Audio system and method for transmitting an audio signal

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for transmitting an audio signal from a first communication node (18) to a second communication node (20) by means of an audio system (16) and use of mobile infrastructure.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] title

[0003] Audio system and method for transmitting an audio signal

[0004] The invention relates to an audio system and a method for transmitting an audio signal.

[0005] State of the art

[0006] It appears to be known to locate mobile devices via cellular networks and to use these devices to deliver geographically targeted audio content (e.g., audio tour content).

[0007] For example, US 9,578,621 discloses the provision of audio tour data for mobile devices based on location data.

[0008] US 2012 / 0278721 Al discloses a museum tour system and a museum tour method.

[0009] An audio tour segment can be played from mobile devices when proximity to a specific object is detected.

[0010] US 2020 / 0314592 A1 discloses a system and method for creating, storing and providing self-guided audio tours

[0011] The mobile device is located and used to output audio tour data.

[0012] The disadvantage is that the mobile devices require maintenance and battery charging. This requires significant maintenance and upkeep. Furthermore, the audio quality of the audio system is often poor because analog, noise-prone modulation methods are typically used for signal transmission. Compared to modern mobile devices, the receiving devices usually have very limited memory and computing resources and are therefore severely limited in their expandability with additional, potentially computationally intensive functions or services.

[0013] Disclosure of the invention

[0014] The advantage of the invention is the combination of location determination of a mobile device with the output of audio content via a loudspeaker integrated into the environment.

[0015] The process works independently of the mobile communications standard, infrastructure hardware and mobile devices actually used.

[0016] A method according to the invention for transmitting an audio signal from a first communication participant to a second communication participant is implemented using an audio system and the mobile radio infrastructure in buildings. It primarily involves a guided audio tour with a tour guide and a group of visitors listening to the tour guide's explanations. The audio system maintains a connection with the mobile radio infrastructure.

[0017] The procedure includes at least the following steps:

[0018] • Registration of the first communication participant by means of a unique identification feature, whereby a message is sent to the audio system that the first communication participant is being used for an audio tour,

[0019] • Transmission of the audio signal via the first communication participant to the audio system, whereby the connection to the base station of the mobile radio infrastructure must always be maintained,

[0020] • Transmission of the audio signal via the audio system to the second communication participant. The transmission from the mobile device to the second communication participant, which is implemented as a loudspeaker or battery-operated device, is advantageously carried out via the audio system.

[0021] This has the advantage of allowing for flexible audio tours. Using loudspeakers instead of battery-operated devices saves material and administrative costs because there's no need to purchase and maintain a separate audio tour system, and the receiver batteries don't need to be constantly charged and maintained. Furthermore, the use of established and standardized mobile communications technology allows for cost-effective implementation of the invention.

[0022] The audio signal is better audible because no battery-powered audio devices are used, so the battery cannot fail.

[0023] If it is determined at which mobile radio antenna the audio signal from the first communication participant is received, the audio signal can advantageously be sent to the second communication unit closest to this mobile radio antenna via the mobile radio antenna at which the audio signal from the first communication participant is received. This has the advantage that the audio connection via the mobile radio connection has better audio quality than audio signals transmitted via analog, noise-prone modulation methods.

[0024] If there are several zones in a building and these zones are passed through by the visitor groups or the tour guide, it is advantageous to determine in which zone the audio signal must be transmitted.

[0025] There are at least the following steps:

[0026] • Determination of the position of the first communication participant 18, which is located in the first zone ZI or in the second zone Z2, • Transmission of the audio signal to the second communication participant 20, which is located in the first zone ZI or in the second zone Z2 by the audio control system,

[0027] • Playback of audio signals

[0028] This has the advantage that the visitor guide's comments can be transmitted over greater distances.

[0029] Further advantageous developments can be found in the drawings and the figure description.

[0030] Drawings

[0031] They show:

[0032] Figure 1 shows a building infrastructure with a building in schematic representation,

[0033] Figure 2 shows a method according to the invention for transmitting an audio signal,

[0034] Figure 3 shows another embodiment.

