System and method of streaming audio from a common video device

The present invention discloses a system and method for rendering an audio signal over a wireless communication device where the video signal associated with the audio signal is being output to one or more displays in an audio-video system. The audio-video system includes a controller that outputs the video signal to the one or more displays, and a transceiver that transmits an audio signal associated with the video signal to the wireless communication device. A transceiver in the wireless communication device receives the transmitted audio signal from the audio-video system, and an audio processing circuit renders the audio signal as audible sound to the user of the wireless communication device.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates generally to wireless communication devices, and particularly to wireless communication devices that render audio associated with remotely displayed video signals.

In many situations, the public may view video that is output to a common display. For example, airlines typically show in-flight movies to their passengers. Airports usually have some kind of news or other program playing on televisions throughout their terminals. Likewise, some large cities, such as Tokyo, Japan, display commercial advertisements, news, and weather on oversized display screens in areas where the public is likely to congregate. In each of these examples, the public benefits from being able to view the video output as well as listen to the associated audio over one or more speakers.

However, audible noise is inherently present in public areas. As a result, viewers often have difficulty in actually hearing the audio over the loudspeakers. Further, users viewing the video output typically have little or no control over the availability of the associated audio. Therefore, it would be advantageous for users to be able to view video on a display while permitting them the ability to control the audio using a remote device. Because wireless communication devices permeate the marketplace, they would be ideal devices over which users may listen to and control the audio associated with a particular video.

SUMMARY

The present invention comprises an audio-video system and a wireless communication device. The system outputs a video signal to a common, publicly accessible display, and an associated audio signal to a user's wireless communication device. The user has the ability to request and control the audio stream output from the system.

In one embodiment, the audio-video system and the wireless communication device include corresponding short-range transceivers. The audio-video system may output a video signal to a display. As the user's device comes within close proximity to the display, a communications link (e.g., a short-range interface) is established between the two short-range transceivers. The audio-video system and the user's device negotiate user preferences, which may include a selected language pre-configured by the user. Alternatively, the user may enter the preferences from the keypad of the wireless communication device. Once the link is established, the system transmits the audio signal associated with the video being displayed to the wireless communication device. Upon receipt of the audio signal, an audio processing circuit in the user's device renders the audio signal as audible sound through a speaker of the device or a headset attached to the device.

In another embodiment, the audio-video system and the wireless communication device include corresponding long-range transceivers to communicate with one or more base station subsystems disposed in a wireless communication network. Typically, the wireless communication network tracks the position of the user's device, and brokers a communication link between the audio-video system and the user's device. The establishment of the communication link may be based on the user's geographic location with respect to the audio-video system or, alternatively, responsive to a request received from either the wireless communication device or the audio-video system. As in the previous embodiment, user preference information regarding a selected language, for example, may be relayed to the system from the device via the wireless communication network. The audio-video system transmits the audio signal, which is then relayed to the user's device by the wireless communication network. The user's device then renders the received audio signal as audible sound to the user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning now to the drawings,FIG. 1illustrates a wireless communication device10according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the exemplary embodiment, wireless communication device10comprises a cellular telephone. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention is applicable to any consumer electronics device having communications capability including, but not limited to, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), satellite telephones, Personal Communication Services (PCS) devices, palm computers, and the like.

Wireless communication device10includes a display12, keypad14, microphone16, speaker18, a controller20, memory22, and an audio processing circuit24. Display12is connected to wireless communication device10, and permits users to view dialed digits, call status, menu options, and other service information. Keypad14is disposed on a face of wireless communication device10, and includes an alphanumeric keypad and other input controls such as a joystick, button controls, or dials (not shown). Keypad14allows the user to dial numbers, enter commands, and select options from menu systems. Additionally, keypad14permits the user to enter information responsive to queries originating from remote networks. Microphone16converts the user's speech into electrical audio signals, and speaker18converts received audio signals into audible sounds that can be heard by the user. Microphone16and speaker18are communicatively coupled to controller20via audio processing circuit24, and may be comprised of any type of audio transducer known in the art. It should be noted that speaker18may be contained within the housing of wireless communication device10, as part of a headset34(FIG. 4) typically coupled to wireless communication device10, or both. As will be described later in more detail, speaker18and/or headset34permit the user to listen to audio associated with a particular video signal being displayed on a remote display.

Controller20controls the operation of wireless communication device10according to programs stored in memory22, and may be implemented in a single microprocessor, or in multiple microprocessors. Suitable controllers20may include, for example, both general purpose and special purpose microprocessors and digital signal processors. Controller20may interface with audio processing circuit24, which provides basic analog output signals to speaker18and receives analog audio inputs from microphone16. Memory22may include both random access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM). Computer program instructions and data required for operation are stored in non-volatile memory, such as EPROM, EEPROM, and/or flash memory, and may be implemented as discrete devices, stacked devices, or integrated with controller20.

