Audio relay across multiple devices

Abstract

Systems and techniques for processing audio data are described herein. For example, a first computing device can include receiving, by a wireless channel, audio data from a second computing device via a communication protocol. The first computing device can output the audio data to a first audio device associated with the first computing device to play the audio data. The audio data is played simultaneously on the first audio device associated with the first computing device and on a second audio device associated with the second computing device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates in its entirety to processing audio data. For example, aspects of this disclosure relate to audio relay across multiple devices. Background Technology

[0002] Short-range wireless communication enables wireless communication over relatively short distances (e.g., within thirty meters). For example, Bluetooth. ® It is a wireless technology standard used to exchange data over short distances using short-wavelength ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio waves ranging from 2.4 GHz to 2.485 GHz.

[0003] Bluetooth ® Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) is a type of Bluetooth... ® Communication methods that allow communication with devices operating at low power. Such devices may include beacons, which are wireless communication devices that can use low-power communication technologies for location, proximity marketing, or other purposes. In some cases, such devices may be used as nodes (e.g., relay nodes) in a wireless mesh network that transmits and / or relays information to a management platform or hub associated with the wireless mesh network. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The following is a simplified summary of the invention relating to one or more aspects disclosed herein. Therefore, this summary should not be considered an exhaustive overview relating to all conceived aspects, nor should it be considered to identify key or decisive elements relating to all conceived aspects or to depict the scope associated with any particular aspect. Thus, the sole purpose of this summary is to present, in a simplified form, certain concepts relating to one or more aspects involving the mechanisms disclosed herein, prior to the detailed description presented below.

[0005] Systems, apparatuses, methods, and computer-readable media for audio relay across multiple devices are disclosed. According to at least one example, a first computing device for processing audio is provided. The first computing device includes at least one memory and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory and configured to: receive audio data from a second computing device via a wireless channel through a communication protocol; and output the audio data to a first audio device associated with the first computing device for playback, wherein the audio data is played simultaneously on the first audio device associated with the first computing device and on a second audio device associated with the second computing device.

[0006] In another exemplary example, a method for processing audio is provided. The method includes: receiving audio data from a second computing device via a wireless channel through a communication protocol by a first computing device; and outputting the audio data by the first computing device to a first audio device associated with the first computing device for playback, wherein the audio data is played simultaneously on both the first audio device associated with the first computing device and a second audio device associated with the second computing device.

[0007] In another exemplary example, a non-transitory computer-readable medium of a first computing device is provided, the non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: receive audio data from a second computing device via a wireless channel through a communication protocol; and output the audio data to a first audio device associated with the first computing device for playback of the audio data, wherein the audio data is played simultaneously on the first audio device associated with the first computing device and on a second audio device associated with the second computing device.

[0008] In another exemplary example, a first computing device for processing audio is provided. The first computing device includes: components for receiving audio data from a second computing device via a wireless channel and a communication protocol; and components for outputting the audio data to a first audio device associated with the first computing device for playback, wherein the audio data is played simultaneously on both the first audio device associated with the first computing device and a second audio device associated with the second computing device.

[0009] The aspects generally include methods, apparatus, systems, computer program products, non-transitory computer-readable media, user equipment, base stations, wireless communication devices and / or processing systems, as fully described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings and description, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings and description.

[0010] In some aspects, each of the devices described above is, may be part of, or may include: an audio device, a mobile device (e.g., a mobile phone or so-called "smartphone" or other mobile device), a smart or connected device, a camera system, an extended reality (XR) device (e.g., a virtual reality (VR) device, an augmented reality (AR) device, or a mixed reality (MR) device), a television, a vehicle, a wearable device, a personal computer, a laptop computer, a tablet device (also referred to as a tablet computer), a server computer, a robotic device or system, an aviation system, or other equipment. In some aspects, the device includes one or more image sensors (e.g., a camera) or multiple image sensors (e.g., multiple cameras) for capturing one or more images. In some aspects, the device includes one or more displays for displaying one or more images, notifications, and / or other displayable data. In some aspects, the device includes one or more speakers, one or more light-emitting devices, and / or one or more microphones. In some aspects, the devices described above may include one or more sensors. In some cases, the one or more sensors may be used to determine the location of the device, the state of the device (e.g., tracking state, operating state, temperature, humidity level, and / or another state), and / or for other purposes.

[0011] Some aspects include a device having a processor configured to perform one or more operations of any of the methods outlined above. Further aspects include a processing device for use in the device, configured using processor-executable instructions to perform operations of any of the methods outlined above. Further aspects include a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions thereon configured to cause the device's processor to perform operations of any of the methods outlined above. Further aspects include a device having components for performing functions of any of the methods outlined above.

[0012] The features and technical advantages of the examples according to this disclosure have been summarized rather extensively above in order to better understand the detailed description below. Additional features and advantages will be described below. The disclosed concepts and specific examples can be readily utilized as the basis for modifying or designing other structures for achieving the same purpose of this disclosure. Such equivalent constructions do not depart from the scope of the appended claims. The characteristics of the concepts disclosed herein, in both their organization and manner of operation, and the associated advantages, will be better understood by considering the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Each drawing provided in the drawings is for illustrative and descriptive purposes and not as a limitation of the definitions in the claims.

[0013] While aspects are described herein by way of example, those skilled in the art will understand that such aspects can be implemented in many different arrangements and scenarios. The techniques described herein can be implemented using different platform types, devices, systems, shapes, sizes, and / or package arrangements. For example, some aspects can be implemented via integrated chip implementations or other devices based on non-modular components (e.g., end-user equipment, vehicles, communication equipment, computing devices, industrial equipment, retail / shopping devices, medical devices, and / or artificial intelligence devices). Aspects can be implemented in chip-level components, modular components, non-modular components, non-chip-level components, device-level components, and / or system-level components. Devices incorporating the described aspects and features may include additional components and features for implementing and practicing the claimed and described aspects. For example, the transmission and reception of wireless signals may include one or more components for analog and digital purposes (e.g., hardware components including antennas, radio frequency (RF) chains, power amplifiers, modulators, buffers, processors, interleavers, adders, and / or summers). The aspects described herein are intended to be practiced in a wide variety of devices, components, systems, distributed arrangements, and / or end-user equipment of various sizes, shapes, and configurations.

[0014] Based on the accompanying drawings and detailed description, other objects and advantages associated with the aspects disclosed herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to define the scope of the claimed subject matter. This subject matter should be understood with reference to the appropriate portions of the entire specification, any or all of the drawings, and each claim.

[0015] The foregoing and other features and aspects will become more apparent from the following description, claims and accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The exemplary aspects of this application are described in detail below with reference to the following figures:

[0017] Figure 1 Example implementations of a System-on-a-Chip (SOC) according to some aspects of this disclosure are illustrated.

[0018] Figure 2 Example wireless audio devices in the form of earbuds are illustrated according to some aspects of this disclosure.

[0019] Figure 3 A conceptual diagram illustrating a wireless audio system that can be configured to use a single audio device according to some aspects of this disclosure is shown.

[0020] Figure 4This is an example diagram illustrating a scenario in which a computing device, according to some aspects of this disclosure, is attempting to provide simultaneous audio playback on more than two wireless audio devices.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating an example scenario in which a computing device, according to some aspects of this disclosure, is providing simultaneous audio playback on more than two wireless audio devices.

[0022] Figure 6 This is an example diagram illustrating a scenario in which a computing device, according to some aspects of this disclosure, is attempting to provide simultaneous audio playback on wired and wireless audio devices.

[0023] Figure 7 This is an example diagram illustrating a scenario in which a computing device, according to some aspects of this disclosure, is providing simultaneous audio playback on wired and wireless audio devices.

[0024] Figure 8 This is an example diagram illustrating a scenario in which a computing device, according to some aspects of this disclosure, is attempting to provide simultaneous audio playback on more than one wired audio device.

[0025] Figure 9 This is an example diagram illustrating a scenario in which a computing device, according to some aspects of this disclosure, is providing simultaneous audio playback on more than one wired audio device.

[0026] Figure 10 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the format of a DCF message using the Distributed Context Architecture (DCF) protocol according to some aspects of this disclosure.

[0027] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process for wireless communication according to some aspects of this disclosure.

[0028] Figure 12 This is a block diagram illustrating an example computing system according to some aspects of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Certain aspects of this disclosure are provided below for illustrative purposes. Alternative aspects may be devised without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Additionally, well-known elements of this disclosure will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of this disclosure. Some of the aspects described herein can be applied independently, and some of them can be combined, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In the following description, specific details are set forth for illustrative purposes to provide a thorough understanding of various aspects of this application. However, it will be apparent that various aspects can be practiced without these specific details. The figures and descriptions are not intended to be limiting.

[0030] The following description provides only exemplary aspects and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of this disclosure. Rather, the following description of the exemplary aspects will provide those skilled in the art with a description that can be used to implement the exemplary aspects. It should be understood that various changes may be made to the function and arrangement of the elements without departing from the spirit and scope of this application as set forth in the appended claims.

[0031] The terms “exemplary” and / or “example” are used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any aspect described herein as “exemplary” and / or “example” is not necessarily to be construed as superior to or better than other aspects. Similarly, the term “aspects of this disclosure” does not require that all aspects of this disclosure include the features, advantages, or modes of operation discussed.

