Low-power wireless high-definition media transport

Abstract

Device comprising the following: a media source comprising a first communication interface connected to at least one media sink via a first low-power wireless communication medium and a second communication interface connected to the at least one media sink via a second high-bandwidth wireless communication medium; wherein the first communication interface is configured to receive synchronization information from the at least one media sink via the low-power wireless communication medium; and wherein the second communication interface is configured to transmit media data via the high-bandwidth wireless communication medium to at least one media sink.

Description

[0001] This disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for wireless communication. Specifically, this disclosure relates to systems and methods for communicating HD (High Definition) media over a variety of communication paths.

[0002] Media such as high-resolution audio content can require significant amounts of bandwidth for transmission. For example, stereo HD audio with pulse-code modulation (PCM) at a sampling rate of 96 kHz and a sampling depth of 32 bits requires over 6 megabits per second (Mbps). Multi-channel audio content or higher sampling rates require even more data.

[0003] Wireless transmission over low-power or short-range protocols can be limited in bandwidth—Bluetooth currently has a maximum data transfer rate of 3 Mbps and is therefore unable to carry stereo high-definition content. High-bandwidth transmission systems, such as the various protocols according to the 802.11 standard (WiFi), provide sufficient bandwidth but have higher system requirements, require more power (for example, WiFi can require up to 350 milliwatts or more and is therefore unsuitable for applications with very low battery capacities, such as wireless earbuds), and may exhibit higher latency (for example, due to protocols with slow-start or congestion avoidance algorithms, etc.).) and / or may have difficulties switching frequencies due to periodic interference on the same band.

[0004] US 2016 / 0100400A1 describes methods, systems, and devices for beacon-based time-division multiplexing (TDM) synchronization for the coexistence of multiple radio access technologies (RATs). TDM timeslots corresponding to a multitude of RATs can be identified for wireless communication between a multitude of devices, and the TDM timeslots can be at least partially synchronized based on a timing beacon associated with one of the multitude of RATs.

[0005] WO 2009 / 086 851 A1 describes a method comprising: activating a first mode of a first radio communication protocol using a shared radio frequency band and with a first defined schedule for communication in the shared radio frequency band; activating a second mode of a second radio communication protocol using the shared radio frequency band and with a second defined schedule for communication in the shared radio frequency band.

[0006] US 2009 / 0323569A1 discloses a method for the combined transmission of data via Bluetooth and WLAN.

[0007] According to the invention, a device with the features of the independent claim is provided. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0008] According to one design, a low-power, high-bandwidth media transport system is provided, which includes the following: a media sink comprising a first communication interface connected to a media source via a first low-power wireless communication medium and a second communication interface connected to the media source via a second high-bandwidth wireless communication medium; wherein the first communication interface is configured to transmit synchronization information to the media source via the low-power wireless communication medium; and the second communication interface is configured to receive media data from the media source via the high-bandwidth wireless communication medium.

[0009] Advantageously, the first communication interface is further configured to transmit a negative acknowledgment of a media segment to the media source via the low-power wireless communication medium in response to the second communication interface's failure to successfully receive the media segment from the media source via the high-bandwidth wireless communication medium during a predetermined period of time.

[0010] The media sink also conveniently includes a timer that corresponds to the predetermined period.

[0011] Advantageously, the first communication interface is connected to a second media sink via the low-power wireless communication medium.

[0012] Advantageously, the first communication interface is further configured to receive a negative acknowledgment of a media segment via the low-power wireless communication medium from the second media sink.

[0013] Advantageously, the first communication interface is further configured to transmit a negative acknowledgment of the media segment to the media source via the low-power wireless communication medium in response to receiving the negative acknowledgment of the media segment from the second media sink.

[0014] Advantageously, the first communication interface is further configured to transmit a negative acknowledgment of a second media segment to the media source via the low-power wireless communication medium in response to the second communication interface's failure to successfully receive the media segment from the media source via the high-bandwidth wireless communication medium during the predetermined period.

[0015] According to one design, a low-power, high-bandwidth media transport system is provided, which includes the following: a media source comprising a first communication interface connected to at least one media sink via a first low-power wireless communication medium and a second communication interface connected to the at least one media sink via a second high-bandwidth wireless communication medium; wherein the first communication interface is configured to receive synchronization information from the at least one media sink via the low-power wireless communication medium; and wherein the second communication interface is configured to transmit media data via the high-bandwidth wireless communication medium to at least one media sink.

[0016] Advantageously, the first communication interface is further configured to receive a negative acknowledgment of a media segment over the low-power wireless communication medium from a first media sink in response to either the first media sink or a second media sink failing to successfully receive the media segment over the high-bandwidth wireless communication medium from the media source during a predetermined period of time.

[0017] Furthermore, the first communication interface is conveniently configured to retransmit the media segment in response to receiving the negative confirmation.

[0018] Furthermore, the media source is conveniently configured to select a channel from a multitude of channels of the high-bandwidth wireless communication medium.

[0019] Advantageously, the first communication interface is further configured to transmit an identification of the selected channel to at least one media sink via the low-power wireless communication medium.

[0020] Advantageously, the media source also includes a negative acknowledgment timer that is started in response to the transmission of a media segment via the second communication interface, with the media segment being held in a buffer of the second communication interface.

[0021] Advantageously, the second communication interface is further configured to remove the media segment from the buffer of the second communication interface in response to the fact that it has not received a negative acknowledgment for the media segment via the first communication interface before the negative acknowledgment timer expires.

[0022] According to one manifestation, a low-power, high-bandwidth media transport method is provided, which includes the following: Starting a receive timer using a media sink; Monitoring, via a first communication interface of the media sink, a high-bandwidth wireless communication medium, on a media segment transmitted via a media source; Determine, upon expiry of the receive timer, using the media sink, that the media segment was not successfully received from the first communication interface; and In response to the media segment not being successfully received, a negative acknowledgment for the media segment is transmitted to the media source via a second communication interface of the media sink, which differs from the first communication interface, over a low-power wireless communication medium.

[0023] The procedure should also include the following after the transfer of the negative confirmation for the media segment: Resetting the receive timer using the media sink; Monitoring, via the first communication interface of the high-bandwidth wireless communication medium, for a retransmission of the media segment from the media source; and Receiving the retransmitted media segment via the first communication interface.

[0024] The procedure should also expeditely include the following: Receiving, via the second communication interface, a second negative acknowledgment for the media segment from a second media sink, which is transmitted by the second media sink in response to the fact that it has not successfully received the retransmitted media segment.

