Abstract:
Streaming audio is adjusted within one or more real-time digital signal processors (DSPs) by entering audio adjustment parameters using a smart phone application on a Bluetooth® enabled smart phone, receiving streaming audio from a Cloud server, and transmitting the adjustment parameters and streaming audio to a Bluetooth® chip in an audio system. The audio adjustment parameters and streaming audio then enter two real-time DSPs where the streaming audio is adjusted according to the audio adjustment parameters and then sent to amplifiers and/or transceivers. The application enables entry of lighting parameters for control of a plurality of RGB LEDS and one or more LED fixtures. The lighting parameters are transmitted to the Bluetooth® chip and adjustments are made, within the Bluetooth® chip, to the lighting control signals based on the lighting parameters, the streaming audio, and by adjusted streaming audio provided by at least one transceiver.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present invention claims priority Chinese patent application Serial Number 201510464611.6 filed Aug. 3, 2015 to the same inventors. 
       FIELD OF ART 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a smart phone application for controlling streaming audio systems by using a blue tooth connection from the smart phone application to a digital signal processor (hereinafter “DSP”) and performing adjustment of audio parameters in the DSP based on adjustment parameters generated or received in the smart phone application. The present invention more particularly relates to Bluetooth® to DSP connection in which all the adjustment parameters for modifying the audio, such as equalization, for example, are transmitted from the application on the smart phone to the DSP chip or chips via Bluetooth® and the adjustments are implemented in the DSP chip. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Conventional smart phone applications can take an audio source and make adjustments to the audio in the smart phone and then transmit the adjusted audio via WiFi or Bluetooth® to an amplifier and speaker combination, possibly including a DSP, for presentation of the audio. The quality of the adjustments made in the application is less than that of hardwired connection. Adjustments made inside the application are simple fixed effects which cannot reproduce full DSP functionality. There are lots of Wi-Fi DSP products in market, but a Wi-Fi connection has latency issues. The Wi-Fi connection is not stable. The Wi-Fi DSP has to use RAM and other components, which makes the Wi-Fi DSP solution too expensive and oversized. It is possible to use a computer cable for DSP adjustments, but that solution is inconvenient and not portable. 
         [0004]    What is needed is a system for performing the audio adjustments inside the DSP, in order to obtain a higher quality sound. The present invention using Bluetooth® DSP is much cheaper, compact, portable, the connection is stable, and it has no latency issue. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The purpose for this invention is to develop a portable, no latency, stable and convenient audio system to control DSP and LED lighting through a Bluetooth® connection from a mobile device APP, which can be widely used in any audio equipment, such as amplifier, headphone, sound bar, Bluetooth® speakers, etc. This audio system includes: an application in a Bluetooth® enabled mobile device; Bluetooth® audio hardware with auxiliary audio inputs; wireless or wired controller; DSP chips, 2.4 GHz audio transmitter and receiver 2-in-1 chips; built-in or external amplifier; and Cloud servers. 
         [0006]    Briefly described, the invention includes two Bluetooth®-connected DSP chips receiving both streaming audio and adjustment parameters from a Bluetooth-transmitting smart phone application and delivering audio output to up to eight channels of full range stereo. Adjustments, such as equalization adjustments, are transmitted to the DSP chips and the adjustments are implemented in the DSP chips for supply to an amplifier and speaker system. Audio sources from outside the smart phone may connected to the DSP chips through an auxiliary input, while the adjustment parameters still originate in the smart phone application. The output of the DSP chips may be hardwired to the amplifier or sent wirelessly on a 2.4 GHz transceiver to a second 2.4 GHz transceiver supplying the amplifier. Multiple channel capability enables the smart phone application to send live voice via the smart phone microphone as a separate channel to be presented with the audio, as is done in karaoke. Some channels can be used for non-audio purposes, such as controlling LED and RGB LED lighting at the same time, changing colors, changing sequence (chase, rainbow, strobe, etc), and also having lights flash to the audio source, at the same time as audio is being played and DSP is being adjusted. The system provides a wired or wireless remote that can be used for play/pause, track forward, track back, volume up and volume down or to adjust color, brightness, sequence or speed on the LED&#39;s. DSP equalizer settings can be stored and associated with particular styles of audio so that when that style is played, the settings automatically apply. The current invention using Bluetooth DSP is much cheaper, compact, portable, and the connection is stable and has no latency issue. This streaming audio and light controller can be used as standalone pre-amp hardware; or it can be widely built into amplifiers, Bluetooth® home speakers, portable Bluetooth speaker, headphone, sound bar, professional speakers, and the like. