Wireless Audio Streaming for Public Video Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
In environments where multiple video display devices are available for public viewing, such as gyms, restaurants, or airports, the noise level from audio signals becomes intolerable, making it difficult for individuals to distinguish audio from one TV or engage in personal conversations, and existing solutions like close captioning or radio broadcasts are not always sufficient.
Innovation Solution
A system where servers provide audio streams to user devices over a wireless network, allowing individuals to select and listen to audio streams corresponding to their preferred video content on personal portable devices like smartphones, eliminating the need for specific hardware at display devices and avoiding noise pollution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If audio signals are provided for public listening from multiple TVs, then users can hear the audio content, but the noise level becomes intolerable and audio chaos occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The audio signal is extracted from the TV display device and transmitted separately through a wireless network to mobile devices. This separates the audio delivery path from the video display, allowing users to receive audio content without it being broadcast through public speakers that create noise chaos.
Solution Approach 2:
A wireless network serves as an intermediary between the TV and the user's mobile device for audio transmission. The audio stream is sent through this intermediary channel rather than through public address systems, enabling private listening without contributing to environmental noise.
2Loss of information
If close captioning is turned on for display devices, then users can read text version of audio, but this is not always sufficient for all people in the room
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides multiple modes of audio access through a single platform: users can choose to listen to audio streams privately through their mobile devices or read closed captions on the display devices. This multi-functional approach accommodates different user preferences and needs within the same environment.
3Loss of information
If audio streams are provided through radio broadcasts, then users can listen to audio by tuning radios, but users must bring or borrow radio equipment
Solution Approach 1:
Users utilize their own mobile devices which they already possess and are familiar with. The system leverages the user's existing personal equipment rather than requiring them to bring or borrow specialized radio equipment, making the service more convenient and accessible.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device serves multiple functions: it acts as both the video display (showing the TV content) and the audio receiver (playing the audio stream). This consolidation eliminates the need for separate radio equipment while providing both visual and auditory access to the content.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple TVs are provided for public viewing, then multiple clients can view different video content, but audio from each TV creates audio chaos
Solution Approach 1:
The audio delivery is segmented and assigned to individual users based on their selected content, rather than broadcasting all audio through common speakers. Each user receives their own dedicated audio stream through their personal mobile device, eliminating the mixing of multiple audio sources that creates chaos.
Data Source
AI summary
In an environment where video display devices are available for simultaneous viewing, servers provide audio streams to user devices for listening. People may, thus, listen to the audio streams through their user devices while watching the video display devices. An application on the user devices determines which audio streams are available, and the servers may indicate which audio streams are available. The application sends a request to a server to transmit a selected audio stream. The server transmits the selected audio stream, e.g. over a wireless network in the environment. A variety of additional features are enabled by the interaction of the application and the servers.