IP Library Granted Patent US 9,866,966
Granted Patent B2
US 9,866,966 · App. 15/160,689 · Granted Jan 9, 2018

Wireless audio system

Inventor: Phillip Dale Lott (Nashville, TN)
Assignee: Fender Musical Instruments Corporation
H04R5/04H04R3/005H04S1/005H04R2420/07
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,866,966
App. No.
15/160,689
Granted
Jan 9, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wireless audio system may be configured with a mobile communication device that is concurrently wirelessly connected to first and second monitors, respectively, via first and second wireless pathways. The first and second wireless pathways can be different and provide stereo audio reproduction with the first and second monitors with 5 ms of latency or less.

Claims (29)

1. An apparatus comprising a communication device connected to a first audio reproducing monitor via a first wireless pathway and to a second audio reproducing monitor via a second wireless pathway, each wireless pathway communicating between a first near field magnetic induction (NFMI) antenna of the communication device and a first NFMI receiver positioned in each of the respective audio reproducing monitors to provide stereo audio reproduction with 5 ms or less of signal latency, the first audio reproducing monitor comprising a second NFMI antenna connected to a second NFMI receiver of the communication device via a third wireless pathway, the second audio reproducing monitor comprising a third NFMI antenna connected to the second NFMI receiver via a fourth wireless pathway.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the communication device has a first NFMI processor connected to the first NFMI antenna and each audio reproducing monitor has a second NFMI processor respectively connected to the second and third NFMI antennae.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the communication device is physically separated from each audio reproducing monitor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the third wireless pathway is concurrently present between the communication device and the first audio reproducing monitor while the fourth wireless pathway is present between the communication device and the second audio reproducing monitor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and third wireless pathways concurrently redundant transmit signals between the communication device and the first audio reproducing monitor and the second and fourth wireless pathways concurrently transmit redundant signals between the communication device and the second audio reproducing monitor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the third and fourth wireless pathways are each Bluetooth secured wireless pathways.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an NFMI microphone is wirelessly connected to the communication device via a fifth wireless pathway.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the NFMI microphone is physically attached to the first audio reproducing monitor.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the NFMI microphone has a cable port electrically connected to a source, the source being physically and electrically separate from the communication device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the source is a battery.

11. A system comprising:

a communication device;

a first audio reproducing monitor connected to the communication device via a first wireless pathway;

a second audio reproducing monitor connected to the communication device via a second wireless pathway, each wireless pathway communicating between a near field magnetic induction (NFMI) antenna and a NFMI receiver to provide stereo audio reproduction with 5 ms or less of signal latency; and

an extension physically attached to the first audio reproducing monitor and continuously extending to an area below a head of a user, the extension being physically separate from the communication device.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the extension consists of at least one electrical circuit.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the electrical circuit comprises a wireless signal booster.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the electrical circuit is a battery.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the extension comprises one or more buttons configured to alter the first and second wireless pathways.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the extension comprises a microphone wirelessly connected to the communication device via a third wireless pathway.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the extension comprises a proximity sensor configured to detect hand gestures of the user.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the extension comprises a vibration sensor configured to detect when the user is speaking.

19. A method comprising:

connecting a communication device connected to a first audio reproducing monitor via a first wireless pathway;

forming a second wireless pathway between the communication device and a second audio reproducing monitor, each wireless pathway communicating between a first near field magnetic induction (NFMI) antenna in the communication device and a first NFMI receiver in the respective audio reproducing monitors;

connecting a second NFMI antenna of the communication device to a second NFMI receiver of the first audio reproducing monitor via a third wireless pathway;

forming a fourth wireless connection between the second NFMI antenna and a third NFMI receiver of the second audio reproducing monitor, the first and second wireless pathways concurrently transmitting different left and right audio signals, the third and fourth wireless connections concurrently transmitting a matching signal; and

reproducing an audio signal in stereo with the first and second audio reproducing monitors with 5 ms or less of signal latency.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the communication device is positioned on a user while being physically separated from each audio reproducing monitor.

Assignments (9)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2025
From: FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 072768/0372 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2025
From: FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION; PRESONUS AUDIO ELECTRONICS, INC.
To: TIGER FINANCE, LLC
Reel/Frame 072802/0844 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 17, 2022
From: FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION; PRESONUS AUDIO ELECTRONICS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 059173/0524 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (047729/0940) Recorded Dec 2, 2021
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ROKR VENTURES, INC.; FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058296/0143 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 10, 2018
From: FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION; ROKR VENTURES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 047729/0940 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 7, 2018
From: FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION; ROKR VENTURES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 047711/0146 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (041193/0835) Recorded Dec 7, 2018
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION; ROKR VENTURES, INC.
Reel/Frame 048904/0818 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 7, 2017
From: FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION; ROKR VENTURES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 041193/0835 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 5, 2016
From: LOTT, PHILLIP DALE
To: FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039075/0992 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62164332 · May 20, 2015
Related Publication 20160345096A1 · Nov 24, 2016