IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,438,688
Granted Patent B2
US 11,438,688 · App. 17/217,201 · Granted Sep 6, 2022

Sharing audio from a source device

Inventors: Milos Jorgovanovic (Mountain View, CA); Ganesha Batta (Pleasanton, CA)
Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
H04R1/1041H04R1/1016H04R2420/07
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,438,688
App. No.
17/217,201
Filed
Mar 30, 2021
Granted
Sep 6, 2022
Kind
B2
Examiner
KING, SIMON
Art Unit
2653
USPC
381/74
Abstract

In various examples, audio received from a source device is shared from a first wireless earbud to one or more other wireless earbuds. For example, source-device settings are shared by the first wireless earbud with the one or more other wireless earbuds to facilitate synchronization and passive receipt of data transmitted by the source device. Once the wireless earbuds are synchronized, they may check in with one another in a coordinated manner to share packets that were missed when passively listening to the source device.

Claims (81)

1. An audio system comprising:

a first pair of wireless earbuds comprising a first wireless earbud and a second wireless earbud that exchange data via a first communication channel;

a second pair of wireless earbuds comprising a third wireless earbud and a fourth wireless earbud that exchange data via a second communication channel, which is different from the first communication channel;

wherein the first wireless earbud comprises:

one or more processing units; and

one or more memory units storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing units, cause the one or more processing units to execute operations comprising:

receiving first audio data from a source device via a third communication channel, which is different from the first communication channel and the second communication channel;

receiving, from the second wireless earbud, a first message indicating that the second wireless earbud received the first audio data;

receiving, via a fourth communication channel and from the third wireless earbud, a second message indicating that the first audio data was not received by the third wireless earbud; and

transmitting a copy of the first audio data to the third wireless earbud via the fourth communication channel.

2. The audio system of claim 1 , wherein the second wireless earbud, the third wireless earbud, and the fourth wireless earbud each comprises:

one or more processing units; and

one or more memory units storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing units, cause the one or more processing units of each of the second wireless earbud, the third wireless earbud, and the fourth wireless earbud to execute operations comprising:

receiving, using settings associated with the third channel, the first audio data from the source device.

3. The audio system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more memory units store instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing units, cause the one or more processing units to execute operations comprising, prior to receiving the first message:

waiting, during a first portion of a discrete time duration;

determining, during a second portion of the discrete time duration, that second audio data is not received; and

sending, via the first communication channel and to the second wireless earbud, a third message during the second portion of the discrete time duration, the third message indicating a status inquiry.

4. The audio system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more memory units store instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing units, cause the one or more processing units to execute operations comprising:

synchronizing a clock based on settings provided by the source device, the clock being used to track discrete time durations;

counting, based on the clock, a quantity of discrete time durations elapsed; and

sending, based on the quantity of discrete time durations elapsing and via the fourth communication channel, a third message to the third wireless earbud, the third message indicating a status inquiry.

5. The audio system of claim 4 , wherein the counting the quantity of discrete time durations is initiated asynchronously with the source device transmitting audio data via the third communication channel.

6. The audio system of claim 4 , wherein the counting the quantity of discrete time durations is synchronized to start in parallel with the source device transmitting the first audio data via the third communication channel.

7. The audio system of claim 1 , wherein the fourth wireless earbud comprises:

one or more processing units; and

one or more memory units storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing units, cause the one or more processing units of the fourth wireless earbud to execute operations comprising: receiving the copy of the first audio data transmitted, via the fourth communication channel, from the first wireless earbud to the third wireless earbud.

8. The audio system of claim 1 , wherein the third wireless earbud comprises:

one or more processing units; and

one or more memory units storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing units, cause the one or more processing units of the third wireless earbud comprises to execute operations comprising: transmitting a copy of the first audio data to the fourth wireless earbud via the second communication channel.