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a core of a streaming audio and light controller system, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a front diagrammatic view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a remote control touch screen for the streaming audio and light controller system of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a streaming audio and light controller system, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a streaming audio and light controller system, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a light controller system, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of a first screen of a user interface for use with the streaming audio and light controller system of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a front elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of a second screen of a user interface for use with the streaming audio and light controller system of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a front elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of a third screen of a user interface for use with the streaming audio and light controller system of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a front elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of a fourth screen of a user interface for use with the streaming audio and light controller system of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    As used and defined herein, “smart phone” refers to any Bluetooth® enabled mobile device capable of running software applications, such as, without limitation, smart phones and tablets. As used and defined herein, “Bluetooth®” refers to any short-range wireless communication system meeting the standard of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group. As used and defined herein, “DSP” refers to digital signal processors which processes signal of each channel to adjust digital music signals&#39; attributes, such as volume, equalizer, high frequency &amp; low frequency pass, time delay, fixed effects, frequency, delay, gain, and the like. The DSP chips in the present invention refer to real time DSP chips, which are different from fixed music effect DSP chips. 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a core of a streaming audio and light controller system  100 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Integrated circuit (IC) chip  102  comprises a Bluetooth® receiver and an auxiliary switch for switching to an auxiliary input terminal  114  in preference to input from antenna  116  as a source of streaming audio. Terminal  106  is the +12 VDC terminal, and terminal  112  is the ground terminal. REM IN terminal  108  and REM OUT terminal  110  control amplifier delays after startup. Remote control device  104  can be used to select the position of the auxiliary switch in IC  102 . Streaming audio is supplied to two digital signal processor (DSP) chips  122  and  124  over hard wires  118  and  120 . Streaming audio includes, without limitation, any one or more of music, voice, and natural or synthetic sounds. 
         [0019]    Both audio and control signals are sent to the DSP chips  122  and  124  over audio signal paths  118  and  120 , which are preferably hardwired. DSP chips  122  and  124  are preferably four-channel stereo DSP chips  122  and  124 . Inside the DSP chips  122  and  124 , control signals arriving wirelessly into antenna  116  from a smart phone application  302  (see  FIG. 3 ) or by a wired or wireless connection from remote control  104  are used to adjust the streaming audio signal. The smart phone application  302  may control all the DSP functions of each channel, such as volume, equalizer, high frequency &amp; low frequency pass, time delay, fixed effects, etc. When the smart phone application  302 , or similar mobile devices with the application, are not accessible, an RF or wired controller  104  may be used to perform the functions of playing, pause, changing track up or down, turning volume up or down, paring, answering or hanging up a call, and activating a voice command system, such as, without limitation, Ski or Google®. 
         [0020]    Left stereo adjusted audio goes from DSP chip  122  and into amplifier  138  on line  128  and right stereo adjusted audio goes from DSP chip  122  and into amplifier  138  on line  126 . Lines  126  and  128  are preferably hardwired. Amplifier  138  is preferably a plurality of amplifier circuits. Front left and right stereo adjusted audio signals are supplied to amplifier  138  over audio signal pathways  130  and  132 , (preferably hardwired) respectively. Rear left and right stereo adjusted audio signals are supplied to amplifier  138  over audio signal pathways  134  and  136 , (preferably hardwired) respectively. Amplifier  138  supplies amplified adjusted audio to front left stereo speaker  140 , front right stereo speaker  142 , rear left stereo speaker  144 , rear right stereo speaker  146 , and mono subwoofer  148 . In an additional embodiment, amplifier  138  may also provide a center channel output. 
