MULTI-CHANNEL AUDIO OVER STANDARD WIRELESS PROTOCOL

1 . A wireless multi-channel audio system, comprising:

an audio source, comprising:

a source wireless transceiver configured to communicate according to a standard wireless protocol; and

a source audio controller; and

wherein said source wireless transceiver and said source audio controller are collectively configured to:

establish wireless communications with each of a plurality of audio sinks via a corresponding one of a plurality of wireless links;

assign each audio sink a corresponding one of a plurality of audio channels;

synchronize timing with each of said plurality of audio sinks; and

transmit audio information for each of said plurality of audio channels to a corresponding one of said plurality of audio sinks via a corresponding one of said plurality of wireless links.

2 . The wireless multi-channel audio system of claim 1 , wherein said standard wireless protocol comprises Wi-Fi.

3 . The wireless multi-channel audio system of claim 1 , wherein said audio source is configured to transmit a request frame with audio parameters supported by said audio source, and is configured to receive a plurality of response frames each incorporating supported audio parameters.

4 . The wireless multi-channel audio system of claim 3 , wherein said audio parameters include at least one sample rate and at least one audio codec, and wherein said audio controller is configured to select a sample rate and an audio codec.

5 . The wireless multi-channel audio system of claim 1 , wherein said audio source further comprises:

a memory; and

wherein said audio controller implements a plurality of queues within said memory, and wherein each queue stores audio information for a corresponding one of said plurality of audio channels.

6 . The wireless multi-channel audio system of claim 1 , wherein said audio source further comprises at least one encoder for encoding uncompressed audio information to provide encoded audio information.

7 . The wireless multi-channel audio system of claim 1 , wherein said audio source further comprises:

a plurality of encoders; and

select logic controlled by said audio controller for selecting one of said plurality of encoders.

8 . The wireless multi-channel audio system of claim 1 , wherein said audio source further comprises a programmable encoder.

9 . The wireless multi-channel audio system of claim 1 , wherein said audio source is configured to transmit a plurality of frames via each of said plurality of wireless links, and wherein each of said plurality of frames includes a timestamp.

10 . The wireless multi-channel audio system of claim 9 , wherein at least one of said plurality of frames incorporates a common playback start time.

11 . The wireless multi-channel audio system of claim 9 , wherein said audio source further comprises:

a source timer; and

wherein said source wireless transceiver samples said source timer at a fixed time during transmission of each of said plurality of frames to generate a corresponding timestamp.

12 . The wireless multi-channel audio system of claim 11 , wherein at least one of said plurality of audio sinks comprises:

a sink timer;

a sink wireless transceiver which samples said sink timer at a fixed time during reception of each of said plurality of frames and which provides a corresponding sample value;

at least one adder which subtracts a timestamp included in each of said plurality of frames from a corresponding sample value to provide a corresponding delta value;

a memory which stores a first delta value as a reference value;

wherein said at least one adder subtracts each subsequent delta value from said reference value to provide a corresponding timing error value; and

timing circuitry which adjusts a timing reference based on said timing error value, wherein said timing reference is used to adjust timing of said sink timer.

13 . The wireless multi-channel audio system of claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of audio sinks synchronize timing with said audio source and are virtually synchronized with each other.

14 . The wireless multi-channel audio system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of audio sinks comprises at least one decoder for decoding received audio information to provide uncompressed audio information.

15 . The wireless multi-channel audio system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of audio sinks comprises:

a plurality of decoders; and

select logic for selecting one of said plurality of decoders.

16 . The wireless multi-channel audio system of claim 14 , wherein at least one of said plurality of audio sinks comprises a programmable decoder.

17 . A wireless multi-channel audio system, comprising:

an audio sink, comprising:

a wireless transceiver configured to communicate according to a standard wireless protocol;

an audio controller;

an audio buffer;

an audio conversion device; and

a loudspeaker; and

wherein said wireless transceiver and said audio controller are collectively configured to:

establish wireless communications with an audio source via a wireless link;

synchronize timing with said audio source;

receive audio information associated with one of a plurality of audio channels from said audio source via said wireless link and to store corresponding audio data into said audio buffer; and

provide said audio data for processing by said audio conversion device for conversion by said loudspeaker beginning at a playback start time received from said audio source.

18 . The wireless multi-channel audio system of claim 17 , wherein said audio sink further comprises:

a timer;

wherein said wireless transceiver samples said timer at a fixed time during reception of each of a plurality of frames transmitted by said audio source and provides a corresponding sample value;

at least one adder which subtracts a timestamp included in each of said plurality of frames from a corresponding sample value to provide a corresponding delta value;

a memory which stores a first delta value as a reference value;

wherein said at least one adder subtracts each subsequent delta value from said reference value to provide a corresponding timing error value;

timing circuitry which adjusts a timing reference based on said timing error value, wherein said timing reference is used to adjust timing of said timer; and

wherein said audio conversion device controls timing of processing of said audio data based on said timing reference.

19 . The wireless multi-channel audio system of claim 17 , wherein said audio sink is configured to respond to a request frame from said audio source with a response frame including audio parameters supported by said audio sink.

20 . The wireless multi-channel audio system of claim 17 , wherein said audio sink is configured to respond to a synchronization request frame from said audio source with a synchronization response frame which includes a duplicate of a synchronization request number provided within said synchronization request frame.

21 . The wireless multi-channel audio system of claim 17 , wherein said audio sink is configured to track progress of audio data received in a plurality of audio block frames transmitted by said audio source using a sample number provided within each of said plurality of audio block frames.