[0025] The procedure should also expeditely include the following: Transmitted, in response to the receipt of the second negative confirmation from the second media sink, a third negative confirmation for the media segment is sent to the media source via the second communication interface.

[0026] Conveniently, receiving the retransmitted media segment also includes receiving a subsequent media segment via the first communication interface.

[0027] The procedure also expediently includes providing the retransmitted media segment via an output of the media sink.

[0028] Various tasks, forms of appearance, features and advantages of the disclosure become apparent with reference to the detailed description and are even more easily understood when viewed together with the accompanying drawings, in which identical reference symbols consistently denote corresponding elements.

[0029] In drawings, identical reference symbols generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and / or or structurally similar elements. Fig. Figure 1A is a block diagram illustrating an example implementation of a network environment for low-power wireless media transport; Fig. Figure 1B is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a network environment for low-power wireless high-definition media transport according to the systems and methods disclosed in this document; Fig. 1C is a block diagram showing details of exemplary implementations of elements in the environment of Fig. 1B depicts; Fig. 2A to Fig. 2F are illustrations depicting different implementation examples and states of a low-power, high-definition wireless media transport; Fig. 2G is a flowchart of an embodiment of a method for low-power wireless high-definition media transport; Fig. Figure 3A is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a network environment comprising one or more access points that communicate with one or more devices or stations; and Fig. 3B and Fig. 3C are block diagrams that depict exemplary embodiments of computer devices that are useful in connection with the methods and systems described in this document.

[0030] The details of various embodiments of the methods and systems are set out in the accompanying drawings and in the following description. Detailed description

[0031] The following IEEE standard(s), including any draft versions of such standards, is / are hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference into this document and forms part of this disclosure for all purposes: IEEE P802.11n™ and IEEE P802.11ac™. Although this disclosure may refer to aspects of this standard, this disclosure is in no way limited by this standard.

[0032] The following descriptions of the sections of the specification and their respective contents may be helpful for reading the description of the various embodiments mentioned below: - Section A describes exemplary implementations of systems and methods for low-power wireless high-definition media transport, and - Section B describes a network environment and a computer environment that may be helpful for the practical implementation of the examples described in this document. A. Low-power wireless high-definition media transport

[0033] Wireless transmission of media data is desirable in many cases, such as transmitting audio data to wireless speakers, headphones and / or or earphones or wireless microphones; the transmission of video data to wireless display devices; or the transmission of multimedia data to media devices. However, such media can require significant amounts of bandwidth for transmission. For example, pulse-code modulation (PCM) audio data in stereo HD at a sampling rate of 96 kHz and a sampling depth of 32 bits requires over 6 megabits per second (Mbps). Multi-channel audio or higher sampling rates require even more data: a 32-bit, 5-channel audio file sampled at 192 kHz requires more than 30.7 Mbps for transmission.

[0034] For example, with brief reference to Fig. Figure 1A illustrates a block diagram depicting an embodiment of a network environment for low-power wireless media transport. The environment includes a media sink 100, sometimes referred to as a client, receiver, or media device, which may include wireless speakers, earphones, headphones, headsets, monitors or display devices, or other such devices for receiving a media signal. The environment also includes a media source 102, sometimes referred to as a host, transmitter, or media device, which may include a desktop computer, laptop computer, smartphone, set-top box, A / V receiver, video game console, tablet computer, wearable computer, server, workstation, appliance, home automation system, or any other type and form of computing device for transmitting a media signal to a media sink 100.In some implementations, the media source 102 and the media sink 100 can communicate via a low-power or short-range protocol 104, such as Bluetooth, which carries both media and control signals (for example, synchronization, fault control, or retransmission control, control commands, etc.). In some implementations, the media source 102 can also receive media via a second connection 108, such as a wide area network connection (for example, the internet), from a media provider 106 (for example, a streaming provider, a social media provider, an internet broadcaster, or another such source, etc.). In some implementations, the media source 102 can process the received media and / or retransmit the received media to the media sink 100.

[0035] Wireless transmission over low-power or short-range protocols can be limited in bandwidth—Bluetooth currently has a maximum data transfer rate of 3 Mbps and is therefore unable to carry stereo high-definition content. Accordingly, in many implementations, Media Source 102 can convert media to lower bitrates or compress the media (for example, using a lossy encoding scheme) to reduce the required bandwidth, although this will reduce quality or increase latency.

[0036] High-bandwidth transmission systems, such as the various protocols according to the 802.11 standard (WiFi), can provide sufficient bandwidth for high-definition media and can be used instead of connection 104, but have higher system requirements, require more power (for example, WiFi can require up to 350 milliwatts of power or more and is therefore unsuitable for applications with very low battery capacities, such as wireless earbuds), may have higher latency (for example, due to protocols with slow-start algorithms or algorithms to avoid congestion, etc.) and / or may have difficulties switching frequencies due to periodic interference on the same band.

[0037] The systems and procedures discussed in this document provide a protocol for low-power, high-definition media transport by splitting media and control signals across different and heterogeneous connections. Fig. Figure 1B is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a network environment providing such low-power, wireless high-definition media transport, wherein control signals are split over a first link 104' and media is provided over a high-bandwidth link 110, such as an 802.11 (WiFi) link. Various implementations of high-bandwidth links 110 can be used, such as 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11ac, 802.11ax, or any other version, as well as other types and forms of high-bandwidth links, such as wireless USB; optical links; or any other type and form of connection.Similarly, various implementations of low-power connections can be used, such as BTLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), Bluetooth-BR (Bluetooth Basic Rate), Bluetooth-EDR (Bluetooth Enhanced Data Rate), Bluetooth-ELE (Low Energy-Enhanced Data Rate), NFC (Near Field Communication), or any other type and form of power-efficient communication protocol. Multi-channel media data can be transmitted via streaming over the high-bandwidth connection, including nested stereo audio data for wireless earbuds or other such data.Control signals can be transmitted between the media source and the sink via the low-power link 104', including acknowledgments (ACKs) or negative acknowledgments (NAKs) for data transmitted over the high-bandwidth link, thus eliminating the need for return transmissions over the high-bandwidth transmission path 110 and further reducing the power requirements for the media sink 100.