         [0021]    In various embodiments, The DSP processed signal outputs can be stereo (2.0), stereo plus subwoofer (2.1), four-channel stereo (4.0), four-channel stereo plus subwoofer (4.1) or five channel (includes a center channel) plus subwoofer (5.1). 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a front diagrammatic view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a remote control  104  touch screen  200  for the streaming audio and light controller system  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The remote control  104  touch screen  200  provides a page  202  bearing touch control icons such as track up  204 , track down  206 , pause/play  208 , volume up  210 , volume down  212  and a power on/auxiliary switch  214 . In various embodiments, there may be multiple pages  202  each having various sets of icons for additional related functions, including controlling LED and RGB LED displays, as will be discussed further below. Remote control  104  may be RF or hardwired. 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a streaming audio and light controller system  300 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Device application  302  accepts user input through application touch screens on a smart phone  301  or similar device. The device application  302  receives streaming audio from a cloud server  304  over wireless link  306 , and sends data to the cloud servers  304  over that same link for selecting audio and storing user preferences. Cloud servers  304  also intelligently analyze the user&#39;s history and then push and recommend the user&#39;s favorite songs. Streaming audio is transferred to the Bluetooth® chip  102  on wireless link  308 , while adjustment parameters and lighting control signals are sent wirelessly to the Bluetooth® chip  102  on wireless link  310 . Bluetooth® and LED remote control  358  is an expansion of remote control  104  to include lighting controls. Remote control  358  supplies lighting controls to Bluetooth® chip  102  over link  360 , which may be wired or wireless. Auxiliary unit  354  is an alternate source of streaming audio supplied to the Bluetooth® chip  102  on link  356 , which is preferably wired. Bluetooth® chip  102  may also receive adjusted streaming audio from 2.4 GHz transceiver  338  over (preferably wired) link  352 . Adjusted streaming audio is used in Bluetooth® chip  102  to improve the lighting control signals, which would otherwise be dependent only on the un-adjusted streaming audio for forming lighting control signals. Switching between the auxiliary unit  354  and the transceiver  338  is controlled, in the absence of the device application  302 , by remote control  358 . 
         [0024]    Bluetooth® chip  102  produces lighting control signals on line  312  and adjusted audio signals on line  318 . For controlling RGB LEDs  366  (one of four labeled), lighting control signals are received at an RGB MOSFET switching circuit  314  and are interpreted to control the color, brightness, and change sequence (chase, rainbow, strobe, and the like) of each RGB LED  366  to enable the RGB LEDs to dance with the audio, especially music. The control voltages  362  are supplied to the four-pin RGB LEDs  366  via hardwired link  362 . The lighting control signals are preferably programmable functions of both the adjusted and unadjusted the streaming audio. The number of RGB LEDs  366  is not limited to the number shown in the illustrated embodiment: other embodiments may have more or fewer RGB LEDs  366 . For controlling one or more LED fixtures  368 , a lighting control signal drives relay  316  to flash the LED fixtures  368 . In a particular embodiment, relay  316  may be an array circuit able to operate a plurality of LED fixtures  368  in coordination with the streaming audio and adjusted streaming audio. 
         [0025]    Bluetooth® chip  102  produces streaming audio and control signals to DSP chips  122  and  124  over (preferably hardwired) signal pathway  318 . DSP chip  122  supplies adjusted audio signals to amplifier  328  which, in turn drives outputs  330 . Outputs  330  may include, for non-limiting examples, one or more of headphones, car audio speakers, marine audio speakers, television speakers, sound bar, portable speakers, home audio speakers, and professional audio speakers. DSP chip  122  also supplies adjusted audio signals to 2.4 GHz transceiver  322  for wireless transmission over link  324  to 2.4 GHz transceiver/amplifier  326 . The 2.4 GHz transceiver/amplifier  326  may supply a remote output system  380 , such as acoustic drivers, also known as loudspeakers or speakers, with amplified adjusted audio signals. 
         [0026]    DSP chip  124  supplies adjusted audio signals to amplifier  334  which, in turn, drives subwoofer  148 . DSP chip  124  supplies adjusted audio signals to 2.4 GHz transceiver  338  over (preferably) hardwired link  370  for wireless transmission over link  348  to 2.4 GHz transceiver/subwoofer  350 . The 2.4 GHz transceiver  338  also supplies an adjusted streaming audio signal to Bluetooth® chip  102  along signal path  352  for use in adjusting lighting control signals. 
         [0027]    In a particular embodiment, 2.4 GHz transceiver/amplifier  326  and 2.4 GHz transceiver/subwoofer  350  may be of one piece. In another particular embodiment, 2.4 GHz transceiver/amplifier  326  and 2.4 GHz transceiver/subwoofer  350  may share a transceiver. In a particular embodiment, amplifier  328  and amplifier  334  may be a single unit, similar to amplifier  138 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a streaming audio and light controller system  400 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Streaming audio and light controller system  400  illustrates how streaming audio and light controller  300  operates in the absence of lighting parameters. Streaming audio and light controller system  400  includes the device application  302  and the cloud server  304 , but uses a single multiplexed link  408  to communicate streaming audio and DSP adjustment parameters to the Bluetooth® chip  102 . Additionally, both a wired remote  104  and a wireless remote  358  are provided, with the wireless remote  358  communicating over wireless link  406  to Bluetooth® chip  102  via Bluetooth® antenna  116 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a light controller system  500 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Light controller  500  illustrates how streaming audio and light controller system  300  operates when adjusted streaming audio output is not desired. Streaming audio and LED control signal are sent to the Bluetooth® chip  102  from device application  302 . The Bluetooth® chip  102  generates the lighting signals as discussed above in regard to  FIG. 3 . The source of the streaming audio is the smart phone  301  itself. 