[0032] Short-range wireless communication protocols enable wireless communication over relatively short distances (e.g., within thirty meters). For example, Bluetooth. ® It is a wireless technology standard used for exchanging data over short distances using short-wavelength ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio waves ranging from 2.4 GHz to 2.485 GHz. BLUETOOTH ® Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) is a type of Bluetooth... ® Communication methods that allow communication with devices operating on low power. Such devices may include beacons, which are wireless communication devices that can use low-power communication technologies for location, proximity marketing, or other purposes.

[0033] Audio devices (such as wireless in-ear headphones and wired headphones) are becoming increasingly popular and widely owned by the general public. Typically, audio devices interact with source devices (such as broadcast source devices) to receive mono or stereo audio data directly from the broadcast source device itself or indirectly via a relay. Many use cases (such as those involving downloading audio, such as music) utilize services that involve computing devices (such as mobile devices, such as smartphones, televisions, tablets, or other computing devices) or central devices (such as servers) operating as the origin of the service.

[0034] Currently, audio data (e.g., mono or stereo audio data) can be streamed from computing devices (e.g., broadcast source devices, such as mobile phones, tablets, televisions, etc.) to audio devices (e.g., wired headphones and / or wireless earbuds) via wireless communication (such as BLE communication). However, current wireless communication (e.g., BLE communication) limits the number of audio devices that a single computing device can simultaneously stream for simultaneous audio playback.

[0035] In an example scenario for streaming audio, a group of people are gathered close together. One person in the group is playing audio (e.g., a song) on ​​their associated computing device (e.g., a mobile phone, tablet, TV, etc.). Others in the group want to simultaneously listen to (e.g., stream) the audio on their respective associated wireless audio devices (e.g., earphones). The Bluetooth standard allows audio data to be simultaneously streamed from a computing device to up to two different wireless audio devices (e.g., two pairs of different wireless headphones or earphones) for simultaneous audio playback. Therefore, currently, BLE communication does not allow audio data to be simultaneously streamed from a computing device to more than two different wireless audio devices (e.g., two pairs of different wireless headphones or earphones) for simultaneous audio playback.

[0036] In another example scenario for streaming audio, a person is playing audio (e.g., a song) on ​​their associated computing device (e.g., a mobile phone, tablet, TV, etc.). This person is simultaneously listening to audio on their associated wired audio device (e.g., wired headphones). Another person located nearby wants to simultaneously listen to (e.g., stream) audio on their associated wireless audio device (e.g., earbuds). Currently, there is no wireless technology that allows simultaneous streaming of audio data on a wired audio device (e.g., wired headphones) and on a wireless audio device (e.g., earbuds) for simultaneous audio playback.

[0037] In another example scenario for streaming audio, a group of people are gathered close together, each with their own associated computing device (e.g., mobile phone, tablet, TV, etc.). One person in the group may be playing audio (e.g., a song) on ​​their associated computing device (e.g., mobile phone, tablet, TV, etc.). Others in the group may want to simultaneously listen to (e.g., stream) audio on their respective associated wired audio devices (e.g., wired headphones), which are connected to their respective associated computing devices (e.g., mobile phone, tablet, TV, etc.). Currently, there is no wireless technology that allows simultaneous streaming of audio data from computing devices to more than one wired audio device (e.g., wired headphones) for simultaneous audio playback.

[0038] Therefore, improved systems and technologies can be beneficial, allowing audio data to be simultaneously streamed from a computing device (e.g., mobile phone, tablet, television, etc.) across multiple audio devices (e.g., wired headphones and / or wireless earbuds) for simultaneous audio playback.

[0039] In some aspects of this disclosure, systems, apparatuses, methods (also referred to as processes) and computer-readable media (collectively referred to herein as “systems and technologies”) are described for audio relay across multiple devices (e.g., mobile phones or other computing devices, earphones and headphones).

[0040] The various aspects as a whole involve wireless communication. Some aspects more specifically involve systems and technologies that provide solutions for simultaneously streaming audio data from one computing device (e.g., mobile phone, tablet, television, etc.) across multiple audio devices (e.g., wired headphones and / or wireless earbuds) for simultaneous audio playback. In one or more aspects, communication protocols (such as Distributed Context Architecture (DCF) protocols) are combined with wireless channels (e.g., Bluetooth channels, such as those used for BLE communication) to enable the simultaneous streaming of audio data (e.g., mono or stereo audio data) from a computing device (e.g., a broadcast source device, such as in the form of a mobile phone, tablet, television, or other device) to multiple audio devices (e.g., wired headphones and / or wireless earbuds) for simultaneous audio playback.

[0041] In one or more examples, during wireless communication operation, a first computing device (e.g., a first mobile device, tablet, television, etc.) can receive audio data from a second computing device (e.g., a second mobile device, tablet, television, etc.) via a wireless channel and a communication protocol. The first computing device can output the audio data (to a first audio device associated with the first computing device, such as a first pair of wireless earbuds or a first wired headset) to play the audio data. The audio data is played simultaneously on the first audio device associated with the first computing device and on a second audio device associated with the second computing device (e.g., a second pair of wireless earbuds or a second wired headset).

[0042] In one or more examples, the first computing device is connected to the second computing device via a wireless channel and a communication protocol. In some examples, audio data is output from the first computing device to the first audio device via a wired or wireless connection. In one or more examples, audio data is transmitted from the first computing device to the first audio device via a wireless channel and a communication protocol. In some examples, the communication protocol is the DCF protocol. In one or more examples, the wireless channel is a Bluetooth channel.

[0043] Specific aspects of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented to achieve one or more of the following potential advantages. In some examples, by employing a communication protocol (e.g., DCF protocol) via a wireless channel (e.g., Bluetooth channel), the system and technology can allow for reduced power consumption of devices (e.g., computing devices and audio devices), since wireless communication (e.g., BLE communication) can be low-power. The communication protocol (e.g., DCF protocol) can allow for reliable solutions for simultaneously streaming audio data on multiple audio devices for simultaneous audio playback, because the communication protocol (e.g., DCF protocol) is itself reliable.

[0044] Additional aspects of this disclosure are described in more detail below.

[0045] As used herein, the term "RF signal" refers to electromagnetic waves of a given frequency that transmit information across the space between a transmitter and a receiver. As used herein, a transmitter may send a single "RF signal" or multiple "RF signals" to a receiver. However, due to the propagation characteristics of RF signals through multipath channels, a receiver may receive multiple "RF signals" corresponding to each transmitted RF signal. The same transmitted RF signal on different paths between the transmitter and receiver can be referred to as a "multipath" RF signal. As used herein, an RF signal may also be referred to as a "wireless signal" or simply "signal" where the context clearly indicates that the term "signal" refers to a wireless signal or RF signal.

[0046] According to various aspects, Figure 1 An example implementation of a System-on-a-Chip (SOC) 100 is illustrated, which may include a Central Processing Unit (CPU) 102 or a multi-core CPU configured to perform one or more of the functions described herein. Parameters or variables (e.g., neural signals and synaptic weights), system parameters associated with computing devices (e.g., a weighted neural network), latency, frequency bin information, task information, and other information may be stored in a memory block associated with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) 108, a memory block associated with the CPU 102, a memory block associated with a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) 104, a memory block associated with a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) 106, a memory block 118, and / or may be distributed across multiple blocks. Instructions executed at the CPU 102 may be loaded from the program memory associated with the CPU 102 or from memory block 118. In some cases, the SOC 100 may be based on the ARM instruction set.

[0047] The SOC 100 may also include additional processing blocks tailored for specific functions, such as a GPU 104, a DSP 106, a connectivity block 110 (which may include 5G connectivity, 4G LTE connectivity, Wi-Fi connectivity, USB connectivity, Bluetooth connectivity, etc.), and a multimedia block 112 (which may, for example, process and / or decode audio data). In some cases, the connectivity block 110 may provide multiple connections to various networks. For example, the connectivity block 110 may provide connectivity to the Internet via a 5G connection and connectivity to personal devices (such as wireless headphones) via a Bluetooth connection. In some cases, the multimedia block 112 may process multimedia data for transmission via the connectivity block 110. For example, the multimedia block 112 may receive audio bitstreams, for example, via the connectivity block 110, and the multimedia block 112 may encode (e.g., transcode, re-encode) the audio bitstreams into an audio format supported by the wireless headphones connected via the connectivity block 110. The encoded audio bitstream can then be sent to the wireless headset via connectivity block 110.

[0048] Figure 2 An example wireless audio device 200 in the form of an earbud-style headphone is illustrated. The wireless audio device 200 provides a single audio channel (left or right channel) and can operate with another wireless audio device (not shown) to provide two audio channels (e.g., left and right channels).

[0049] According to some embodiments, each wireless audio device 200 may include a housing 205 formed by a body 210 and a stem 215 extending from the body 210. In some aspects, the housing 205 may be formed from a monolithic outer structure such as molded plastic. The body 210 may include an inward-facing microphone 220 and an outward-facing microphone 225. The outward-facing microphone 225 may be positioned within an opening defined by portions of the body 210 and the stem 215. By extending into the body 210 and the stem 215, the microphone 225 may be large enough to receive sound from a wider area near the listener. In some embodiments, the housing 205 may define an acoustic port that can direct sound from an internal audio driver out of the housing 205 and into the listener's ear canal. In other embodiments, the wireless audio device 200 may include a deformable earpiece that can be inserted into the listener's ear canal, thereby enabling the wireless listening device to be configured as an in-ear listening device.