[0038] In a similar case, in Fig. In the implementation shown in Figure 1C, two media sinks 100A to 100B, such as two wireless earphones, can transmit control signals between themselves via a first low-power connection (for example, the Bluetooth connection 104B) through a low-power interface 120 of each device. The low-power interface 120 can include a physical network interface and / or a data link layer network interface, such as a Bluetooth modem, amplifier, antenna, and / or other associated hardware and / or software. In some implementations, a media sink 100A can transmit control signals, as shown, to a media source 102 via a second low-power connection (for example, the Bluetooth connection 104A).In such implementations, media sink 100A can be referred to as the primary sink or master, and media sink 100B can be referred to as the secondary sink or slave, or by other equivalent terms. The secondary media sink 100B can transmit control commands or status information to the primary media sink 100A, which can aggregate the control or status information with its own control or status information and / or forward the control or status information to the media source 102. This can sometimes be referred to as "shadowing"—that is, the secondary sink "shadows" the primary sink, and the media source 102 is only aware of, or connected to, the primary sink. In other implementations, each media sink 100A through 100B can establish a separate, low-power connection 104 to the media source 102 and transmit its own control and status information.Although only two media sinks are illustrated, many implementations may include additional media sinks, either with independent, low-power connections to the media source, or in such a way that they all communicate with a single primary sink or master media sink for the purpose of aggregating commands.

[0039] Each media sink 100 can also include a high-bandwidth interface 122, such as a Wi-Fi interface, which may include a physical network interface and / or a data link layer interface, such as an 802.11 modem, amplifier, antenna, and / or other associated hardware and / or software. In some implementations, the low-bandwidth interface 120 and the high-bandwidth interface 122 may share certain hardware, such as antennas or amplifiers. Each media sink 100 can receive broadcast media data over the high-bandwidth link 110. The high-bandwidth link may include an 802.11 connection, as discussed above, such as 802.11n or 802.11ac.In some implementations, the connection may involve multicast or broadcast transmissions via Internet Protocol (IP) / User Datagram Protocol (UDP) or a similar lossy transport protocol. In other implementations, the connection may involve any type and form of unidirectional protocol, such that the media source can transmit media data (such as nested multi-channel audio data) without expecting a response or reaction over the high-bandwidth connection. By offloading control and command data from the high-bandwidth connection to low-power connections, each media sink can reduce its power consumption. In some implementations, the media sinks may omit hardware for data transmission over the high-bandwidth connection (such as amplifiers), thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0040] Each media sink 100 can include a media playback device 124. The media playback device 124 can include hardware, such as a digital-to-analog converter (DAW), an amplifier, an output device (for example, a converter for acoustic and / or visual signals), and / or other such devices for receiving media data via a high-bandwidth connection 110 (for example, WiFi, mobile phone data, etc.), for buffering and / or decoding the data, and for outputting the media. In some implementations, the media playback device 124 can include data buffers, such as ring buffers or FIFO (First In / First Out) buffers, for accumulating data packets or segments from the media source 102 for decoding.The media playback device 124 may also include hardware or software decoders, such as MPEG audio or video decoders, decompression hardware or software, or other such components. The media playback device 124 may also include control software for monitoring the reception of data and for generating ACKs or NAKs to be transmitted to a media source over one or more low-power links 104, as well as for generating control commands (for example, play, pause, stop, next, previous, etc.) and / or synchronization signals for transmission to a media source. In some implementations, the media playback device 124 may also control certain functionality of the media sink 100, such as volume control.

[0041] Each media sink 100 can include a power supply 130, such as a battery, charger, or other such hardware, and, in some implementations, software (for example, for smart charging systems). The power supply 130 can include a wired or wireless power input, a removable or non-removable battery, or any other type and form of power supply.

[0042] In some implementations, the media source 102 may include a high-bandwidth interface (such as a WiFi interface 122), and it may perform self-classification of channels and / or selection to choose interference-free broadcasting channels (for example, a self-classification mechanism to select a 20 MHz channel within the 5 GHz ISM band). The media source 102 can inform the media sink(s) via the low-power link 104 which channel will be used. The channel selection can be dynamic and change during media streaming.

[0043] In some implementations, Bluetooth and / or WiFi interfaces may be disabled at the media sinks and / or at the media source, or transmitters may be shut down during predetermined periods. For example, Fig. Figure 2A is an illustration depicting an embodiment of media transmission for low-power, wireless high-definition media transport from a host 200 or media source to two media sinks (for example, a left and a right earphone 202A to 202B). Once the connections are established, the host or source 200 can transmit a first data block 204A over a high-bandwidth interface during a first period T1 206A. The first data block 204A can contain multi-channel or nested stereo data, or concatenated data for the sinks 202A to 202B. In some implementations, the host 200 can shut down a high-bandwidth transmitter after transmission. The data transmission can be completed within a period T synch be carried out. After the period T has expired. synchThe media sinks can transmit control or status commands over the low-power connection (for example, from a secondary sink to a primary sink). To prevent interference between the data 204A and the control or status commands, T synch The data transmission time (for example, the time to transmit data 204A) plus a SIFS (time between individual frames) must be equal to or greater than the time required for data transmission (for example, the time to transmit data 204A). In some implementations, the exchanged status command may include an indication that each sink has correctly received and / or decoded its portion of data 204A.

[0044] At a predetermined second time, T2 206B, the host 200 can activate a receiver or be ready to receive status or control commands from the primary media sink 202 (and / or, in some implementations, from other media sinks) via the low-bandwidth connection. T2 can connect to T NAKconnect, or it may be a time when a negative acknowledgment for any missed data 204 is expected. If the data was received correctly, in some implementations the sinks may not notify the host 200 or may not transmit a NAK as shown. If no NAK is received at time T2 206B, the host may discard the current packet or data block 204A from a transmission buffer. At a subsequent time T3 206C, the host 200 may transmit a second block of media data 204B over the high-bandwidth connection. NAK can T synchplus a period greater than or equal to an SIFS period. Based on the bandwidth required for the media, lip-sync or latency requirements (for example, for simultaneous audio and video display or in low-latency implementations such as voice or video conferencing), and / or noise and interference levels, data transmission intervals, MCSs (Modulation and Coding Schemes), and other parameters can be dynamically selected. Although discussed here in the context of NAKs, in some implementations the sink(s) 202 can transmit explicit ACKs to the host 200, although this comes at the expense of battery consumption or power efficiency.

