Wireless Audio Hub Pairing With Simplified LLC/MAC Protocols
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless audio systems face challenges in providing secure, tight synchronization among multiple receivers with minimal latency due to limitations in bandwidth and processing delays inherent in Wi-Fi networks, leading to audio quality degradation and synchronization issues.
Innovation Solution
A wireless audio distribution system utilizing a configurable software-defined hub and nodes, optimized for minimum payload overhead and processing, with a modified Logical Link Control (LLC) layer and unmodified Media Access Control (MAC) layer of the OSI protocol, enabling secure pairing and synchronized data transmission within a physically contiguous space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If audio is transmitted over Wi-Fi network using standard protocols, then wireless connectivity and versatility are achieved, but latency and synchronization issues occur due to processing delays in multiple OSI layers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the upper OSI protocol layers (layers 3-7) from the audio transmission path, keeping only the essential Layer 2 (MAC) and Layer 1 (Physical) functions. This extraction eliminates unnecessary processing delays while maintaining wireless connectivity, directly resolving the latency issue without sacrificing adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a dedicated audio data stream that operates as an intermediary channel, bypassing the standard IP-based networking stack. This intermediary mechanism allows audio data to be transmitted directly over the wireless medium with minimal processing, achieving low latency while maintaining compatibility with existing Wi-Fi infrastructure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If standard Wi-Fi protocols with multiple OSI layers are used, then network versatility and compatibility are maintained, but processing overhead and metadata increase latency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential networking functions (Layer 2 MAC and Layer 1 Physical) required for wireless audio transmission, removing the complex upper layers (3-7) that contribute to processing overhead. This maintains basic network compatibility while dramatically reducing device complexity and processing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of following the traditional approach of using full OSI protocol stacks for audio transmission, the patent inverts the approach by using a simplified protocol structure with minimal layers, achieving lower complexity while maintaining the essential networking capabilities needed for wireless audio.
3Reliability
If audio data is transmitted with full protocol headers and metadata, then data integrity and routing information are ensured, but payload overhead increases latency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes unnecessary protocol headers and metadata from the audio data stream, keeping only the minimal information required for data integrity and basic routing. This extraction reduces payload overhead significantly while maintaining essential reliability functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by implementing only the essential protocol functions needed for audio transmission (Layer 2 and Layer 1), omitting the excessive protocol overhead of full OSI stacks. This partial implementation achieves sufficient data integrity without the latency penalty of complete protocol compliance.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed herein for wireless audio distribution for improved performance. The method can include receiving, at a configurable software-defined hub, a pairing initiation signal to connect the hub with at least one node of one or more configurable software-defined nodes. The method can include receiving, from the at least one node, a plurality of node identifiers; authorizing the at least one node based on a comparison of the plurality of node identifiers and identifier data stored in the hub memory; securely pairing the configurable software-defined hub with at least one authorized node; configuring a software-defined transceiver chain comprising a configurable hub transmitter and an authorized node receiver with a modified Logical Link Control layer and an unmodified Media Access Control layer of an Open System Interconnect protocol, and communicating data in a predetermined format from the configurable hub transmitter to the authorized node receiver.