[0050] In one example, the lever 215 has a substantially cylindrical construction along with a planar region 230 that does not follow the curvature of a cylindrical construction. The planar region 230 may indicate an area where the wireless listening device can receive listener input. For example, in some embodiments, listener input may be input by squeezing the lever 215 at the planar region 230. In some embodiments, the planar region 230 may include a tactile surface to supplement or replace pressure sensing capabilities, allowing the listener to input touch commands, such as touch gestures. The lever 215 may also include electrical contacts 235 and 240 for use with a charging case (e.g., Figure 3 The corresponding electrical contact is made in the charging box 350.

[0051] The wireless audio device 200 may include several features that enable the device to be comfortably worn by a listener for extended periods, even all day. The shape and size of the housing 205 may be designed to securely fit between the tragus and antitragus of the listener's ear, preventing the portable listening device from easily falling out of the ear even when the listener is moving or otherwise actively moving. Its functionality also allows the wireless audio device 200 to transmit signals to a host device (e.g., Figure 3 The host device 310 provides an audio interface, allowing the listener to operate without utilizing the host device's graphical interface. The audio device 200 can be sophisticated enough to enable the listener to perform everyday operations from the host device solely through interaction with the wireless audio device 200. This establishes further independence from the host device by eliminating the need for physical interaction and / or viewing of the host device's display screen, particularly when the functionality of the wireless audio device 200 is combined with the host device's voice control capabilities. Therefore, the wireless audio device 200 provides the listener with a wireless and hands-free experience.

[0052] The wireless audio device 200 may also include various components that are not visually perceptible. For example, the wireless audio device 200 may include at least one sensor for detecting various aspects of the device. Indicative aspects of the device include the device's status (e.g., whether the wireless audio device 200 is attached to a person), gesture information related to the listener, biometric information (e.g., the listener's body temperature), and so on. At least one of the sensors in the wireless audio device 200 may be configured to output gesture information that identifies the orientation of the listener's head relative to a neutral position (e.g., neutral head position). The gesture information may be used by a host device, and the host device may be configured to modify the audio stream presented to the wireless audio device 200 to provide a spatial audio stream that provides a 3D virtual auditory space.

[0053] Figure 3A conceptual diagram illustrating a wireless audio system 300 configurable to use a single audio device according to various aspects of this disclosure is shown. The wireless audio system 300 includes a host device 310, a pair of audio devices 330 (e.g., a left audio device 330 and a right audio device 330, each of which may be in the form of an earphone), and a charging case 350.

[0054] Host device 310 in Figure 3 The device is described as a mobile communication device (e.g., a mobile phone, such as a smartphone), but can also be a device that can send audio data to a wireless audio device (e.g., Figure 2 The wireless audio device 300 is any electronic device (e.g., a tablet, television, or other computing device). Other non-limiting examples of suitable host devices 310 include laptops, desktop computers, tablets (or tablet computers), smartwatches, audio systems, video players, etc.

[0055] In some respects, each audio device 330 may receive and generate sound to provide an enhanced user interface for the host device 310. The audio device 330 may include a processor 331 that executes computer-readable instructions stored in memory (not shown) to perform various functions of the audio device 330. In some examples, the processor 331 may be one or more suitable computing devices, such as a microprocessor, a computer processing unit (CPU), a digital signal processing unit (DSP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc.

[0056] Processor 331 may be operatively coupled to interface 332, communication system 333, and sensor system 334 to enable audio device 330 to perform one or more functions. For example, interface 332 may include a driver (e.g., a speaker) for outputting sound to a user, one or more microphones for inputting sound from the environment or the user, one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for providing visual notifications to the user, a pressure sensor or touch sensor (e.g., a resistive or capacitive touch sensor) for receiving user input, and / or any other suitable input or output device. Communication system 333 may include wireless and wired communication components to enable audio device 330 to transmit and receive data / commands from host device 310. For example, communication system 333 may include circuitry for audio device 330 to communicate with host device 310 via a wireless link 360, which may be implemented using a standard (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct, Zigbee, etc.) or proprietary communication link. Communication system 333 may also enable audio device 330 to communicate wirelessly with charging case 350 via a wireless link.

[0057] In some aspects, sensor system 334 may include proximity sensors (e.g., optical sensors, capacitive sensors, radar, etc.), accelerometers, microphones, and any other type of sensor that can measure parameters of external entities and / or the environment.

[0058] The audio device 330 may also include a battery 335 (e.g., a suitable energy storage device, such as a lithium-ion battery), capable of storing and releasing the stored energy to operate the audio device 330. The released energy can be used to power the electrical components of the audio device 330. The battery 335 may be a rechargeable battery and allows charging as needed to replenish the stored energy. For example, a battery 338 may be coupled to a battery charging circuit (not shown), which is operatively coupled to receive power from a charging case interface (not shown). The case interface may include electrical contacts that electrically couple the audio device 330 to a charging case 350. In some aspects, the audio device 330 may receive power from the charging case 350 via electrical contacts within the charging case. In some aspects, the audio device 330 may receive power via an inductive communication interface via a wireless power receiving coil within the charging case 350.

[0059] The charging case 350 may include a battery (not shown) that stores energy and discharges it to a power circuit to charge the battery 335 of the audio device 330. As mentioned above, the audio device 330 may include electrical contacts (e.g., Figure 2 The charging case 350 contains electrical contacts 235 and 240, which can transfer power to the audio device 330 via a wired electrical connection between the contacts in the charging case. In some cases, the charging case 350 can be configured to facilitate a wireless connection between the host device 310 and the audio device 330.

[0060] The charging case 350 may also include a processor (not shown) and a communication system (not shown). The processor may be one or more processors, ASICs, FPGAs, microprocessors, etc., for operating the charging case 350. The processor may be coupled to an earphone jack and control the charging function of the charging case 350 to charge the battery 335 of the audio device 330. The processor may also be coupled to the communication system for operating the interactive functionality of the charging case with other devices, including the audio device 330. In one example, the communication system of the charging case 350 includes a Bluetooth component or any other suitable wireless communication component that wirelessly transmits and receives data with the communication system 333 of the audio device 330. For this purpose, the charging case 350 and each audio device 330 may include an antenna formed of a conductor to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals.

[0061] The charging case 350 may also include a user interface (e.g., a button, speaker, light emitter such as an LED), which is operatively coupled to a processor to alert the user to various notifications. For example, the user interface may include a speaker capable of emitting audible noise that the user can hear, and / or one or more LEDs or similar lights capable of emitting light that the user can see. For example, the charging case 350 may output audio or light to indicate whether at least one audio device 330 is being charged by the charging case 350, or to indicate whether the case battery is low on power or being charged.

[0062] Host device 310 is configured to connect to audio device 330 and provide audio information. Audio device 330 may also provide information, such as whether it is attached to a listener, in some cases. In some cases, host device 310 may include a processor (not shown) coupled to a battery (not shown) and a host memory bank (not shown), containing lines of code executable by a host computing system (not shown) to operate host device 310. Host device 310 may also include a host sensor system (e.g., accelerometer, gyroscope, light sensor, etc.) for allowing host device 310 to sense its environment, and a host user interface system (e.g., display, speaker, button, touchscreen, etc.) for outputting information to and receiving input from the user. Additionally, host device 310 may include a communication system for allowing host device 310 to transmit and / or receive data, such as Wi-Fi, LTE, CDMA, GSM, Bluetooth, etc. The communication system of host device 310 can also communicate with communication system 333 via a wireless communication link, enabling host device 310 to transmit audio data to audio device 330 to output sound, and to receive data from audio device 330 to receive user input. The communication link can be any suitable wireless communication line, such as a Bluetooth connection. By implementing communication between host device 310 and audio device 330, audio device 330 can enhance the user interface of host device 310.

[0063] As previously mentioned, audio devices (e.g., wireless in-ear headphones and wired headphones) have become increasingly popular and widely owned by the general public. Audio devices typically interact with source devices (e.g., broadcast source devices) to receive mono or stereo audio data directly from the broadcast source device itself or indirectly from the broadcast source device via a relay. Use cases (e.g., involving downloading audio, such as music) may include services involving computing devices (e.g., mobile devices, such as mobile phones, tablets, televisions, etc.) or central devices (e.g., servers) operating as the origin of a service.

[0064] Currently, audio data (e.g., mono or stereo audio data) can be streamed from computing devices (e.g., broadcast source devices, such as mobile phones, tablets, televisions, etc.) to audio devices (e.g., wired headphones and / or wireless earbuds) via wireless communication (e.g., BLE communication). However, current wireless communication (e.g., BLE communication) limits the number of audio devices that a single computing device can simultaneously stream for simultaneous audio playback.