[0045] At the in Fig. In the implementation shown in 2A, the data is received successfully, and accordingly, no NAK is transmitted at time T2 206B. In the implementation shown in Fig. In the implementation illustrated in Figure 2B, the successful reception of data 204A by sink 202A fails (for example, due to noise or other interference, errors in encoding or decoding, or any other such reception problems). During the period T synchSink 202B can indicate to sink 202A that it has successfully received the data. At time T2 206B, in some implementations, sink 202A can generate and transmit a NAK over the low-power link, indicating that it has not received its portion of data 204A. In response, in some implementations, host 200 can combine the media data from data 204A (or a portion of the data, such as a portion corresponding to sink 202A) and subsequent data 204B, and transmit both sets of data at time T3 206C. Sink 202A can then receive and play back both segments 204A to 204B in the correct order. In some implementations where all of the data 204A is retransmitted, sink 202B may discard the retransmitted data upon reception because it has already received its portion of the data at time T1 206A.In such implementations, the NAK does not need to distinguish between sinks, and accordingly, the NAK can be smaller and consume less battery power from the master sink (for example, in such implementations, the NAK might be a one-bit flag indicating a successful or failed reception). In other implementations, the NAK might be a multi-bit flag with values ​​corresponding to the channel to be retransmitted (for example, two bits for two channels, three bits for three channels, five bits for five channels, etc.), so that the NAK can identify any combination of channels for retransmission, such as 01001 for channels 2 and 5).

[0046] In a similar case, in Fig. In the implementation illustrated in 2C, sink 202A successfully receives the data, but sink 202B does not. In implementations where sink 202A is a primary sink, the secondary sink 202B may not receive the data during the synchronization time T. synch a NAK is transferred to sink 202A, which can transfer the NAK to host 200 at time T2 206B via the low-power connection, as described above in connection with Fig. 2B discussed. As also discussed above, the host 200 can transmit the data 204A or part of the data 204A in time T3 206C together with the data 204B via the high bandwidth interface.

[0047] In another similar case, in Fig. In the 2D illustrated implementation, none of the sinks 202A to 202B successfully receive the data. In implementations where sink 202A is a primary sink, the secondary sink 202B may not receive the data during the synchronization time T. synch a NAK is transmitted to sink 202A. Sink 202A can aggregate the NAK with its own NAK (for example, in multi-channel implementations or in implementations with multi-bit NAK, as discussed above) and / or it can transmit its own NAK to host 200 at time T2 206B over the low-power connection, as discussed above in connection with Fig. 2B discussed. As also discussed above, the host 200 can transmit the data 204A or part of the data 204A in time T3 206C together with the data 204B via the high bandwidth interface.

[0048] Fig. 2E is a further illustration depicting an implementation in which successive packets are not successfully received by a sink, such as sink 202A. The transmission of data 204A and 204B and the first NAK 208A at time T2 206B is carried out similarly to the transmissions described above in connection with Fig. 2B were discussed. At time T3 206C, sink 202A fails to receive the second data 204B (and possibly to retransmit data 204A). At time T4 206D, sink 202A can transmit a second NAK 208B over the low-power link. In some implementations, host 200 can aggregate data 204A, 204B, and the new data 204C and transmit them together at time T5 206E, retransmitting both data 204A and 204B and allowing sink 202A to buffer and properly replay the media. In some implementations, this process can be iterated as many times as necessary, aggregating additional data into the transmitted packet, until the packet length exceeds the size of a sink's receive buffer and / or a transmission time T is reached. synch exceeds.

[0049] Fig. 2F is another illustration, which shows a similar implementation to Fig. 2E is mapped, with sinks 202B and 202A alternately missing packets, as shown. In one implementation, the transmissions can be similar to those in Fig. As shown in Figure 2E: the master sink 202A can transmit a first NAK 208A at time T2 206B; and it can transmit a second NAK 208B at time T4 206D; and the host 200 can aggregate the data 204A, 204B, and 204C for transmission at time T5 206E. However, it should be noted that in the illustrated example, sink 202A received the data 204A at time T1, and sink 202B received the data 204A at time T3 as part of the retransmission; accordingly, the data 204A does not need to be retransmitted. Thus, in some implementations, a NAK 208 can indicate which data was not received or distinguish between the most recent and previous data (sometimes referred to as selective NAK).NAK 208 can indicate that data 204B was not received correctly, and thus, in such implementations, host 200 can aggregate only the second data 204B and data 204C for transmission at time T5 206E, thereby avoiding the need to retransmit data 204A a second time. In such an implementation, the NAKs can include a sequence number or set of sequence numbers of the missing packets. In another such implementation, an NAK can include the sequence number of the last unreceived packet (for example, such that the named packet and any subsequent new packets can be retransmitted). In yet another implementation, an NAK can include a counter for improperly received packets or blocks. This can reduce the size of the NAKs if the periods of packet loss are short or occur periodically.

[0050] Fig. Figure 2G is a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of a method for low-power, high-definition wireless media transport. It illustrates actions performed by a media host or media source 200 and media clients or media sinks 202A to 202B, one of which (for example, sink E1 202A) can serve as the master sink, responsible for synchronization and acknowledgments with the media source 200; and the other of which (for example, sink E2 202B) can serve as the slave sink. In some implementations, only one media sink may be used (for example, E2 202B may be omitted). In such implementations, the media sink can perform the actions of E1 202A.

[0051] As discussed above, the media sources 200 and the clients 202 can communicate control and synchronization information via a low-power first medium, such as Bluetooth. These devices can establish communication via any suitable protocol commonly used for the medium (for example, Bluetooth 'pairing' or other algorithms for establishing communication that include parameters for authentication and encryption, or any other such features).

[0052] As discussed above, in some implementations, the host device 200 can select a channel on a second high-speed data transmission medium for data transfer. For example, in some implementations, the host device can transmit data to client devices over a 5G cellular connection and select a 20 MHz channel for data transmission. Other implementations can use different high-bandwidth media, such as an 802.11 transmission medium (for example, 802.11n Wi-Fi). This selection process, performed in step 220, can determine receive readiness. or include measuring noise or other interference on different channels and selecting a channel with suitable characteristics (for example, low noise or interference, high signal strength, suitable distance from other channels in use, etc.). In step 220, the media host can transmit channel selection information and / or other configuration or synchronization information to the client devices 202. This synchronization information can include timing information so that the devices 200 and 202 can coordinate the transmission and reception periods as discussed above.

[0053] In step 222, the client devices 202 can begin monitoring the selected or identified high-bandwidth channel in response to receiving configuration information transmitted in step 220. Although it is shown here that the configuration or selection information is transmitted from the host 200 to the devices 202A and 202B, in some implementations a master device 202A can receive this information and forward it to the slave device 202B via a low-power medium (for example, Bluetooth).

[0054] In step 224, the client devices can start 202 local synchronization timers, sometimes also called data receive timers, receive timers, timers for expected data, or by similar terms. The timers can specify a period during which data is expected (for example, T synch(as discussed above), and they can encompass one or more SIFS periods. In some implementations, the client devices can start multiple timers, such as a first timer to specify a time for synchronization between the client devices (for example, when a slave device should transmit a negative acknowledgment to the master device, if necessary), and a second timer to specify a time for NAK transmission. In many implementations, the client devices can manage different timers.For example, a slave device can manage a first timer that specifies the start of a data reception period and a second timer that specifies when to transmit synchronization information to a master device, but it does not necessarily need to manage a third timer that specifies when to transmit the NAK information to the host device, since such transmissions are intended to be handled by the master device. In other implementations, each device can manage the same timers for easier configuration and programming.

