Patent Publication Number: US-11640818-B2

Title: Audio device configured for daisy chaining

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 17/127,384 filed on Dec. 18, 2020, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 16/846,729 filed on Apr. 13, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,880,652, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 16/279,442 filed on Feb. 19, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,623,863, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 15/232,063 filed on Aug. 9, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,212,520, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 14/821,109 filed on Aug. 7, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,415,308. The aforementioned documents are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
     Each of the above stated applications is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Aspects of the present application relate to audio headsets, and more specifically, to methods and systems for daisy chaining tournament audio controllers. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Limitations and disadvantages of conventional approaches to headset networking will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such approaches with some aspects of the present method and system set forth in the remainder of this disclosure with reference to the drawings. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     Methods and systems are provided for daisy chaining tournament audio controllers, substantially as illustrated by and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1 A  depicts an example gaming console. 
         FIG.  1 B  depicts an example gaming audio subsystem comprising a headset and a tournament audio controller. 
         FIG.  1 C  depicts the example gaming console and an associated network of peripheral devices. 
         FIGS.  2 A and  2 B  depict two views of an example embodiment of a gaming headset. 
         FIG.  2 C  depicts a block diagram of the example headset of  FIGS.  2 A and  2 B . 
         FIG.  3    depicts headsets coupled to daisy-chained tournament audio controllers. 
         FIG.  4    depicts a schematic of a tournament audio controller, in accordance with an example embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  5    is a flowchart illustrating an example process for daisy chaining tournament audio controllers. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Certain aspects of the disclosure may be found in daisy chaining tournament audio controllers. Example aspects of the disclosure may comprise, in a headset coupled to a first tournament audio controller (TAC), where the first TAC is in a daisy chain of TACs: receiving a chat signal from a previous TAC in the daisy chain of TACs, receiving a microphone signal from a microphone in the headset, summing the chat signal with the microphone signal, communicating the summed chat signal and microphone signal to a next TAC in the daisy chain if the first TAC is not at an end of the daisy chain of TACs, and communicating the chat signal to the headset. The microphone signal may be removed from the summed chat signal and microphone signal by adding a second microphone signal 180 degrees out of phase with the microphone signal. The chat signal may be summed with the microphone signal at an amplitude set by a user of the headset after the removal of the microphone signal from the summed chat signal and microphone signal. The summed chat signal and microphone signal (summed at an amplitude set by the user) may be communicated to the headset. The summed chat signal and microphone signal may be communicated to the previous TAC in the daisy chain if the first TAC is at an end of the daisy chain of TACs. A signal from a gaming console may be summed with the summed chat signal and microphone signal. Each TAC in the daisy chain of TACs may be coupled to a headset. The chat signal may comprise audio from the headsets coupled to each of the TACs in the daisy chain. The received chat signal may be converted from a differential signal to a single-ended signal before being summed with the microphone signal. 
     As utilized herein the terms “circuits” and “circuitry” refer to physical electronic components (i.e. hardware) and any software and/or firmware (“code”) which may configure the hardware, be executed by the hardware, and or otherwise be associated with the hardware. As used herein, for example, a particular processor and memory may comprise a first “circuit” when executing a first one or more lines of code and may comprise a second “circuit” when executing a second one or more lines of code. As utilized herein, “and/or” means any one or more of the items in the list joined by “and/or”. As an example, “x and/or y” means any element of the three-element set {(x), (y), (x, y)}. In other words, “x and/or y” means “one or both of x and y”. As another example, “x, y, and/or z” means any element of the seven-element set {(x), (y), (z), (x, y), (x, z), (y, z), (x, y, z)}. In other words, “x, y and/or z” means “one or more of x, y and z”. As utilized herein, the term “exemplary” means serving as a non-limiting example, instance, or illustration. As utilized herein, the terms “e.g.,” and “for example” set off lists of one or more non-limiting examples, instances, or illustrations. As utilized herein, circuitry or a device is “operable” to perform a function whenever the circuitry or device comprises the necessary hardware and code (if any is necessary) to perform the function, regardless of whether performance of the function is disabled or not enabled (e.g., by a user-configurable setting, factory trim, etc.). 