[0065] Figure 4 An example scenario for streaming audio is shown. Specifically, Figure 4 This is an example diagram illustrating scenario 400, where computing device 410 is attempting to provide simultaneous audio playback on more than two different wireless audio devices 420a, 420b, 420c (shown as different pairs of wireless audio devices or earphones). For Figure 4 Scenario 400: A group of people are gathered close to each other (e.g., within BLE communication range). One person in the group has an associated computing device 410 (e.g., shown in the form of a mobile phone). The computing device 410... Figure 4 The device described is a mobile communication device (e.g., a mobile phone, such as a smartphone), but can also be a device that can send audio data (e.g., audio data packets) to a wireless audio device (e.g., Figure 4 Any electronic device (420a, 420b, 402c) of the wireless audio device. Other non-limiting examples of suitable computing devices 410 include, but are not limited to, laptop computers, desktop computers, televisions, tablet devices (or tablet computers), smartwatches, audio systems, video players, etc. Others in the group each have associated wireless audio devices 420a, 420b, 420c (e.g., each shown in the form of in-ear headphones).

[0066] A person with an associated computing device 410 is playing audio (e.g., a song) on ​​their associated computing device 410 (e.g., shown as a mobile phone). Others in the group want to simultaneously listen to (e.g., stream) the audio on their respective associated wireless audio devices 420a, 420b, 420c (e.g., earphones). The Bluetooth standard allows audio data to be simultaneously streamed from the computing device to up to two different wireless audio devices (e.g., two pairs of different / distinct wireless headphones or earphones) for simultaneous audio playback. Figure 4As shown, computing device 410 can simultaneously stream audio data (e.g., as indicated by arrows 430a and 430b) to two wireless audio devices 420a and 420b for simultaneous audio playback. However, computing device 410 cannot simultaneously stream audio data to the remaining wireless audio device 420c for simultaneous audio playback. Therefore, currently, BLE communication does not allow simultaneous streaming of audio data from a computing device to more than two different wireless audio devices (e.g., two different / distinct pairs of wireless headphones or earbuds) for simultaneous audio playback.

[0067] This system and technology allow audio data to be simultaneously streamed from a computing device to more than two different wireless audio devices (e.g., two pairs of different / distinct wireless headphones or in-ear headphones) for simultaneous audio playback using a communication protocol (e.g., DCF protocol) via a wireless channel (e.g., Bluetooth channel). Figure 5 An example is shown that allows this feature using a communication protocol (e.g., the DCF protocol). Specifically, Figure 5 This is an example diagram illustrating scenario 500, where computing device 510 is providing simultaneous audio playback on more than two different wireless audio devices 520a, 520b, 520c, 520d (e.g., two pairs of different / distinct wireless headphones or in-ear headphones). Computing device 510 and wireless audio devices 520a, 520b, 520c, 520d may employ a DCF protocol (e.g., via a wireless channel, such as a Bluetooth channel) to enable simultaneous audio playback on more than two wireless audio devices 520a, 520b, 520c, 520d.

[0068] exist Figure 5 In (for example, similar to) Figure 4 Imagine a group of people gathered close together (e.g., within BLE communication range). One person in the group has an associated computing device 510 (e.g., a mobile phone, tablet, television, etc.). The other people in the group each have their own associated wireless audio devices 520a, 520b, 520c, and 520d. The person with the associated computing device 510 is playing audio (e.g., a song) on ​​their associated computing device 510. The other people in the group want to simultaneously listen to (e.g., stream) the audio on their respective associated wireless audio devices 520a, 520b, 520c, and 520d.

[0069] In one or more examples, the DCF module can operate on computing device 510 and wireless audio devices 520a, 520b, 520c, and 520d. Computing device 510 is connected to wireless audio device 520a via a wireless channel (e.g., a Bluetooth channel) via the DCF protocol. Wireless audio device 520a is connected to wireless audio device 520b via a wireless channel (e.g., a Bluetooth channel) via the DCF protocol. Wireless audio device 520b is connected to wireless audio device 520c via a wireless channel (e.g., a Bluetooth channel) via the DCF protocol. Wireless audio device 520c is connected to wireless audio device 520d via a wireless channel (e.g., a Bluetooth channel) via the DCF protocol.

[0070] Computing device 510 can stream audio data packets via a wireless channel (e.g., Bluetooth channel) via the DCF protocol to a first wireless audio device 520a (e.g., indicated by arrow 530a). After receiving the audio data packets, the first wireless audio device 520a can stream the audio data packets via a wireless channel (e.g., Bluetooth channel) via the DCF protocol to a second wireless audio device 520b (e.g., indicated by arrow 530b). After receiving the audio data packets, the second wireless audio device 520b can stream the audio data packets via a wireless channel (e.g., Bluetooth channel) via the DCF protocol to a third wireless audio device 520c (e.g., indicated by arrow 530c). After receiving the audio data packets, the third wireless audio device 520c can stream the audio data packets via a wireless channel (e.g., Bluetooth channel) via the DCF protocol to a fourth wireless audio device 520d (e.g., indicated by arrow 530d). Therefore, via a wireless connection connected in series with the device and using the DCF protocol through a wireless channel (e.g., a Bluetooth channel), computing device 510 is able to simultaneously stream audio data (e.g., as indicated by arrows 530a, 530b, 530c, 530d) to all wireless audio devices 520a, 520b, 520c, 520d for simultaneous audio playback.

[0071] Figure 6 Another example scenario for streaming audio is shown. Specifically, Figure 6 This is an example diagram illustrating scenario 600, where computing device 610 is attempting to provide simultaneous audio playback on wired audio device 620 and wireless audio device 630. For Figure 6In scenario 600, the computing device 610 associated with the first person is depicted as a mobile communication device (e.g., a mobile phone, such as a smartphone), but can be any electronic device capable of transmitting audio data to a wireless audio device (e.g., a wireless audio device 630, such as a pair of wireless headphones or earbuds). Other non-limiting examples of suitable computing devices 610 include, but are not limited to, laptop computers, desktop computers, tablet devices or computers, televisions, smartwatches, audio systems, video players, etc. Figure 6 In the image, a wired audio device 620 (e.g., a wired headset) associated with the first person is shown connected to the computing device 610 (e.g., via a wire 640).

[0072] exist Figure 6 In this scenario, a first person is playing audio (e.g., a song) on ​​their associated computing device 610. Simultaneously, the first person is listening to audio on their associated wired audio device 620. A second person located near the first person (e.g., within BLE communication range) wants to simultaneously listen to (e.g., stream) audio on their associated wireless audio device 630. Currently, there is no wireless technology that allows simultaneous playback (e.g., streaming) of audio on both wired audio devices (e.g., wired headphones) and wireless audio devices (e.g., a pair of wireless headphones or earbuds). Figure 6 As shown, computing device 610 can stream audio data (e.g., via wire 640) to wired audio device 620 for simultaneous audio playback, but cannot simultaneously stream audio data to wireless audio device 630.

[0073] This system and technology allow for simultaneous playback (e.g., streaming) of audio on wired audio devices (e.g., wired headphones) and wireless audio devices (e.g., earbuds) via a communication protocol (e.g., DCF protocol) through a wireless channel (e.g., Bluetooth channel). Figure 7 An example is shown that allows this feature using a communication protocol (e.g., the DCF protocol). Specifically, Figure 7 This is an example diagram illustrating scenario 700, where a computing device 710 (e.g., a mobile phone, tablet, television, etc.) is simultaneously providing audio playback on a wired audio device 720 (e.g., wired headphones) and a wireless audio device 730 (e.g., a pair of wireless headphones or in-ear headphones). The computing device 710 and the wireless audio device 730 may employ a DCF protocol (e.g., via a wireless channel, such as a Bluetooth channel) to enable simultaneous audio playback on the wired device 720 and the wireless device 730.

[0074] exist Figure 7 In (for example, similar to) Figure 6The computing device 710 associated with the first person is depicted as a mobile communication device (e.g., a mobile phone, such as a smartphone). A wired audio device 720 associated with the first person is shown connected to the computing device 710 (e.g., via wire 740). The first person is playing audio (e.g., a song) on ​​their associated computing device 710 and simultaneously listening to audio on their associated wired audio device 720. A second person located near the first person (e.g., within BLE communication range) wants to simultaneously listen to (e.g., stream) audio on their associated wireless audio device 730.

[0075] In one or more examples, the DCF module can operate on both computing device 710 and wireless audio device 730. Computing device 710 can stream audio data (e.g., audio data packets) to wireless audio device 730 via a wireless channel (e.g., a Bluetooth channel) using the DCF protocol. After receiving the audio data, wireless audio device 720a can simultaneously play the audio associated with the audio data packets. Therefore, by using the DCF protocol via a wireless channel (e.g., a Bluetooth channel) through a wireless connection between computing device 710 and wireless audio device 730, computing device 710 can simultaneously stream audio data to both wired audio device 720 and wireless audio device 730 for simultaneous audio playback.

