Multiple channel wireless communication system

• US 7,076,204 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies Limited (Aptiv PLC)
• Original Assignee: Unwired Technology, LLC (Aptiv PLC)
• Inventors: Dauk, Michael A., Richenstein, Lawrence, Withoff, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US10/189,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20030083024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.06, 455/3.03, 455/42, 455/108, 455/110, 455/343, 455/344, 455/345, 455/350, 455/205, 455/351, 455/142, 455/150.1, 455/152.1, 381/14, 381/77, 381/82
• US Class Current: 455/3.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/082 to be used in vehicles H04B1/086 takes precedence; holding or mounting accessories B60R11/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/62 for transportation systems, e.g. in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/04 Studio equipment; Interconnection of studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services

Abstract

A wireless transmission device for communicating a plurality of audio streams to remote devices may include a plurality of inputs for receiving a plurality of digital audio streams, a combiner connected to the inputs for combining control codes and the received audio streams in a predetermined format to form a signal wherein the control codes for controlling the operation of a remote device equipped for processing the signal to extract the audio streams therefrom in accordance with the predetermined format, and a transmitter connected to the combiner to transmit the signal for reception by the remote device. The transmitter may include an infra-red light emitter for transmitting the signal as an infra-red light signal. A wireless transmission system may include wireless transmitter for transmitting a signal, a combiner in the wireless transmitter for combining a plurality of audio streams with one or more control codes in the signal being transmitted; and a wireless receiver for producing audio for a user from the signal, the wireless receiver responsive to selection by the user of one or more of the plurality audio streams in the signal to produce audio for the user therefrom, the wireless receiver responsive to the one or more control codes in the signal for controlling other operations of the remote receiver.

Claims

1. A wireless transmission device for communicating a plurality of audio streams to remote devices, comprising:

a plurality of inputs for receiving a plurality of digital audio streams;

a combiner connected to the inputs for combining control codes and the received audio streams in a predetermined format to form a signal, the control codes for controlling the operation of a remote device equipped for processing the signal to extract the audio streams therefrom in accordance with the predetermined format; and

a transmitter connected to the combiner to transmit the signal for reception by the remote device.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

an analog input for receiving an analog audio stream; and

a converter connected to the analog input for converting the received analog audio stream to a digital audio stream, the converter further connected to the combiner to provide the converted digital audio stream to the combiner for combining with the control codes and the other received audio streams.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more audio sources connected to the inputs.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the audio sources are selected from the group of audio sources comprising compact disc players, cassette tape players, radio tuners, telephones, televisions, computers, digital video disc players, mini-disc players, and MP3-format and WMA-format digital players.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the audio sources comprise:

a in-dash stereo receiver configured for mounting in a vehicle dashboard.

6. The device of claim 2, further comprising:

one or more audio sources connected to the inputs.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the audio sources are selected from the group of audio sources comprising compact disc players, cassette tape players, radio tuners, telephones, televisions, computers, digital video disc players, mini-disc players, and MP3-format and WMA-format digital players.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the audio sources comprise:

a in-dash stereo receiver configured for mounting in a vehicle dashboard.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter comprises:

an infra-red light emitter for transmitting the signal as an infra-red light signal.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the emitter comprises:

one or more light-emitting diodes.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a connector connecting the combiner with the transmitter.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the connector comprises:

at least one wire for carrying the signal from the combiner to the transmitter.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the encoder comprises:

at least one multiplexer for multiplexing the audio streams.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the encoder further comprises:

a digital signal processor for combining the multiplexed audio streams with the control codes in accordance with the predetermined format.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the digital signal processor comprises:

a digital signal processor applying pulse position modulation to the signal.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the control codes comprise:

control codes for detecting errors in the signal.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the control codes comprise:

control codes for correcting errors in the signal.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the control codes comprise:

control codes for turning the remote device off.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the control codes comprise:

control codes for powering the remote device down and powering the remote device up.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the control codes comprise:

control codes for identifying the transmission device to the remote device.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein the control codes comprise:

control codes for affecting the signal processing performed by the remote device.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein the control codes comprise:

control codes for identifying the audio streams.

23. The device of claim 1, wherein each audio stream comprises one or more channels of monaural sound.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein each audio stream is a stereophonic stream comprising two channels of monaural sound.