     Referring to  FIG.  1 A , there is shown game console  176  which may be, for example, a Windows computing device, a Unix computing device, a Linux computing device, an Apple OSX computing device, an Apple iOS computing device, an Android computing device, a Microsoft Xbox, a Sony Playstation, a Nintendo Wii, or the like. The example game console  176  comprises a radio  126 , network interface  130 , video interface  132 , audio interface  134 , southbridge  150 , main system on chip (SoC)  148 , memory  162 , optical drive  172 , and storage device  174 . The SoC  148  comprises central processing unit (CPU)  154 , graphics processing unit (GPU)  156 , audio processing unit (APU)  158 , cache memory  164 , and memory management unit (MMU)  166 . The various components of the game console  176  are communicatively coupled through various busses/links  136 ,  138 ,  142 ,  144 ,  146 ,  152 ,  160 ,  169 , and  170 . 
     The southbridge  150  comprises circuitry that supports one or more data bus protocols such as High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), Universal Serial Bus (USB), Serial Advanced Technology Attachment 2 (SATA 2), embedded multimedia card interface (e.MMC), Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe), or the like. The southbridge  150  may receive audio and/or video from an external source via link  112  (e.g., HDMI), from the optical drive (e.g., Blu-Ray)  172  via link  168  (e.g., SATA 2), and/or from storage  174  (e.g., hard drive, FLASH memory, or the like) via link  170  (e.g., SATA 2 and/or e.MMC). Digital audio and/or video is output to the SoC  148  via link  136  (e.g., CEA-861-E compliant video and IEC 61937 compliant audio). The southbridge  150  exchanges data with radio  126  via link  138  (e.g., USB), with external devices via link  140  (e.g., USB), with the storage  174  via the link  170 , and with the SoC  148  via the link  152  (e.g., PCIe). 
     The radio  126  comprises circuitry operable to communicate in accordance with one or more wireless standards such as the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, the Bluetooth family of standards, and/or the like. 
     The network interface  130  may comprise circuitry operable to communicate in accordance with one or more wired standards and to convert between wired standards. For example, the network interface  130  may communicate with the SoC  148  via link  142  using a first standard (e.g., PCIe) and may communicate with the network  106  using a second standard (e.g., gigabit Ethernet). 
     The video interface  132  may comprise circuitry operable to communicate video in accordance with one or more wired or wireless video transmission standards. For example, the video interface  132  may receive CEA-861-E compliant video data via link  144  and encapsulate/format/etc., the video data in accordance with an HDMI standard for output to the monitor  108  via an HDMI link  120 . 
     The audio interface  134  may comprise circuitry operable to communicate audio in accordance with one or more wired or wireless audio transmission standards. For example, the audio interface  134  may receive CEA-861-E compliant video data via link  144  and encapsulate/format/etc. The video data in accordance with an HDMI standard for output to the monitor  108  via an HDMI link  120 . 
     The central processing unit (CPU)  154  may comprise circuitry operable to execute instructions for controlling/coordinating the overall operation of the game console  176 . Such instructions may be part of an operating system of the console and/or part of one or more software applications running on the console. 
     The graphics processing unit (GPU)  156  may comprise circuitry operable to perform graphics processing functions such as compression, decompression, encoding, decoding, 3D rendering, and/or the like. 
     The audio processing unit (APU)  158  may comprise circuitry operable to perform audio processing functions such as volume/gain control, compression, decompression, encoding, decoding, surround-sound processing, and/or the like to output single channel or multi-channel (e.g., 2 channels for stereo or 5, 7, or more channels for surround sound) audio signals. The APU  158  comprises memory (e.g., volatile and/or non-volatile memory)  159  which stores parameter settings that affect processing of audio by the APU  158 . For example, the parameter settings may include a first audio gain/volume setting that determines, at least in part, a volume of game audio output by the console  176  and a second audio gain/volume setting that determines, at least in part, a volume of chat audio output by the console  176 . The parameter settings may be modified via a graphical user interface (GUI) of the console and/or via an application programming interface (API) provided by the console  176 . 