[0076] Figure 8 Another example scenario for streaming audio is shown. Specifically, Figure 8 This is an example diagram illustrating scenario 800, where computing device 810a is attempting to provide simultaneous audio playback on more than one wired audio device 820a, 820b, 820c, 820d. For Figure 8 Scenario 800: A group of people gather close to each other (e.g., within BLE communication range). Figure 8 In this context, computing device 810a is associated with the first person in the group, computing device 810b with the second person, computing device 810c with the third person, and computing device 810d with the fourth person. Computing devices 810a, 810b, 810c, and 810d are each depicted as a mobile communication device (e.g., a mobile phone, such as a smartphone), but can be any electronic device capable of transmitting audio data to wired audio devices (e.g., wired audio devices 820a, 820b, 820c, and 820d). Other non-limiting examples of suitable computing devices 810a, 810b, 810c, and 810d include, but are not limited to, laptop computers, desktop computers, tablet computers, smartwatches, audio systems, video players, etc. Figure 8In the diagram, a wired audio device 820a (e.g., a wired headset) associated with the first person is shown connected to the computing device 810a (e.g., via a wire); a wired audio device 820b (e.g., a wired headset) associated with the second person is shown connected to the computing device 810b (e.g., via a wire); a wired audio device 820c (e.g., a wired headset) associated with the third person is shown connected to the computing device 810c (e.g., via a wire); and a wired audio device 820d (e.g., a wired headset) associated with the fourth person is shown connected to the computing device 810d (e.g., via a wire).

[0077] exist Figure 8 In this scenario, a group of people are gathered close together, each possessing their own associated computing devices 810a, 810b, 810c, and 810d (e.g., mobile phones). The first person in the group is playing audio (e.g., a song) on ​​their associated computing device 810a and their associated wired audio device 820a. Other people in the group (e.g., a second, third, and fourth person) want to simultaneously listen to (e.g., stream) audio on their respective associated wired audio devices 820b, 820c, and 820d, which are connected to their respective associated computing devices 810b, 810c, and 810d. Currently, there is no wireless technology that allows simultaneous streaming of audio data from computing devices to more than one wired audio device (e.g., wired headphones) for simultaneous audio playback. Figure 8 As shown, the computing device 810a is only able to stream audio data to a wired audio device 820a (e.g., a wired headset) connected to the computing device 810a.

[0078] This system and technology allow audio to be simultaneously played back (e.g., streamed) from a computing device to more than one wired audio device (e.g., wired headphones) via a wireless channel (e.g., Bluetooth channel) using a communication protocol (e.g., DCF protocol). Figure 9 An example is shown that allows this feature using a communication protocol (e.g., the DCF protocol). Specifically, Figure 9 This is an example diagram illustrating scenario 900, where computing device 910a is providing simultaneous audio playback on more than one wired audio device 920a, 920b, 920c, 920d. Figure 9 The computing devices 910a, 910b, 910c, and 910d may employ the DCF protocol (e.g., via a wireless channel, such as a Bluetooth channel) to enable audio to be simultaneously played back from the computing device (e.g., computing device 910a) to more than one wired audio device 920a, 920b, 920c, and 920d (e.g., wired headphones).

[0079] exist Figure 9 In (for example, similar to) Figure 8 A group of people gather close to each other (e.g., within the range of BLE communication). Figure 9 In this context, computing device 910a is associated with the first person in the group, computing device 910b with the second person in the group, computing device 910c with the third person in the group, and computing device 910d with the fourth person in the group. Computing devices 910a, 910b, 910c, and 910d are each depicted as a mobile communication device (e.g., a mobile phone, such as a smartphone), but may include any other type of computing device.

[0080] exist Figure 9 In the diagram, a wired audio device 920a associated with the first person is shown connected to a computing device 910a (e.g., via a wire). A wired audio device 920b associated with the second person is shown connected to a computing device 910b (e.g., via a wire). A wired audio device 920c associated with the third person is shown connected to a computing device 910c (e.g., via a wire). A wired audio device 920d associated with the fourth person is shown connected to a computing device 910d (e.g., via a wire).

[0081] exist Figure 9 In this scenario, a group of people are gathered close together, each possessing their own associated computing devices 910a, 910b, 910c, and 910d. The first person in the group is playing audio (e.g., a song) on ​​their associated computing device 910a. The computing device 910a associated with the first person is packetizing and outputting (e.g., streaming) audio data to an associated wired audio device 920a for simultaneous audio playback. Other people in the group (e.g., a second, third, and fourth person) want to simultaneously listen to (e.g., stream) audio on their respective associated wired audio devices 920b, 920c, and 920d, which are connected to their respective associated computing devices 910b, 910c, and 910d.

[0082] In one or more examples, the DCF module may operate on computing devices 910a, 910b, 910c, and 910d. Computing device 910a is connected to computing device 910b via a wireless channel (e.g., a Bluetooth channel) via the DCF protocol, computing device 910b is connected to computing device 910c via a wireless channel (e.g., a Bluetooth channel) via the DCF protocol, and computing device 910c is connected to computing device 910d via a wireless channel (e.g., a Bluetooth channel) via the DCF protocol.

[0083] Computing device 910a can stream audio data (e.g., audio data packets) to computing device 910b via a wireless channel (e.g., a Bluetooth channel) via the DCF protocol (e.g., as indicated by arrow 930a). After receiving the audio data, computing device 910b can output (e.g., stream) the audio data to an associated wired audio device 920b for simultaneous audio playback. Computing device 910b can stream audio data to computing device 910c via a wireless channel (e.g., a Bluetooth channel) via the DCF protocol (e.g., as indicated by arrow 930b). After receiving the audio data, computing device 910c can output (e.g., stream) the audio data to an associated wired audio device 920c for simultaneous audio playback. Computing device 910c can stream audio data to computing device 910d via a wireless channel (e.g., a Bluetooth channel) via the DCF protocol (e.g., as indicated by arrow 930c). After receiving audio data, computing device 910d can output (e.g., stream) the audio data to an associated wired audio device 920d for simultaneous audio playback. Therefore, computing device 910a can simultaneously stream audio data packets to wired audio devices 920a, 920b, 920c, and 920d, enabling simultaneous audio playback by these devices.

[0084] As previously mentioned, this system and technology can employ a communication protocol (e.g., DCF protocol) combined with wireless communication (e.g., BLE communication) to enable the simultaneous streaming of audio data (e.g., mono or stereo audio data) from a computing device (e.g., a broadcast source device, such as a mobile phone) to multiple audio devices (e.g., wired headphones and / or wireless earbuds) for simultaneous audio playback. In one or more examples, the computing device (e.g., a mobile phone) and the wireless audio devices (e.g., a pair of wireless headphones or earbuds) need to have the communication protocol (e.g., DCF protocol) enabled. In some examples, when the devices have the communication protocol (e.g., DCF protocol) enabled, the devices can use the protocols of other enabled devices (e.g., other devices with the communication protocol enabled) in their vicinity (e.g., within BLE communication range) to perform auto-discovery. Due to the auto-discovery capability of the enabled devices, communication between the enabled computing device and the enabled wireless audio device can be seamless. After the presence of another enabled device is detected (e.g., by means of the automatic discovery function of the protocol), the enabled device can connect to the detected enabled device via a wireless channel (e.g., a Bluetooth channel), so that audio data (e.g., audio data packets) can be distributed across the enabled device.

[0085] In one or more aspects, the DCF protocol is based on BLE extended advertising. Devices with DCF enabled can automatically detect the presence of other nearby devices with DCF enabled and can share context with each other (e.g., data such as notifications or device status).

[0086] Figure 10 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the format of a Distributed Context Architecture (DCF) message 1000 using the DCF protocol. Specifically, Figure 10 This shows the format of a typical DCF message 1000 that is being advertised (e.g., in a BLE extended advertisement). Figure 10 In the diagram, DCF message 1000 is shown as including a DCF Service Universal Unique Identifier (UUID) segment 1010 and a service data segment 1020. The service data segment 1020 is shown as including a header segment 1030 and a data segment 1040 (which may include, for example, audio data packets). The data segment 1040 is shown as including a length segment 1050, followed by a message identifier (ID) segment 1060 (e.g., AUDIO_Track_Information data), and another length segment 1070, followed by track details, length, etc., segment 1080. In one or more examples, after a device receives DCF information (e.g., DCF message 1000) from another device, the device can sequentially decode the DCF information using the DCF protocol.

[0087] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process 1100 for audio relay across multiple devices. Process 1100 may be performed by a first computing device (e.g., Figure 3 The host device 310, Figure 8 The computing devices 810a, 810b, 810c, and 810d, Figure 9 Computing devices 910a, 910b, 910c, 910d, or Figure 12 The operation of process 1100 may be performed by a computing device or computing system 1200, or by components or systems of the first computing device (e.g., chipset, one or more processors (such as one or more central processing units (CPUs), digital signal processing units (DSPs), graphics processing units (GPUs), any combination thereof and / or other types of processors), or other components or systems). The operation of process 1100 may be implemented by one or more processors of the first computing device (e.g., Figure 12 Software components that execute and run on the processor 1210 or other processor. Furthermore, the transmission and reception of signals by the computing device in process 1100 may be enabled, for example, by one or more antennas and / or one or more transceivers (e.g., wireless transceivers).

[0088] At box 1110, a computing device (or a component thereof) may receive audio data from a second computing device via a wireless channel (e.g., a Bluetooth channel or other types of wireless channel) via a communication protocol (e.g., a Distributed Context Architecture (DCF) protocol or other communication protocol). For example, in some aspects, a first computing device is connected to a second computing device via a wireless channel via a communication protocol. In some cases, the first computing device is a first mobile device, a first television, a first tablet computer or device, or other types of computing devices. In some cases, the second computing device is a second mobile device, a second television, a second tablet computer or device, or other types of computing devices.

