Low energy audio streaming
Systems, methods, software and apparatus enable low energy communication of audio data between an end user device and an associated intermediate communication device. Audio data is transmitted between the end user source device and associated intermediate communication device by cyclical updating and low energy transmission of data values as audio data packet fragments representing the audio data, which are assembled into audio data packets by the associated intermediate communication device. Packaged audio data is transmitted from one intermediate communication device to another intermediate communication device that is associated with an end user sink device. The end user sink device's associated intermediate communication device unpacks and transmits audio data packet fragments to the end user sink device by cyclical updating of and low energy transmission of data values as audio data packet fragments representing the audio data that are converted into acoustic signals.
1. A method of transmitting audio data, the method comprising:
a first communication device receiving over a low energy wireless communication link a plurality of audio data packet fragments from a second communication device, wherein each audio data packet fragment comprises audio data collected from an audio data stream;
the first communication device generating a plurality of audio data packets by assembling the received plurality of audio data packet fragments, wherein each audio data packet comprises a plurality of audio data packet fragments; and
the first communication device transmitting the plurality of audio data packets via a communication network.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the low energy wireless communication link comprises a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) communication link.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the plurality of audio data packet fragments received from the second communication device comprises a plurality of BLE characteristics.
4. The method of claim 2 wherein the second communication device utilizes a push-to-talk audio transmission attribute.
5. The method of claim 2 further comprising the second communication device updating a BLE status characteristic prior to transmitting the plurality of audio data packet fragments to the first communication device.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising encrypting the plurality of audio data packets prior to transmission via the communication network.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the audio data packets are Opus audio codec packets and further wherein each Opus audio codec packet includes two or more audio data packet fragments.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the assembled plurality of audio data packets via the communication network comprises the first communication device generating HTTP chunks comprised of portions of the plurality of audio data packets.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first communication device comprises one of the following:
a smartphone;
a gaming device;
a tablet; or
a laptop.
10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a low energy audio streaming communication application stored thereon, the low energy audio streaming communication application including instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of a first communication device, cause the first communication device to:
receive over a low energy wireless communication link a plurality of audio data packet fragments from a second communication device, wherein each audio data packet fragment comprises audio data collected from an audio data stream;
generate a plurality of audio data packets by assembling the received plurality of audio data packet fragments, wherein each audio data packet comprises a plurality of audio data packet fragments; and
transmit the plurality of audio data packets via a communication network.
11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the low energy wireless communication link comprises a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) communication link.
12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein the plurality of audio data packet fragments received from the second communication device comprises a plurality of BLE characteristics.
13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein the second communication device utilizes a push-to-talk audio transmission attribute.
14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein the second communication device updates a BLE status characteristic prior to transmitting the plurality of audio data packet fragments to the first communication device.
15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the audio data packets are Opus audio codec packets and further wherein each Opus audio codec packet includes two or more audio data packet fragments.
16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein transmission of the assembled plurality of audio data packets via the communication network comprises the first communication device generating HTTP chunks comprised of portions of the plurality of audio data packets.
17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 further including instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of the first communication device, cause the first communication device to encrypt the plurality of audio data packets prior to transmission via the communication network.
18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the first communication device comprises one of the following:
a smartphone;
a gaming device;
a tablet; or
a laptop.
19. A method of transmitting audio data, the method comprising:
a first communication device receiving a plurality of audio data packets via a communication network;
the first communication device generating a plurality of audio data packet fragments from the received plurality of audio data packets, wherein each audio data packet comprises a plurality of audio data packet fragments; and
the first communication device transmitting over a low energy wireless communication link the plurality of audio data packet fragments to a second communication device, wherein the second communication device generates an audio data stream from the transmitted plurality of audio data packet fragments.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the low energy wireless communication link comprises a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) communication link.