     The cache memory  164  comprises high-speed memory (typically DRAM) for use by the CPU  154 , GPU  156 , and/or APU  158 . The memory  162  may comprise additional memory for use by the CPU  154 , GPU  156 , and/or APU  158 . The memory  162 , typically DRAM, may operate at a slower speed than the cache memory  164  but may also be less expensive than cache memory as well as operate at a higher-speed than the memory of the storage device  174 . The MMU  166  controls accesses by the CPU  154 , GPU  156 , and/or APU  158  to the memory  162 , the cache  164 , and/or the storage device  174 . 
     In  FIG.  1 A , the example game console  176  is communicatively coupled to a user interface device  102 , a user interface device  104 , a network  106 , a monitor  108 , and audio subsystem  110 . 
     Each of the user interface devices  102  and  104  may comprise, for example, a game controller, a keyboard, a motion sensor/position tracker, or the like. The user interface device  102  communicates with the game console  176  wirelessly via link  114  (e.g., Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, and/or the like). The user interface device  102  communicates with the game console  176  via the wired link  140  (e.g., USB or the like). 
     The network  160  comprises a local area network and/or a wide area network. The game console  176  communicates with the network  106  via wired link  118  (e.g., gigabit Ethernet). 
     The monitor  108  may be, for example, a LCD, OLED, or PLASMA screen. The game console  176  sends video to the monitor  108  via link  120  (e.g., HDMI). 
     The audio subsystem  110  may be, for example, a headset, a combination of headset and audio basestation, or a set of speakers and accompanying audio processing circuitry. The game console  176  sends audio to the subsystem  110  via link(s)  122  (e.g., S/PDIF for digital audio or “line out” for analog audio). In an example scenario, the audio subsystem  110  comprises a tournament audio controller (TAC), which provides closed-system chat capability for a plurality of users. In addition the TAC may be daisy-chained to provide a chat environment for more users. Each TAC may be operable to receive chat audio from one or more headsets with microphones as well as from other TACs, and may provide an out-of-phase cancelling effect to remove a user&#39;s voice from their own audio signal while providing chat audio from all the other users. Additional details of an example tournament audio controller are described below. 
       FIG.  1 B  depicts an example gaming audio subsystem comprising a headset and a tournament audio controller. Shown are a headset  200  and a TAC  195 . The headset  200  communicates with the TAC  195  via a link  180  and the TAC  195  communicates with the console  176  via a link  122 . The link  122  may be as described above. In an example implementation, the link  180  may be a proprietary wireless link operating in an unlicensed frequency band. In another example scenario, the link  180  may comprise a wired connection. The headset  200  may be as described below with reference to  FIGS.  2 A- 2 C . 
     In gaming tournaments there are teams of multiple players who compete against each other. During the game play, the mic signal from each player needs to be heard by every other player on the team. By simply mixing all of the microphone signals together and distributing the summed mics to every player, each player would have his own microphone mixed in and hear himself at a fixed level. That player would not be able to cancel out his own microphone signal. A chat loop in accordance with the disclosure fixes this issue. The TAC  195  may enable a chat loop and may be daisy-chained with TACs for other users in a loop. 
     Referring to  FIG.  1 C , again shown is the console  176  connected to a plurality of peripheral devices and a network  106 . The example peripheral devices shown include a monitor  108 , a user interface device  102 , a headset  200 , an audio TAC  195 , and a multi-purpose device  192 . The TAC  195  may be operable to provide private chat capability for a number of users, and may be daisy-chained with other TACs depending on the desired number of users. 
     The monitor  108  and user interface device  102  are as described above. An example implementation of the headset  200  is described below with reference to  FIGS.  2 A- 2 C . 
     The multi-purpose device  192  may be, for example, a tablet computer, a smartphone, a laptop computer, or the like that runs an operating system such as Android, Linux, Windows, iOS, OSX, or the like. Hardware (e.g., a network adaptor) and software (i.e., the operating system and one or more applications loaded onto the device  192 ) may configure the device  192  for operating as part of the GPN  190 . For example, an application running on the device  192  may cause display of a graphical user interface via which a user can access gaming-related data, commands, functions, parameter settings, etc. and via which the user can interact with the console  176  and the other devices of the GPN  190  to enhance his/her gaming experience. 