[0089] At box 1120, a computing device (or a component thereof) may output (e.g., transmit or otherwise output) audio data to a first audio device associated with the first computing device for playback of the audio data. For example, the computing device (or a component thereof) may output audio data to the first audio device via a wired or wireless connection. In some aspects, the computing device (or a component thereof) may output audio data to the first audio device via a wireless channel through a communication protocol. The audio data is played simultaneously on the first audio device associated with the first computing device and on a second audio device associated with the second computing device. In some cases, the first audio device is a first wired headset or a first wireless earbud (e.g., a first pair of wireless earbuds or headphones) and the second audio device is a second wired headset or a second wireless earbud (e.g., a second pair of wireless earbuds or headphones).

[0090] In some cases, the computing device of process 1100 may include various components such as one or more input devices, one or more output devices, one or more processors, one or more microprocessors, one or more microcomputers, one or more cameras, one or more sensors, and / or other components configured to perform the steps of the process described herein. In some examples, the computing device may include a display, one or more network interfaces configured to communicate and / or receive data, any combination thereof, and / or other components. One or more network interfaces may be configured to communicate and / or receive wired and / or wireless data, including data according to 3G, 4G, 5G, and / or other cellular standards, data according to the WiFi (802.11x) standard, and data according to Bluetooth. ™ Standard data, data according to the Internet Protocol (IP) standard, and / or other types of data.

[0091] The components of the computing device of process 1100 may be implemented in circuitry. For example, components may include electronic circuitry or other electronic hardware, and / or may be implemented using electronic circuitry or other electronic hardware, which may include one or more programmable electronic circuits (e.g., a microprocessor, graphics processing unit (GPU), digital signal processor (DSP), central processing unit (CPU), and / or other suitable electronic circuitry), and / or may include computer software, firmware, or any combination thereof for performing the various operations described herein, and / or may be implemented using computer software, firmware, or any combination thereof for performing the various operations described herein. The computing device may also include a display (as an example of an output device or as a supplement to an output device), a network interface configured to communicate and / or receive data, any combination thereof, and / or other components. The network interface may be configured to communicate and / or receive Internet Protocol (IP)-based data or other types of data.

[0092] Process 1100 is illustrated as a logic flowchart, the operations of which represent a sequence of operations that can be implemented by hardware, computer instructions, or combinations thereof. In the context of computer instructions, each operation represents a computer-executable instruction stored on one or more computer-readable storage media that, when executed by one or more processors, performs the described operation. Generally, computer-executable instructions include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that perform a specific function or implement a specific data type. The order in which the operations are described is not intended to be construed as limiting, and any number of described operations can be combined in any order and / or in parallel to implement the process.

[0093] Additionally, process 1100 may be executed under the control of one or more computer systems configured using executable instructions, and may be implemented by hardware or a combination thereof as code (e.g., executable instructions, one or more computer programs, or one or more applications) that executes jointly on one or more processors. As noted above, the code may be stored on a computer-readable or machine-readable storage medium, for example, in the form of a computer program comprising multiple instructions executable by one or more processors. The computer-readable or machine-readable storage medium may be non-transitory.

[0094] Figure 12 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of a computing system 1200, which can be used for audio relay across multiple devices. Specifically, Figure 12An example of computing system 1200 is illustrated. This computing system can be any computing device, such as constituting an internal computing system, a remote computing system, a camera, or any component thereof, wherein the components of the system communicate with each other using connection 1205. Connection 1205 can be a physical connection using a bus, or a direct connection to processor 1210, such as in a chipset architecture. Connection 1205 can also be a virtual connection, a networking connection, or a logical connection.

[0095] In some aspects, computing system 1200 is a distributed system in which the functions described herein can be distributed across a data center, multiple data centers, a peer-to-peer network, etc. In some aspects, one or more of the described system components represent a plurality of such components, each of which performs some or all of the functions described for that component. In some aspects, the components can be physical or virtual devices.

[0096] Example system 1200 includes at least one processing unit (CPU or processor) 1210 and a connection 1205 that communicatively couples various system components, including system memories 1215 such as read-only memory (ROM) 1220 and random access memory (RAM) 1225, to processor 1210. Computing system 1200 may include a cache 1212 of high-speed memory that is directly connected to, closely proximate to, or integrated into processor 1210.

[0097] Processor 1210 may include any general-purpose processor and hardware or software services, such as services 1232, 1234, and 1236 stored in storage device 1230, which are configured to control processor 1210 and dedicated processors in which software instructions are incorporated into the actual processor design. Processor 1210 may be a substantially completely independent computing system containing multiple cores or processors, buses, memory controllers, caches, etc. Multi-core processors may be symmetric or asymmetric.

[0098] To enable user interaction, the computing system 1200 includes an input device 1245 that can represent any number of input mechanisms, such as a microphone for voice, a touch-sensitive screen for gesture or graphic input, a keyboard, a mouse, motion input, voice input, etc. The computing system 1200 may also include an output device 1235 that can be one or more of a plurality of output mechanisms. In some instances, a multi-mode system allows the user to provide multiple types of input / output to communicate with the computing system 1200.

[0099] The computing system 1200 may include a communication interface 1240, which typically controls and manages user input and system output. The communication interface may perform or facilitate the receiving and / or transmitting of wired or wireless communications using wired and / or wireless transceivers, including utilizing audio jacks / plugs, microphone jacks / plugs, Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports / plugs, Apple... ™ Lightning ™ Ports / plugs, Ethernet ports / plugs, fiber optic ports / plugs, dedicated wired ports / plugs, 3G, 4G, 5G and / or other cellular data network wireless signal transmission, Bluetooth ™ Wireless signal transmission, Bluetooth ™ Low-power (BLE) wireless signal transmission, IBEACON ™ Wireless signal transmission, radio frequency identification (RFID) wireless signal transmission, near field communication (NFC) wireless signal transmission, dedicated short range communication (DSRC) wireless signal transmission, 802.11 Wi-Fi wireless signal transmission, wireless local area network (WLAN) signal transmission, visible light communication (VLC), microwave access global interoperability (WiMAX), infrared (IR) wireless signal transmission, public switched telephone network (PSTN) signal transmission, integrated services digital network (ISDN) signal transmission, self-organizing network signal transmission, radio wave signal transmission, microwave signal transmission, infrared signal transmission, visible light signal transmission, ultraviolet light signal transmission, wireless signal transmission along the electromagnetic spectrum, or those communications in some combination thereof.

[0100] The communication interface 1240 may also include one or more ranging sensors (e.g., LIDAR sensors, laser rangefinders, RF radars, ultrasonic sensors, and infrared (IR) sensors) configured to collect data and provide measurements to the processor 1210, thereby configuring the processor 1210 to perform determinations and calculations required to obtain various measurements from the one or more ranging sensors. In some examples, measurements may include time of flight, wavelength, azimuth, elevation, distance, linear rate, and / or angular rate, or any combination thereof. The communication interface 1240 may also include one or more Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers or transceivers used to determine the location of the computing system 1200 based on one or more signals received from one or more satellites associated with one or more GNSS systems. GNSS systems include, but are not limited to, the U.S. GPS, the Russian GLONASS, the Chinese BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), and the European Galileo GNSS. There are no limitations on operation on any particular hardware arrangement, and therefore the basic features here can be easily replaced to obtain improved hardware or firmware arrangements as they are developed.

[0101] Storage device 1230 may be a non-volatile and / or non-transitory and / or computer-readable storage device, and may be a hard disk or other type of computer-readable medium capable of storing data accessible by a computer, such as magnetic tape, flash memory cards, solid-state storage devices, digital multifunction discs, cartridges, floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes, magnetic stripes, any other magnetic storage media, flash memory, memristor memory, any other solid-state storage, CD-ROM, rewritable CD, DVD, Blu-ray Disc, holographic disc, another optical medium, Secure Digital (SD) card, microSD card, Memory Stick ® Cards, smart card chips, EMV chips, Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards, mini / micro / nano / micro SIM cards, another integrated circuit (IC) chip / card, random access memory (RAM), static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash EPROM, cache memory (e.g., layer 1 (L1) cache, layer 2 (L2) cache, layer 3 (L3) cache, layer 4 (L4) cache, layer 5 (L5) cache or other (L#) cache), resistive random access memory (RRAM / ReRAM), phase change memory (PCM), spin-transfer torque RAM (STT-RAM), another memory chip or cassette and / or combinations thereof.

[0102] Storage device 1230 may include software services, servers, services, etc., which enable the system to perform functions when the code defining such software is executed by processor 1210. In some aspects, hardware services performing specific functions may include software components for performing functions stored in a computer-readable medium connected to necessary hardware components such as processor 1210, connection 1205, output device 1235, etc. The term "computer-readable medium" includes, but is not limited to, portable or non-portable storage devices, optical storage devices, and various other media capable of storing, containing, or carrying instructions and / or data. Computer-readable media may include non-transitory media in which data can be stored and which does not include carrier waves and / or transient electronic signals propagating wirelessly or over a wired connection. Examples of non-transitory media may include, but are not limited to, magnetic disks or magnetic tapes, optical storage media such as compact discs (CDs) or digital versatile discs (DVDs), flash memory, memory, or memory devices. Computer-readable media may store code and / or machine-executable instructions thereon, which may represent procedures, functions, subroutines, programs, routines, subroutines, modules, software packages, classes, or any combination of instructions, data structures, or program statements. Code segments may be coupled to other code segments or hardware circuitry by delivering and / or receiving information, data, arguments, parameters, or memory contents. Information, arguments, parameters, data, etc., may be transmitted, forwarded, or sent via any suitable means, including memory sharing, message passing, token passing, network transmission, etc.

