Universal audio communications and control system and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An audio communications and control system comprising:
- a plurality of audio devices, each of the devices including a device interface module for communication of digital audio data and control data from at least one of the devices to at least one other of the devices;
a universal data link operatively connected to each of the device interface modules;
the device interface modules and universal data links are operative in combination to connect the devices together in the system and provide full duplex communication of the digital audio data and control data between the devices;
wherein the audio devices are operative to generate user data associated with a specific user of that device and the device interface modules and data links are operative to communicate the user data to other devices connected to the system;
wherein the audio data communicated between the devices is packed in system data packets;
wherein the system data packets also contain the control data;
wherein each of the system data packets comprises a plurality of data channels including a header, a plurality of audio data channels containing the digital audio data, a user data channel containing the user data, and a control data channel containing the control data; and
wherein the data packet comprises 16 audio data channels.
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Abstract
An audio communications and control system includes a plurality of audio devices each of which includes a device interface module for communication of digital audio data and control data from at least one of the devices to at least one other of the devices. A universal data link is operatively connected to each of the device interface modules. The device interface modules and universal data links are operative in combination to connect the devices together in the system and provide full duplex communication of the digital audio data and control data between the devices.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. An audio communications and control system comprising:
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a plurality of audio devices, each of the devices including a device interface module for communication of digital audio data and control data from at least one of the devices to at least one other of the devices;
a universal data link operatively connected to each of the device interface modules;
the device interface modules and universal data links are operative in combination to connect the devices together in the system and provide full duplex communication of the digital audio data and control data between the devices;
wherein the audio devices are operative to generate user data associated with a specific user of that device and the device interface modules and data links are operative to communicate the user data to other devices connected to the system;
wherein the audio data communicated between the devices is packed in system data packets;
wherein the system data packets also contain the control data;
wherein each of the system data packets comprises a plurality of data channels including a header, a plurality of audio data channels containing the digital audio data, a user data channel containing the user data, and a control data channel containing the control data; and
wherein the data packet comprises 16 audio data channels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An audio communications and control system comprising:
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a plurality of audio devices, each of the devices including a device interface module for communication of digital audio data and control data from at least one of the devices to at least one other of the devices;
a universal data link operatively connected to each of the device interface modules;
the device interface modules and universal data links are operative in combination to connect the devices together in the system and provide full duplex communication of the digital audio data and control data between the devices;
wherein the audio devices are operative to generate user data associated with a specific user of that device and the device interface modules and data links are operative to communicate the user data to other devices connected to the system;
wherein the audio data communicated between the devices is packed in system data packets; and
wherein the data frames are continuously transmitted between devices in accordance with a packet timing signal that is synchronized to an audio sampling rate associated with the digital audio data. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. An audio communications and control system comprising:
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a plurality of audio devices, each of the devices including a device interface module for communication of digital audio data and control data from at least one of the devices to at least one other of the devices;
a universal data link operatively connected to each of the device interface modules;
the device interface modules and universal data links are operative in combination to connect the devices together in the system and provide full duplex communication of the digital audio data and control data between the devices;
wherein the audio devices are operative to generate user data associated with a specific user of that device and the device interface modules and data links are operative to communicate the user data to other devices connected to the system;
wherein the audio data communicated between the devices is packed in system data packets;
wherein the system data packets also contain the control data;
wherein each of the system data packets comprises a plurality of data channels including a header, a plurality of audio data channels containing the digital audio data, a user data channel containing the user data, and a control data channel containing the control data; and
wherein the control data channel can contain non-system control data. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. An audio communications and control system comprising:
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a plurality of audio devices, each of the devices including a device interface module for communication of digital audio data and control data from at least one of the devices to at least one other of the devices;
a universal data link operatively connected to each of the device interface modules;
the device interface modules and universal data links are operative in combination to connect the devices together in the system and provide full duplex communication of the digital audio data and control data between the devices;
wherein the audio devices are operative to generate user data associated with a specific user of that device and the device interface modules and data links are operative to communicate the user data to other devices connected to the system;
wherein the audio data communicated between the devices is packed in system data packets;
wherein the system data packets also contain the control data;
wherein each of the system data packets comprises a plurality of data channels including a header, a plurality of audio data channels containing the digital audio data, a user data channel containing the user data, and a control data channel containing the control data; and
wherein the plurality of data channels in each system data packet can be reassigned by the system for carrying different types of data in accordance with the requirements of a specific device connected to the system. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A musical performance system comprising:
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a. a musical instrument including a first device interface module operative to convert audio signals generated by the instrument into digital audio data and to generate control data associated with the instrument;
b. an audio amplifier including a second device interface module operative to receive the digital audio data and the control data; and
c. a first data link operatively connecting the first and second device interface modules and adapted for bi-directional communication of the digital audio data and control data. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A musical instrument comprising:
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a. an audio transducer for generating analog audio data;
b. a device interface module operative to convert the analog audio data into digital audio data and to provide the digital audio data and system control data at a musical instrument output;
c. the musical instrument output including an instrument connector adapted for connection to a system data link whereby the device interface module and data link can cooperate to provide bi-directional communication of digital audio data and system control data over the data link. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of arranging a plurality of electronic audio devices in an audio system comprising:
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providing each of the audio devices with a device interface module adapted for communication of digital audio data generated by one or more of the devices connected to the system and for storage and communication of control data associated with that audio device;
operatively connecting the device interface modules over one or more data links, the data links adapted for full duplex communication of the digital audio data and control data to and from each device;
directing the digital audio data for use by one or more specified devices connected to the system;
communicating the digital audio data and control data across the data links in discrete data packets;
synchronizing the communication of the data packets to an audio sampling rate; and
varying the audio sampling rate among the different data links in accordance with requirements of specific audio devices connected to the data links.
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29. A method of arranging a plurality of electronic audio devices in an audio system comprising:
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providing each of the audio devices with a device interface module adapted for communication of digital audio data generated by one or more of the devices connected to the system and for storage and communication of control data associated with that audio device;
operatively connecting the device interface modules over one or more data links, the data links adapted for full duplex communication of the digital audio data and control data to and from each device;
directing the digital audio data for use by one or more specified devices connected to the system; and
providing a means for allowing a user of an audio device to select a name for that device and to include the selected device name in the control data communicated by the corresponding device interface module.
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30. A method of arranging a plurality of electronic audio devices in an audio system comprising:
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providing each of the audio devices with a device interface module adapted for communication of digital audio data generated by one or more of the devices connected to the system and for storage and communication of control data associated with that audio device;
operatively connecting the device interface modules over one or more data links, the data links adapted for full duplex communication of the digital audio data and control data to and from each device;
directing the digital audio data for use by one or more specified devices connected to the system;
communicating the digital audio data and control data across the data links in discrete data packets; and
providing 16 channels of up to 32-bit audio data in each data packet. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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Specification