System for distributing data using multiple communication channels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10117286-B1
Application number	US-201715708950-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 19, 2017
Priority date	Sep 19, 2017
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

Described are techniques for distributing audio data to multiple devices for a synchronized output in a manner that reduces congestion and interference with a first frequency band of a network. A first audio device receives audio data using the first frequency band, via an access point, then transmits the data to a second audio device using a different protocol. The second audio device may then distribute the audio data to other devices using a different frequency band. The two devices selected for use distributing the audio data may be determined based on signal quality for communications between the devices, data throughput between the first audio device and the access point, counts of devices that may receive data from the second device, and signal quality and other metric data associated with communications by the second audio device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a first audio device;
a second audio device, wherein the first audio device and the second audio device communicate using a first Bluetooth communication link;
a third audio device;
a fourth audio device, wherein the third audio device and the fourth audio device communicate using a second Bluetooth communication link;
a computing device in communication with the first audio device, the second audio device, the third audio device, and the fourth audio device, wherein the computing device includes one or more memories storing computer-executable instructions and one or more hardware processors to execute the computer-executable instructions to:
establish, using the first audio device, a first Wi-Fi communication link between the first audio device and an access point;
establish, using the second audio device, a second Wi-Fi communication link between the second audio device and the access point;
establish, using the third audio device, a third Wi-Fi communication link between the third audio device and the access point;
establish, using the fourth audio device, a fourth Wi-Fi communication link between the fourth audio device and the access point;
determine, using one or more of the first audio device or the one or more hardware processors, a first data transfer rate between the access point and the first audio device using a first Wi-Fi channel;
determine, using one or more of the third audio device or the one or more hardware processors, a second data transfer rate between the access point and the third audio device;
access, using the one or more hardware processors, a threshold data transfer rate that indicates a minimum data throughput for concurrent Wi-Fi communication and Bluetooth communication by the first audio device;
determine, using the one or more hardware processors, that the first data transfer rate exceeds the threshold data transfer rate;
determine, using the one or more hardware processors, that the second data transfer rate exceeds the threshold data transfer rate;
determine, using one or more of the second audio device or the one or more hardware processors, a first count of audio devices that is accessible by the second audio device;
determine, using one or more of the fourth audio device or the one or more hardware processors, a second count of audio devices that is accessible by the fourth audio device;
determine, using the one or more hardware processors, that the first count exceeds the second count;
terminate, using the third audio device and the fourth audio device, the third communication link and the fourth communication link;
establish, using the second audio device and the third audio device, a fifth communication link between the second audio device and the third audio device;
establish, using the second audio device and the fourth audio device, a sixth communication link between the second audio device and the fourth third audio device;
receive, using the first audio device, audio data from the access point using the first Wi-Fi channel;
transmit, using the first audio device, the audio data to the second audio device using the first Bluetooth communication link; and
transmit, using the second audio device, the audio data to at least one of the third audio device or the fourth audio device using a second Wi-Fi channel.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising computer-executable instructions to:
initiate a Bluetooth pairing mode using first audio device, the second audio device, the third audio device, and the fourth audio device;
receive pairing data from the first audio device, the second audio device, the third audio device, and the fourth audio device, wherein the pairing data indicates that the first audio device and the second audio device are configured to establish the first Bluetooth communication link and the third audio device and the fourth audio device are configured to establish the second Bluetooth communication link; and
determine the first data transfer rate and the second data transfer rate in response to the pairing data.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising computer-executable instructions to:
prior to determining the first data transfer rate, determine that a first signal strength of communication signals transmitted using the first Bluetooth communication link exceeds a threshold signal strength, wherein the threshold signal strength corresponds to a minimum data transfer rate associated with a minimum quality of an audio output; and
prior to determining the second data transfer rate, determine that a second signal strength of communication signals transmitted using with the second Bluetooth communication link exceeds the threshold signal strength.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising computer-executable instructions to:
establish a third Bluetooth communication link between the first audio device and the second audio device; and
use the first audio device to transmit, using the third Bluetooth communication link, one or more commands to the second audio device, wherein the one or more commands control one or more of: output of audio by the second audio device or receipt of the audio data by the second device.

5. A method comprising:
determining, using one or more hardware processors, a plurality of devices in communication using a first protocol;
receiving, using the one or more hardware processors, pairing data from the plurality of devices, wherein the pairing data indicates at least a first pair of devices of the plurality of devices configured to communicate using a second protocol and a second pair of devices of the plurality of devices configured to communicate using the second protocol;
determining, using the one or more hardware processors, first communication data indicative of a first number of devices associated with the first pair or signal strength of received communication signals associated with the first pair;
determining, using the one or more hardware processors, second communication data indicative of a second number of devices or signal strength of received communication signals associated with the second pair;
determining, using the one or more hardware processors, that the first communication data indicates one or more of a greater number of devices or a greater signal strength of received communication signals associated with the first pair;
causing a first device of the first pair to receive data using a first band of the first protocol;
transmitting, using the first device, the data to a second device of the first pair using the second protocol; and
transmitting, using the second device, the data to at least a third device of the plurality of devices using a second band of the first protocol.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
prior to determining the first communication data, determining that a first data throughput value associated with the first pair of devices is greater than a threshold data throughput value.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining a first signal strength value associated with communication between the first device and the second device using the second protocol; and
prior to determining the first communication data, determining that the first signal strength value exceeds a threshold signal strength value.

8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining that a fourth device of the plurality of devices is unable to receive the data from the second device using the second band of the first protocol; and
providing the data to the fourth device using the first band of the first protocol.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
transmitting, using the fourth device,

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Jorgovanovic Milos

Classifications

• H04W92/10

  between terminal device and access point, i.e. wireless air interface · CPC title

• H04W84/12

  WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] · CPC title

• H04W24/08

  Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using real traffic · CPC title

• H04W4/80 Primary

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• H04W76/15 Primary

  Setup of multiple wireless link connections · CPC title