[0103] Specific details have been provided in the foregoing description to offer a thorough understanding of the aspects and examples presented herein, but those skilled in the art will recognize that this application is not limited thereto. Therefore, although illustrative aspects of this application have been described in detail herein, it is to be understood that various inventive concepts may be embodied and employed in various other ways, and the appended claims are not intended to be construed as including these variations unless limited by prior art. Various features and aspects of the applications described above may be used individually or in combination. Furthermore, without departing from the broader scope of this specification, aspects may be used in any number of environments and applications beyond those described herein. Therefore, the specification and drawings should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive. For illustrative purposes, the methods are described in a particular order. It should be understood that, in alternative aspects, the methods may be performed in a different order than described.

[0104] For clarity, in some instances, this technology may be presented as comprising various functional blocks, which include devices, device components, steps, or routines embodied in a method, either in software or a combination of hardware and software. Additional components may be used in addition to those shown in the figures and / or described herein. For example, circuits, systems, networks, processes, and other components may be shown as components in block diagram form to avoid obscuring these aspects in unnecessary detail. In other instances, well-known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques may be shown without unnecessary detail to avoid obscuring the aspects.

[0105] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein can be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability between hardware and software, various exemplary components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described above in general terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends on the specific application and the design constraints imposed on the overall system. Those skilled in the art may implement the described functionality in different ways for each specific application, but such specific implementation decisions should not be construed as departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0106] Individual aspects may be described above as processes or methods, depicted as flowcharts, diagrams, data flow graphs, structure diagrams, or block diagrams. Although a flowchart may describe operations as a sequential process, many operations within an operation may be executed in parallel or concurrently. Furthermore, the order of operations may be rearranged. A process terminates when its operations are completed, but a process may have additional steps not included in the accompanying diagrams. A process may correspond to a method, function, procedure, subroutine, subroutine, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, the termination of that process may correspond to the function returning to the calling function or the main function.

[0107] The processes and methods described in the examples above can be implemented using stored computer-executable instructions or computer-executable instructions otherwise obtainable from a computer-readable medium. Such instructions may include, for example, instructions and data that configure a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or processing device to perform a function or group of functions. The portion may be accessible via a network of the computer resources used. The computer-executable instructions may be, for example, binary, intermediate format instructions such as assembly language, firmware, or source code. Examples of computer-readable media that can be used to store the instructions, the information used, and / or information created during the methods according to the described examples include disks or optical discs, flash memory, USB devices with non-volatile memory, networked storage devices, etc.

[0108] In some respects, computer-readable storage devices, media, and memories may include cables or wireless signals containing bit streams, etc. However, when referred to, non-transitory computer-readable storage media explicitly exclude media such as energy, carrier signals, electromagnetic waves, and the signals themselves.

[0109] Those skilled in the art will understand that information and signals can be represented using any of a variety of different techniques and methods. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips that may be referred to throughout the above description may, in some cases, be represented by voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or magnetic particles, light fields or light particles, or any combination thereof, depending in part on the specific application, in part on the desired design, in part on the corresponding technology, etc.

[0110] The various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the aspects disclosed herein can be implemented or performed using hardware, software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, or any combination thereof, and can take any form factor of various form factors. When implemented in software, firmware, middleware, or microcode, program code or code segments (e.g., computer program products) for performing necessary tasks can be stored in a computer-readable or machine-readable medium. A processor can perform the necessary tasks. Examples of form factors include: laptop computers, smartphones, mobile phones, tablet devices, or other small form factor personal computers, personal digital assistants, rack-mounted devices, self-contained devices, etc. The functionality described herein can also be embodied in peripheral devices or interlocking cards. By additional examples, such functionality can also be implemented on circuit boards of different chips or different processes executed on a single device.

[0111] Instructions, media for transmitting such instructions, computing resources for executing them, and other structures for supporting such computing resources are example components for providing the functionality described in this disclosure.

[0112] The techniques described herein can also be implemented in electronic hardware, computer software, firmware, or any combination thereof. Such techniques can be implemented in any of a variety of devices, such as general-purpose computers, wireless communication devices (mobile phones), or integrated circuit devices with multiple uses, including applications in wireless communication devices (mobile phones) and other devices. Any feature described as a module or component can be implemented together in an integrated logic device or separately as discrete but interoperable logic devices. If implemented in software, the techniques can be implemented at least in part by a computer-readable data storage medium comprising program code including instructions that, when executed, perform one or more of the methods, algorithms, and / or operations described above. The computer-readable data storage medium can form part of a computer program product, which may include packaging material. The computer-readable medium may include memory or data storage media, such as random access memory (RAM) (such as synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM)), read-only memory (ROM), non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, magnetic or optical data storage media, etc. Additionally or alternatively, the technology may be implemented at least in part by a computer-readable communication medium that carries or conveys program code in the form of instructions or data structures that can be accessed, read and / or executed by a computer, such as propagated signals or waves.

[0113] The program code can be executed by a processor, which may include one or more processors, such as one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), general-purpose microprocessors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable arrays (FPGAs), or other equivalent integrated or discrete logic circuits. Such processors can be configured to perform any of the techniques described in this disclosure. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor; however, in alternatives, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors combined with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. Therefore, as used herein, the term "processor" may refer to any of the foregoing structures, any combination of the foregoing structures, or any other structure or means suitable for implementing the techniques described herein.

[0114] Those skilled in the art will understand that, without departing from the scope of this description, the less than (“<”) and greater than (“>”) symbols or terms used herein may be replaced with less than or equal to (“>”) respectively. ") and greater than or equal to (" The symbol ) is used instead.

[0115] When a component is described as being “configured” to perform certain operations, such configuration may be achieved, for example, by designing electronic circuits or other hardware to perform the operations, by programming programmable electronic circuits (e.g., microprocessors or other suitable electronic circuits) to perform the operations, or any combination thereof.

[0116] The phrase “coupled to” or “communicatively coupled to” means that any component is physically connected directly or indirectly to another component, and / or that any component is in communication with another component directly or indirectly (e.g., connected to that other component via a wired or wireless connection and / or other suitable communication interface).

[0117] The claim language or other language that states "at least one of" and / or "one or more of" in a set indicates that one member of the set or multiple members of the set (in any combination) satisfy the claim. For example, the claim language that states "at least one of A and B" or "at least one of A or B" means A, B, or A and B. In another example, the claim language that states "at least one of A, B, and C" or "at least one of A, B, or C" means A, B, C, or A and B, or A and C, or B and C, A and B and C, or any repetition is information or data (e.g., A and A, B and B, C and C, A and A and B, etc.), or any other ordering, repetition, or combination of A, B, and C. The language "at least one of" and / or "one or more of" in a set does not limit the set to the items listed in the set. For example, the language of a claim stating "at least one of A and B" or "at least one of A or B" may refer to A, B, or A and B, and may additionally include items not listed in the set of A and B. The phrases "at least one" and "one or more" are used interchangeably herein.

[0118] Claims using phrases such as "at least one processor, the at least one processor being configured to," "at least one processor being configured to," "one or more processors, the one or more processors being configured to," or "one or more processors being configured to," or other languages, indicate that one or more processors (in any combination) are capable of performing associated operations. For example, a claim using the phrase "at least one processor, the at least one processor being configured to: X, Y, and Z" means that a single processor can be used to perform operations X, Y, and Z; or that multiple processors are each assigned a specific subset of tasks involving operations X, Y, and Z, such that the multiple processors together perform X, Y, and Z; or that a group of multiple processors work together to perform operations X, Y, and Z. In another example, a claim using the phrase "at least one processor, the at least one processor being configured to: X, Y, and Z" could mean that any single processor can perform only a subset of operations X, Y, and Z.

[0119] When referring to one or more elements that perform functions (e.g., steps of a method), one element may perform all functions, or more than one element may jointly perform these functions. When more than one element jointly performs these functions, each function does not need to be performed by every single element (e.g., different functions may be performed by different elements), and / or each function does not need to be performed by only one element as a whole (e.g., different elements may perform different sub-functions of a function). Similarly, when referring to one or more elements configured to cause another element (e.g., a device) to perform functions, one element may be configured to cause another element to perform all functions, or more than one element may be jointly configured to cause another element to perform these functions.

[0120] When referring to an entity that performs or is configured to perform functions (e.g., steps of a method) (e.g., any entity or device described herein), the entity may be configured to cause one or more elements (individually or collectively) to perform those functions. One or more components of the entity may include at least one memory, at least one processor, at least one communication interface, another component configured to perform one or more of those functions, and / or any combination thereof. When referring to an entity that performs functions, the entity may be configured to cause one component to perform all functions, or to cause more than one component to perform those functions collectively. When the entity is configured to cause more than one component to perform those functions collectively, each function does not need to be performed by every single component (e.g., different functions may be performed by different components), and / or each function does not need to be performed by only one component as a whole (e.g., different components may perform different sub-functions of a function).

