Pseudo hub-and-spoke wireless audio network

• US 8,660,055 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Inventors: Ueda, Joji, Isaac, Ronald N.
• Primary Examiner(s): RENNER, BRANDON M
• Application Number:
  US11/981,985
• Publication Number:
  US 20090109894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,309 Days
• Field of Search: 381 93- 98
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1607 Details of the supervisory signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1829 Arrangements specially adapted for the receiver end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0093 Point-to-multipoint
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

An apparatus induces a first wireless device to transmit audio-related data to both the apparatus and a second wireless device by providing the first wireless device with a false indication of the apparatus being capable of performing an audio function that the apparatus is incapable of performing so as to enable the second wireless device to receive the audio-related data simultaneously with the apparatus, and wherein the second wireless device cooperates with the apparatus to leave the first wireless device unaware of the simultaneous receipt of the audio-related data by the second wireless device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a transceiver accessible to the processor and configured to engage in wireless communications with a first wireless device;

a storage accessible to the processor and having a routine stored therein comprising a sequence of instructions that when executed by the processor causes the processor to;

induce the first wireless device to transmit a piece of audio-related data to the apparatus across a first wireless link formed between the apparatus and the first wireless device by operating the transceiver to transmit to the first wireless device across the first wireless link a false indication that the apparatus is capable of performing at least one audio function requiring receipt of the piece of audio-related data from the first wireless device, wherein the apparatus is not capable of performing the at least one audio function;

operate the transceiver to receive the piece of audio-related data from the first wireless device across the first wireless link; and

operate the transceiver to wirelessly communicate with a second wireless device through a second wireless link formed between the apparatus and the second wireless device to coordinate a substantially simultaneous receipt of the piece of audio-related data from the first wireless device by both the apparatus and the second wireless device, wherein;

the apparatus receives the piece of audio-related data from the first wireless device across the first wireless link;

the second wireless device receives the piece of audio-related data directly from the first wireless device; and

no indication is provided to the first wireless device that the second wireless device is receiving the piece of audio-related data directly from the first wireless device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the piece of audio-related data is a piece of audio having first and second audio channels;

the at least one audio function comprises audibly outputting both the first and second audio channels of the piece of audio;

the apparatus audibly outputs the first audio channel; and

the second wireless device audibly outputs the second audio channel.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus and the second wireless device are each an earphone.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the piece of audio-related data is a piece of textual data related to a piece of audio, and wherein the at least one audio function is displaying the piece of textual data.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one audio function is detecting a piece of audio with a microphone and transmitting the detected piece of audio to the first wireless device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the processor is further caused to operate the transceiver to transmit information concerning the first wireless link to the second wireless device through the second wireless link to enable the substantially simultaneous receipt of the piece of audio-related data by the second wireless device directly from the first wireless device; and

wherein the information concerning the first wireless link is selected from a group consisting of an identity code and a decryption key.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor is further caused to operate the transceiver to exchange a signal with the second wireless device through the second wireless link to synchronize audible playback of the first and second audio channels of the piece of audio between the apparatus and the second wireless device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further caused to operate the transceiver to signal the first wireless device through the first wireless link to retransmit the piece of audio-related data in response to receiving from the second wireless device through the second wireless link an indication of an error in the substantially simultaneous receipt of the piece of audio-related data by the second wireless device directly from the first wireless device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further caused to operate the transceiver to wirelessly communicate with a third wireless device to form a third wireless link between the apparatus and the third wireless device, and to coordinate a substantially simultaneous receipt of the piece of audio-related data by the third wireless device directly from the first wireless device as the apparatus receives the piece of audio-related data directly from the first wireless device across the first wireless link and the second wireless device receives the piece of audio-related data directly from the first wireless device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the piece of audio-related data is a piece of audio having first and second audio channels; and

the processor is further caused to operate the transceiver to exchange signals with the second and third wireless devices through the second and third wireless links, respectively, to synchronize audible playback of the first audio channel by the second wireless device with the audible playback of the second audio channel by the third wireless device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the second and third wireless devices are each an earphone.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is further caused to operate the transceiver to receive the piece of audio from the first wireless device and to ignore the piece of audio such that the apparatus receives the piece of audio from the first wireless device without audibly outputting the piece of audio.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a transceiver accessible to the processor and configured to engage in wireless communications with a first wireless device;