     The peripheral devices  102 ,  108 ,  192 ,  195 , and  200  are in communication with one another via a plurality of wired and/or wireless links (represented visually by the placement of the devices in the cloud of GPN  190 ). Each of the peripheral devices in the gaming peripheral network (GPN)  190  may communicate with one or more others of the peripheral devices in the GPN  190  in a single-hop or multi-hop fashion. For example, the headset  200  may communicate with the TAC  195  in a single hop (e.g., over a proprietary RF link) and with the device  192  in a single hop (e.g., over a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi direct link), while the tablet may communicate with the TAC  195  in two hops via the headset  200 . As another example, the user interface device  102  may communicate with the headset  200  in a single hop (e.g., over a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi direct link) and with the device  192  in a single hop (e.g., over a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi direct link), while the device  192  may communicate with the headset  200  in two hops via the user interface device  102 . These example interconnections among the peripheral devices of the GPN  190  are merely examples, any number, combinations and/or types of links among the devices of the GPN  190  is possible. 
     The GPN  190  may communicate with the console  176  via any one or more of the connections  114 ,  140 ,  122 , and  120  described above. The GPN  190  may communicate with a network  106  via one or more links  194  each of which may be, for example, Wi-Fi, wired Ethernet, and/or the like. 
     A database  182  which stores gaming audio data is accessible via the network  106 . The gaming audio data may comprise, for example, signatures of particular audio clips (e.g., individual sounds or collections or sequences of sounds) that are part of the game audio of particular games, of particular levels/scenarios of particular games, particular characters of particular games, etc. In an example implementation, the database  182  may comprise a plurality of records  183 , where each record  183  comprises an audio clip (or signature of the clip)  184 , a description of the clip  184  (e.g., the game it is from, when it occurs in the game, etc.), one or more gaming commands  186  associated with the clip, one or more parameter settings  187  associated with the clip, and/or other data associated with the audio clip. Records  183  of the database  182  may be downloadable to, or accessed in real-time by, one or more devices of the GPN  190 . 
     In an example scenario, the headset  200  may communicate with the gaming console  176  via the TAC  195 , with the TAC  195  coupled to a plurality of users and other TACs. The TAC  195  may combine multiple audio inputs while subtracting out specific audio for certain outputs, such as a user&#39;s voice in their own headset. The daisy-chaining of the TAC  195  with other TACS provides secure chat capability for a configurable number of users. 
     While the headset  200  in  FIGS.  1 A- 1 C  is shown communicating with a gaming console  176 , the disclosure is not so limited, as this is merely an example use for the headset  200 . Accordingly, the headset  200  may be utilized in other applications, such as a cellular phone headset, music player headset, or as a headset in any other communications application and/or protocol where multiple users may want to communicate concurrently. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  2 A and  2 B , there is shown two views of an example headset  200  that may present audio output by a gaming console such as the console  176  and/or may be coupled to a TAC such as the TAC  195 . The headset  200  comprises a headband  202 , a microphone boom  206  with microphone  204 , ear cups  208   a  and  208   b  which surround speakers  216   a  and  216   b , connector  210 , connector  214 , and user controls  212 . 
     The connector  210  may be, for example, a 3.5 mm headphone socket for receiving analog audio signals (e.g., receiving chat audio via an Xbox “talkback” cable). 
     The microphone  204  converts acoustic waves (e.g., the voice of the person wearing the headset) to electric signals for processing by circuitry of the headset and/or for output to a device (e.g., console  176 , TAC  195 , a smartphone, and/or the like) that is in communication with the headset. 
     The speakers  216   a  and  216   b  convert electrical signals to sound waves. 
     The user controls  212  may comprise dedicated and/or programmable buttons, switches, sliders, wheels, etc., for performing various functions. Example functions which the controls  212  may be configured to perform include: power the headset  200  on/off, mute/unmute the microphone  204 , control gain/volume of, and/or effects applied to, chat audio by the audio processing circuitry of the headset  200 , control gain/volume of, and/or effects applied to, game audio by the audio processing circuitry of the headset  200 , enable/disable/initiate pairing (e.g., via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi direct, or the like) with another computing device, and/or the like. 