Wireless communication device10also includes a long-range transceiver26and a short-range transceiver30. Long-range transceiver26is coupled to antenna28for receiving signals from and transmitting signals to one or more base stations subsystems in a wireless communication network. Long-range transceiver26is a fully functional cellular radio transceiver, and operates according to any known standard, including Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), TIA/EIA-136, cdmaOne, cdma2000, UMTS, and Wideband CDMA.

Short-range transceiver30is coupled to antenna32for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from a corresponding short-range transceiver via a short-range interface. In one embodiment, short-range transceiver30is a BLUETOOTH transceiver or RF transceiver operating according to the IEEE 802.11 family of standards. As is well known in the art, BLUETOOTH is a universal radio interface that permits the creation of ad hoc networks, and is particularly well-suited for communications over short distances. For further details regarding BLUETOOTH technology, the interested reader may refer to “Bluetooth—The Universal Radio Interface for ad hoc, wireless connectivity,” presented by Jaap Haartsen in Ericsson Review No. 3, 1998, which is incorporated herein by reference. While short-range transceiver30is shown as operating according to the BLUETOOTH standard, those skilled in the art will understand that short-range transceiver30may utilize any technology known in the art operable to transmit and receive signals over short distances including, but not limited to, infra-red.

According to the present invention, short-range transceiver30and/or long-range transceiver26permit wireless communication device10to communicate signals with corresponding transceivers in a remote audio-video system, such as audio-video system40illustrated inFIG. 2. Audio-video system40comprises a server42, a display48, a short-range transceiver54, and a long-range transceiver50. Audio-video system40may be, for example, disposed on an aircraft for playing in-flight movies, or within an airport for displaying television programs on one or more televisions distributed throughout the terminal. In one embodiment, audio-video system40is located in a publicly accessible area, such as a town square, for example. Audio-video system40outputs video to a display screen connected to audio-video system40, and delivers audio signals to one or more nearby wireless communication devices10.

Server42may be any server known in the art, for example, a computing device, and includes controller44and memory46. As described in more detail below, server42is responsible for outputting a video signal to the display48and outputting an associated audio signal to one or more wireless communication devices10via long-range transceiver50and/or short-range transceiver54. While not explicitly shown in the figures, server42may be connected to both public IP networks (e.g., the Internet), and private IP networks to permit the operators of audio-video system40to perform system and administrative functions.

Controller44, like controller20, controls the operation of audio-video system40according to programs and data stored in memory46, and may be implemented as a single microprocessor or multiple microprocessors. In accordance with the present invention, controller44outputs the video signal for display on display48, and the audio signal associated with the video signal to one or more user wireless communication devices10. If desired, controller44may be configured to use known standards to encrypt the audio signal prior to transmission to wireless communication device10, and further, may be configured to authenticate wireless communication device10according to known authentication techniques. Additionally, controller44may be configured to use preference information associated with a particular user in determining how to deliver the audio to the user.

Memory46is much like memory22of wireless communication device10. However, in some embodiments, memory46stores the user preference information. As previously stated, controller44would read and use these files as needed or desired, and establish a communications link between audio-video system40and wireless communication device10responsive to a request, or alternatively, to detection of wireless communication device10.

Video display48may be any display known in the art including, but not limited to, a television, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), plasma screen, or a projection screen. Video display48provides a medium on which video signals output by controller44are displayed, and may be any size desired to ensure that one or more people could view the output video signals. In one embodiment, video display48is fixedly attached to a substantially permanent structure in a publicly accessible area, such as the side of a building in a large city.

Short-range transceiver54includes an antenna56to communicate with short-range transceiver30of wireless communication device10via a short-range interface. Like transceiver30of wireless communication device10, short-range transceiver54may also be a BLUETOOTH transceiver, or any transceiver known in the art operable to transmit and receive signals over short distances. Short-range transceiver54communicates signals between wireless communication device10and controller44whenever a communications link is established between transceivers30and54.

Long-range transceiver50is coupled to antenna52for receiving signals from and transmitting signals to one or more base station subsystems in a wireless communication network (FIG. 3). Like long-range transceiver26of wireless communication device10, long-range transceiver50is also a fully functional cellular radio transceiver operating according to any known standard. To facilitate communications with the wireless communication network, long-range transceiver50might be assigned a unique identifier by the network, and thus, communicate with wireless communication device10via the wireless communication network. WhileFIG. 2illustrates long-range transceiver50and short-range transceiver54as being separate from server42, it should be noted that one or both transceivers50and/or54might in fact be part of server42.

