Bluetooth Relay Device Link Management for Multi-Device Audio

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Solution Overview

Problem

In Bluetooth network environments, existing technologies face challenges with resource consumption, power consumption, and network throughput due to the need for multiple links between devices, leading to increased complexity and potential data loss, especially in noisy conditions.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device with a processor, memory, and communication circuitry that connects to multiple external devices via separate communication links, allowing for efficient data transmission and reception by sharing connection information and using specific slots for data exchange, thereby reducing the burden on the primary device and improving network stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a user device forms multiple individual links with multiple receiving devices, then data can be transmitted to each device, but resource consumption and power consumption increase and complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to transmit data to multiple devicesVSAvoidcomplexity of managing multiple links

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the communication approach by introducing a dedicated relay device that handles connections to multiple receiving devices, while the user device maintains only a single link to the relay device. This segmentation separates the functions of data transmission and relay coordination, reducing the complexity burden on the user device while enabling multi-device communication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The relay device serves as an intermediary between the user device and multiple receiving devices. The relay device receives data from the user device via a single link and forwards it to multiple receiving devices through its own connections, eliminating the need for the user device to manage multiple individual links directly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a user device forms multiple individual links with multiple receiving devices, then data can be transmitted to each device, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to transmit data to multiple devicesVSAvoidpower consumption of user device

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If a user device forms multiple individual links with multiple receiving devices, then data can be transmitted to each device, but the time required for data packets to arrive increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to transmit data to multiple devicesVSAvoidtime required for data packets to arrive

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The relay device establishes connections to multiple receiving devices in advance before receiving data from the user device. This preliminary setup of communication paths allows the relay device to immediately forward data to all connected receiving devices without delay, reducing the time required for data transmission compared to establishing multiple links on demand.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Reliability

If one earphone receives data but the other earphone fails to receive data, then retransmission is required, but power consumption increases and network throughput decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata reception reliabilityVSAvoidnetwork throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The relay device receives feedback information from each connected receiving device about data reception status. Based on this feedback, the relay device can identify which devices successfully received the data and which did not, allowing for targeted retransmission only to devices that failed to receive the data, thereby improving reliability without unnecessarily reducing throughput through repeated retransmissions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11818781B2Communication method between multi devices in Bluetooth communication environment and electronic device therefor

Publication Date: 2023.11.14 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes an audio reception circuit, an audio output circuit, a communication circuit configured to support Bluetooth communication, a processor, and a memory. The processor may be configured to connect to a first external electronic device by a first communication link, connect a second external electronic device with a second communication link, transmit connection information including information about the first communication link to the second external electronic device via the second communication link, receive first data from the second external electronic device via the first communication link on a first time slot for data transmission from the first external electronic device of the first communication link, and transmit second data to the second external electronic device via the first communication link on a second time slot for data transmission to the first external electronic device of the first communication link.