Patent ID: 8214447

Claim:
A method for an audio communication system, comprising: controlling a plurality of audio devices from a master device over a wired network for one or more wired audio devices and over a wireless network for one or more slave wireless audio devices; receiving a reply from each of the wired audio devices in response to a poll message from the master device and; appointing a local wireless master from among the slave wireless devices, receiving in the master device aggregate polling information indicative of states of the slave wireless audio devices from one of the slave wireless audio devices acting as a local wired master by replying in the proper time with all messages and polling information received from the slave wireless audio devices without waiting for a poll message from the master device; the local wired master finding all slave wireless audio devices that yield a polling response, buffering all said polling responses, and then on a preset time which coincides with the imminent periodic polling by the master device, as previously determined by and ascertained by the local wired master, releasing the buffered polling responses such that they arrive at the master device immediately after the issuance by the master device of poll requests to all the slave wireless audio devices, wherein the local wired master performs explicit steps of polling, and assembling all poll reply information and sending the assembled poll reply information to the master device.