a storage accessible to the processor and having a routine stored therein comprising a sequence of instructions that when executed by the processor causes the processor to;

operate the transceiver to form a first wireless link between the apparatus and the first wireless device;

operate the transceiver to receive an indication through the first wireless link from the first wireless device that the first wireless device has successfully induced a second wireless device to transmit a piece of audio-related data by transmitting through a second wireless link formed between the first and second wireless devices a false indication to the second wireless device that the first wireless device is capable of performing at least one audio function requiring receipt of the piece of audio-related data by the first wireless device from the second wireless device through the second wireless link, wherein the first wireless device is not capable of performing the at least one audio function;

operate the transceiver to receive information from the first wireless device through the first wireless link concerning the second wireless link formed between the first and second wireless devices that enables the apparatus to also receive the piece of audio-related data directly from the second wireless device substantially simultaneously with the first wireless device as the second wireless device transmits the piece of audio-related data to the first wireless device across the second wireless link; and

operate the transceiver to receive the piece of audio-related data directly from the second wireless device substantially simultaneously with the first wireless device as the second wireless device transmits the piece of audio-related data to the first wireless device through the second wireless link while providing no indication to the second wireless device that the apparatus is receiving the piece of audio-related data directly from the second wireless device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the piece of audio-related data is a piece of audio; and

the processor is further caused to operate the transceiver to exchange a signal through the first wireless link with the first wireless device to synchronize audible playback of the piece of audio between the apparatus and the first wireless device.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the piece of audio-related data is a piece of audio;

the processor is further caused to operate the transceiver to exchange a signal through the first wireless link with the first wireless device to synchronize audible playback of the piece of audio between the apparatus and a third wireless device communicating with the first wireless device through a third wireless link formed between the first and third wireless devices; and

the third wireless device receives the piece of audio-related data directly from the second wireless device substantially simultaneously with the apparatus and the first wireless device.

16. A method comprising:

inducing a first wireless device to transmit a piece of audio-related data to an apparatus across a first wireless link formed between the apparatus and the first wireless device by transmitting to the first wireless device across the first wireless link a false indication that the apparatus is capable of performing at least one audio function requiring receipt of the piece of audio-related data from the first wireless device across the first wireless link, wherein the apparatus is not capable of performing the at least one audio function;

receiving the piece of audio-related data from the first wireless device across the first wireless link;

wirelessly communicating with a second wireless device through a second wireless link formed between the apparatus and the second wireless device to coordinate a substantially simultaneous receipt of the piece of audio-related data by the second wireless device directly from the first wireless device as the first wireless device transmits the piece of audio-related data to the apparatus through the first wireless link; and

providing no indication to the first wireless device that the second wireless device is also receiving the piece of audio-related data directly from the first wireless device as the apparatus substantially simultaneously receives the piece of audio-related data from the first wireless device through the first wireless link.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting information concerning the first wireless link to the second wireless device through the second wireless link to enable the simultaneous receipt of the piece of audio-related data by the second wireless device directly from the first wireless device, wherein the information concerning the first wireless link is selected from a group consisting of an identity code and a decryption key.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the piece of audio-related data is a piece of audio, and further comprising exchanging a signal with the second wireless device through the second wireless link to synchronize audible playback of the piece of audio between the apparatus and the second wireless device.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising signaling the first wireless device through the first wireless link to retransmit the piece of audio-related data in response to receiving from the second wireless device an indication of an error in the substantially simultaneous receipt of the piece of audio-related data by the second wireless device directly from the first wireless device as the first wireless device previously transmitted the piece of audio-related data to the apparatus through the first wireless link.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising wirelessly communicating with a third wireless device through a third wireless link formed between the apparatus and the third wireless device to coordinate a substantially simultaneous receipt of the piece of audio-related data by the third wireless device directly from the first wireless device as the apparatus receives the piece of audio-related data directly from the first wireless device through the first wireless link and the second wireless device receives the piece of audio-related data directly from the first wireless device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the piece of audio-related data is a piece of audio having first and second audio channels, and further comprising exchanging signals with the second and third wireless devices through the second and third wireless links, respectively, to synchronize audible playback of the first audio channel of the piece of audio by the second wireless device with the audible playback of the second audio channel by the third wireless device.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising ignoring the piece of audio as received from the first wireless device across the first wireless link by the apparatus as by not audibly outputting the piece of audio.