FIG. 3illustrates a typical configuration of a wireless communication network60suitable for use with long-range transceiver26and/or50according to one embodiment of the present invention. Network60operates according to any known standard, and comprises one or more Base Station Subsystems (BSS)62connected to a Mobile Switching Center (MSC)66. Each BSS62may include one or more antennas64, and provides cellular services to wireless communication device10and long-range transceiver50over a specified geographic region known as a cell. BSS62facilitates communications between the user of wireless communication device10and audio-video system40, and transmits control signals and data to wireless communication device10and long-range transceiver50. As described later in more detail, these signals may include, for example, messages regarding audio, video, preferences, and location.

MSC66routes calls to and from wireless communication device10and transceiver50through BSS62, and communicates with Home Location Register (HLR)68, Visitor Location Register (VLR)70, and Location Server (LS)72. HLR68and VLR70store information concerning the location and activity status of wireless communication device10and long-range transceiver50. As is known in the art, HLR68and VLR70may or may not be co-located with MSC66, or may be integrated with MSC66.

LS72typically serves a plurality of cells in addition to serving the cell covered by BSS62, and preferably includes one or more databases (DB)74that contains, for example, up-to-date positioning data for determining the geographic location of wireless communication device10. DB74may also store information regarding the location of the long-range transceiver50and/or audio-video system40. This information might include coordinates defining a boundary of a geographical area identified as the zone over which audio-video system40may communicate. Typically, the area of the zone would generally coincide with an area in which display48is viewable by a user of wireless communication device10; however, the boundaries may be as large or as small as desired. Network60might signal audio-video system40with the identity of wireless communication device10whenever it detects that wireless communication device10is in or proximate audio-video system40.

As previously stated, the present invention delivers an audio signal that is associated with a video signal being displayed on a common display48to wireless communication device10. The audio signal is typically synchronized to the video being displayed, encrypted if desired, and transmitted to wireless communication device10via a short-range interface or the wireless communication network60. Once wireless communication device10receives the audio signal, audio processing circuit24renders the audio signal as audible sound over speaker18or headset34. In other words, the present invention separates the video and audio streams, and delivers them to different devices (i.e., common display48and wireless communication device10, respectively).

FIG. 4illustrates how wireless communication device10, audio-video system40, and network60might interact to deliver an audio signal to wireless communication device10according to the present invention. In one embodiment, wireless communication device10enters into a zone that is proximate audio-video system40. When this occurs, short-range transceivers30,54may detect one another in accordance with well-known BLUETOOTH or other short-range interface standards, and establish a short-range communications link between short-range transceivers30,54. Detection and establishment of the communications link may either be done automatically, or with user interaction using keypad14. For example, audio-video system40may detect the presence of wireless communication device10, and send a message via short-range transceiver54to ask the user if he or she would like to receive the audio signal. Additionally, the message may be transmitted by long-range transceiver50via network60. The request may be in the form of a text message over the user's display12or audible alarm, for example, and the user may decline or accept the request using keypad14. Alternatively, the user may notice the presence of audio-video system40, and send an explicit request to join the ad-hoc network of audio-video system40.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that not all devices10, nor all systems40, may be equipped with the components necessary to communicate using a short-range interface. As such, the present invention also contemplates an embodiment wherein the audio signal may be delivered to wireless communication device10via network60. In this embodiment, network60may relay the signaling between wireless communication device10and audio-video system40. For example, MSC66is aware of both the zone within which audio-video system40operates, and the current geographical location of wireless communication device10. When MSC66determines that wireless communication device10is within or proximate this zone, it may send a request to wireless communication device10asking the user whether he or she wishes to receive an audio signal associated with the video being displayed. The user can then accept or decline the request using keypad14. Alternatively, audio-video system40may periodically request the identities from network60of devices10that are proximate audio-video system40(e.g., within some predetermined threshold distance). Network60could then report the information to audio-video system40, or transmit requests to those devices10that are within the threshold distance on behalf of audio-video system40. If wireless communication device10responds positively to the request, audio-video system40can deliver the audio signal to wireless communication device10via network60.

Thus, the establishment of a short-range and/or long-range communications link and delivery of audio signals over the link may be accomplished with or without interaction by the user. To facilitate this, the user may pre-configure and store a profile that on wireless communication device10or audio-video system40, or alternatively, along with other user-specific data in network60. The profile might contain information regarding certain preferences with respect to receiving the audio signal from audio-video system40. These may include whether the user is amenable to receiving a particular audio signal, a selected language in which the user wants to listen to the audio signal, the identity of wireless communication device10, billing information, a selected method of encryption, and information to assist in the establishment of the short-range and/or long-range interface. As should be understood, this list of preferences is not exhaustive, and other preferences may or may not be contained in the user's profile. Upon the automatic detection of wireless communication device10/audio-video system40or manual activation, the profile would be read from memory and used to establish the communications channel and/or control how the audio signal is delivered to wireless communication device10.

