Patent ID: 8284713

Claim:
An audio system comprising: an encoder that processes a plurality of audio signals to provide the audio signals in an encoded signal comprising a plurality of frames in accordance with an audio codec, wherein each frame comprises timestamping and synchronization information to maintain synchronization of the encoded signal, and wherein the audio signals are associated with a plurality of audio channels; and a first wireless network interface that: converts the frames of the encoded signal into a plurality of data packets in accordance with a wireless networking protocol, wherein each data packet comprises, inside, a corresponding one of the frames of the encoded signal including the timestamping and synchronization information of the corresponding one of the frames, wherein the audio signals in the encoded signal are encoded for a given time-slice into the same data packet; and distributes the data packets to a wireless network in accordance with the wireless networking protocol, wherein each distributed data packet comprises Real Time Protocol (RTP) payloads encapsulated within Internet protocol (IP) corresponding to each one of the frames of the encoded signal, wherein at least one of the audio signals from the encoded signal is extracted by each decoder of a corresponding remote endpoint associated with one of the audio channels in accordance with the audio codec such that the audio signals associated with the plurality of audio channels are inside the RTP payloads and one or more of the audio signals is associated with a front audio channel and used as the audio signal heard by a listener through the front audio channel.