IP Library Granted Patent US 12,495,086
Granted Patent B2
US 12,495,086 · App. 17/948,753 · Granted Dec 9, 2025

Audio synchronization using broadcast messages

Inventor: Saar Litman (Montclair, NJ)
Assignee: Zoom Communications, Inc.
H04L65/75H04L7/0016
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,495,086
App. No.
17/948,753
Granted
Dec 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Broadcast messages that each includes a conference identifier of a conference to which the device is joined are transmitted from a device. Each broadcast message includes a respective indication of an audio frame of first audio frames of an audio stream of the conference. A broadcast message that includes the conference identifier of the conference and an indication of a received frame number is received from another device that is joined to the conference. One of the first audio frames is output via a speaker of the device where the one of the first audio frames is selected using the respective indication of the audio frame of the first audio frames and the indication of the received frame number.

Claims (38)

1 . A method, comprising:

transmitting, from a device and at a first frequency, broadcast messages that each includes a conference identifier of a conference to which the device is joined and includes a respective indication of an audio frame of first audio frames of an audio stream of the conference;

receiving, from another device joined to the conference, a broadcast message that includes the conference identifier and an indication of a received frame number; and

outputting, via a speaker of the device, one of the first audio frames selected based on the respective indication of the audio frame of the first audio frames and the indication of the received frame number.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the respective indication of the audio frame is a frame number that is currently output at the device.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the respective indication of the audio frame is a frame number that is outputted at the device after a predetermined period of time.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

omitting a transmission of a second broadcast message in response to determining that no audio frames were received since a time of transmission of a previous broadcast message.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving second audio frames; and

transmitting, at a second frequency that is different from the first frequency, broadcast messages that include the conference identifier, wherein each of the broadcast messages includes a respective indication of an audio frame of the second audio frames.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast messages are transmitted over a first network that is different from a second network used to receive the first audio frames.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast messages are transmitted using a one-way transmission protocol.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast messages are transmitted over a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) network.

9 . A device, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor, the processor configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

transmit, from the device and at a first frequency, broadcast messages that each includes a conference identifier of a conference to which the device is joined and each includes a respective indication of an audio frame of first audio frames of an audio stream of the conference;

receive, from another device joined to the conference, a broadcast message that includes the conference identifier of the conference and an indication of a received frame number; and

output, via a speaker of the device, one of the first audio frames selected based on the respective indication of the audio frame of the first audio frames and the indication of the received frame number.

10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the respective indication of the audio frame is a frame number that is currently output at the device.

11 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the respective indication of the audio frame is a frame number that is to be output at the device after a predetermined period of time.

12 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions store in the memory to:

omit a transmission of a second broadcast message in response to determining that no audio frames were received since a time of transmission of a previous broadcast message.

13 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions store in the memory to:

receive second audio frames; and

transmit, at a second frequency that is different from the first frequency, broadcast messages that include the conference identifier of the conference and wherein each of the broadcast messages includes a respective indication of an audio frame of the second audio frames.

14 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the broadcast messages are transmitted over a first network that is different from a second network used to receive the first audio frames.

15 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the broadcast messages are transmitted over a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) network.

16 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions operable to cause one or more processors to perform operations comprising, comprising:

transmitting, from a device and at a first frequency, broadcast messages that each includes a conference identifier of a conference to which the device is joined and includes a respective indication of an audio frame of first audio frames of an audio stream of the conference;

receiving, from another device joined to the conference, a broadcast message that includes the conference identifier of the conference and an indication of a received frame number; and

outputting, via a speaker of the device, one of the first audio frames selected based on the respective indication of the audio frame of the first audio frames and the indication of the received frame number.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the respective indication of the audio frame is a frame number that is currently output at the device.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the respective indication of the audio frame is a frame number that is to be output at the device after a predetermined period of time.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:

omitting a transmission of a second broadcast message in response to determining that no audio frames were received since a time of transmission of a previous broadcast message.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the broadcast messages are transmitted over a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) network.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 7, 2025
From: ZOOM VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: ZOOM COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 069839/0593 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 20, 2022
From: LITMAN, SAAR
To: ZOOM VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 061154/0431 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240098131A1 · Mar 21, 2024
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