[0035] Description

[0036] Figure 1 shows an example of a building infrastructure with a building 10. The building 10 can be an office building, a museum, a factory or

[0037] This could be a production hall, an administrative building, an educational institution, or the like. The building contains several zones, but at least a first zone ZI and a second zone Z2. A group 12 of visitors 11 is guided through the building 10 by a tour guide 14. However, it is also conceivable for the group 12 of visitors to be guided outside the building 10 by the tour guide 14.

[0038] The visitor guide 14 provides group 12 with both explanations and safety instructions to protect visitors 11.

[0039] Both the tour guide 14 and the group 12 of visitors 11 can be in the first zone ZI or the second zone Z2, or in different zones ZI and Z2. The tour guide 14 and the group 12 of visitors 11 can freely traverse and change zones ZI and Z2.

[0040] An audio system 16 is used to guide the group 12. The audio system 16 comprises a first communication device 18 and at least one second communication device 20. The first communication device 18 is embodied as a mobile device used by the tour guide 14. In the exemplary embodiment, the mobile device 18 is a smartphone with a microphone. However, the mobile device 18 can be any communication device design that appears appropriate to a person skilled in the art.

[0041] In a first embodiment, the second communication participant 20 is embodied as a loudspeaker. Each visitor 11 is located near a loudspeaker. The "proximity of a loudspeaker" here refers to a distance between a visitor 11 and a loudspeaker that allows a visitor 11 to clearly hear a loudspeaker announcement and perceive the sound as neither too loud nor too quiet.

[0042] In a second exemplary embodiment, the second communication participant 20 is embodied as a battery-operated terminal device. Each visitor 11 carries a battery-operated terminal device 20. The audio system is provided to transmit an audio signal from the first communication participant 18 to the second communication participant 20. In the exemplary embodiment, the audio signal from the first communication participant 18 is a voice signal from the visitor guide 14. The second communication participant 20 reproduces the audio signal. In the first exemplary embodiment, the second communication participant 20 reproduces the audio signal as a loudspeaker announcement. In the second exemplary embodiment, the second communication participant 20 reproduces the audio signal, for example, via headphones, to each visitor 11 of the visitor group 12.

[0043] To transmit the audio signal from the first communication participant 18 to the second communication participant 20, the audio system 16 utilizes a mobile radio infrastructure present in the building 10. The mobile radio infrastructure includes at least one base station. The mobile radio antennas 30 of the base station are located a short distance from each other. A short distance is understood here to mean a distance of less than or equal to 10 meters.

[0044] In order to establish a call, the communication participants 18, 20 must maintain the connection to the mobile radio base station 30.

[0045] The base station 30 of the 5th generation mobile communications (5G) is able to detect the shortest distance of the first communication participant 18 and / or the second communication participant 20 to one of the antennas 30.

[0046] Optionally, the system enables the position of communication participants to be determined with an accuracy of up to 0.5 m, for example, by using multilateration or multiangulation methods. Position determination can be performed in the communication participants or in the base station.

[0047] It is also possible that building 10 is equipped with a fire alarm and / or evacuation system, with an evacuation system including evacuation loudspeakers spaced approximately 10 m apart. The evacuation loudspeakers can be addressed directly by zone. Figure 2 shows how the existing infrastructure is utilized with the method described below:

[0048] In a first method step 100, the administration 50 registers all communication participants 18 used by a group leader 14 and stores them as legitimate users of the audio system.

[0049] At the beginning of a visitor tour, the audio system 16 is informed in a step 110 that the first communication participant 18 is being used for an audio tour.

[0050] For this purpose, a unique identification feature is registered in the system.

[0051] A unique identifier is an identification number, an integrated circuit card identifier, an ICCID, a Universal Integrated Circuit Card, a SIM card, or something similar. The identifier connects to the audio system.

[0052] Identification can also be done by selecting from a list of already known identification features.

