# US 2023/0054769 A1 · Stereo reception of audio streams in single endpoint wireless systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0054769 A1 - Document ID: US20230054769A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/817,436 - Filed: 2022-08-04 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Earliest claimed: 2021-08-20 - Assignees: Starkey Laboratories, Inc. - Applicants: Starkey Laboratories, Inc. - Inventors: Jeffrey Paul Solum; Alexander Botz; Chaitanya Jidge - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230054769A1 ## CPC - H04R 25/552: {Binaural} - H04W 76/15: Setup of multiple wireless link connections - H04L 65/1101: Session protocols - H04R 1/1041: {Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements (switches in general H01H)} - H04R 5/033: Headphones for stereophonic communication {(details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10)} - H04R 25/554: {using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils} - H04W 76/14: Direct-mode setup - H04B 5/24: Inductive coupling - H04R 2420/07: Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract Disclosed herein, among other things, are systems and methods for obtaining stereo reception of an audio stream by multiple audio devices when only a single endpoint is the intended recipient. A system includes a first audio device and one or more second audio devices. The first audio device receives a first signal from a central device via a first wireless connection, transfers to the one or more second audio devices via a second wireless connection a second signal to enable the one or more second audio devices to eavesdrop on the first wireless connection, receives the incoming audio packet via the first wireless connection, and sends the incoming audio packet to the one or more second audio devices via the second wireless connection. The one or more second audio devices receives the incoming audio packet using the second wireless connection or by eavesdropping on the first wireless connection. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: receiving, at a first audio device of multiple audio devices, a first signal from a central device via a first wireless connection; the first signal indicative of an incoming audio packet; transferring, from the first audio device to one or more second audio devices of the multiple audio devices via a second wireless connection, a second signal providing information to the one or more second audio devices to enable the one or more second audio devices to eavesdrop on the first wireless connection; receiving, at the first audio device, the incoming audio packet via the first wireless connection; sending, from the first audio device to the one or more second audio devices via the second wireless connection, the incoming audio packet one or more times; receiving, at the one or more second audio devices, the incoming audio packet using one or more of the second wireless connection or eavesdropping on the first wireless connection; and playing, using receivers at the first audio device and the one or more second audio devices, stereo audio for a user of the first audio device and the one or more second audio devices, including using a delay at the first audio device, the delay including a transport delay of the second wireless connection and a presentation delay of the one or more second audio devices. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless connection includes a Bluetooth® connection. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second wireless connection includes a Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) connection. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the BLE connection includes a BLE asynchronous connection-oriented (LE ACL) connection. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the BLE connection includes a BLE isochronous stream connection. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second wireless connection includes a near-field magnetic induction (NFMI) connection. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second signal includes link keys, session keys, an identity address, a wireless clock and a channel map. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more second audio devices are configured to automatically function as the first audio device to improve link quality of the first wireless connection to the central device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more second audio devices are configured to automatically function as the first audio device to balance power consumption between the first audio device and the one or more second audio devices. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal includes an advance audio distribution profile (A2DP) transmission. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the A2DP transmission includes an audio/video distribution transport protocol (AVDTP). ### Claim 12 A system, comprising: a first audio device; and one or more second audio devices, wherein the first audio device includes one or more first processors programmed to: receive a first signal from a central device via a first wireless connection, the first signal indicative of an incoming audio packet; transfer to the one or more second audio devices via a second wireless connection a second signal providing information to the one or more second audio devices to enable the one or more second audio devices to eavesdrop on the first wireless connection; receive the incoming audio packet via the first wireless connection; and send the incoming audio packet one or more times to the one or more second audio devices via the second wireless connection, and wherein the one or more second audio devices include one or more second processors programmed to: receive the incoming audio packet using one or more of the second wireless connection or eavesdropping on the first wireless connection. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more first processors and the one or more second processors are programmed to: play, using receivers at the first audio device and the one or more second audio devices, stereo audio for a user of the first audio device and the one or more second audio devices, including using a delay at the first audio device, the delay including a transport delay of the second wireless connection and a presentation delay of the one or more second audio devices. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the first audio device and the one or more second audio devices include one or more buffers of audio frames. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more first processors and the one or more second processors are programmed to perform a handshake to ensure stereo audio playback includes a same audio frame. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more first processors and the one or more second processors are programmed to perform the handshake upon depletion of the one or more buffers. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more first processors and the one or more second processors are programmed to perform the handshake upon power cycling of the first audio device or the one or more second audio devices. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more second processors are programmed to stop monitoring the second wireless connection if successfully eavesdropping on the first wireless connection. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the first audio device or the one or more second audio devices include a hearing assistance device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the hearing assistance device includes a hearing aid.