In one embodiment, for example, the information in the profile indicates whether controller44should transmit the audio to wireless communication device10in the English language or some other language. In other embodiments, the user preference information instructs controller44whether to even establish a link based on the content of the video being displayed. Thus, if audio-video system40were displaying video relating to sports, a communications channel would be established only if the user's profile contained information that indicated that the user is interested in sports. If the user's preference information indicated otherwise, no communications link would be established. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that a user profile, while useful, is not necessary for operation of the present invention as the user may manually enter this information via keypad14.

FIG. 5illustrates one embodiment of the present invention wherein both wireless communication device10and audio-video system40are equipped to communicate via a short-range interface. In this embodiment, audio-video system40is displaying a video signal on display48(box80). As is known in the art, BLUETOOTH-enabled devices are typically in a stand-by mode from which they periodically listen for a signal from other BLUETOOTH-enabled devices. In this embodiment, wireless communication device10receives a paging message from audio-video system40when wireless communication device10enters an area that is within close proximity to audio-video system40(box82). Once detection occurs, a service level communications link is established between transceivers30and54(box84). During the establishment of the service level communications link, the short-range transceivers30,54exchange information that enables them to synchronize to one another. This information may include, for example, protocol negotiation, device identities, capabilities, authentication information, and clock synchronization data. Next, wireless communication device10may retrieve the user preference information from memory22, and transmit it to audio-video system40(box86). As previously stated, the preference information may include, inter alia, a language in which the user wishes to hear the audio. Alternatively, the user may enter the preference information using keypad14responsive to one or more request messages sent by audio-video system40, and transmit the preference information to audio-video system40.

Once the service level link is established and controller44is aware of the user's preferences, short-range transceivers30,54establish an audio channel (box88). If desired, controller44may first encrypt the audio (box90). Controller44then transmits the audio signal associated with the video being displayed to wireless communication device10in the user's selected language (box92). Upon reception, controller20will decrypt the received audio signal (box94), and audio processing circuit24will render the audio signal as audible sound through speaker18or headset34. It should be understood that upon failure of any of these steps, audio-video system40and/or wireless communication device10could terminate the communications link.

FIG. 6illustrates an alternate embodiment wherein wireless communication device10and/or audio-video system40may not be equipped for a short-range interface. Thus, audio-video system40delivers the audio signal to wireless communication device10via network60. In this embodiment, audio-video system40is displaying a video signal on display48(box100). Network60is aware of geographic positions of both audio-video system40and wireless communication device10, and brokers a communications link between wireless communication device10and audio-video system40(box102). For example, it is known that wireless communication device10periodically transmits or receives information regarding its position to network60. This information may be stored in HLR68, VLR70, or Location DB74. Network60might compare this position information to coordinates that define a boundary around audio-video system40. In essence, this boundary may be thought of as a piconet cell, or an area within which a user could view the video being displayed on display48. Network60could then send a message to wireless communication device10offering the user of wireless communication device10the opportunity to receive an audio signal from audio-video system40. If the user answers affirmatively, network60forwards the user's preference information to audio-video system40(box104). As in the previous embodiment, the user's preference information may include a selected language.

Upon receipt of the user's information, audio-video system40encrypts the audio signal associated with the video signal currently being displayed, and transmits the audio signal via long-range transceiver50to BSS62(box106). BSS62then relays the audio signal to wireless communication device10(box108), which renders the audio as audible sound to the user (box110). Like the previous embodiment, termination of one or both of the communications links may be effected upon failure of any of the steps, or upon an explicit request by wireless communication device10, audio-video system40, or network60.

Therefore, the present invention may be used to deliver an audio signal to individual user wireless communication devices10even when the devices10are not typically part of a network that displays the video signal. This is useful in many situations, such as when a video is being displayed in an area with an unacceptable level of ambient noise. In addition, however, the present invention might also be used in situations where a plurality of different video segments is being displayed. For example, sports bars typically display sports related programming on a plurality of televisions placed around the room. Considering the variety of patrons, each television usually has a different program associated with it.

As seen inFIG. 7, display48is separated into a plurality of segments112a-112d. These segments112may be portions of a single display48, or may be a plurality of displays48, such as a bank of televisions. In this embodiment, controller44is configured to display a different video signal on each segment112a-112d. In addition, controller44is also configured to superimpose or display an indicator114a-114dthat identifies the particular video being displayed. The user, as part of the service level communications link establishment, for example, could identify which particular video he is interested in by entering the indicator114via keypad14. In this case, the user enters indicator114a—the number eleven (11)—to indicate interest in segment112a. Upon receipt by audio-video system40, controller44would then deliver only the audio signal associated with the indicator114aentered by the user. The user could then enter other indicators as desired to cause transceiver50or54to transmit a different audio signal associated with the selected video signal.

The present invention may, of course, be carried out in ways other than those specifically set forth herein without departing from essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.