IP Library Granted Patent US 10,687,160
Granted Patent B2
US 10,687,160 · App. 15/715,000 · Granted Jun 16, 2020

Wireless audio analysis, test, and measurement

Inventors: Kenneth Ostrin (Beaverton, OR); Fredrick Capell, Jr. (Beaverton, OR); Joseph Begin (Beaverton, OR)
Assignee: AUDIO PRECISION, INC.
H04R29/001H04R2420/07
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,687,160
App. No.
15/715,000
Granted
Jun 16, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Apparatuses, systems and methods associated with an instrument for testing of an audio device are described herein. In embodiments, a module to be coupled to an analyzer may be described. The module may include an antenna, communication circuitry coupled to the antenna, and processor circuitry coupled to the communication circuitry. The processor circuitry may be to receive an indication of a configuration for the module, configure the module in accordance with the configuration, cause the communication circuitry to establish a wireless connection between the module and a device under test (DUT), and cause the communication circuitry to perform a test procedure for the DUT via the wireless connection. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Claims (39)

1. A module to be coupled to an analyzer and to test a device under test (DUT), the module comprising:

an antenna;

communication circuitry coupled to the antenna; and

processor circuitry coupled to the communication circuitry, the processor circuitry to:

receive an indication of a configuration for the module, the configuration including an indication that the module is to act as an audio source device when the DUT is an audio rendering device or act as an audio rendering device when the DUT is an audio source device;

configure the module in accordance with the configuration;

cause the communication circuitry to establish a wireless connection between the module and the DUT; and

cause the communication circuitry to perform a test procedure for the DUT via the wireless connection.

2. The module of claim 1 , wherein the communication circuitry includes a chipset, and wherein to configure the module includes to configure firmware of the chipset in accordance with the configuration.

3. The module of claim 1 , wherein the configuration indicates that the module is to be configured as the audio source device for the performance of the test procedure, wherein to configure the module includes to adopt, via the module, a profile corresponding to the audio source device for the performance of the test procedure, and wherein the DUT is configured to receive a signal from the module or another audio source device and generate an audio output based on the signal.

4. The module of claim 1 , wherein the configuration indicates that the module is to be configured as the audio rendering device for the performance of the test procedure, wherein to configure the module includes to adopt, via the module, a profile corresponding to the audio rendering device for the performance of the test procedure, and wherein the DUT is configured to generate a signal usable by the module or another audio rendering device to generate an audio output.

5. The module of claim 1 , wherein the configuration indicates that the test procedure is to include a test procedure associated with playback status and playback position, and wherein the test procedure includes sending a signal via the communication circuitry to the DUT, the signal including a simulated playback status and/or a simulated playback position and a request for a response from the DUT that includes the simulated playback status and/or the simulated playback position.

6. The module of claim 1 , wherein the configuration indicates that the test procedure is to include a test procedure associated with absolute volume, and wherein the test procedure includes sending a first signal and a second signal via the communication circuitry to the DUT, the first signal including absolute volume parameters and the second signal including a sound to be produced by the DUT.

7. The module of claim 1 , wherein the configuration indicates that the test procedure is to include a test procedure associated with audio/visual synchronization delay, and wherein the test procedure includes sending a signal via the communication circuitry to the DUT, the signal including a request for a synchronization delay time from the DUT.

8. The module of claim 1 , wherein the configuration indicates that the test procedure is to include a test procedure associated with transmission power, and wherein the test procedure includes sending a signal via the communication circuitry to the DUT, the signal transmitted at a predefined transmission power, the predefined transmission power implemented in the configuration of the module.

9. The module of claim 1 , wherein the configuration indicates an encoding standard to be utilized by the module, and wherein the communication circuitry is to:

encode signals to be transmitted to the DUT during the test procedure in accordance with the encoding standard; and

decode signals received from DUT during the test procedure in accordance with the encoding standard.

10. The module of claim 1 , wherein to encode the signals to be transmitted to the DUT includes to utilize a processor of the analyzer to encode the signals to be transmitted to the DUT in accordance with the encoding standard, and wherein to decode the signals received from the DUT includes to utilize the processor of the analyzer to decode the signals.

11. The module of claim 1 , wherein the processor circuitry is further to:

cause the communication circuitry to produce a test result based on the test procedure; and

transmit, via the analyzer, the test result to a computer device coupled to the analyzer for analysis of the test result by the computer device.

12. A system, comprising:

a module to test a device under test (DUT), the module comprising:

an antenna;

communication circuitry coupled to the antenna; and

processor circuitry coupled to the communication circuitry, the processor circuitry to:

receive an indication of a configuration for the module, the configuration including an indication that the module is to act as an audio source device based on a determination that the DUT is an audio rendering device or an indication that the module is to act as an audio rendering device based on a determination that the DUT is an audio source device;

configure the module in accordance with the configuration;

cause the communication circuitry to establish a wireless connection between the module and the DUT;

cause the communication circuitry to perform a test procedure for the DUT via the wireless connection, including sending one or more test signals to the DUT; and

determine test results based on a response of the DUT to the one or more test signals; and

an audio analyzer comprising control circuitry to send the test results to a computer device.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more test signals include a simulated playback status and/or a simulated playback position and a request for a response from the DUT that includes the simulated playback status and/or the simulated playback position.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more test signals include a first signal including absolute volume parameters and a second signal including a sound to be produced by the DUT.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the audio analyzer further comprises a microphone coupled to the control circuitry, the microphone configured to capture the sound produced by the DUT in response to the second signal.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more test signals include a request for a synchronization delay time from the DUT.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more test signals include a transmission signal transmitted at a predefined transmission power, the predefined transmission power implemented in the configuration of the module.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the audio analyzer is configured to send the indication of the configuration for the module to the module.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 15, 2025
From: BARINGS FINANCE LLC
To: AUDIO PRECISION, INC.
Reel/Frame 072034/0329 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2019
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: AUDIO PRECISION, INC.
Reel/Frame 048021/0803 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: AUDIO PRECISION, INC.
Reel/Frame 047924/0542 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 31, 2018
From: AUDIO PRECISION, INC.
To: BARINGS FINANCE LLC
Reel/Frame 047372/0466 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2017
From: AUDIO PRECISION, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 044416/0803 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 29, 2017
From: OSTRIN, KENNETH; CAPELL, FREDRICK, JR.; BEGIN, JOSEPH
To: AUDIO PRECISION, INC.
Reel/Frame 043747/0548 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62405767 · Oct 7, 2016
Related Publication 20180103331A1 · Apr 12, 2018