Coordinator Earbud Audio Sharing for Synchronized Streaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication protocols, such as classic Bluetooth, are limited in their ability to broadcast digital audio to multiple devices simultaneously, particularly when multiple users want to listen to the same audio on separate pairs of wireless headphones or earbuds.
Innovation Solution
A coordinator wireless speaker synchronizes with responder wireless speakers using source-device information to facilitate audio sharing among multiple sets of wireless earbuds, ensuring synchronized audio delivery by actively receiving data and passively forwarding any missed packets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If classic Bluetooth protocol is used for wireless audio streaming, then reliable point-to-point connection is achieved, but simultaneous broadcasting to multiple devices is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a coordinator wireless speaker as an intermediary device that receives audio data from the source device and redistributes it to multiple responder wireless speakers. This mediator approach enables one-to-many streaming while maintaining reliable connections through the coordinator's management of data distribution and retransmission protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the audio streaming function into distinct roles: a coordinator speaker that manages the connection to the source device, and responder speakers that receive audio from the coordinator. This segmentation allows the source device to maintain a single reliable connection while multiple speakers can simultaneously receive audio through the coordinated distribution network.
2Reliability
If active data reception is used for each wireless speaker, then complete audio data is received, but bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Responder wireless speakers perform partial data reception by attempting to receive only the audio data packets they need, rather than continuously monitoring all transmissions. The coordinator manages retransmissions only for missing packets, reducing overall bandwidth consumption while ensuring complete audio data reception for each speaker.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where responder speakers inform the coordinator about received and missing audio packets. This feedback enables the coordinator to efficiently manage retransmissions, sending additional data only when and where needed, thereby reducing unnecessary bandwidth consumption while maintaining complete audio data reception.
Data Source
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AI summary
In various examples, audio received from a source device is shared from a first wireless earbud to one or more other wireless earbuds. For example, source -device settings are shared by the first wireless earbud with the one or more other wireless earbuds to facilitate synchronization and passive receipt of data transmitted by the source device. Once the wireless earbuds are synchronized, they may check in with one another in a coordinated manner to share packets that were missed when passively listening to the source device.