Patent Publication Number: US-2017351483-A1

Title: Method for enhanced concert audio experience

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/345,071 filed on Jun. 3, 2016, which the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The disclosure relates to the field of audio systems, and, more particularly, to audio systems which may be used to produce audio signals at a live performance. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Currently, one of the most common complaints from people attending a concert or other live performance is poor quality of sound. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention may improve a concert attendee&#39;s overall aural experience through the use of Wi-Fi Direct (Wi-Di) protocol working in synchronization with existing sound reinforcement components, Wi-Di enabled consumer electronic devices, and a mobile application. The invention solves the demand for high-quality audio distribution in environments with poor acoustic properties. In particular, the invention may provide alternative listening experiences to those provided by a venue&#39;s public address (PA) system. 
     The invention may utilize a Wi-Fi direct protocol in conjunction with a subscription-based mobile application, which enables users to select and customize an audio mix during a concert performance. With the broad deployment and acceptance of mobile devices and pay-for-service mobile applications, it is now possible to provide and monetize a custom live auditory experience by use of the present invention. 
     In one embodiment, the invention comprises an enhanced concert audio experience arrangement including a mixing console that receives a plurality of audio signals. Each audio signal is received from a respective microphone of a plurality of microphones. The mixing console mixes the audio signals into a plurality of combinations of audio signals. Each combination includes one or more selected ones of the audio signals. A transceiver is communicatively coupled to the mixing console and transmits air-borne signals including the combinations of audio signals. A mobile personal electronic device is communicatively coupled to the transceiver and enables a human user to select one of the combinations of audio signals transmitted by the transceiver, and listen to the selected combination of audio signals. 
     In another embodiment, the invention comprises a method of providing an enhanced concert audio experience, including receiving a plurality of audio signals. Each audio signal is received from a respective microphone of a plurality of microphones. The audio signals are mixed into a plurality of combinations of audio signals. Each combination includes one or more selected ones of the audio signals. Air-borne signals including the combinations of audio signals are transmitted. A human user is enabled to select one of the combinations of audio signals and listen to the selected combination of audio signals. 
     In yet another embodiment, the invention comprises an enhanced concert audio experience arrangement including a mixing device receiving a plurality of audio signals. Each audio signal is received from a respective microphone of a plurality of microphones. The audio signals are mixed into a plurality of combinations of audio signals. Each combination includes one or more selected ones of the audio signals. A transceiver is communicatively coupled to the mixing device and transmits air-borne signals including the combinations of audio signals. A mobile personal electronic device is communicatively coupled to the transceiver and confirms that a human user has a subscription to the audio signals transmitted by the transceiver. The mobile personal electronic device enables the human user to select and listen to one of the combinations of audio signals transmitted by the transceiver only if the mobile personal electronic device has confirmed that the human user has a subscription to the audio signals transmitted by the transceiver. 
     An advantage of the present invention is that it offers users an audio quality far surpassing what he might otherwise be able to experience due to his non-ideal listening position coupled with limitations of the audio system and of the listening environment. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of one embodiment of an enhanced concert audio experience arrangement of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart of one method of the present invention for providing an enhanced concert audio experience. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of an enhanced concert audio experience arrangement  10  of the present invention, including a main mixing console  12 , which may be a venue sound mixing board, an enhanced concert experience module  14 , an enhanced concert experience application  16 , and a mobile personal electronic device  18 . Enhanced concert experience module  14  includes an analog-to-digital converter  20 , a server  22 , and a Wi-Fi direct transceiver  24 . 
     Mobile personal electronic device  18  may be in the form of a smartphone, for example, and may include a digital-to-analog converter  26 . Enhanced concert experience application  16  is a mobile application providing a subscription status, an audio mix selection, and audio controls for controlling a volume level and a channel selection. The channel selection may enable the user to choose between a main channel, a musician mix channel, and an alternative mix channel. 