     The connector  214  may be, for example, a USB port. The connector  214  may be used for downloading data to the headset  200  from another computing device and/or uploading data from the headset  200  to another computing device. Such data may include, for example, parameter settings (described below). Additionally, or alternatively, the connector  214  may be used for communicating with another computing device such as a smartphone, tablet compute, laptop computer, or the like. 
     In an example scenario, the headset  200  may be coupled to a TAC, such as the TAC  195 , for chat communications with a plurality of users, which may be suitable for a gaming tournament situation, for example. 
       FIG.  2 C  depicts a block diagram of the example headset  200 . In addition to the connector  210 , user controls  212 , connector  214 , microphone  204 , and speakers  216   a  and  216   b  already discussed, shown are a radio  220 , a CPU  222 , a storage device  224 , a memory  226 , an audio processing circuit  230 , a charge control module  232 , a battery  234 , and an induction coil  236 . 
     The radio  220  may comprise radio frequency (RF) circuitry operable to communicate in accordance with one or more standardized (such as, for example, the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, the Bluetooth family of standards, and/or the like) and/or proprietary wireless protocol(s) (e.g., a proprietary protocol for receiving audio from an audio basestation such as the TAC  195 ). 
     The CPU  222  may comprise circuitry operable to execute instructions for controlling/coordinating the overall operation of the headset  200 . Such instructions may be part of an operating system or state machine of the headset  200  and/or part of one or more software applications running on the headset  200 . In some implementations, the CPU  222  may be, for example, a programmable interrupt controller, a state machine, or the like. 
     The storage device  224  may comprise, for example, FLASH or other nonvolatile memory for storing data which may be used by the CPU  222  and/or the audio processing circuitry  230 . Such data may include, for example, parameter settings that affect processing of audio signals in the headset  200  and parameter settings that affect functions performed by the user controls  212 . For example, one or more parameter settings may determine, at least in part, a gain of one or more gain elements of the audio processing circuitry  230 . As another example, one or more parameter settings may determine, at least in part, a frequency response of one or more filters that operate on audio signals in the audio processing circuitry  230 . 
     Example parameter settings which affect audio processing are described in the co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/040,144 titled “Gaming Headset with Programmable Audio” and published as US2012/0014553, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Particular parameter settings may be selected autonomously by the headset  200  in accordance with one or more algorithms, based on user input (e.g., via controls  212 ), and/or based on input received via one or more of the connectors  210  and  214 . 
     The memory  226  may comprise volatile memory used by the CPU  230  and/or audio processing circuit  230  as program memory, for storing runtime data, etc. 
     The audio processing circuit  230  may comprise circuitry operable to perform audio processing functions such as volume/gain control, compression, decompression, encoding, decoding, introduction of audio effects (e.g., echo, phasing, virtual surround effect, etc.), and/or the like. As described above, the processing performed by the audio processing circuit  230  may be determined, at least in part, by which parameter settings have been selected. The processing may be performed on game, chat, and/or microphone audio that is subsequently output to speaker  216   a  and  216   b . Additionally, or alternatively, the processing may be performed on chat audio that is subsequently output to the connector  210  and/or radio  220 . 
     The charge control module  232  may comprise suitable circuitry, logic, and/or code for controlling the charging of the battery  234 . Accordingly, the charge control module  232  may receive electrical current from the induction coil  236 , which in turn receives electromagnetic energy from a charging induction coil in the charging station via inductive coupling. The charge control module may also receive instructions from the CPU  222 , which may receive instructions from a charging station via the radio  230 . 
     In an example scenario, an alternating current in the induction coil  236  may be utilized by the charge control module  232  to charge the battery  234 . In this manner, the battery  234  may be charged without the need for any physical connection to a charging station, but merely by being in close proximity, with the distance determined by the induction coil  236  and associated coil in the charging station. Furthermore, the headset  200  may receive commands wirelessly from the charging station in which the headset is placed, as shown in  FIGS.  3  and  4   . 
       FIG.  3    depicts headsets coupled to daisy-chained tournament audio controllers. Referring to  FIG.  3   , there is shown gaming console  176 , daisy-chained TACs  195 , and a plurality of headsets  200 . The TACs  195  may comprise suitable circuitry, logic, and/or code that is operable to combine audio signals from a plurality of sources while eliminating some signals using out-of-phase cancellation. 
