Digital wireless audio transmission system

• US 9,916,835 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2016
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Frey, Tom-Fabian, Sukumar, Satheesh, Wachtendorf, Sven
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas-Homescu, Anne L
• Application Number:
  US15/003,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20160217796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/005 Correction of errors induced by the transmission channel, if related to the coding algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/11 Arrangements for counter-measures when a portion of broadcast information is unavailable

Abstract

A digital wireless audio transmission system having a wireless receiving unit for wirelessly receiving a high-frequency signal. An HF analysis unit analyzes the received high-frequency data, detects errors in the transmission within a time window, and outputs the received data and first items of information in respect of the detected errors. A decoding unit converts/decodes the received high-frequency data into audio data. An error detection unit checks errors in the conversion of the decoding unit within a previously established time window and outputs second items of information in respect of errors during decoding of the received high-frequency data. An error rate is determined based on the first and second items of information. If the error rate exceeds a first threshold value then no audio signal is outputted. Only if the error rate falls below a second value, lower than the first value, is an audio output is then again effected.

Claims

1. A digital wireless audio transmission system comprising:

a wireless receiving unit for receiving wirelessly transmitted high frequency signals;

wherein the wireless receiving unit has;

a high frequency analysis unit configured to convert the high frequency signal into received data;

a decoder configured to decode the received data into digital audio data;

an audio processing unit configured to;

process the digital audio data;

output an audio output signal; and

activate or deactivate the audio output signal; and

an error detection unit configured to detect transmission errors and an error rate associated with the transmission errors;

wherein the decoder is adapted to, upon the occurrence of errors in the wireless transmission, produce digital audio data from error-affected received data by estimation;

wherein the error detection unit is adapted to;

compare the error rate to a first threshold value and a second threshold value,

wherein the second threshold value is lower than the first threshold value;

wherein the audio processing unit is configured to account for audio artefacts and a hysteresis effect by;

deactivating the audio output when the error rate exceeds the first threshold value; and

re-activating the audio output only when the error rate falls below the second threshold value and when the error rate remains below the second threshold for a pre-determined period of time.

2. The digital wireless audio transmission system as set forth in claim 1;

wherein the decoder is adapted to perform an error concealment.

3. The digital wireless audio transmission system as set forth in claim 1;

wherein the transmission system streams wireless audio with low latency.

4. The digital wireless audio transmission system as set forth in claim 1;

wherein the high frequency analysis unit is adapted to detect first errors in the wireless transmission and to output first items of information in respect of the detected first errors to the error detection unit; and

wherein the decoder is adapted to detect second errors and to output second items of information in respect of the detected second errors to the error detection unit.

5. The digital wireless audio transmission system as set forth in claim 1;

wherein the time window for ascertaining the error rate with activated audio output is of a first duration; and

wherein the time window for ascertaining the error rate with deactivated audio output is of a second duration that is longer than the first duration.

6. The digital wireless audio transmission system as set forth in claim 5;

wherein the digital wireless audio transmission system is configured to allow a user to adjust the first and second durations.

7. The digital wireless audio transmission system as set forth in claim 1;

wherein the digital wireless audio transmission system is configured to allow a user to adjust the first and second threshold values.

8. The digital wireless audio transmission system as set forth in claim 1;

wherein the duration of a time window for detecting the error rate is at least 10 ms.