[0053] Optionally, the second communication participant 20 is registered in the audio system 16. For example, visitors 11 can register using an app via NFC on an NFC reader on the audio system 16.

[0054] In step 120, the voice signal of the visitor guide 14 is transmitted via the first communication participant 18 to the audio system 16. A connection to the base station of the mobile radio infrastructure must be maintained.

[0055] The voice signal is transmitted to the second communication participant 20 via the audio system.

[0056] According to the invention, the transmission takes place from the mobile terminal 18 of the tour guide to the loudspeakers 20 or to the battery-operated terminals 20 of the visitor groups 12 via the audio system. In a step 130, it is continuously determined at which mobile radio antenna 30 the audio signal of the first communication participant 18 is received. This determination takes place in the base station. However, it can also be made at a location downstream of the base station.

[0057] Optionally, in a step 140, the position of the first communication participant 18 is determined by further localization mechanisms of the mobile radio, e.g., multilateration or multiangulation using measured values ​​of neighboring base station antennas.

[0058] In step 150, the position of the visit guide 14 is determined.

[0059] If the position of the tour guide 14 is known, the nearest mobile radio antenna 30 can be determined. The audio signal from the first communication unit is sent via this mobile radio antenna 30 to the second communication unit that is also closest to this mobile radio antenna 30. This allows visitors 11 to hear the tour guide's voice signal via loudspeaker or headphones.

[0060] Figure 3 shows a further embodiment of the invention. Figure 3 shows a first zone ZI, a second zone Z2, an audio system 16, an emergency and alarm system 34, a localization service 36, and a base station with mobile radio antennas 30.

[0061] A visitor guide 14 and a group 12 of visitors 11 are located in the first zone ZI.

[0062] An audio system 16 is used to guide the group 12. The audio system 16 comprises a first communication participant 18 and at least one second communication participant 20. The first communication participant 18 is embodied as a mobile device, which the tour guide 14 uses. In the exemplary embodiment, the mobile device 18 is a smartphone with a microphone. However, the mobile device 18 can be any communication participant design that deems appropriate to a person skilled in the art. The first communication participant 18 is registered in the audio system 16 using an identification feature. In conjunction with this, the first communication participant 18 is assigned all the necessary rights to use the audio system.

[0063] In a third embodiment, the second communication participant 20 is embodied as a loudspeaker. Each visitor 11 is located near a loudspeaker. The "proximity of a loudspeaker" here refers to a distance between a visitor 11 and a loudspeaker that allows a visitor 11 to clearly hear a loudspeaker announcement and perceive the sound as neither too loud nor too quiet.

[0064] In a fourth embodiment, the second communication participant 20 is embodied as a battery-operated terminal. Each visitor 11 carries a battery-operated terminal 20.

[0065] The position of the first communication participant 18 is determined by the localization service 36.

[0066] The audio signal of the first communication participant 18 is forwarded from the base station to the audio system 16. The following steps are necessary:

[0067] • Determination of the position of the first communication participant 18, which is located in the first zone ZI,

[0068] • Transmission of the audio signal to the second communication participant 20, which is also located in the first zone ZI, by the audio control system,

[0069] • Playback of audio signals

[0070] Now the visitor guide 14 moves with the first communication participant 18 and the visitor group 12 with the second communication participant 20 into the second zone Z2.

[0071] The localization service 36 locates the first communication participant in the second zone Z2. As soon as the first communication participant 18 is located in the second zone Z2, the audio system 16 forwards the audio signals to the second communication participant 20 of the second zone Z2.

[0072] There are also possible extensions to the basic procedure:

[0073] By using their own mobile devices, visitors can access additional services. This could include, for example, a simultaneous translation function, which runs either locally on their personal devices or centrally on 5GS components.

[0074] Furthermore, the audio system 16 can have a prioritization function. The prioritization function monitors and allows the forwarding of audio signals according to a predefined priority.

[0075] Example: Only audio signals from the first communication participant 18 are forwarded as long as no higher priority audio signals from the emergency and alarm system are sent.