25. A wireless transmission system, comprising:

a wireless transmitter for transmitting a signal,

a combiner in the wireless transmitter for combining a plurality of audio streams with one or more control codes in the signal being transmitted; and

a wireless receiver for producing audio for a user from the signal,

the wireless receiver responsive to selection by the user of one or more of the plurality audio streams in the signal to produce audio for the user therefrom,

the wireless receiver responsive to the one or more control codes in the signal for controlling other operations of the remote receiver.

26. The invention of claim 25 wherein the wireless transmitter transmits the signal by infra-red radiation.

27. The invention of claim 25 wherein the one or more control codes transmitted by the wireless transmitter further comprises:

an auto-off control code;

the wireless receiver being responsive to the absence of the auto-off control code in the signal received from the wireless transmitter for a predetermined period of time by removing power applied to the wireless receiver.

28. The invention of claim 25 wherein the one or more control codes transmitted by the wireless transmitter further comprises:

an auto-channel control code identifying the audio streams currently present in the signal;

the wireless receiver being responsive to the auto-channel control code in the signal received from the wireless transmitter for controlling the one or more audio streams which can be selected by the user.

29. The invention of claim 25 wherein the one or more control codes transmitted by the wireless transmitter further comprises:

a transmitter identification control code identifying the transmitter;

the wireless receiver being responsive to the transmitter identification control code in the signal received from the wireless transmitter by operating only in response to one or more identified transmitters.

30. The invention of claim 25 wherein the one or more control codes transmitted by the wireless transmitter further comprises:

an undesirable acoustic characteristic control code identifying undesirable acoustic characteristics which may be heard by the user;

the wireless receiver being responsive to the undesirable acoustic characteristic control code in the signal received from the wireless transmitter by modifying the audio produced to reduce the undesirable acoustic characteristics being heard by the user.

31. The invention of claim 25 wherein the one or more control codes transmitted by the wireless transmitter further comprises:

a plurality of error detection control codes;

the wireless receiver comparing at least some of the plurality of error detection control codes in the signal received from the wireless transmitter to detect the presence of errors in the signal received.

32. The invention of claim 31 wherein the wireless receiver responds to the presence of a predetermined number of errors in the signal received from the wireless transmitter by modifying the audio produced by for the user.

33. The invention of claim 31 wherein the wireless receiver responds to the presence of errors in the signal received from the wireless transmitter by turning off.

34. The invention of claim 26 wherein the one or more control codes transmitted by the wireless transmitter further comprises:

an auto-off control code;

the wireless receiver being responsive to the absence of the auto-off control code in the signal received from the wireless transmitter for a predetermined period of time by removing power applied to the wireless receiver.

35. The invention of claim 26 wherein the one or more control codes transmitted by the wireless transmitter further comprises:

an auto-channel control code identifying the audio streams currently present in the signal;

the wireless receiver being responsive to the auto-channel control code in the signal received from the wireless transmitter for controlling the one or more audio streams which can be selected by the user.

36. The invention of claim 26 wherein the one or more control codes transmitted by the wireless transmitter further comprises:

a transmitter identification control code identifying the transmitter;

the wireless receiver being responsive to the transmitter identification control code in the signal received from the wireless transmitter by operating only in response to one or more identified transmitters.

37. The invention of claim 26 wherein the one or more control codes transmitted by the wireless transmitter further comprises:

an undesirable acoustic characteristic control code identifying undesirable acoustic characteristics which may be heard by the user;

the wireless receiver being responsive to the undesirable acoustic characteristic control code in the signal received from the wireless transmitter by modifying the audio produced to reduce the undesirable acoustic characteristics being heard by the user.

38. The invention of claim 26 wherein the one or more control codes transmitted by the wireless transmitter further comprises:

a plurality of error detection control codes;

the wireless receiver comparing at least some of the plurality of error detection control codes in the signal received from the wireless transmitter to detect the presence of errors in the signal received.

39. The invention of claim 38 wherein the wireless receiver responds to the presence of a predetermined number of errors in the signal received from the wireless transmitter by modifying the audio produced by for the user.

40. The invention of claim 38 wherein the wireless receiver responds to the presence of errors in the signal received from the wireless transmitter by turning off.