Shared Audio Streaming for Private Group Listening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of portable electronic devices face limited options for sharing their listening experiences without disturbing others or using headphones, which can create awkward situations.
Innovation Solution
A software application allows users to stream their listening experiences to other devices wirelessly, enabling selective sharing without headphones, with options for asynchronous streaming and real-time synchronization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the listener uses headphones to listen to music in a public place, then the listener can enjoy music privately without disturbing others, but the listener cannot share the listening experience with others
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a wireless audio transmission system as an intermediary between the listener's audio device and other devices. This intermediary allows the audio signal to be transmitted wirelessly to multiple devices simultaneously, enabling sharing without requiring physical connection through headphones, thus resolving the contradiction between private listening and sharing capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the audio transmission path by allowing the audio signal to be distributed to multiple independent wireless devices simultaneously. Each receiving device can play the audio independently, enabling multiple listeners to experience the music without being tethered together, thus solving the sharing limitation while maintaining privacy
2Adaptability or versatility
If the listener shares headphones with others, then the listening experience can be shared, but it creates an awkward situation where two listeners are tethered together
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical connection of shared headphones with a wireless transmission system. Instead of physically sharing headphones that tether listeners together, the system uses wireless signals to transmit audio to multiple devices, eliminating the awkward physical connection while maintaining the ability to share the listening experience
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates copies of the audio signal that can be transmitted simultaneously to multiple wireless devices. Each receiving device receives an independent copy of the audio stream, allowing multiple listeners to experience the music without sharing a single physical device, thus improving social comfort while enabling sharing
3Adaptability or versatility
If the listener uses speakers to share music in a public place, then others can listen to the music, but the listener cannot maintain privacy and control over the listening experience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables local quality control by allowing each receiving device to independently receive and play the audio stream. The listener can control which devices receive the audio and can manage the listening experience on each device separately, maintaining privacy and control while still enabling sharing with others in the public place
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention enables a user to share his/her listening experience selectively with others without sharing headphones and without disturbing others who do not want to listen. In a preferred embodiment, a first listener can accomplish this by storing in a Portable Electronic Device or similar device a library of listening experiences, listening to one of the listening experiences, and while listening to that one listening experience streaming the one listening experience to at least one other Portable Electronic Device or similar device. A second listener at the other Portable Electronic Device can then listen to the same listening experience as the first listener at the same time. It is expected that the listening experiences will typically be songs or other music but the invention may be practiced with any type of audio content. The first listener may also create a playlist of the listening experiences in the library and make the playlist available to others. Others may use the playlist to access the library and listen to one or more listening experiences stored in the library. Also, utilizing the same interface and communication methodologies as described above, the technology platform detailed in this application can be used for commercial purposes to stream location based content, audio and otherwise, to a connected network of Portable Electronic Devices. Commercial uses of this functionality include providing commercial establishments with the ability to create synchronous (users come into a stream at the exact point that it is being streamed in real time) and or asynchronous (users can select and start a transmission from the beginning) featured channels (location based) where they can stream any self created or otherwise authorized content to other Portable Electronic Devices in their range.