Wireless audio communications device, system and method

• US 9,444,565 B1
• Filed: 10/05/2015
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ninjawav, LLC
• Original Assignee: Ninjawav, LLC
• Inventors: Leopardi, Emmett Jay, Thurmond, Walter Riley III, Harte, Carl R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US14/874,900
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• Field of Search: 455/7, 455/11.1, 455/14, 455/15, 455/23, 455/3.01, 455/3.02, 455/3.06, 455/422.1, 455/403, 455/73, 455/575.1, 455/557, 455/559, 455/556.1, 455/550.1, 455/575.7, 455 901- 903, 455/571, 4554141-4144, 455/466, 455/445, 709/204, 709/203, 709/206, 709/231, 709/226, 709/219, 709/223, 381/334, 381/387, 370/315, 370/310, 370/324, 370/328, 370/329, 370/279, 375/211, 375/213
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15 Active relay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communication real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] H04L51/04; selective video distribution H04N21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

A method for dynamic media distribution is disclosed. An audio content server receives, from a computing device of a first user, a request to follow a second user; and designates the first user as a follower of the second user. The audio content server receives from a computing device of a third user, a request to follow the first user; and designates the third user as a follower of the first user. When the audio content server receives from a computing device of the second user, a request to stream a first audio content, the audio content server synchronously streams the first audio content to the second user and the plurality of followers of the second user, first user and the third user among the plurality of followers.

Claims

1. A method for dynamic media distribution, the method comprising steps of:

receiving, by an audio content server system, from a computing device of a first user, a request to follow a second user;

designating, by the audio content server system, the first user as a follower of the second user as a result of the first user'"'"'s request to follow the second user;

receiving, by the audio content server system, from a computing device of a third user, a request to follow the first user;

designating, by the audio content server system, the third user as a follower of the first user as a result of the third user'"'"'s request to follow the first user;

receiving, from a computing device of the second user, a request to stream a first audio content;

identifying, by the audio content server system, a plurality of followers of the second user as a result of the second user'"'"'s request to stream the first audio content, the first user among the plurality of followers of the second user;

synchronously streaming, by the audio content server system, the first audio content to the second user and the plurality of followers of the second user as a result of the second user'"'"'s request to stream the first audio content, the step of synchronously streaming the first audio content including streaming the first audio content to the first user and the third user;

while performing the step of synchronously streaming the first audio content, receiving, by the audio content server system, a request from the computing device of the first user to stream a second audio content, different from the first audio content;

identifying, by the audio content server system, a plurality of followers of the first user as a result of the first user'"'"'s request to stream the second audio content, the third user among the plurality of followers of the first user; and

independent of the synchronous streaming of the first audio content to the second user, the audio content server system ending the synchronous streaming of the first audio content to the first user and the third user and synchronously streaming the second audio content to the first user and the plurality of followers of the first user as a result of the first user'"'"'s request to stream the second audio content.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the step of synchronously streaming the second audio content includes streaming the second audio content to the third user automatically, without receiving a request from the third user to stream the second audio content.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of designating the first user comprises:

configuring an account of the first user to automatically transmit, by the audio content server system, to the computing device of the first user, a real-time copy of an audio stream transmitted to the computing device of the second user such that the audio stream and the real-time copy are played substantially synchronously on the computing devices of the first and the second user, said computing devices communicatively coupled over the Internet.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the first user, the second user, and the third user each have a user account with the audio content server system, each user account associated with a username and a password that provides the corresponding user with access to the audio content server system.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising steps of:

ending, by the audio content server system, the synchronous streaming of the second audio content to the first user; and

as a result of the step of ending the synchronous streaming of the second audio content to the first user, automatically ending, by the audio content server system, the synchronous streaming of the second audio content to the third user as a result of the third user being a follower of the first user and without receiving a request from the third user to end said synchronous streaming.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a step of:

while performing the step of synchronously streaming the first audio content to the first user, the second user, and the third user, continuously monitoring, by the audio content server system, a latency period for the computing devices of the first user, the second user, and the third user and adjusting a streaming speed to each of the computing devices based on the latency period.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a step of:

while performing the step of synchronously streaming the first audio content to the first user, the second user, and the third user, repetitively calculating, by the audio content server system, a latency period for the computing devices of the first user, the second user, and the third user and adjusting a timing for transmitting data packets associated with the first audio content to each of the computing devices so that the first audio content is played on each of the computing devices synchronously to within less than about a 20 millisecond delay.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising steps of:

receiving, by an audio content server system, from a computing device of a fourth user, a request to follow the third user;

designating, by the audio content server system, the fourth user as a follower of the third user as a result of the fourth user'"'"'s request to follow the third user;

synchronously streaming, by the audio content server system, the second audio content to the fourth user as a result of designating the fourth user as a follower of the third user;

receiving, by the audio content server system, a request from a computing device of the third user to stream a third audio content, different from the first and second audio content;

identifying, by the audio content server system, a plurality of followers of the third user as a result of the third user'"'"'s request to stream the third audio content, the fourth user among the plurality of followers of the third user; and

independent of the synchronous streaming of the first audio content to the second user and the second audio content to the first user, the audio content server system ending the synchronous streaming of the second audio content to the third user and the fourth user and synchronously streaming the third audio content to the third user and the plurality of followers of the third user as a result of the third user'"'"'s request to stream the third audio content.

