Patent · US Expired

Localized audio networks and associated digital accessories

US7657224B2 · kind B2 · utility

332Cited by
62References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 6, 2003
Grant dateFeb 2, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 19, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04R2420/07
  • WIPO fieldOther consumer goods
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

Individuals share music through portable audio devices that synchronously play music by transmitting music signals from one device to the other. Upon request, other individuals can join such a sharing group as a member, and these new members can either be accepted automatically, or through voting by existing group members. So that members of a group can converse, the fraction of ambient sound admitted by the earphones of the portable device can be manually set. In order to enhance the enjoyment of the music, wearable transducers, such as light emitting diodes, respond to signals related to the beat of the music. Signals can be automatically generated, or manually specified, and signals thereafter stored for playback with the music to which it is related. Wearable transducers associated with individuals at a large music event can be set to receive common signals such that the transducers respond in synchrony with one another.

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