System with speaker, transceiver and related devices

• US 9,326,069 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2013
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Inventors: Mayman, Avrum G., Yewell, Scott Talbot, Zamir, Lee, Drimusz, Laszlo Otto
• Primary Examiner(s): Paul, Disler
• Application Number:
  US13/973,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20130343568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 381 77- 78, 381/80, 381 84- 85, 381/109, 381/105
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/36 for access to common bus or bus system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4072 Drivers or receivers G06F13/4086 takes precedence; for multistate logic circuits H03K19/0002
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/42 Bus transfer protocol, e.g. handshake; Synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/00 Modulated-carrier systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/021 Aspects relating to docking-station type assemblies to obtain an acoustical effect, e.g. the type of connection to external loudspeakers or housings, frequency improvement
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• 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
• 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

Abstract

A system includes a housing, a speaker included in the housing, and a first transceiver associated with the housing to wirelessly transmit and receive audio content and control information. The speaker is able to produce audible signals from the audio content received by the transceiver. A plurality of remote speakers each have a transceiver. The transceivers of the remote speakers are able to communicate with each other and the first transceiver.

Claims

1. A system comprising

a housing;

a speaker included in the housing;

a first transceiver integrated in the housing to wirelessly transmit and receive audio content and control information, the speaker being able to produce audible signals from the audio content received by the transceiver; and

a plurality of remote speakers which each have a transceiver integrated therein, the transceivers of the remote speakers being able to communicate with each other and the first transceiver,

wherein the remote speakers are configured to wirelessly relay the audio content amongst each other, thereby to supply the audio content beyond the transmission range of the first transceiver.

2. The system of claim 1, further including a remote control that can be used to control operations of one or more of the remote speakers and the speaker in the housing.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the operations controlled by the remote control include one or more of playback parameters, powering a speaker on and off, and setting a unique speaker identifier for a remote speaker.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the playback parameters include one or more of volume control balance, mute and equalization.

5. The system of claim 1, further including a remote control that can provide signals to trigger system wide operations.

6. The system of claim 1, further including a remote control that can transmit a signal that initiates transmission of a signal from the first transceiver that mutes at least one of the remote speakers.

7. The system of claim 1, further including a remote control that can transmit a signal that initiates transmission of a signal from the first transceiver that causes at least one of the remote speakers to produce audible signals.

8. The system of claim 1, further including a remote control that can control the speaker in the housing and that can transmit a signal for selecting one or more of the remote speakers for operation.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the signal can be transmitted to the first transceiver that identifies one or more of the remote speakers that are to be provided audio content for producing audible signals.

10. The system of claim 1, further including a remote control which can transmit one or more signals to the remote speakers to identify which remote speaker or group of remote speakers shall receive signals from the first transceiver.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein a network is established among the first transceiver and the remote speakers, the network being one or more of a mesh network and a point-to-point network.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein a unique address is assigned to each remote speaker such that content can be directed from the first transceiver to one or more of the remote speakers using the addresses.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver can transmit audio content to one or more of the remote speakers, the audio content being sourced from one or more of a satellite based system, a cable based system, and a computer based system.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein video content can be transmitted among the first transceiver and the remote speakers.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of text and graphics can be transmitted from the first transceiver to one or more of the remote speakers.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the text includes an artist'"'"'s name and the graphics includes an album cover.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the text and graphics can be presented on a video display that is one or more of (i) incorporated into one or more of the remote speakers, and (ii) in communication with one or more of the remote speakers.

18. A system comprising

a housing;

a speaker included in the housing;

a first transceiver integrated in the housing to wirelessly transmit and receive audio content and control information, the speaker being able to produce audible signals from the audio content received by the transceiver; and

a remote speaker having a second transceiver integrated therein which can communicate with the first transceiver,

wherein the remote speakers is configured to wirelessly relay the audio content to one or more other remote speakers beyond the transmission range of the first transceiver.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the audio content is played substantially simultaneously by the speaker in the housing and the remote speaker.

20. The system of claim 18, further including a wireless remote control, whereby some commands from the remote control are executed at the location of the housing and other commands are transmitted by the first transceiver for execution by the remote speaker.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the second transceiver can transmit signals to the first transceiver that does one or more of (a) confirming that audio content has been properly received by the remote speaker, (b) indicating that audio content has not been properly received by the remote speaker, (c) executing a handshake between the transceivers, (d) effecting operations of the speaker in the housing, and (e) switching an audio content source.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the second transceiver can receive audio content and transmit audio content to one or more other remote speakers, whereby the remote speaker with the second transceiver is used to establish a wireless network among the one or more other remote speakers.

23. The system of claim 18, further including a wireless remote control, whereby some commands from the remote control are executed by the remote speaker and other commands are transmitted by the second transceiver for execution at the location of the housing.

24. A system comprising

a housing;

a speaker included in the housing;

a first transceiver integrated in the housing to wirelessly transmit and receive audio content and control information, the speaker being able to produce audible signals from the audio content received by the transceiver;

a remote speaker having a second transceiver integrated therein which can communicate with the first transceiver,

wherein the first transceiver can transmit data that includes one or more of an Internet Protocol address and a Media Access Control that uniquely identify the remote speaker, and

wherein the remote speakers is configured to wirelessly relay the audio content to one or more other remote speakers beyond the transmission range of the first transceiver.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the remote speaker can detect the data and determine if the remote speaker is intended to receive audio content from the transceiver.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein when the remote speaker determines it is intended to receive audio content from the transceiver, the remote speaker can decode and prepare the audio content for playback.

27. A system comprising

a housing;

a speaker included in the housing;

a first transceiver integrated in the housing to wirelessly transmit and receive audio content and control information, the speaker being able to produce audible signals from the audio content received by the transceiver; and

a remote speaker having a second transceiver integrated therein which can communicate with the first transceiver,

wherein the first transceiver can transmit one or more of (a) metadata, (b) user interface information for providing system control to a remote user interface and (c) communications channel information to a remote speaker, and

wherein the remote speakers is configured to wirelessly relay the audio content to one or more other remote speakers beyond the transmission range of the first transceiver.

28. The system of claim 27, further including the remote user interface, wherein the remote user interface includes one or more of a hand held remote and the remote speaker.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the communications channel information includes one or more of data transmission error rate, spread spectrum information and signals for channel equalization.

30. The system of claim 27, further including a docking port associated with the housing.