless audio playback device, over the wireless local area network communication channel, speech detected by the microphone; and

then

receive from the other wireless audio playback device over the wireless local area network communication channel speech that was detected by the microphone of the other wireless audio playback device; and

then

play the received speech using the electro-acoustic transducer.

12. The system of claim 26, wherein the processor of each audio playback device is further configured to play speech received from another audio playback device, but only after a person takes an action to accept the wireless transmission of the speech.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the action to accept the wireless transmission of the speech comprises a button push or a voice command.

23. The wireless audio playback device of claim 26, wherein the microphone of the other wireless audio playback device is enabled to detect speech only for a predetermined amount of time after the wireless transmission to the second wireless audio playback device of speech detected by the first microphone of the first wireless audio playback device.

27. The wireless audio playback device of claim 26, wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions that cause the wireless audio playback device to, after establishing a wireless local area network communication channel with the other wireless audio playback device, wirelessly transmit to the other wireless audio playback device over the wireless local area network communication channel and along with the speech detected by the microphone, an identification of the sending wireless audio playback device, and wherein, in response, the receiving wireless audio playback device displays the sending device identification.

29. The wireless audio playback device of claim 26, wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions that cause the wireless audio playback device to, after receiving speech from the other wireless audio playback device, allow a user to screen the received speech before it is played, where the screening comprises a button push or a voice command.

30. The wireless audio playback device of claim 26, wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions that cause the wireless audio playback device to, after receiving and playing the speech from the other wireless audio playback device, activate the microphone so it is configured to detect speech, where the activation is only for a predetermined short time, or the activation is as long as speech is detected and for a short time thereafter.

31. The wireless audio playback device of claim 26, wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions that cause the wireless audio playback device to associate the wireless audio playback device with the name of a person, and wherein the processor is still further configured to execute instructions that cause the wireless audio playback device to recognize the name of the person associated with another wireless audio playback device, and then find the other wireless audio playback device that is associated with the person'"'"'s name, and only then open a communication channel with the other wireless audio playback device that is associated with the person'"'"'s name.

32. A system, comprising:

first and second wireless audio playback devices that are each configured for playback of audio signals received from a plurality of digital audio sources and for synchronized audio playback with one or more other wireless audio playback devices, each of the first and second wireless audio playback devices comprising;

an electro-acoustic transducer;

a user interface comprising a user-operable button;

a microphone that is configured to detect speech;

a wireless network interface that provides for wireless communication with another wireless audio playback device; and

a processor that is configured to execute instructions that cause the wireless audio playback device to;

detect a single operation of the button and in response automatically connect with a particular audio source, such that the particular audio source begins playing on the electro-acoustic transducer;

while the wireless audio playback device is playing the particular audio source, detect a double operation of the button, and in response stop playing the particular audio source and establish a wireless local area network communication channel with the other wireless audio playback device;

associate the wireless audio playback device with the name of a person, and wherein the processor is still further configured to execute instructions that cause the wireless audio playback device to recognize the name of the person associated with another wireless audio playback device, and then find the other wireless audio playback device that is associated with the person'"'"'s name, and only then open a communication channel with the other wireless audio playback device that is associated with the person'"'"'s name

after establishing a wireless local area network communication channel with the other wireless audio playback device, wirelessly transmit to the other wireless audio playback device, over the wireless local area network communication channel, speech detected by the microphone; and

then

wirelessly transmit to the other wireless audio playback device over the wireless local area network communication channel and along with the speech detected by the microphone, an identification of the sending wireless audio playback device, and wherein, in response, the receiving wireless audio playback device displays the sending device identification;

receive from the other wireless audio playback device, over the wireless local area network communication channel, speech that was detected by the microphone of the other wireless audio playback device; and

then

allow a user to screen the received speech before it is played, where the screening comprises a button push or a voice command; and

then

play the received speech using the electro-acoustic transducer; and

then

after playing the speech, activate the microphone so it is configured to detect speech, where the activation is only for a predetermined short time, or the activation is as long as speech is detected and for a short time thereafter.