Bluetooth device and method for controlling a plurality of wireless audio devices with a bluetooth device

Abstract

Various arrangements for controlling multiple wireless audio devices with a Bluetooth device are presented herein. The Bluetooth device can receive a wireless audio device identifier from each wireless audio device of a plurality of wireless audio devices. The Bluetooth device can duplicate an audio stream into multiple audio sub-streams based on a number of wireless audio devices. The Bluetooth device can apply an audio effect to at least one audio sub-stream based on a characteristic of communication signals between the wireless communication circuit of the Bluetooth device and each wireless device of the plurality of wireless audio devices. The Bluetooth device can transmit each audio sub-stream to the respective wireless audio device for synchronized emission.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A Bluetooth device comprising:
 a wireless communication circuit configured to receive a wireless audio device identifier from each wireless audio device of a plurality of wireless audio devices;   a sound processing circuit configured to duplicate an audio stream into a plurality of audio sub-streams based on a number of wireless audio devices in the plurality of wireless audio devices and apply one or more audio effects to at least one audio sub-stream of the plurality of audio sub-streams based on a characteristic of communication signals between the wireless communication circuit of the Bluetooth device and each wireless device of the plurality of wireless audio devices; and   an allocation circuit configured to allocate each of the audio sub-streams of the plurality of audio sub-streams to a respective wireless audio device of the plurality of wireless audio devices, wherein
 the wireless communication circuit is further configured to wirelessly transmit each audio sub-stream of the plurality of audio sub-streams to the respective wireless audio device of the plurality of wireless audio devices for synchronized emission by the plurality of wireless audio devices. 
   
     
     
         2 . The Bluetooth device of  claim 1 , wherein each wireless audio device of the plurality of wireless audio devices is a speaker. 
     
     
         3 . The Bluetooth device of  claim 1 , wherein the characteristic of communication signals between the wireless communication circuit of the Bluetooth device and each wireless device of the plurality of wireless audio devices is signal strength. 
     
     
         4 . The Bluetooth device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more audio effects is further based on an audio transfer function of each wireless audio device of the plurality of wireless audio devices. 
     
     
         5 . The Bluetooth device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more audio effects is further based on whether a noise cancelling feature of each wireless audio device of the plurality of wireless audio devices. 
     
     
         6 . The Bluetooth device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more audio effects is further based on a spatial position of each wireless audio device of the plurality of wireless audio devices. 
     
     
         7 . The Bluetooth device of  claim 1 , further comprising an access circuit configured to obtain the characteristic of each wireless audio device of the plurality of wireless audio devices. 
     
     
         8 . The Bluetooth device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a database that stores information about a plurality of wireless audio device identifiers of the plurality of wireless audio devices and characteristics of the plurality of wireless audio devices, and   an interrogation circuit configured to retrieve characteristics of the plurality of wireless audio devices associated with the received wireless audio device identifiers from the database.   
     
     
         9 . The Bluetooth device according to  claim 1 , wherein the sound processing circuit duplicates the audio stream into a same number of audio sub-streams as the number of the wireless audio device identifiers of the plurality of wireless audio devices received by the wireless communication circuit. 
     
     
         10 . A method for controlling a plurality of wireless audio devices with a Bluetooth device, the method comprising:
 receiving, by the Bluetooth device, a wireless audio device identifier from each wireless audio device of the plurality of wireless audio devices;   duplicating, by the Bluetooth device, an audio stream into a plurality of audio sub-streams based on a number of wireless audio devices in the plurality of wireless audio devices;   applying, by the Bluetooth device, one or more audio effects to at least one audio sub-stream of the plurality of audio sub-streams based on a characteristic of communication signals between the Bluetooth device and each wireless device of the plurality of wireless audio devices;   allocating, by the Bluetooth device, each of the audio sub-streams of the plurality of audio sub-streams to a respective wireless audio device of the plurality of wireless audio devices; and   transmitting, by the Bluetooth device, each audio sub-stream of the plurality of audio sub-streams to the respective wireless audio device of the plurality of wireless audio devices for synchronized emission by the plurality of wireless audio devices.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the characteristic of communication signals between the Bluetooth device and each wireless device of the plurality of wireless audio devices is signal strength. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more audio effects is further based on an audio transfer function of each wireless audio device of the plurality of wireless audio devices. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more audio effects is further based on whether a noise cancelling feature of each wireless audio device of the plurality of wireless audio devices. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more audio effects is further based on a spatial position of each wireless audio device of the plurality of wireless audio devices. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising retrieving characteristics of the plurality of wireless audio devices associated with the received wireless audio device identifiers from a database. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising processor-readable instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a Bluetooth device, cause the one or more processors to:
 receive a wireless audio device identifier from each wireless audio device of a plurality of wireless audio devices;   duplicate an audio stream into a plurality of audio sub-streams based on a number of wireless audio devices in the plurality of wireless audio devices;   apply one or more audio effects to at least one audio sub-stream of the plurality of audio sub-streams based on a characteristic of communication signals between the Bluetooth device and each wireless device of the plurality of wireless audio devices;   allocate each of the audio sub-streams of the plurality of audio sub-streams to a respective wireless audio device of the plurality of wireless audio devices; and   cause each audio sub-stream of the plurality of audio sub-streams to be transmitted to the respective wireless audio device of the plurality of wireless audio devices for synchronized emission by the plurality of wireless audio devices.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory processor-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the characteristic of communication signals between the Bluetooth device and each wireless device of the plurality of wireless audio devices is signal strength. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory processor-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more audio effects is further based on an audio transfer function of each wireless audio device of the plurality of wireless audio devices. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory processor-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more audio effects is further based on whether a noise cancelling feature of each wireless audio device of the plurality of wireless audio devices. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory processor-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the processor-readable instructions further comprise processor-readable instructions that cause the one or more processors to retrieve characteristics of the plurality of wireless audio devices associated with the received wireless audio device identifiers from a database.