Wireless audio systems and related methods

An audio system comprising:

• a first wireless network interface that receives a plurality of data packets from a second wireless network interface over a wireless network in accordance with a wireless networking protocol and assemble the data packets to obtain an encoded signal, wherein each data packet was converted from a plurality of frames of the encoded signal at the second wireless network interface, and each data packet comprises, inside, a corresponding one of the plurality of frames of the encoded signal, wherein each frame comprises timestamping and synchronization information to maintain synchronization of the encoded signal, wherein each data packet comprises Real Time Protocol (RTP) payloads encapsulated within Internet protocol (IP) corresponding to each frame of the encoded signal, wherein the encoded signal comprises at least one of a plurality of audio signals processed in accordance with an audio codec, wherein the audio signals are associated with a plurality of audio channels, and wherein the audio signals in the encoded signal are encoded for a given time-slice into the same data packet;
• and
• at least one decoder, wherein each decoder extracts the at least one of the audio signals from the encoded signal in accordance with the audio codec, such that the at least one of the audio signals associated with the plurality of audio channels are inside the RTP payloads and the at least one 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.

A method of providing a plurality of audio signals for an audio system, the method comprising:

• receiving an encoded signal comprising a plurality of audio signals encoded in 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;
• converting the frames of the encoded signal into a plurality of data packets, 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
• distributing the data packets to a wireless network in accordance with a 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.

An audio system comprising:

• means for processing 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;
• means for converting 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 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
• means for distributing 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 means for decoding of a corresponding remote endpoint that is 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.

An audio system comprising:

• means for receiving a plurality of data packets from a means for transmitting the plurality of data packets over a wireless network in accordance with a wireless networking protocol;
• means for assembling the data packets to obtain an encoded signal, wherein each data packet was converted from a plurality of frames of the encoded signal in the means for transmitting, wherein each data packet comprises inside a corresponding one of the plurality of frames of the encoded signal, wherein each frame comprises timestamping and synchronization information to maintain synchronization of the encoded signal, wherein each data packet comprises Real Time Protocol (RTP) payloads encapsulated within Internet protocol (IP) corresponding to each frame of the encoded signal, wherein the encoded signal comprises at least one of a plurality of audio signals processed in accordance with an audio codec, wherein the audio signals are associated with a plurality of audio channels, and wherein the audio signals in the encoded signal are encoded for a given time-slice into the same data packet;
• and
• at least one means for extracting, wherein each means for extracting extracts the at least one of the audio signals from the encoded signal 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.