Wireless Headphone Snoop Mode for Power and Latency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wireless stereo headphones face issues with high power consumption and data transmission quality due to the primary headphone forwarding audio data to the secondary headphone, and physical obstructions like the human head can cause latency and stuttering.
Innovation Solution
The wireless audio system employs a primary wireless headphone that establishes a normal communication link with the audio source, while the secondary wireless headphone operates in a snoop mode to receive audio data directly from the audio source, reducing the primary headphone's power consumption and eliminating the need for data forwarding, allowing seamless operation mode switching without disrupting communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the primary wireless headphone forwards audio data to the secondary wireless headphone, then the secondary headphone can receive audio information, but the primary headphone's power consumption increases and data transmission quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the audio data reception function from the primary headphone's forwarding role and assigns it directly to the secondary headphone through snoop mode. The secondary headphone independently receives audio data from the audio source via Bluetooth, eliminating the need for the primary headphone to forward data, thus reducing power consumption while maintaining transmission quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the secondary headphone establishes its own direct communication link with the audio source. This intermediary approach allows the secondary headphone to obtain audio data independently without relying on the primary headphone as a mediator, resolving the power consumption and transmission quality contradiction.
2Reliability
If the primary wireless headphone forwards audio data to the secondary wireless headphone, then the secondary headphone can receive audio information, but transmission latency increases and stuttering occurs due to physical obstructions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the audio data transmission path from the primary headphone's forwarding mechanism and creates a direct path to the secondary headphone. By eliminating the intermediate forwarding step through the primary headphone, the system reduces transmission latency and avoids stuttering caused by physical obstructions blocking the primary headphone's transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by establishing the secondary headphone's direct snoop mode connection with the audio source before audio playback begins. This pre-established direct link ensures that audio data can be received independently without relying on the primary headphone's forwarding capability, preventing latency and stuttering issues.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the wireless headphones operate in traditional master-slave mode, then the secondary headphone can connect to the audio source, but the system complexity increases and seamless mode switching cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by enabling both headphones to possess dual functionality: they can both act as primary devices with direct audio source connections and as secondary devices in snoop mode. This multi-functionality allows seamless role switching between headphones without increasing system complexity, as each headphone maintains the same hardware capabilities regardless of its current role.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by allowing the operational roles of the headphones to switch dynamically during use. The system can transition between different operational modes (traditional master-slave, snoop mode, independent mode) based on real-time needs, with the secondary headphone's snoop mode providing flexible adaptability while maintaining manageable system complexity through standardized protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of wireless audio systems and methods for wirelessly communicating audio information are disclosed herein. In one example, a wireless audio system includes a first wireless headphone and a second wireless headphone. The first wireless headphone is configured to establish a first short-range wireless link with an audio source and a second short-range wireless link with a second wireless headphone; transmit, to the audio source over the first short-range wireless link, a first global acknowledgement (ACK) message indicative of whether the first wireless headphone and the second wireless headphone successfully receive audio information transmitted by the audio source; in response to a mode switch event, transmit, to the second wireless headphone over the second short-range wireless link, status information associated with the first short-range wireless link; in response to the second wireless headphone successfully receiving the status information, transmit, to the second wireless headphone over the second short-range wireless link, a switch start message to switch modes of the first and second wireless headphones; and after transmitting the switch start message, transmit, to the second wireless headphone over the second short-range wireless link, a first local ACK message indicative of whether the first wireless headphone successfully snoops the audio information. The second wireless headphone configured to establish a third short-range wireless link with the audio source based on link information associated with the first short-range wireless link for snooping the audio information transmitted over the first short-range wireless link; receive, from the first wireless headphone over the second short-range wireless link, the status information; receive, from the first wireless headphone over the second short-range wireless link, the switch start message; after receiving the switch start message, receive, from the first wireless headphone over the second short-range wireless link, the first local ACK message; and transmit, to the audio source over the third short-range wireless link based on the status information, a second global ACK message indicative of whether the first wireless headphone and the second wireless headphone successfully receive the audio information based on the first local ACK message.