9. A method of sharing audio data among a first pair of wireless earbuds, which includes a first wireless earbud and a second wireless earbud, and a second pair of wireless earbuds, which includes a third wireless earbud and a fourth wireless earbud, the method comprising:

establishing, by the first wireless earbud, a first communication channel with a source device;

sending link data associated with the first communication channel to the second wireless earbud, the third wireless earbud, and the fourth wireless earbud;

synchronizing, by each of the second wireless earbud, the third wireless earbud, and the fourth wireless, respective channel settings based on the link data;

receiving, by the first wireless earbud via the first communication channel, first audio data from the source device;

receiving, by the first wireless earbud and via a second communication channel, a first message from the second wireless earbud indicating that the second wireless earbud received the first audio data;

receiving, by the first wireless earbud and via a third communication channel, a second message from the third wireless earbud indicating that the first audio data was not received by the third wireless earbud; and

transmitting, by the first wireless earbud and via the third communication channel, a copy of the first audio data to the third wireless earbud.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

prior to receiving the first message:

waiting, by the first wireless earbud and during a first portion of a discrete time duration;

determining, by the first wireless earbud and during a second portion of the discrete time duration, that second audio data is not received; and

sending, by the first wireless earbud and via the second communication channel, a third message to the second wireless earbud, the third message being sent during the second portion of the discrete time duration and indicating a status inquiry; and

prior to receiving the second message:

counting, by the first wireless earbud and based on a clock, a quantity of discrete time durations elapsed; and

sending, by the first wireless earbud and based on the quantity of discrete time durations elapsing, a fourth message to the third wireless earbud via the third communication channel, the fourth message indicating a status inquiry.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the interval of discrete time durations begins asynchronously with the source device transmitting audio data via the first communication channel.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the interval of discrete time durations begins in parallel with the source device transmitting the first audio data via the first communication channel.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

sending, by the third wireless earbud, the second message to the first wireless earbud; and

prior sending the second message, receiving, by the third wireless earbud and via a fourth communication channel, a third message indicating that the fourth wireless earbud did not receive the first audio data.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

sending, by the third wireless earbud and via the fourth communication channel, the copy of the first audio data to the fourth wireless earbud.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

receiving, by the fourth wireless earbud, the copy of the first audio data transmitted via the third communication channel.

16. A method of sharing audio data among a first pair of wireless earbuds, which includes a first wireless earbud and a second wireless earbud, and a second pair of wireless earbuds, which includes a third wireless earbud and a fourth wireless earbud, the method comprising:

establishing, by the first wireless earbud, a first communication channel with a source device;

sending link data associated with the first communication channel to the second wireless earbud, the third wireless earbud, and the fourth wireless earbud;

synchronizing, by each of the second wireless earbud, the third wireless earbud, and the fourth wireless, respective channel settings based on the link data;

receiving, by the first wireless earbud via the first communication channel, first audio data from the source device;

receiving, by the first wireless earbud and via a second communication channel, a first message from the second wireless earbud indicating the second wireless earbud did not receive the first audio data;

sending, by the first wireless earbud to the second wireless earbud, a first copy of the first audio data;

receiving, by the first wireless earbud and via the second communication channel, a second message from the third wireless earbud indicating the third wireless earbud did not receive the first audio data; and

sending, by the first wireless earbud to the third wireless earbud, a second copy of the first audio data.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first message is received during a first time period, and wherein the second message is received during a second time period that does not overlap with the first time period.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising,

prior to receiving the first message:

waiting, by the first wireless earbud and during a first portion of a first discrete time duration;

determining, by the first wireless earbud and during a second portion of the first discrete time duration, that second audio data is not received; and

sending, by the first wireless earbud and via the second communication channel, a third message to the second wireless earbud during the second portion of the first discrete time duration, the third message indicating a status inquiry; and

prior to receiving the second message:

waiting, by the first wireless earbud and during a first portion of a second discrete time duration;

determining, by the first wireless earbud and during a second portion of the second discrete time duration, that second audio data is not received; and

sending, by the first wireless earbud and via the second communication channel, a fourth message to the third wireless earbud during the second portion of the second discrete time duration, the fourth message indicating a status inquiry.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising,

waiting, by the second wireless earbud and the third wireless earbud and during the first portion of the first discrete time duration;

determining, by the second wireless earbud and the third wireless earbud and during the second portion of the first discrete time duration, that second audio data is not received; and

changing, by the second wireless earbud and the third wireless earbud and during the second portion of the first discrete time duration, channel settings from being associated with the first communication channel to being associated with the second communication channel.

20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising,

receiving, by the first wireless earbud and via the second communication channel, a third message from the fourth wireless earbud indicating the fourth wireless earbud did not receive the first audio data; and

sending, by the first wireless earbud to the fourth wireless earbud, a third copy of the first audio data.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 30, 2021
From: JORGOVANOVIC, MILOS; BATTA, GANESHA
To: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 055769/0273 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63120563 · Dec 2, 2020
Related Publication 20220174392A1 · Jun 2, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,731,618