         [0030]      FIG. 6  through  FIG. 9  are merely exemplary. Those of skill in the art, enlightened by the present disclosure, will be aware of a wide variety of ways in which DSP audio adjustment parameters may be input into a smart phone, all of which are within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0031]      FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of a first screen  600  of a user interface for use with the streaming audio and light controller systems  100  and  400  of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 , respectively, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The user interface is a portion of the smart phone application  302  on the smart phone  301  or similar device and displays on the conventional smart phone  301  front display panel. Page  602  includes five windows, including an application name window  604 , speaker diagram window  606 , middle menu  608 , main window  610 , and main menu  612 . The speaker diagram  614  is adaptive to the actual audio system to which the user interface is coupled. In an embodiment, speaker icons  616 ,  618 ,  620 ,  622 , and  624  may correspond to speakers front left stereo speaker  140 , front right stereo speaker  142 , rear left stereo speaker  144 , rear right stereo speaker  146 , and mono subwoofer  148 , respectively. In a particular embodiment, touching a speaker icon  616 ,  618 ,  620 ,  622 , or  624  may bring up an information window and/or a menu regarding the particular speaker corresponding to that icon. Middle menu  608  includes pull down menus  632  (one of three labeled), one or more of which may be specific to a particular speaker icon  616 ,  618 ,  620 ,  622 , or  624 . Main window  610  illustrates an equalizer display with slider bars  626  (one of five labeled) on scales  628  (one of five labeled) for varying the power in each of five frequency bands corresponding to the scales  628 . Other, fewer, or more frequency bands may be provided in the equalizer in various additional embodiments. Data produced by this application may be converted to DSP adjustment parameters and sent to the DSP chips  122  and  124  via Bluetooth® chip  102 . The main menu  612  controls main window  610  and shows that the equalizer (EQ) application has been selected  630 , as shown by the increased font size. Other, fewer, or more main menu  612  selection icons  630  may be used in various additional embodiments. In a particular embodiment, additional pages may include lighting parameter controls for programming the responses of the lights  366  and  368  to the streaming audio, adjusted streaming audio, or responses independent of the audio. 
         [0032]      FIG. 7  is a front elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of a second screen  700  of a user interface for use with the streaming audio and light controller systems  100  and  400  of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 , respectively, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The basic main menu icon  702  has been selected, showing parameters for a high pass filter including slope  704  and frequency  706 . Data produced by this application may be converted to DSP adjustment parameters and sent to the DSP chips  122  and  124  via Bluetooth® chip  102 . In various additional embodiments, other, fewer, or more filter parameters  704  and  706  may be provided. In a particular embodiment, a low pass filter may also be provided. 
         [0033]      FIG. 8  is a front elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of a third screen of a user interface for use with the streaming audio and light controller systems  100  and  400  of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 , respectively, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The advanced main menu icon  802  has been selected, showing a delay adjustment window  806  with a selector bar  804  which can be filled to the desired delay level by a finger swipe from the left end. Data produced by this application may be converted to DSP adjustment parameters and sent to the DSP chips  122  and  124  via Bluetooth® chip  102 . In various additional embodiments, other, fewer, or more delay icons  804  may be displayed. 
         [0034]      FIG. 9  is a front elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of a fourth screen of a user interface for use with the streaming audio and light controller systems  100  and  400  of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 , respectively, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The settings main menu icon  902  has been selected, showing reference data  904  (one of two labeled) and a rest icon  906  which, if touched, returns all adjustment settings to default values. 
         [0035]    The embodiments illustrated and discussed above are exemplary, within the functional and mechanical constraints of the present invention, as delineated in the claims below in light of the disclosure above, a wide scope of variations exist. For non-limiting example, speaker diagram  614  may, in a particular embodiment, have a center channel speaker added. For another non-limiting example, various switching circuits may be substituted for the lighting drivers, such as RGB MOSFET switching circuit  314  and relay circuit  316 . Those of skill in the art, illuminated by the present disclosure, will be aware of the many other variations that can be made within the scope of the present invention.