IP Library Granted Patent US 11,363,544
Granted Patent B1
US 11,363,544 · App. 17/108,683 · Granted Jun 14, 2022

Wireless connection management

Inventor: Fnu Rohit Kumar (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
H04W52/52G10L25/21G10L25/60H04R1/1041H04W52/241H04W76/10H04R2420/07
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,363,544
App. No.
17/108,683
Granted
Jun 14, 2022
Kind
B1
Abstract

A system and method includes a first audio device (e.g., a primary wireless earbud) connected to a second audio device (e.g., a secondary wireless earbud) using a first wireless connection. The first audio device is also connected to a user device (e.g., a smartphone or smart watch) using a second wireless connection. The second audio device receives data, such as packets, sent from the third device to the first device by monitoring the second wireless connection. If a signal quality of the second wireless connection as determined by the first and/or second audio device changes, the first and/or second audio device may exchange primary/secondary roles and/or enable or disable wireless signal amplifiers.

Claims (84)

1. A computer-implemented method, the method comprising:

determining, by a first audio device, first signal quality data corresponding to a first signal quality metric of a wireless signal output by a user device;

receiving, at the first audio device from a second audio device, second signal quality data corresponding to a second signal quality metric of the wireless signal;

determining, by the first audio device, that the first signal quality metric is less than a first threshold;

determining, by the first audio device using the second signal quality data, that the second signal quality metric is less than a second threshold;

based at least in part on determining, by the first audio device, that the first signal quality metric is less than a first threshold and the second signal quality metric is less than a second threshold, enabling, by the first audio device, an amplifier corresponding to the wireless signal;

receiving, by the first audio device, a second wireless signal from the user device; and

amplifying, by the first audio device using the amplifier, the second wireless signal to generate a first amplified signal.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

after receiving the second wireless signal, receiving, at the first audio device, a third wireless signal from the user device;

determining that a fourth signal quality metric of the third wireless signal is greater than the first threshold; and

disabling the amplifier.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

enabling, by the second audio device, a second amplifier corresponding to the wireless signal;

receiving, by the second audio device, the second wireless signal;

amplifying, using the second amplifier, the second wireless signal to generate a second amplified signal; and

outputting, by the second audio device, audio corresponding to the second amplified signal.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first signal quality metric comprises:

determining a normalized received signal strength indicator (RSSI) value corresponding to the wireless signal;

determining a normalized packet error rate (PER) value corresponding to the wireless signal; and

determining an average of the normalized RSSI value and the normalized PER value.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a power level corresponding to the second audio device;

determining that the power level is less than a power threshold; and

based on determining that the power level is less than the power threshold, determining to enable the amplifier.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

adding the first signal quality metric and a delta value to determine the second threshold.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the first audio device, fourth signal quality data corresponding to a fourth signal quality metric of a third wireless signal received from the user device;

receiving, at the first audio device from the second audio device, fifth signal quality data corresponding to a fifth signal quality metric of the third wireless signal;

determining that the fourth signal quality metric is less than the first threshold;

determining that the fifth signal quality metric is greater than the second threshold; and

establishing a wireless connection between the second audio device and the user device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , further comprising:

prior to determining the first signal quality data, establishing, during a first period of time, a first wireless connection between the first audio device and the user device;

prior to establishing the first wireless connection establishing, during a second period of time, a second wireless connection between the first audio device and the user device; and

determining that a difference between the first period of time and the second period of time is greater than a threshold.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

prior to determining that the first signal quality metric is less than the first threshold, determining that the amplifier is disabled.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

after determining that the first signal quality metric is less than the first threshold, determining that the first signal quality metric is greater than a third threshold, wherein the third threshold is lower than the first threshold.

11. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

determine, by a first audio device, first signal quality data corresponding to a first signal quality metric of a wireless signal output by a user device;

receive, at the first audio device from a second audio device, second signal quality data corresponding to a second signal quality metric of the wireless signal;

determine, by the first audio device, that the first signal quality metric is less than a first threshold;

determine, by the first audio device using the second signal quality data, that the second signal quality metric is less than a second threshold;

based at least in part on determining that the first signal quality metric is less than a first threshold and the second signal quality metric is less than a second threshold, enable, by the first audio device, an amplifier corresponding to the wireless signal;

receive, by the first audio device, a second wireless signal from the user device; and

amplify, by the first audio device, using the amplifier, the second wireless signal to generate a first amplified wireless signal.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:

after receiving the second wireless signal, receive, at the first audio device, a third wireless signal from the user device;

determine that a fourth signal quality metric of the third wireless signal is greater than the first threshold; and

disable the amplifier.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:

enable, by the second audio device, a second amplifier corresponding to the wireless signal;

receive, by the second audio device, the second wireless signal;

amplify, using the second amplifier, the second wireless signal to generate a second amplified signal; and

output, by the second audio device, audio corresponding to the second amplified signal.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:

determine a normalized received signal strength indicator (RSSI) value corresponding to the wireless signal;

determine a normalized packet error rate (PER) value corresponding to the wireless signal; and

determine an average of the normalized RSSI value and the normalized PER value.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:

determine a power level corresponding to the second audio device;

determine that the power level is less than a power threshold; and

based on determining that the power level is less than the power threshold, determine to enable the amplifier.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:

add the first signal quality metric and a delta value to determine the second threshold.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:

determine, by the first audio device, fourth signal quality data corresponding to a fourth signal quality metric of a third wireless signal received from by the user device;

receive, at the first audio device from the second audio device, fifth signal quality data corresponding to a fifth signal quality metric of the third wireless signal;

determine that the fourth signal quality metric is less than the first threshold;

determine that the fifth signal quality metric is greater than the second threshold; and

establish a wireless connection between the second audio device and the user device.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the at least one memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:

prior to determining the first signal quality data, establish, during a first period of time, a first wireless connection between the first audio device and the user device;

prior to establishing the first wireless connection, establish, during a second period of time, a second wireless connection between the first audio device and the user device; and

determine that a difference between the first period of time and the second period of time is greater than a threshold.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:

prior to determining that the first signal quality metric is less than the first threshold, determine that the amplifier is disabled.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:

after determining that the first signal quality metric is less than the first threshold, determine that the first signal quality metric is greater than a third threshold, wherein the third threshold is lower than the first threshold.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 1, 2020
From: ROHIT KUMAR, FNU
To: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 054507/0842 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 63078005 · Sep 14, 2020
Cited By (2)
US 12,356,269 US 12,445,364