One button wireless speaker association

Abstract

A method of associating audio devices into a network association, including alerting a network of the presence of a first audio device by engaging a first button associated with the first audio device; assigning a first role to the first audio device; alerting the network of the presence of each subsequent audio device by engaging a subsequent button associated with each subsequent audio device; assigning a subsequent role to each subsequent audio device; and alerting the network that all subsequent audio devices have been identified by engaging the first button associated with the first audio device.

1 . A method of associating audio devices into a network association, the method including the steps of:
 a. Alerting a network of the presence of a first audio device by engaging a first button associated with the first audio device;   b. Assigning a first role to the first audio device;   c. Alerting the network of the presence of each subsequent audio device by engaging a subsequent button associated with each subsequent audio device;   d. Assigning a subsequent role to each subsequent audio device;   e. Alerting the network that all subsequent audio devices have been identified by engaging the first button associated with the first audio device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , where the first role and the subsequent roles are determinative of whether the first device and the subsequent devices are a wireless access point (WAP) or a client, and further where the first role and the subsequent roles are determinative of which audio channel(s) each device will provide or play. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , where a network SSID and password are generated automatically based on a media access control (MAC) address of a network Wireless Access Point. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further including the step of providing a prompt to a user to engage the subsequent buttons of the subsequent devices. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , where the prompt may be an audio prompt or may be a visual prompt or may be a combination of audio and visual prompts. 
     
     
         6 . An audio network consisting of a plurality of audio devices, a plurality of roles, and a plurality of assignments of each of one roles to each of one audio devices, where the assignment is based on the order in which an audio device is identified to the audio network. 
     
     
         7 . The network of  claim 6  is a 2.1(a) type, where:
 a. A first audio device identified is assigned the role of left front; 
 b. A second audio device identified is assigned the role of right front; 
 c. The first audio device is again identified to the network thereby indicating there are no further audio devices in the network. 
 
     
     
         8 . The network of  claim 6  is a 2.1(b) type, where:
 a. A first audio device identified is assigned the role of left front; 
 b. A second audio device identified is assigned the role of right front; 
 c. A third audio device is assigned the role of subwoofer; 
 d. The first audio device is again identified to the network thereby indicating there are no further audio devices in the network. 
 
     
     
         9 . The network of  claim 6  is a 5.1(a) type, where:
 a. A first audio device identified is assigned the role of sound bar; 
 b. A second audio device identified is assigned the role of left rear; 
 c. A third audio device identified is assigned the role of right rear; 
 d. A fourth audio device identified is assigned the role of subwoofer; 
 e. The first audio device is again identified to the network thereby indicating there are no further audio devices in the network. 
 
     
     
         10 . The network of  claim 6  is a 5.1(b) type, where:
 a. A first audio device identified is assigned the role of center; 
 b. A second audio device identified is assigned the role of left front; 
 c. A third audio device identified is assigned the role of left rear; 
 d. A fourth audio device identified is assigned the role of right rear; 
 e. A fifth audio device identified is assigned the role of right front; 
 f. A sixth audio device identified is assigned the role of subwoofer; 
 g. The first audio device is again identified to the network thereby indicating there are no further audio devices in the network. 
 
     
     
         11 . The network of  claim 6  is a 7.1(a) type, where:
 a. A first audio device identified is assigned the role of sound bar; 
 b. A second audio device identified is assigned the role of left surround; 
 c. A third audio device identified is assigned the role of left rear; 
 d. A fourth audio device identified is assigned the role of right rear; 
 e. A fifth audio device identified is assigned the role of right surround; 
 f. A sixth audio device identified is assigned the role of subwoofer; 
 g. The first audio device is again identified to the network thereby indicating there are no further audio devices in the network. 
 
     
     
         12 . The network of  claim 6  is a 7.1(b) type, where:
 a. A first audio device identified is assigned the role of center; 
 b. A second audio device identified is assigned the role of left front; 
 c. A third audio device identified is assigned the role of left center; 
 d. A fourth audio device identified is assigned the role of left rear; 
 e. A fifth audio device identified is assigned the role of right rear; 
 f. A sixth audio device identified is assigned the role of right surround 
 g. A seventh audio device identified is assigned the role of right front; 
 h. A eighth audio device identified is assigned the role of subwoofer; 
 i. The first audio device is again identified to the network thereby indicating there are no further audio devices in the network. 
 
     
     
         13 . The network of  claim 7  where a timeout is used instead of the first audio device again identified indicating there are no further audio devices in the network. 
     
     
         14 . The network of  claim 8  where a timeout is used instead of the first audio device again identified indicating there are no further audio devices in the network. 
     
     
         15 . The network of  claim 9  where a timeout is used instead of the first audio device again identified indicating there are no further audio devices in the network. 
     
     
         16 . The network of  claim 10  where a timeout is used instead of the first audio device again identified indicating there are no further audio devices in the network. 
     
     
         17 . The network of  claim 11  where a timeout is used instead of the first audio device again identified indicating there are no further audio devices in the network. 
     
     
         18 . The network of  claim 12  where a timeout is used instead of the first audio device again identified indicating there are no further audio devices in the network.