[0055] In step 226, the host device can transfer data to the client devices over the high-bandwidth medium. The transfer can include separate data for each device (for example, chained or nested, depending on the implementation). The data can be of any type and format, such as a segment of encoded stereo audio data or any other such data.

[0056] As discussed above, the transmitted data may or may not be received by client devices 202A and 202B. Each device may be in or out of readiness until the end of a receive-readiness period (for example, T). synchThe client device waits for the transmitted data while monitoring the selected channel or is ready to receive on the high-bandwidth medium. The client device can perform necessary steps such as filtering broadcast carriers, decoding sideband data, executing error-checking algorithms, or other features required to receive data on the medium.

[0057] When the receive timer expires, the client devices can determine whether the data was received correctly. If, with initial reference to a slave device 202B, the data was not received correctly (for example, no data was detected, or corrupted data was received), then the slave device can notify the master device in step 228 via the low-power transport medium (for example, Bluetooth) that it did not receive the data correctly (for example, via NAK transmission). Conversely, if the data was successfully received and decoded, the slave device 202B can, in some implementations, start a NAK timer in step 234. The NAK timer, sometimes also called the transmission timer, can measure a period during which a NAK transmission 208 can occur (plus an SIFS period in some implementations). or conversely, a time period until which the next data transfer should occur (for example, T3 206C). The slave device can wait until this timer expires and then T synchReset and then return to step 224. In other implementations, the slave device cannot manage a NAK timer and can instead manage a single, longer timer whose duration is equal to the sum of a data reception period and a NAK period, such that the expiration of this timer indicates that more data is expected. In many implementations, step 228 can occur regardless of whether data is received or not; in such implementations, the slave device can notify the master device via the low-power medium whether or not it has successfully received the data. This can be useful in implementations where other data may need to be exchanged between the client devices (for example, local playback synchronization information, such as playback timestamps).Although not illustrated, in many implementations the slave device can buffer and / or decode and play back the received media data.

[0058] With reference to the master-client device 202A, the device, similar to the slave device 202B, can monitor the selected high-bandwidth channel for data. If the data is not successfully received before the synchronization timer expires, the master device can then transmit a negative acknowledgment to the host device in step 230 via a low-power medium (for example, Bluetooth). The negative acknowledgment can include a synchronization or segment number, or other data to indicate which segment was not received correctly; or, in some implementations, it can indicate the last segment that was received correctly.

[0059] As shown, the master device can transmit the NAK in step 230 if it did not successfully receive the data. If the master device receives a negative acknowledgment from the slave device (for example, transmitted in step 228), the master device can also transmit the NAK in step 230 in some implementations, similar to what was discussed above, even if the master device did successfully receive the data. In some implementations, the NAK transmitted in step 230 cannot specify which client device failed to receive the data, and all data can be retransmitted. In other implementations, the NAK can specify which client device (for example, master, slave, or both; or potentially which of several slave devices in multi-channel implementations) failed to receive the data, so only the unreceived data is retransmitted.Unsuccessful reception can be indicated for each device via flags or a predefined string (for example, 0 for channel 1 or the master device, 1 for channel 2 or the slave device, etc.). In some implementations, transmitting the NAK may involve starting a NAK timer in step 234. Additionally, as discussed above, in some implementations where data has been successfully received from the client devices, the master device may start a NAK timer in step 234. Upon expiration of the timer, the device may reset the synchronization timer in step 224 and resume monitoring the channel for further data. Although not illustrated, the master device may also buffer, decode, and / or play back received media data.

[0060] Referring again to the host device 200, after the data transmission in step 226, the device can enter receive mode in step 232 or monitor the low-power medium (for example, Bluetooth) for a NAK transmission from a client device. In some implementations, the host device can start a NAK timer in step 234 or wait a predetermined period to receive an NAK from the client devices via the low-power medium.

[0061] If no NAK was received when the timer expired, the host device can proceed with the next data transmission in step 226. In some implementations, the host device can discard a previously transmitted data segment from a transmit or retransmit buffer in step 236. In some implementations, the host can also periodically repeat step 220 if the noise levels on the channel have increased.

[0062] If a NAK (Non-Affected Communication) is received, the unacknowledged data segment(s) can be retransmitted in step 226. In some implementations, the unacknowledged data segment can be appended to new data for transmission (for example, concatenated with new data) to continue transmitting new data and maintain temporal synchronization. This can continue with necessary retransmissions until a frame size limit is reached, at which point, depending on the implementation, either older data can be dropped or a retransmission can occur without adding any new data. Furthermore, in some implementations, as discussed above, unacknowledged data for different channels can be aggregated and retransmitted. For example, as discussed above in conjunction with Fig. Section 2F discusses aggregating and transmitting a first data segment that was not acknowledged by a client device and a second data segment that was not acknowledged by a second client device, together with a third data segment, even if the first and second segments did not originate from the same original transmission.

[0063] Accordingly, the systems and procedures discussed in this document provide a hybrid protocol for low-power, high-bandwidth media transport between media sinks and media sources by distributing control and synchronization commands over a low-power communication interface and media data over a high-bandwidth, one-way communication interface. Media sinks do not need to transmit over the high-bandwidth, one-way communication interface, thus reducing power consumption, which is particularly advantageous for small devices with limited battery capacity, such as wireless earbuds. In some implementations, the media sinks can remain inactive during NAK periods if the data has been received correctly, further reducing power consumption.

[0064] In one manifestation, the present disclosure relates to a system for low-power, high-bandwidth media transport. The system comprises a media sink, which includes a first communication interface connected to a media source via a first low-power wireless communication medium, and a second communication interface connected to the media source via a second high-bandwidth wireless communication medium. The first communication interface is configured to transmit synchronization information to the media source via the low-power wireless communication medium. The second communication interface is configured to receive media data from the media source via the high-bandwidth wireless communication medium.

[0065] In some implementations, the first communication interface is further configured to transmit a negative acknowledgment of a media segment to the media source over the low-power wireless communication medium in response to the second communication interface failing to successfully receive the media segment from the media source over the high-bandwidth wireless communication medium within a predetermined time period. In another implementation, the media sink also includes a timer corresponding to the predetermined time period.