[0121] The various exemplary logic blocks, modules, engines, circuits, and algorithm steps described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, firmware, or combinations thereof. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability between hardware and software, various exemplary components, blocks, engines, modules, circuits, and steps have been broadly described above in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends on the specific application and the design constraints imposed on the overall system. Those skilled in the art may implement the described functionality in different ways for each specific application, but such implementation decisions should not be construed as departing from the scope of this application.

[0122] The techniques described herein can also be implemented in electronic hardware, computer software, firmware, or any combination thereof. Such techniques can be implemented in any of a variety of devices, such as general-purpose computers, wireless communication devices (mobile phones), or integrated circuit devices with multiple uses, including applications in wireless communication devices (mobile phones) and other devices. Any feature described as an engine, module, or component can be implemented together in an integrated logic device or separately as discrete but interoperable logic devices. If implemented in software, these techniques can be implemented at least in part by a computer-readable data storage medium comprising program code including instructions that, when executed, perform one or more of the methods described above. The computer-readable data storage medium can form part of a computer program product, which may include packaging material. The computer-readable medium may include memory or data storage media, such as random access memory (RAM) (such as synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM)), read-only memory (ROM), non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, magnetic or optical data storage media, etc. Additionally or alternatively, the technology may be implemented at least in part by a computer-readable communication medium that carries or conveys program code in the form of instructions or data structures that can be accessed, read and / or executed by a computer, such as propagated signals or waves.

[0123] The program code can be executed by a processor, which may include one or more processors, such as one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), general-purpose microprocessors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable arrays (FPGAs), or other equivalent integrated or discrete logic circuits. Such processors can be configured to perform any of the techniques described in this disclosure. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor; however, in alternatives, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors combined with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. Therefore, as used herein, the term "processor" may refer to any of the foregoing structures, any combination of the foregoing structures, or any other structure or means suitable for implementing the techniques described herein. Furthermore, in some aspects, the functionality described herein may be provided within dedicated software or hardware modules configured for encoding and decoding, or incorporated into a combined video encoder-decoder (CODEC).

[0124] The exemplary aspects of this disclosure include:

[0125] Aspect 1. A first computing device for processing audio, the first computing device comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory and configured to: receive audio data from a second computing device via a wireless channel through a communication protocol; and output the audio data to a first audio device associated with the first computing device for playback of the audio data, wherein the audio data is played simultaneously on the first audio device associated with the first computing device and on a second audio device associated with the second computing device.

[0126] Aspect 2. The first computing device according to aspect 1, wherein the first computing device is connected to the second computing device via the wireless channel and the communication protocol.

[0127] Aspect 3. The first computing device according to any one of Aspect 1 or 2, wherein the at least one processor is configured to output the audio data to the first audio device via a wired connection or a wireless connection.

[0128] Aspect 4. The first computing device according to any one of Aspects 1 to 3, wherein the at least one processor is configured to output the audio data to the first audio device via the wireless channel and the communication protocol.

[0129] Aspect 5. The first computing device according to any one of Aspects 1 to 4, wherein the first audio device and the second audio device are each one of a wired headset or a wireless earphone.

[0130] Aspect 6. The first computing device according to any one of Aspects 1 to 5, wherein the first computing device is a first mobile device or a first television and the second computing device is a second mobile device or a second television.

[0131] Aspect 7. The first computing device according to any one of Aspects 1 to 6, wherein the communication protocol is a Distributed Context Architecture (DCF) protocol.

[0132] Aspect 8. The first computing device according to any one of Aspects 1 to 7, wherein the wireless channel is a Bluetooth channel.

[0133] Aspect 9. A method for processing audio at a first computing device, the method comprising: receiving audio data from a second computing device via a wireless channel through a communication protocol by the first computing device; and outputting the audio data by the first computing device to a first audio device associated with the first computing device for playback of the audio data, wherein the audio data is played simultaneously on the first audio device associated with the first computing device and on a second audio device associated with the second computing device.

[0134] Aspect 10. The method according to aspect 9, wherein the first computing device is connected to the second computing device via the wireless channel through the communication protocol.

[0135] Aspect 11. The method according to any one of Aspect 9 or 10, wherein the audio data is output from the first computing device to the first audio device via a wired connection or a wireless connection.

[0136] Aspect 12. The method according to any one of Aspects 9 to 11, wherein the audio data is transmitted from the first computing device to the first audio device via the wireless channel and the communication protocol.

[0137] Aspect 13. The method according to any one of Aspects 9 to 12, wherein the first audio device and the second audio device are each one of a wired headphone or a wireless earphone.

[0138] Aspect 14. The method according to any one of Aspects 9 to 13, wherein the first computing device is a first mobile device or a first television and the second computing device is a second mobile device or a second television.

[0139] Aspect 15. The method according to any one of Aspects 9 to 14, wherein the communication protocol is a Distributed Context Architecture (DCF) protocol.

[0140] Aspect 16. The method according to any one of Aspects 9 to 15, wherein the wireless channel is a Bluetooth channel.

[0141] Aspect 17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium of a first computing device, the non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: receive audio data from a second computing device via a wireless channel through a communication protocol; and output the audio data to a first audio device associated with the first computing device for playback of the audio data, wherein the audio data is played simultaneously on the first audio device associated with the first computing device and on a second audio device associated with the second computing device.

[0142] Aspect 18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to aspect 17, wherein the first computing device is connected to the second computing device via the wireless channel through the communication protocol.

[0143] Aspect 19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to any one of Aspects 17 or 18, wherein when the instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor causes the at least one processor to output the audio data to the first audio device via a wired connection or a wireless connection.

[0144] Aspect 20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to any one of aspects 17 to 19, wherein the at least one processor is configured to output the audio data to the first audio device via the wireless channel through the communication protocol.

[0145] Aspect 21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to aspects 17 to 20, wherein the first audio device and the second audio device are each one of a wired headset or a wireless earphone.

[0146] Aspect 22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to aspects 17 to 21, wherein the first computing device is a first mobile device or a first television and the second computing device is a second mobile device or a second television.

[0147] Aspect 23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to aspects 17 to 22, wherein the communication protocol is a distributed context architecture (DCF) protocol.

[0148] Aspect 24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to any one of Aspects 17 to 23, wherein the wireless channel is a Bluetooth channel.

[0149] Aspect 25. A first computing device for processing audio, the first computing device comprising one or more components for performing operations according to any one of aspects 9 to 16.

[0150] The foregoing description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these aspects will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects. Therefore, the claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but are to be consistent with the full scope of the language claims, wherein an element referred to in the singular is not intended to mean "one and only one," but rather "one or more" unless specifically stated otherwise.

Claims

1. A first computing device for processing audio, the first computing device comprising: At least one memory; and At least one processor, the at least one processor being coupled to the at least one memory and being configured to: Audio data is received from a second computing device via a wireless channel and a communication protocol. as well as The audio data is output to a first audio device associated with the first computing device for playback, wherein the audio data is played simultaneously on the first audio device associated with the first computing device and on a second audio device associated with the second computing device.

2. The first computing device according to claim 1, wherein the first computing device is connected to the second computing device via the wireless channel and the communication protocol.

3. The first computing device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to output the audio data to the first audio device via a wired connection or a wireless connection.

4. The first computing device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to output the audio data to the first audio device via the wireless channel and the communication protocol.

5. The first computing device according to claim 1, wherein the first audio device and the second audio device are each one of a wired headset or a wireless earphone.

6. The first computing device according to claim 1, wherein the first computing device is a first mobile device or a first television and the second computing device is a second mobile device or a second television.

7. The first computing device according to claim 1, wherein the communication protocol is a Distributed Context Architecture (DCF) protocol.

8. The first computing device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless channel is a Bluetooth channel.

9. A method for processing audio at a first computing device, the method comprising: The first computing device receives audio data from the second computing device via a wireless channel and a communication protocol. as well as The first computing device outputs the audio data to a first audio device associated with the first computing device for playback, wherein the audio data is played simultaneously on the first audio device associated with the first computing device and on a second audio device associated with the second computing device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first computing device is connected to the second computing device via the wireless channel through the communication protocol.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the audio data is output from the first computing device to the first audio device via either a wired connection or a wireless connection.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the audio data is transmitted from the first computing device to the first audio device via the wireless channel and the communication protocol.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the first audio device and the second audio device are each one of a wired headset or a wireless earphone.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the first computing device is a first mobile device or a first television and the second computing device is a second mobile device or a second television.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the communication protocol is a Distributed Context Architecture (DCF) protocol.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the wireless channel is a Bluetooth channel.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium of a first computing device, the non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: Receive audio data from a second computing device via a wireless channel and a communication protocol; and The audio data is output to a first audio device associated with the first computing device for playback, wherein the audio data is played simultaneously on the first audio device associated with the first computing device and on a second audio device associated with the second computing device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first computing device is connected to the second computing device via the wireless channel through the communication protocol.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein when the instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor causes the at least one processor to output the audio data to the first audio device via a wired connection or a wireless connection.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first audio device and the second audio device are each one of a wired headset or a wireless earphone.

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