Un-tethered wireless audio system

• US 8,768,252 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2011
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Watson, Clarke S., Cook, Benjamin W., Berny, Axel D., Trachewsky, Jason A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rego, Dominic E
• Application Number:
  US13/220,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20120058727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.01, 455/3.05, 455/3.06, 455/414.1, 455/41.2, 381/58, 381/59, 381/96, 381/111, 381/300, 381/17, 381/316
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/16 in which the return channel carries supervisory signals, e.g. repetition request signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0092 Error control systems characterised by the topology of the transmission link
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0097 Relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/05 Detection of connection of loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or 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: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• 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 system configured to receive audio information wirelessly transmitted by an audio source including first and second wireless transceivers. The first wireless transceiver establishes a bidirectional secondary wireless link with the audio source for receiving and acknowledging receipt of the audio information. The first and second wireless transceivers communicate with each other via a primary wireless link. A wireless audio system including an audio source and first and second wireless transceivers. The first and second wireless transceivers communicate via a primary wireless link. The audio source communicates audio information to the first wireless transceiver via a secondary wireless link which is configured according to a standard wireless protocol. The first wireless transceiver is configured to acknowledge successful reception of audio information via the secondary wireless link.

Claims

1. A wireless audio system configured to receive audio information wirelessly transmitted by an audio source, comprising:

a first wireless transceiver, that is configured to establish a bidirectional secondary wireless link with the audio source for receiving and acknowledging receipt of the audio information;

a second wireless transceiver, wherein said first and second wireless transceivers are configured to communicate with each other via a primary wireless link; and

wherein said first wireless transceiver is configured to communicate at least one communication parameter to said second wireless transceiver via said primary wireless link, wherein the communication parameter is to enable said second wireless transceiver to establish unidirectional wireless communication with said audio source in order to receive the audio information transmitted by said audio source via said secondary wireless link.

2. The wireless audio system of claim 1, wherein said secondary wireless link is configured according to a standard wireless protocol.

3. The wireless audio system of claim 1, wherein said secondary wireless link is configured according to Bluetooth protocol.

4. The wireless audio system of claim 1, wherein said first and second wireless transceivers are configured to extract first and second audio channels, respectively, from the audio information.

5. The wireless audio system of claim 1, wherein the audio source transmits the audio information in audio packets, and wherein:

said second wireless transceiver is configured to send an acknowledgement to said first wireless transceiver via said primary wireless link upon successful reception of an audio packet; and

wherein said first wireless transceiver is configured to send an acknowledgement to the audio source via said secondary wireless link upon successful reception of said audio packet and upon reception of an acknowledgement from said second wireless transceiver.

6. The wireless audio system of claim 1, wherein the audio source transmits the audio information in audio packets, and wherein:

said second wireless transceiver is configured to send an acknowledgement to said first wireless transceiver via said primary wireless link upon successful reception of an audio packet;

wherein said first wireless transceiver is configured to send an acknowledgement to the audio source via said secondary wireless link upon successful reception of said audio packet; and

wherein said first wireless transceiver is configured to relay said audio packet to said second wireless transceiver when an acknowledgement from said second wireless transceiver is not received.

7. The wireless audio system of claim 1, wherein the audio information comprises stereo audio information.

8. The wireless audio system of claim 7, wherein said first wireless transceiver is coupled to a first loudspeaker and wherein said second wireless transceiver is coupled to a second loudspeaker.

9. The wireless audio system of claim 1, wherein said primary wireless link includes a unidirectional acknowledgement link from said second wireless transceiver to said first wireless transceiver.

10. The wireless audio system of claim 1, wherein said primary wireless link includes a bidirectional acknowledgement link.

11. The wireless audio system of claim 1, wherein said first and second wireless transceivers are programmed to be permanently paired with each other via said primary wireless link when powered up.

12. The wireless audio system of claim 1, wherein said first and second wireless transceivers employ at least one locked frequency reference of the audio source to synchronize audio playback between said first and second wireless transceivers.

13. The wireless audio system of claim 1, wherein said first and second wireless transceivers implement a control loop with the audio source to synchronize audio playback between said first and second wireless transceivers.

14. A wireless audio system, comprising:

an audio source and first and second wireless transceivers;

wherein said first and second wireless transceivers are configured to communicate via a primary wireless link;

wherein said audio source communicates audio information to said first wireless transceiver via a secondary wireless link which is configured according to a standard wireless protocol;

wherein said first wireless transceiver is configured to communicate at least one communication parameter to said second wireless transceiver via said primary wireless link, and wherein said second wireless transceiver is configured to use said at least one communication parameter to operate as an observer of said secondary wireless link to receive said audio information; and

wherein said first wireless transceiver is configured to acknowledge successful reception of audio information via said secondary wireless link.

15. The wireless audio system of claim 14, wherein said standard wireless protocol is Bluetooth protocol.

16. The wireless audio system of claim 14, wherein said audio information comprises stereo audio information.

17. The wireless audio system of claim 14, wherein said first wireless transceiver extracts a first audio channel from said audio information and wherein said second wireless transceiver extracts a second audio channel from said audio information.

18. The wireless audio system of claim 14, wherein:

said second wireless transceiver is configured to use said primary wireless link to acknowledge to said first wireless transceiver successful reception of said audio information; and

wherein said first wireless transceiver is configured to send unacknowledged audio information to said second wireless transceiver via said primary wireless link.

19. The wireless audio system of claim 14, wherein:

said second wireless transceiver is configured to use said primary wireless link to acknowledge to said first wireless transceiver successful reception of said audio information; and

wherein said audio source re-sends said audio information when not successfully receive by either one or both of said first and second wireless transceivers.

20. The wireless audio system of claim 14, wherein said first wireless transceiver is coupled to a first loudspeaker, and wherein said second wireless transceiver is coupled to a second loudspeaker.

21. The wireless audio system of claim 14, wherein said first and second wireless transceivers employ at least one locked frequency reference of said audio source to synchronize audio playback between said first and second wireless transceivers.

22. A method performed by a first wireless transceiver to receive audio information wirelessly transmitted by an audio source, the method comprising:

establishing a bidirectional secondary wireless link with the audio source for receiving and acknowledging receipt of the audio information;

establishing a primary wireless link with a second wireless transceiver; and

communicating a communication parameter to the second wireless transceiver via the primary wireless link, wherein the communication parameter is to enable the second wireless transceiver to snoop the secondary wireless link so as to receive the audio information transmitted by the audio source.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the secondary wireless link is configured according to a standard wireless protocol.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the first and second wireless transceivers are configured to extract first and second audio channels, respectively, from the audio information.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the audio source transmits the audio information in audio packets,

wherein the second wireless transceiver is configured to send an acknowledgement to the first wireless transceiver via the primary wireless link upon successful reception of an audio packet,

wherein the method further comprising sending an acknowledgement to the audio source via the secondary wireless link upon successful reception of the audio packet and upon reception of an acknowledgement from the second wireless transceiver.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the audio source transmits the audio information in audio packets,

wherein the second wireless transceiver is configured to send an acknowledgement to the first wireless transceiver via the primary wireless link upon successful reception of an audio packet,

wherein the method further comprising:

sending an acknowledgement to the audio source via the secondary wireless link upon successful reception of the audio packet; and

relaying the audio packet to the second wireless transceiver when an acknowledgement from the second wireless transceiver is not received.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the primary wireless link includes a unidirectional or bidirectional acknowledgement link from the second wireless transceiver to the first wireless transceiver.