[0066] In some implementations, the first communication interface is connected to a second media sink via the low-power wireless communication medium. In another implementation, the first communication interface is further configured to receive a negative acknowledgment of a media segment from the second media sink via the low-power wireless communication medium. In yet another implementation, the first communication interface is further configured to transmit a negative acknowledgment of the media segment to the media source via the low-power wireless communication medium in response to receiving the negative acknowledgment of the media segment from the second media sink.In a further implementation, the first communication interface is also configured to transmit a negative acknowledgment of a second media segment to the media source via the low-power wireless communication medium in response to the second communication interface's failure to successfully receive the media segment from the media source via the high-bandwidth wireless communication medium during the predetermined period.

[0067] In another embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a system for low-power, high-bandwidth media transport. The system comprises a media source, a first communication interface connected to at least one media sink via a first low-power wireless communication medium, and a second communication interface connected to the at least one media sink via a second high-bandwidth wireless communication medium. The first communication interface is configured to receive synchronization information from the at least one media sink via the low-power wireless communication medium. The second communication interface is configured to transmit media data to the at least one media sink via the high-bandwidth wireless communication medium.

[0068] In some implementations, the first communication interface is further configured to receive a negative acknowledgment of a media segment over the low-power wireless communication medium from a first media sink, in response to either the first media sink or a second media sink failing to successfully receive the media segment from the media source over the high-bandwidth wireless communication medium within a predetermined time period. In another implementation, the first communication interface is further configured to retransmit the media segment upon receiving the negative acknowledgment.

[0069] In some implementations, the media source is further configured to select a channel from a multitude of channels of the high-bandwidth wireless communication medium. In another implementation, the first communication interface is further configured to transmit an identification of the selected channel to at least one media sink via the low-power wireless communication medium.

[0070] In some implementations, the media source further includes a negative acknowledgment timer that is started in response to the transmission of a media segment via the second communication interface, with the media segment being held in a buffer of the second communication interface. In another implementation, the second communication interface is further configured to remove the media segment from its buffer if it has not received a negative acknowledgment for the media segment via the first communication interface before the negative acknowledgment timer expires.

[0071] In another embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a method for low-power, high-bandwidth media transmission. The method comprises starting a receive timer by means of a media sink. The method further comprises monitoring, via a first communication interface of the media sink, a high-bandwidth wireless communication medium for a media segment transmitted by a media source. The method also comprises determining, upon expiry of the receive timer, by means of the media sink, that the media segment was not successfully received by the first communication interface.The procedure also includes, in response to the failure to successfully receive the media segment, transmitting a negative acknowledgment for the media segment to the media source via a low-power wireless communication medium through a second communication interface of the media sink that differs from the first communication interface.

[0072] In some implementations, the procedure following the transmission of the negative acknowledgment for the media segment includes the following: resetting the receive timer via the media sink; monitoring, via the first communication interface, the high-bandwidth wireless communication medium for a retransmission of the media segment from the media source; and receiving the retransmitted media segment via the first communication interface. In another implementation, the procedure includes receiving, via the second communication interface, a second negative acknowledgment for the media segment from a second media sink, transmitted by the second media sink in response to its failure to successfully receive the retransmitted media segment.In yet another implementation, the procedure involves, in response to receiving the second negative confirmation from the second media sink, transmitting a third negative confirmation for the media segment to the media source via the second communication interface.

[0073] In some implementations, the process involves receiving a subsequent media segment along with the retransmitted media segment via the first communication interface. In other implementations, the process involves providing the retransmitted media segment via an output of the media sink. B. Computer and network environment

[0074] After discussing specific implementation examples of the present solution, it may be helpful to describe aspects of the operating environment and the associated system components (for example, hardware elements) in connection with the methods and systems described in this document. With reference to Fig. Figure 3A shows an embodiment of a network environment. In short, the network environment comprises a wireless communication system with one or more access points 306, one or more wireless communication devices 302, and a network hardware component 392. The wireless communication devices 302 may include, for example, laptop computers 302, tablets 302, PCs 302, and / or mobile phone devices 302. The details of an embodiment of each wireless communication device and / or wireless access point are described with reference to Fig. 3B and Fig. Section 3C is described in more detail. In one example, the network environment could be an ad-hoc network environment, a wireless infrastructure network environment, a subnet environment, etc.

[0075] The access points (APs) 306 can be operationally coupled to the network hardware 392 via local area network connections. The network hardware 392, which may include a router, gateway, switch, bridge, modem, system control unit, appliance, etc., can provide a local area network connection for the communication system. Each of the access points 306 can include an attached antenna or antenna array to communicate with the wireless communication devices 302 within its range. The wireless communication devices 302 can register with a specific access point 306 to receive services from the communication system (for example, via a SU-MIMO or MU-MIMO configuration).In direct connections (for example, in point-to-point communication), some wireless communication devices can communicate directly over an allocated channel and an allocated communication protocol. Some of the wireless communication devices can be mobile or relatively static with respect to the access point.

[0076] In some embodiments, an access point 306 comprises a device or module (including a combination of hardware and software) that allows wireless communication devices 302 to connect to a wired network using WiFi and / or other standards. An access point 306 may sometimes also be referred to as a WAP (Wireless Access Point). An access point 306 may be configured, designed, and / or constructed to operate in a wireless local area network (WLAN). An access point 306 may connect to a router as a standalone device (for example, via a wired network). In other embodiments, the access point may be a component of a router. An access point 306 may provide network access for multiple devices 302.For example, an Access Point 306 can connect to a wired Ethernet connection and, using radio frequency links, provide wireless connections to other Devices 302 that use this wired connection. An Access Point 306 can be built and / or configured to support a standard for sending and receiving data using one or more radio frequencies. These standards and the frequencies they use may be defined by the IEEE (for example, IEEE 802.11 standards). An access point can be configured and / or used to support public internet hotspots and / or an internal network to extend the signal range of the network's Wi-Fi.

[0077] In some embodiments, the access points 306 (for example, in homes or buildings) can be used for wireless networks (for example, IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, ZigBee, any other types of radio frequency-based network protocols and / or variants thereof). Each of the wireless communication devices 302 may include and / or be coupled with a built-in radio device. Such wireless communication devices 302 and / or access points 306 can be operated according to the various aspects of the disclosure as presented in this document to achieve an improvement in performance, a reduction in cost and / or size, and / or an improvement in broadband applications.Any wireless communication device 302 can have the capability to function as a client node that wants to access resources (for example, data and a connection to network nodes, such as servers) via one or more access points 306.

