Method and apparatus for wireless digital audio playback for player piano applications

An audio controller for broadcasting a digital audio signal for an accompaniment to a player piano, the player piano having a player piano controller providing a player piano controller audio output to the audio controller, and controlled by player piano instructions, the audio controller, comprising:

• a digital signal processor for processing an input digital signal of accompanying audio previously synchronized to a player piano system comprising the player piano, the digital signal processor coupled to the player piano controller of the player piano system;
• an encoder for generating a digital bitstream in a native format of the input digital signal;
• an RF transmitter for modulating the digital bitstream;
• and
• an antenna for broadcasting the digital bitstream, wherein said audio controller provides synchronization between the broadcast digital bitstream and the player piano instructions used by the player piano controller, with an audio time alignment of less than 100 microseconds and an overall latency of less than 7 milliseconds.

A digital wireless speaker for playing an accompaniment to a player piano, comprising:

• at least one antenna for receiving a digital broadcast signal;
• at least one RF receiver for demodulating the digital broadcast signal to produce a digital bitstream;
• a decoder for decoding the digital bitstream;
• a digital signal processor for processing the digital bitstream;
• one or more amplifiers for receiving one or more digital audio signals from the digital signal processor, respectively;
• and
• one or more transducers coupled to the one or more amplifiers, respectively;
• wherein said digital wireless speaker provides synchronization between the one or more digital audio signals and the player piano, with an audio time alignment of less than 100 microseconds and an overall latency of less than 7 milliseconds.

A method for playing an accompaniment to a player piano via wireless digital transmission, comprising;

• receiving an input digital signal that includes accompanying audio previously synchronized to a player piano system comprising the player piano, the player piano having a player piano controller controlled by player piano instructions;
• processing the input digital signal via a first digital processor;
• broadcasting the processed digital signal via a sending antenna;
• receiving the broadcast digital signal via a receiving antenna of a speaker, the broadcast digital signal including a bitstream in a native format of the input digital signal;
• processing the received digital signal via a second digital signal processor;
• and
• sending a set of digital audio signals to a set of transducers of the speaker, wherein said set of digital audio signals and the player piano instructions are synchronized with an audio time alignment of less than 100 microseconds and an overall latency of less than 7 milliseconds.

An audio system, comprising;

• a player piano;
• a player piano controller coupled to the player piano to control an output of the player piano according to player piano instructions;
• an audio controller for receiving an input signal of accompanying audio previously synchronized to a player piano system and broadcasting an output RF digital signal, the audio controller coupled to the player piano controller;
• and
• one or more wireless digital devices for receiving the output RF digital signal to play an accompaniment to the player piano in a native format of the input signal, wherein the output RF digital signal and the player piano instructions are synchronized with an audio time alignment of less than 100 microseconds and an overall latency of less than 7 milliseconds.