Synchronised control

• US 9,671,998 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2014
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm technologies international, ltd. (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sole, Jonathon, Campbell, Benjamin, Haboubi, Harith
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAMID, AMMAR T
• Application Number:
  US14/587,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20160188287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 381 77, 455 306
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/00 Gain control in amplifiers or frequency changers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• 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 5/04 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: H04S 2400/13 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in stereophonic sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/008 in which the audio signals are in digital form, i.e. employing more than two discrete digital channels data reduction aspects thereof based on psychoacoustics G10L19/02

Abstract

A device capable of operating according to a wireless communications protocol, the device being configured to: receive audio data from an audio data source; generate volume control data for controlling the playback volume of the audio data; encapsulate the audio data and volume control data in a broadcast packet; and broadcast the packet in accordance with the wireless communications protocol.

Claims

1. A device capable of operating according to a wireless communications protocol, comprising:

a user interface configured to generate volume control data for controlling a playback volume at a predetermined playback time for audio data received from an audio data source;

an encoder configured to encapsulate the audio data, the predetermined playback time for the audio data, and the volume control data in a broadcast packet, wherein the broadcast packet comprises a first portion containing the audio data, a second portion containing the predetermined playback time, and a third portion containing the volume control data that controls the playback volume at the predetermined playback time for the audio data included in the broadcast packet; and

a transmitter configured to broadcast the broadcast packet in accordance with the wireless communications protocol.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a media output configured to receive the volume control data and play the audio data at a volume level dependent on the volume control data.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the broadcast is unidirectional.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications protocol is Bluetooth.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the broadcast is a connectionless slave broadcast.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the volume control data represents a volume level in dB, dBm, dBfs or dBV.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the volume control data is generated in dependence on a user input.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications protocol is Bluetooth.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the broadcast packet is received via a connectionless slave broadcast.

8. A device capable of operating according to a wireless communications protocol, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a broadcast packet broadcasted in accordance with the wireless communications protocol, wherein the broadcast packet comprises a first portion containing audio data, a second portion containing a predetermined playback time for the audio data, and a third portion containing volume control data that controls a playback volume at the predetermined playback time for the audio data included in the broadcast packet;

a decoder configured to decode the audio data;

a processor configured to determine a volume level for playing the decoded audio data at the playback time in dependence on the volume control data; and

a media output configured to play the decoded audio data at the determined volume level at the playback time for the audio data.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the device comprises a user interface for setting a volume level for playing the decoded audio data.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the volume level for playing the decoded audio is determined further in dependence on the volume level set by the user interface.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to analyze the volume control data and, in dependence on that analysis, disregard the volume level set by the user interface.

14. A method of playing an audio stream comprising:

receiving a stream of packets, each packet comprising a first portion containing one or more audio frames representing an audio stream, a second portion containing a predetermined playback time for each of the one or more audio frames, and a third portion containing volume control data that controls a playback volume at the predetermined playback time for each of the one or more audio frames included in that packet, the stream of packets being broadcasted in accordance with a wireless communications protocol;

setting a playback volume for playing each of the one or more audio frames at the predetermined playback time in dependence on the volume control data comprised in the same packet as the one or more audio frames;

playing each of the one or more audio frames of the audio stream at the playback volume set for that audio frame.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless communications protocol is Bluetooth.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the stream of packets are received via a connectionless slave broadcast.