Method and apparatus for distributing data in a short-range wireless communication system

Abstract

A short-range communication system, such as a Bluetooth communication system, is provided that provides for a source communication device to multiplex data packets that are intended for different sink communication devices of multiple sink communication devices into a single stream that is broadcast to all of the multiple sink communication devices, and for each of the multiple sink communication devices to decode only the data packets intended for that sink communication device. Further, the communication system provides for a first sink communication device of the multiple sink communication devices to negotiate connection parameters associated the broadcast and to convey the negotiated connection parameters to a second sink communication device of the multiple sink communication devices, as opposed to each sink communication device setting up its own connection with the source communication device.

1 . A method for distributing data in a short-range wireless communication system, the method comprising:
 negotiating, by a first sink communication device, a connection with a source communication device, wherein the connection is associated with a plurality of connection parameters;   conveying, by the first sink communication device to a second sink communication device, the plurality of connection parameters;   receiving, by each of the first sink communication device and the second sink communication device, a same broadcast from the source communication device over the negotiated connection, wherein the broadcast comprises a plurality of channels;   self-determining, by one of the first sink communication device and the second sink communication device, that the sink communication device is an intended recipient of a first channel of the plurality of channels;   in response to determining, by the one of the first sink communication device and the second sink communication device, that the sink communication device is an intended recipient of the first channel, decoding, by the one of the sink communication devices, the first channel but not a second channel of the plurality of channels;   self-determining, by another of the first sink communication device and the second sink communication device, that the sink communication device is an intended recipient of the second channel of the plurality of channels;   in response to determining, by the another of the first sink communication device and the second sink communication device, that the sink communication device is an intended recipient of the second channel, decoding, by the another of the sink communication devices, the second channel but not the first channel; and   playing out, by each of the first sink communication device and the second sink communication device, data from the channel decoded by the sink communication device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein establishing a connection comprising discovering, by the source communication device, the first sink communication device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the connection parameters comprise a channel identifier assigned to the connection by the source communication device and a channel identifier assigned to the connection by the first sink communication device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication system is a Bluetooth communication system, wherein the source communication device is a data source, and each of the first sink communication device and the second sink communication device is a data sink. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first channel of the plurality of channels and the second channel of the plurality of channels is conveyed over a same time slot of a group of time slots. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first channel of the plurality of channels is conveyed over a first time slot of a group of time slots and the second channel of the plurality of channels is conveyed over a second time slot of the group of time slots. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication system is a Bluetooth communication system. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising broadcasting, by the source communication device, the plurality of channels over the negotiated connection. 
     
     
         9 . A communication device capable of operating as a sink communication device in a Bluetooth communication system, the communication device comprising:
 a radio frequency (RF) transmitter;   an RF receiver;   a speaker module; and   a processor that is configured to:
 negotiate a connection with a source communication device, wherein the connection is associated with a plurality of connection parameters; 
 convey, to another sink communication device, the plurality of connection parameters; 
 receive, via the RF receiver, a broadcast by the source communication device over the negotiated connection, wherein the broadcast comprises a plurality of channels; 
 self-determine whether the communication device is an intended recipient of a first channel of the plurality of channels or a second channel of the plurality of channels; 
 in response to determining that the communication device is an intended recipient of the first channel, decode the first channel but not the second channel; 
 in response to determining that the communication device is an intended recipient of the second channel, decode the second channel but not the first channel; and 
 play out, via the speaker module, data from the channel decoded by the communication device. 
   
     
     
         10 . The communication device of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to assign a channel identifier to the connection and wherein the plurality of connection parameters comprise the assigned channel identifier and a channel identifier assigned to the connection by the source communication device. 
     
     
         11 . A communication device capable of operating as a sink communication device in a Bluetooth communication system, the communication device comprising:
 a radio frequency (RF) receiver;   a speaker module; and   a processor that is configured to:
 receive, from another sink communication device, a plurality of connection parameters associated with a source communication device and a negotiated connection; 
 receive, via the RF receiver, a broadcast by the source communication device over the negotiated connection, wherein the broadcast comprises a plurality of channels; 
 self-determine whether the communication device is an intended recipient of a first channel of the plurality of channels or a second channel of the plurality of channels; 
 in response to determining that the communication device is an intended recipient of the first channel, decode the first channel but not the second channel; 
 in response to determining that the communication device is an intended recipient of the second channel, decode the second channel but not the first channel; and 
 play out, via the speaker module, data from the channel decoded by the communication device. 
   
     
     
         12 . The communication device of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of connection parameters comprise a channel identifier assigned to the connection by the another sink communication device and a channel identifier assigned to the connection by the source communication device. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for receiving data in a short-range wireless communication system, the apparatus comprising:
 a first sink communication device;   a second sink communication device; and   wherein the first sink communication device negotiates a connection with a source communication device, which connection is associated with a plurality of connection parameters, wherein the first sink communication device conveys the plurality of connection parameters to the second sink communication device, wherein each of the first sink communication device and the second sink communication device receives a same broadcast from the source communication device over the negotiated connection, wherein the broadcast comprises a plurality of channels, wherein one of the first sink communication device and the second sink communication device self-determines that it is an intended recipient of a first channel of the plurality of channels and decodes the first channel but not a second channel of the plurality of channels, wherein another of the first sink communication device and the second sink communication device self-determines that it is an intended recipient of the second channel of the plurality of channels and decodes the second channel but not the first channel, and wherein each of the first sink communication device and the second sink communication device plays out data from the channel decoded by that sink communication device.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein establishing a connection comprises discovering, by the source communication device, the first sink communication device. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the connection parameters comprise a channel identifier assigned to the connection by the source communication device and a channel identifier assigned to the connection by the first sink communication device. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the wireless communication system is a Bluetooth communication system, wherein the source communication device is a data source, and each of the first sink communication device and the second sink communication device is a data sink. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein each of the first channel of the plurality of channels and the second channel of the plurality of channels is conveyed by the source communication device over a same time slot of a group of time slots. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first channel of the plurality of channels is conveyed over a first time slot of a group of time slots and the second channel of the plurality of channels is conveyed by the source communication device over a second time slot of the group of time slots. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the wireless communication system is a Bluetooth communication system. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the apparatus comprises a Bluetooth headphone.