[0078] The network connections can comprise any type and / or form of network or network, and they can include any of the following: a point-to-point network, a broadcast network, a telecommunications network, a data communications network, or a computer network. The network topology can be a bus, star, or ring topology. The network can comprise any such network topology known to those skilled in the art with normal knowledge in this field and capable of supporting the operations described in this document. In some embodiments, different types of data can be transmitted using different protocols. In other embodiments, the same types of data can be transmitted using different protocols.

[0079] The communication device(s) 302 and the access point(s) 306 may be provided as any type and form of computer device, such as a computer, network device or appliance, capable of communicating in any type and form of network and performing the operations described in this document, or may be performed as such. Fig. 3B and Fig. Figure 3C shows block diagrams of a computer device 300, which is helpful in implementing an embodiment of the wireless communication devices 302 or the access point 306. As shown in Fig. 3B and Fig. As shown in Figure 3C, each computer device 300 has a central processing unit (CPU) 321 and a main memory unit 322. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 3B, a computer device 300 can include a storage device 328, an installation device 316, a network interface 318, an I / O controller 323, display devices 324a to 324n, a keyboard 326, and a pointing device 327, such as a mouse. The storage device 328 can include, but is not limited to, an operating system and / or software. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 3C, each computer device 300 may also include additional optional elements, such as a memory port 303, a bridge 370, one or more input / output devices 330a to 330n (generally referred to as 330) and a cache memory 340 associated with the central processing unit 321.

[0080] The central processing unit 321 is any logic circuit arrangement that responds to and processes instructions retrieved from the main memory unit 322. In many embodiments, the central processing unit 321 is provided by means of a microprocessor unit, such as those manufactured by Intel Corporation of Mountain View, California (USA); those manufactured by International Business Machines of White Plains, New York (USA); or those manufactured by Advanced Micro Devices of Sunnyvale, California (USA). The computer device 300 can be based on any of these processors or on any other processor capable of operating as described in this document.

[0081] The main memory unit 322 can consist of one or more memory chips capable of storing data and allowing direct access to any memory location by the microprocessor 321, such as any type or variant of SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), FRAM (Ferroelectric RAM), NAND flash memory, NOR flash memory, and SSD (Solid State Drives). The main memory 322 can be based on any of the memory chips described above or on any other available memory chips capable of operating as described in this document. Fig. In the embodiment shown in 3B, the processor 321 communicates with the main memory 322 via a system bus 350 (this is described in more detail below). Fig. Figure 3C depicts an embodiment of a computer device 300 in which the processor communicates directly with the main memory 322 via a memory port 303. Fig. For example, the main memory 322 could be DRDRAM, as in 3C.

[0082] Fig. Figure 3C illustrates an embodiment in which the main processor 321 communicates directly with the cache memory 340 via a secondary bus, sometimes also referred to as a backside bus. In other embodiments, the main processor 321 communicates with the cache memory 340 using the system bus 350. The cache memory 340 typically has a shorter response time than the main memory 322 and is provided, for example, using SRAM, BSRAM, or EDRAM. In the embodiment shown in Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3C, the processor 321 communicates with various I / O devices 330 via a local system bus 350. Various buses can be used to connect the central processing unit 321 to any of the I / O devices 330, for example, a VESA VL bus, an ISA bus, an EISA bus, an MCA bus (MicroChannel Architecture), a PCI bus, a PCI-X bus, a PCI Express bus, or a NuBus. In embodiments where the I / O device is a video display device 324, the processor 321 can use an AGP (Advanced Graphics Port) to communicate with the display device 324. Fig. Figure 3C represents an embodiment of a computer 300 in which the main processor 321 can communicate directly with the I / O device 330b, for example via a HYPERTRANSPORT, RAPIDIO or INFINIBAND communication technology. Fig. Figure 3C also shows an embodiment in which local buses and direct communication are mixed: The processor 321 communicates with the I / O device 330a using a local interconnect bus, while it communicates directly with the I / O device 330b.

[0083] The Computer Device 300 can contain a wide variety of I / O devices 330a to 330n. Input devices include keyboards, mice, trackpads, trackballs, microphones, dial devices, touchpads, touchscreens, and drawing tablets. Output devices include video display devices, speakers, inkjet printers, laser printers, projectors, and sublimation printers. The I / O devices can be configured as shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 3B, the computer device 300 can be controlled by means of an I / O controller 323. The I / O controller can control one or more I / O devices, such as a keyboard 326 and a pointing device 327, for example, a mouse or an optical pen. Furthermore, an I / O device can also provide memory and / or an installation medium 316 for the computer device 300. In further embodiments, the computer device 300 can provide USB ports (not shown) to accommodate handheld USB storage devices, such as the USB flash drive series manufactured by Twintech Industry, Inc. of Los Alamitos, California (USA).

[0084] With further reference to Fig. 3B The computer device 300 can support any suitable installation device 316, such as a disk drive, a CD-ROM drive, a CD-R / RW drive, a DVD-ROM drive, a flash memory drive, tape drives of various formats, a USB device, a hard disk drive, a network interface, or any other device suitable for installing software and programs. The computer device 300 can also include a storage device, such as one or more hard disk drives or RAIDs (Redundant Arrays of Independent Disks), for storing an operating system and other related software and for storing application software programs, such as any program or software 320 for implementing the systems and procedures described in this document (for example, configured and / or designed for them).Optionally, any of the 316 installation devices could also be used as a storage device. Additionally, the operating system and software could be run from a bootable medium.

[0085] Furthermore, the computer device 300 may include a network interface 318 for forming an interface with the network 304 via a variety of connections, including, but not limited to, standard telephone lines, LAN or WAN connections (for example, 802.11, T1, T3, 56kb, X.25, SNA, DECNET), broadband connections (for example, ISDN, Frame Relay, ATM, Gigabit Ethernet, Ethernet-over-SONET), wireless connections, or some combination of any or all of the above. Connections can be established using a variety of communication protocols (for example, TCP / IP, IPX, SPX, NetBIOS, Ethernet, ARCNET, SONET, SDH, FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface), RS232, IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, IEEE 802.11ac, IEEE 802.11ad, CDMA, GSM, WiMax and asynchronous direct connections).In one embodiment, the computer device 300 communicates with other computer devices 300' via any type and / or form of gateway or tunneling protocol, such as SSL (Secure Socket Layer) or TLS (Transport Layer Security). The network interface 318 can comprise a built-in network adapter, a network interface card, a PCMCIA network card, a CardBus network adapter, a wireless network adapter, a USB network adapter, a modem, or any other device suitable for providing an interface between the computer device 300 and any other type of network capable of communication and performing the operations described in this document.