[0076] If the emergency and alarm system 24 sends an audio signal, the forwarding of the audio signal from the first communication participant 18 is stopped by the audio control system.

[0077] A second visitor group 40 can still enter the first zone ZI. However, the first zone ZI is still used by the first visitor group 12.

[0078] The prioritization function ensures that the different audio signals of the two groups are not superimposed and that the audio output in the first zone ZI can only be used by the second visitor group 40 once the first visitor group 12 has left the first zone ZI.

[0079] For latency-optimized audio signal output, the audio system can be implemented in a distributed manner. For this purpose, key, latency-critical subfunctions can be implemented multiple times and locally, i.e., physically close to the target zone, e.g., on edge servers. For example, zones 1 and 2 can have their own 5G access networks, which forward the audio data to a local audio subsystem with low latency. Thus, additional zones can have their own mobile access networks and audio subsystems, which are interconnected and coordinated via a common infrastructure.

Claims

Claims 1. Building infrastructure comprising a building (10) and at least one first zone (Z1) and a second zone (Z2), wherein a group (12) of visitors (11) is guided through the building (10) by a tour guide (14), and wherein the tour guide (14) as well as the group of visitors (12) can be in the first zone (Z1) or in the second zone (Z2) or in different zones (Z1, Z2), and the zones (Z1, Z2) can be freely traversed and changed, characterized in that an audio system (16) is used for guiding the group of visitors (12), wherein the audio system (16) has at least one first communication participant (18) and at least one second communication participant (20).

2. Building infrastructure according to claim 1, characterized in that the first communication participant (18) is designed as a mobile terminal and the second communication participant (20) is designed as a loudspeaker or as a battery-powered terminal.

3. Building infrastructure according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the audio system (16) is provided to transmit an audio signal from the first communication participant (18) to the second communication participant (20) by means of a mobile communication infrastructure present in the building (10), wherein the audio signal of the first communication participant (18) is a speech signal of the tour guide (14).

4. Building infrastructure according to claim 3, characterized in that the mobile communication infrastructure comprises at least one base station and the mobile communication antennas (30) of the base station are arranged at a distance from each other of which is less than or equal to 10 meters.

5. Building infrastructure, comprising a building (10) and a first zone (ZI), a second zone (Z2), an audio system (16), an emergency and alarm system (34), a localization service (36), and a base station with mobile antennas (30).

6. Method for transmitting an audio signal from a first communication participant (18) to a second communication participant (20) using an audio system (16) and mobile communication infrastructure, wherein the audio system (16) maintains a connection with the mobile communication infrastructure, comprising at least the following steps: • Registration of the first communication participant 18 by means of a unique identifier, whereby a message is sent to the audio system (16) that the first communication participant (18) is being used for an audio tour, • Transmission of the audio signal via the first communication participant 18 to the audio system 16, whereby the connection to the base station of the mobile communications infrastructure must always be maintained, • Transmission of the audio signal via the audio system to the second communication participant 20.

7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the transmission from the mobile terminal (18) to the second communication participants (20) designed as loudspeakers (20) or as battery-operated terminals (20) takes place via the audio system (16).

8. Method according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that it is determined at which mobile communication antenna 30 the audio signal of the first communication participant (18) is received, wherein the determination takes place in the base station.

9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that the audio signal of the first communication unit (18) is sent via the mobile communication antenna (30) at which the audio signal of the first communication participant (18) is received to the second communication unit (20) which is closest to this mobile communication antenna (30).

10. Method for transmitting an audio signal from a first communication participant (18) in a first zone ZI or a second zone Z2 to a second communication participant (20) in the first zone ZI or second zone Z2, using an audio system (16) and mobile communication infrastructure, wherein the audio system (16) maintains a connection with the mobile communication infrastructure, comprising at least the following steps: • Determining the position of the first communication participant 18, who is located in the first zone ZI or in the second zone Z2, • Transmission of the audio signal to the second communication participant 20, who is located in the first zone ZI or in the second zone Z2, via the audio control system, • Playback of audio signals