     During use, audible music may be picked up by a plurality of microphones  28  located near the musicians. Each microphone  28  may be positioned to pick up the music from a different corresponding musician, or from a different combination of musicians. Main mixing console  12  may receive the signals from microphones  28  and may be used to mix the signals to broadcast over the loudspeakers in the venue. Main mixing console  12  may also transmit the mixed signals to enhanced concert experience module  14 . Further, main mixing console  12  may also provide alternative mixes and combinations of the various audio signals from microphones  28 , and may transmit these alternative mixed signals to enhanced concert experience module  14 . However, main mixing console  12  may also transmit the individual analog microphone signals in an unmixed state to enhanced concert experience module  14 . 
     Analog-to-digital converter  20  of module  14  may convert the analog audio signals into digital audio signals, which server  22  transmits to transceiver  24 . Transceiver  24  then locally broadcasts digital air-borne audio signals each representing a respective one of the various mixed signals produced by console  12  or one of the individual audio signals produced by microphones  28 . 
     Mobile personal electronic device  18  may receive the digital air-borne audio signals broadcast by transceiver  24 . Application  16 , as operating on device  18 , may process the digital air-borne audio signals and make them available to the user of mobile device  18 . Application  16  may first verify that the user and mobile device  18  have a valid paid-up subscription that permits application  16  to provide the user with the various mix options. Application  16  may provide a user interface that enables the user to select an audio mix including a selected mix of one or more of the audio signals broadcast by transceiver  24 . Application  16  may also provide audio controls on the user interface of device  18  that enable the user to select a volume level and one of the audio channels, wherein each channel carries a respective mix of the audio signals. The mixes of audio signals that may be selected may include a main mix that is being broadcast on the venue&#39;s loudspeakers; a musician mix that isolates and/or emphasizes a particular one of the musicians, or a particular subset of the musicians; an alternative mix produced by console  12  that may have subtler differences from the main mix; and custom mixes that the user may create for himself by selecting one or more of the individual microphone signals of the respective microphone amplifier. The user may further customize his mix by adjusting the volume of each of the individual microphone signals relative to each other. 
     Regardless of which mix is selected by the user, the mix may be converted to an analog signal by digital-to-analog converter  26 . Device  18  may have a headphone output jack (not shown) that enables the user to listen to his selected mix through a headphone plugged into the headphone output jack. The user may also listen to his selected mix via a loudspeaker built into device  18 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates one method  200  of the present invention for providing an enhanced concert audio experience. In a first step  202 , a plurality of audio signals are received. Each audio signal is received from a respective microphone of a plurality of microphones. For example, console  12  may receive a respective audio signal from each of a plurality of microphones  28 . 
     In a next step  204 , the audio signals are mixed into a plurality of combinations of audio signals. Each combination includes one or more selected ones of the audio signals. For example, mixing console  12  may mix the audio signals from microphones  28  in various combinations of one, two, or three or more of the audio signals. 
     Next, in step  206 , air-borne signals including the combinations of audio signals are transmitted. For example, transceiver  24  may locally broadcast digital air-borne audio signals each representing a respective one of the various mixed signals produced by console  12  or one of the individual audio signals produced by microphones  28 . 
     In step  208 , a human user is enabled to select one of the combinations of audio signals. For example, application  16  may provide a user interface that enables the user to select an audio mix including a selected mix of one or more of the audio signals broadcast by transceiver  24 . 
     In a final step  210 , the human user is enabled to listen to the selected combination of audio signals. For example, mobile personal electronic device  18  may receive the digital air-borne audio signals broadcast by transceiver  24 . Application  16 , as operating on device  18 , may process the digital air-borne audio signals and make them available to the user of mobile device  18 . The user may be enabled to listen to the selected combination of audio signals via headphones connected to a jack on mobile personal electronic device  18 . 
     The invention has been described as being applied to a live performance in the form of a concert. However, the invention may also be applied to a speech that is audibly translated into other languages on other respective channels. The application may enable the user to select a channel corresponding to the language in which he would like to listen to the speech. Further, the application may extend to any other forum, public or private, where the desired performance is required; for example, a drive-in movie theater. 
     The foregoing description may refer to “motor vehicle”, “automobile”, “automotive”, or similar expressions. It is to be understood that these terms are not intended to limit the invention to any particular type of transportation vehicle. Rather, the invention may be applied to any type of transportation vehicle whether traveling by air, water, or ground, such as airplanes, boats, etc. 
     The foregoing detailed description is given primarily for clearness of understanding and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom for modifications can be made by those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.