     As stated previously, in gaming tournaments there are teams of multiple players who compete against each other. During the game play, the mic signal from each player needs to be heard by every other player on the team. By simply mixing all of the microphone signals together and distributing the summed mics to every player, each player would have his own microphone mixed in and hear himself at a fixed level. That player would not be able to cancel out his own microphone signal. 
     In an example scenario, in tournament play each player has his or her own TAC  195  coupled to their headset. The TACs  195  may receive audio signals from the game console  176  as well as audio signals from microphones in the headsets  200 . The TACs  195  allow for the gamer to adjust via the four sliders the game/chat ratio, microphone noise gate for the reduction of background noise, microphone level, and microphone monitor. A knob may provide volume control. The microphone monitor function is discussed further with respect to  FIG.  4   , and enables a chat loop with multiple players while configuring the sound heard by each user as desired without their own voice at the same volume as other users. The microphone monitor allows the user to adjust the amount of his own microphone that gets mixed back in to his own headset so he may hear him or herself. 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , multiple TACs  195  may be coupled together in a daisy chain configuration. The microphone output from the headset may pass from the first TAC to the second TAC. When it is received by the second TAC, the microphone signal of the first TAC may be summed with the microphone signal of the second unit and passed to the third. This continues until the last unit. The TACs  195  may detect if a cable is plugged into another unit so that each unit knows if it is in the middle or at the end of chain. If it is detected that it is the last TAC, then the last TAC will take all the summed microphone signals and pass them back to the previous TAC. In turn each TAC will pass the summed signals back to the previous TAC until it gets back to the first TAC. 
     Because the summed microphone signals get passed back to the previous TAC, each TAC  195  will hear the Chat Loop Audio that contains every player&#39;s voice. Each TAC  195  will receive the total Chat Audio and then mix in the microphone of the user at the same amplitude but 180 degrees out of phase, which cancels his or her own voice from the Chat Loop inside his or her own TAC  195 . Then the Microphone signal may be mixed in at the level at which the user sets the Mic Monitor fader control. 
       FIG.  4    depicts a schematic of a tournament audio controller, in accordance with an example embodiment of the disclosure. Referring to  FIG.  4   , there is shown an example schematic of TAC  195  comprising summers  401 A- 401 E, a chat loop switch  403 , and a plurality of input/output (I/O) terminals, indicated by the boxes at the left side of the TAC  195  in  FIG.  4   . 
     The summers  401 A- 401 E may comprise suitable circuitry, logic, and/or code that is operable to receive a plurality of input signals and provide an output signal that is a sum of the input signals. For example, the summer  401 A may receive the positive signal from the microphone output  409 , the positive signal from the Chat Loop from the previous TAC, and the negative chat loop signal from the previous TAC Output  407 , and generate an output that is the sum of these signals, the sum being communicated to the chat loop switch  403  and also back to the Chat Loop Output to Next TAC Input  413 . The summers  401 A- 401 E may also be operable to convert a differential input to a single-ended output. In addition, the summers  401 A- 401 E may configure the gain level of each input based on the user settings so that a user may select the volume of their own voice in the chat loop mix, for example. 
     The chat loop switch  403  may comprise suitable circuitry, logic, and/or code that is operable to switch signals based on what position it has in a chain of TACs. In an example scenario where a plurality of TACs are daisy-chained, each TAC sends the summed audio to the next TAC, as shown the feedback path from the outputs of the mixers  401 A and  401 B, the CHAT LOOP Output to next TAC input  413 . The chat loop switch  403  may either send the Summed Chat audio back to the Previous TAC if it is the last TAC, as shown by the CHAT LOOP Output to Previous TAC Input  405 , or may take the audio from the next TAC, the Chat Loop Return from Next TAC Output  411 , and send it to the previous TAC if it is not the last in the chain. 
     In an example scenario, the microphone output  409  comprises a balanced output with the + and − signals being communicated to the summers  401 A and  401 B, which results in a differential to single-ended conversion with an 180 degree inversion. Because the summed microphone signals get passed back to the previous TAC, each TAC will hear the Chat Loop Audio that contains every player&#39;s voice. In addition, due to the balanced output of the microphone, the signal may be canceled at another portion of the TAC  195  by summing signals with 180 degree phase difference. 