[0086] In some embodiments, the computer device 300 may include or be connected to one or more display devices 324a to 324n. In such a way, any of the I / O devices 330a to 330n and / or the I / O controller 323 may include any type and / or form of suitable hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software to support, enable, or provide for the connection and use of the display device(s) 324a to 324n by the computer device 300. For example, the computer device 300 may include any type and / or form of video adapter, video card, driver, and / or library to interface with, communicate with, connect to, or otherwise use the display device(s) 324a to 324n. In one embodiment, a video adapter may include multiple ports to interface with the display device(s).to form the display device(s) 324a to 324n. In other embodiments, the computer device 300 may comprise multiple video adapters, each video adapter being connected to the display device(s) 324a to 324n. In some embodiments, any part of the operating system of the computer device 300 may be configured to use multiple display devices 324a to 324n. A person skilled in the art with normal knowledge in the field will recognize and understand the various possibilities and embodiments by which a computer device 300 can be configured to have one or more display devices 324a to 324n.

[0087] In other embodiments, an I / O device 330 can be a bridge between the system bus 350 and an external communication bus, such as a USB bus, an Apple Desktop bus, a serial RS-232 connection, a SCSI bus, a FireWire bus, a FireWire 800 bus, an Ethernet bus, an AppleTalk bus, a Gigabit Ethernet bus, an ATM bus (Asynchronous Transfer Mode), a FibreChannel bus, a SAS bus (Serial Attached SCSI (Small Computer System Interface)), a USB connection or an HDMI bus.

[0088] A computer device 300 of the type used in Fig. 3B and Fig.The 3C depicted can be operated under the control of an operating system that manages task scheduling and access to system resources. The 300 computer device can run any operating system, such as any version of Microsoft Windows, the various releases of Unix and Linux, any version of Mac OS for Macintosh computers, any embedded operating system, any real-time operating system, any open-source operating system, any proprietary operating system, any operating system for mobile computing devices, or any other operating system capable of running on the computer device and performing the operations described in this document. Typical operating systems include, but are not limited to, Android, manufactured by Google Inc.; WINDOWS 7 and 8, manufactured by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Washington (USA); MAC OS, manufactured by Apple Computer of Cupertino, California (USA); WebOS, manufactured by Research In Motion (RIM); OS / 2, manufactured by International Business Machines of Armonk, New York (USA); and Linux, a freely available operating system distributed by Caldera Corp. of Salt Lake City, Utah (USA), or any type and / or form of Unix operating system, as well as others.

[0089] The Computer System 300 can be any workstation, telephone, desktop computer, laptop or notebook computer, server, handheld computer, mobile phone or other portable telecommunications device, media playback device, gaming system, mobile computing device, or any other type and / or form of computer, telecommunications, or media device capable of communication. The Computer System 300 has sufficient processing power and memory capacity to perform the operations described in this document.

[0090] In some embodiments, the computer device 300 can include various processors, operating systems, and input devices consistent with the device. For example, in one embodiment, the computer device 300 is a smartphone, a mobile device, a tablet, or a digital personal assistant. In still other embodiments, the computer device 300 is an Android-based mobile device, an iPhone smartphone manufactured by Apple Computer of Cupertino, California (USA), or a handheld device or smartphone based on Blackberry or WebOS, such as the devices manufactured by Research In Motion Limited.Furthermore, the computer device 300 can be any workstation, any desktop computer, any laptop or notebook computer, any server, any handheld computer, any mobile phone, any other computer or any other form of computer or telecommunications device capable of communication and possessing sufficient processing power and memory capacity to perform the operations described in this document.

[0091] Although the disclosure may refer to one or more “users”, such “users” may refer to devices or stations (STAs) associated with a user, for example, consistent with the terms “user” and “multi-user” typically used, for example, in the context of a MU-MIMO (Multi-User Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output) environment.

[0092] Although examples of the communication systems described above may include devices and access points (APs) operating according to one of the 802.11 standards, it should be understood that embodiments of the described systems and procedures may operate according to other standards and may utilize different wireless communication devices than those configured as devices and APs. For example, multi-unit communication interfaces connected to cellular networks, satellite communications, vehicle communication networks, and other wireless networks not operating according to 802.11 may utilize the systems and procedures described in this document to achieve improved overall capacity and / or link quality without altering the scope of the systems and procedures described in this document.

[0093] It should be understood that the systems described above can incorporate several or all of these components, and that these components can be located either on a standalone machine or, in some embodiments, on multiple machines in a distributed system. Additionally, the systems and methods described above can be implemented as one or more computer-readable programs or executable instructions on or in one or more products. The product can be a floppy disk, a hard disk, a CD-ROM, a flash memory card, a PROM, RAM, ROM, or magnetic tape. Generally, the computer-readable programs can be implemented in any programming language, such as LISP, PERL, C, C++, C#, PROLOG, or in any bytecode language, such as JAVA.The software programs or executable instructions can be stored in or on one or more products as object code.

Claims

[1] Device comprising the following: a media source comprising a first communication interface connected to at least one media sink via a first low-power wireless communication medium and a second communication interface connected to the at least one media sink via a second high-bandwidth wireless communication medium; wherein the first communication interface is configured to receive synchronization information from the at least one media sink via the low-power wireless communication medium; and wherein the second communication interface is configured to transmit media data via the high-bandwidth wireless communication medium to at least one media sink. [2] Device according to claim 1, wherein the first communication interface is further configured to receive a negative acknowledgment of a media segment via the low-power wireless communication medium from a first media sink in response to the fact that the first media sink has not successfully received the media segment from the media source via the high-bandwidth wireless communication medium during a predetermined period of time. [3] Device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first communication interface is further configured to receive a negative acknowledgment of a media segment via the low-power wireless communication medium from a first media sink in response to a second media sink failing to successfully receive the media segment from the media source via the high-bandwidth wireless communication medium from the at least one media sink during a predetermined period of time. [4] Device according to one of the preceding claims 2 or 3, wherein the first communication interface is further configured to retransmit the media segment in response to receiving the negative acknowledgment. [5] Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the media source is further configured to select a channel from a plurality of channels of the high-bandwidth wireless communication medium. [6] Device according to claim 5, wherein the first communication interface is further configured to transmit an identification of the selected channel to the at least one media sink via the low-power wireless communication medium. [7] Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the media source further comprises a timer for a negative confirmation. [8] Device according to claim 7, wherein the timer is started in response to the transmission of a media segment via the second communication interface. [9] Device according to claim 8, wherein the media segment is held in a buffer of the second communication interface. [10] Device according to claim 9, wherein the second communication interface is further configured to remove the media segment from the buffer of the second communication interface in response to the fact that it has not received a negative acknowledgment for the media segment via the first communication interface before the negative acknowledgment timer has expired.

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