9. A server system for dynamic media distribution, the server system comprising:

at least one network connection communicatively coupled to the Internet; and

at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one network connection, the at least one processor operable to;

receive, over the at least one network connection, from a computing device of a first user, a request to follow a second user;

designate the first user as a follower of the second user as a result of the first user'"'"'s request to follow the second user;

receive, over the at least one network connection, from a computing device of a third user, a request to follow the first user;

designate the third user as a follower of the first user as a result of the third user'"'"'s request to follow the first user;

receive, over the at least one network connection, from a computing device of the second user, a request to stream a first audio content;

synchronously stream, over the at least one network connection, the first audio content to the second user and a plurality of followers of the second user, the first user among the plurality of followers of the second user and the synchronous streaming of the first audio content includes streaming the first audio content to the first user and the third user;

receive, over the at least one network connection, a request from the computing device of the first user to stream a second audio content, different from the first audio content; and

independent of the synchronous streaming of the first audio content to the second user, end the synchronous streaming of the first audio content to the first user and the third user and synchronously stream, over the at least one network connection, the second audio content to the first user and a plurality of followers of the first user, the third user among the plurality of followers of the first user and the synchronous streaming of the second audio content includes streaming the second audio content to the third user.

10. The server system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further operable to:

synchronously stream the second audio content by synchronously streaming the second audio content to the third user automatically, without receiving a request from the third user to stream the second audio content.

11. The server system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further operable to:

designate the first user as a follower of the second user by configuring an account of the first user to automatically transmit to the computing device of the first user, a real-time copy of an audio stream transmitted to the computing device of the second user such that the audio stream and the real-time copy are played substantially synchronously on the computing devices of the first and the second user, said computing devices communicatively coupled over the Internet.

12. The server system in accordance with claim 9, wherein:

the first user, the second user, and the third user each have a user account with server system, each user account associated with a username and a password that provides the corresponding user with access to the server system.

13. The server system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further operable to:

end the synchronous streaming of the second audio content to the first user; and

as a result of ending the synchronous streaming of the second audio content to the first user, automatically end the synchronous streaming of the second audio content to the third user as a result of the third user being a follower of the first user and without receiving a request from the third user to end said synchronous streaming.

14. The server system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further operable to:

while synchronously streaming the first audio content to the first user, the second user, and the third user, constantly monitor a latency period for the computing devices of the first user, the second user, and the third user and adjust a streaming speed to each of the computing devices based on the latency period.

15. The server system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further operable to:

while synchronously streaming the first audio content to the first user, the second user, and the third user, repetitively calculate a latency period for the computing devices of the first user, the second user, and the third user and adjusting a timing for transmitting data packets associated with the first audio content to each of the computing devices so that the first audio content is played on each of the computing devices synchronously to within less than about a 20 millisecond delay.

16. The server system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further operable to:

receive from a computing device of a fourth user, a request to follow the third user;

designate the fourth user as a follower of the third user as a result of the fourth user'"'"'s request to follow the third user;

synchronously stream the second audio content to the fourth user as a result of designating the fourth user as a follower of the third user;

receive, from a computing device of the third user, a request to stream a third audio content, different from the first and second audio content;

identify a plurality of followers of the third user as a result of the third user'"'"'s request to stream the third audio content, the fourth user among the plurality of followers of the third user; and

independent of the synchronous streaming of the first audio content to the second user and the second audio content to the first user, end the synchronous streaming of the second audio content to the third user and the fourth user and synchronously stream the third audio content to the third user and the plurality of followers of the third user as a result of identifying the plurality of followers of the third user.

17. A method of receiving and controlling synchronous communications, the method comprising steps of:

sending, by a first computing device, to an audio content server system, a request to follow a first user of the audio content server system;

receiving, by the first computing device, from an audio content server system, a stream of a first audio content that is also synchronously streamed, by the audio content server system, to the first user as a result of the audio content server system designating a user associated with the first computing device as a follower of the first user and the audio content server system receiving a request from the first user to synchronously stream the first audio content to the first user and a plurality of followers of the first user;

while performing the step of receiving the synchronous stream of the first audio content, sending, by the first computing device, to the audio content server, a request to stream a second audio content, different from the first audio content; and

as a result of the request to stream the second audio content, receiving, by the first computing device, from the audio content server, a stream of the second audio content that is also synchronously streamed, by the audio content server, to remote computing devices of a plurality of followers of the user associated with the first computing device.

18. The method in accordance with claim 17, further comprising:

sending, to the audio content server system, a time-stamped packet that also includes an estimate of the total-time-on-device (TOD) for the first computing device.

19. The method in accordance with claim 17, wherein:

the first computing device plays the second audio content substantially synchronously with playback of the second audio content on the remote computing devices of the plurality of followers to within less than about a 20 millisecond delay between each of the remote computing devices.

20. The method in accordance with claim 17, further comprising:

sending, by the first computing device, to the audio content server system, a request to follow a second user of the audio content server system, the second user different from the first user; and

as a result of the request to follow the second user, receiving, by the first computing device, from the audio content server, an audio stream that is identical to and substantially synchronous with an audio stream transmitted to computing devices of the second user and a plurality of followers of the second user.