     Each TAC may receive the total Chat Audio and then mix in the microphone of the user at the same or adjusted amplitude 180 degrees out of phase at the summers  401 D and  401 E. This may configure the magnitude of, or cancel entirely, the user&#39;s own voice from the Chat Loop inside their own TAC  195 , after which the Microphone signal may be mixed in at the level at which the user sets the Mic Monitor fader control. In this manner, the summers  401 D and  401 E may configure the volume of the user&#39;s own microphone signal for their headset. 
     In addition, the console input  415  may be summed with the chat loop by the summers  401 D and  401 E. In an example scenario, each TAC in the daisy chain may be coupled to a game console that provides an audio signal corresponding to the user&#39;s activity so that each user hears their own game sound signal and the same chat loop signal as other users but with their own voice mixed in as configured by the user. 
     The total chat  417  may be communicated to the user headset or to a digital signal processor (DSP) for further processing. 
       FIG.  5    is a flowchart illustrating an example process for daisy chaining tournament audio controllers. Referring to  FIG.  5   , there is shown a flow chart  500 , comprising a plurality of example steps. 
     In starting step  502 , a headset may be coupled to each TAC, each of which may be daisy-chained with the other TACs. In step  504 , the microphone signal from the user of a particular TAC may be summed with the chat loop signal received from the previous TAC, resulting in single-ended inverted signals from the MIC+ and MIC− signals. 
     In step  506 , the MIC + chat loop audio may be sent to the next TAC or the chat loop audio may be communicated back to the previous TAC if last in the chain. 
     In step  508 , the MIC− signal may be summed with the chat loop+MIC+ signal, and the console input to cancel the MIC signal and result in the chat loop signal. In step  510 , the resulting chat loop signal may be communicated to the associated headset or to a DSP for further processing before being communicated to the headset. 
     In an example embodiment of the disclosure daisy chaining tournament audio controllers are disclosed and may comprise a headset coupled to a first tournament audio controller (TAC), where the first TAC being is in a daisy chain of TACs. The headset is operable to: receive a chat signal from a previous TAC in the daisy chain of TACs, receive a microphone signal from a microphone in the headset, sum the chat signal with the microphone signal, communicate the summed chat signal and microphone signal to a next TAC in the daisy chain if the first TAC is not at an end of the daisy chain of TACs, and communicate the chat signal to the headset. 
     The microphone signal may be removed from the summed chat signal and microphone signal by adding a second microphone signal 180 degrees out of phase with the microphone signal. The chat signal may be summed with the microphone signal at an amplitude set by a user of the headset after the removal of the microphone signal from the summed chat signal and microphone signal. The summed chat signal and microphone signal (summed at an amplitude set by the user) may be communicated to the headset. 
     The summed chat signal and microphone signal may be communicated to the previous TAC in the daisy chain if the first TAC is at an end of the daisy chain of TACs. A signal from a gaming console may be summed with the summed chat signal and microphone signal. Each TAC in the daisy chain of TACs may be coupled to a headset. The chat signal may comprise audio from the headsets coupled to each of the TACs in the daisy chain. The received chat signal may be converted from a differential signal to a single-ended signal before being summed with the microphone signal. The microphone signal may comprise a balanced signal. 
     The present method and/or system may be realized in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. The present methods and/or systems may be realized in a centralized fashion in at least one computing system, or in a distributed fashion where different elements are spread across several interconnected computing systems. Any kind of computing system or other apparatus adapted for carrying out the methods described herein is suited. A typical combination of hardware and software may be a general-purpose computing system with a program or other code that, when being loaded and executed, controls the computing system such that it carries out the methods described herein. Another typical implementation may comprise an application specific integrated circuit or chip. Some implementations may comprise a non-transitory machine-readable (e.g., computer readable) medium (e.g., FLASH drive, optical disk, magnetic storage disk, or the like) having stored thereon one or more lines of code executable by a machine, thereby causing the machine to perform processes as described herein. 
     While the present method and/or system has been described with reference to certain implementations, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the present method and/or system. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the present method and/or system not be limited to the particular implementations disclosed, but that the present method and/or system will include all implementations falling within the scope of the appended claims.