Patent · US Expired

Method of synchronizing the playback of a digital audio broadcast by inserting a control track pulse

US7209795B2 · kind B2 · utility

258Cited by
18References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 23, 2002
Grant dateApr 24, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 21, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04J3/0667
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method is provided for synchronizing the playback of a digital audio broadcast on a plurality of network output devices by inserting a control track pulse in an audio stream of the digital audio broadcast. The method includes the steps of outputting a first control track pulse as part of an audio signal which has unique identifying characteristics and is regularly occurring, outputting a second control track pulse so that the time between the first and second control track pulses must be significantly greater than the latency between sending and receiving devices, and coordinating play of audio at the time of the occurrence of the transmission of the second control track pulse assuring the simultaneous output of the audio signal from multiple devices. The control track pulses have a value unique from any other portion of the audio stream. The digital audio broadcast from multiple receivers does not present to a listener any audible delay or echo effect.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.