Daisy chaining of tournament audio controllers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10212520-B2
Application number	US-201615232063-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2016
Priority date	Aug 7, 2015
Publication date	Feb 19, 2019
Grant date	Feb 19, 2019

Abstract

A method and system for daisy chaining tournament audio controllers, where the method comprises, in a headset coupled to a first audio controller, the first audio controller being in a daisy chain of audio controllers: receiving a chat signal from a previous audio controller in the daisy chain of audio controllers, receiving a microphone signal from a microphone in the headset, summing the chat signal with the microphone signal, communicating the summed signal to a next audio controllers in the daisy chain, and communicating the chat signal to the headset. The microphone signal may be removed from the summed chat signal and microphone signal by adding a second microphone signal 180 degrees out of phase with the microphone signal. The chat signal may be summed with the microphone signal at an amplitude set by a user of the headset after the removal of the microphone signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for processing audio signals, the system comprising:
a headset operatively coupled to a first audio controller, said first audio controller being in a daisy chain of audio controllers, said first audio controller being operable to:
receive a chat signal from a previous audio controller in said daisy chain of audio controllers;
receive a microphone signal from a microphone in said headset;
sum said chat signal with said microphone signal;
communicate said summed chat signal and microphone signal to a next audio controller in said daisy chain if said first audio controller is not at an end of said daisy chain of audio controllers;
communicate, utilizing a chat loop switch in said first audio controller, a chat signal from said next audio controller to said previous audio controller in said daisy chain if said first audio controller is not at an end of said daisy chain of audio controllers;
communicate, utilizing said chat loop switch, said summed chat signal and microphone signal to said previous audio controller if said first audio controller is at an end of said daisy chain; and
communicate said chat signal to said headset.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first audio controller is operable to remove said microphone signal from said summed chat signal and microphone signal by adding a second microphone signal 180 degrees out of phase with said microphone signal.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first audio controller is operable to sum said chat signal with said microphone signal at an amplitude set by a user of said headset after said removal of said microphone signal from said summed chat signal and microphone signal.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first audio controller is operable to communicate said summed chat signal and microphone signal at an amplitude set by said user to said headset.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said chat loop switch is coupled to two summers, each of which is coupled to a separate terminal of said microphone.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first audio controller is operable to sum a signal from a gaming console with said summed chat signal and microphone signal.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein each audio controller in said daisy chain of audio controllers is coupled to a headset.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein said chat signal comprises audio from said headsets coupled to each of said audio controllers in said daisy chain.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein said microphone signal is a balanced signal.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first audio controller is operable to convert said received chat signal from a differential signal to a single-ended signal while being summed with said microphone signal.

11. A method for processing audio signals, the method comprising:
in a headset coupled to a first tournament audio controller (audio controller), said first audio controller being in a daisy chain of audio controllers:
receiving a chat signal from a previous audio controller in said daisy chain of audio controllers;
receiving a microphone signal from a microphone in said headset;
summing said chat signal with said microphone signal;
communicating said summed chat signal and microphone signal to a next audio controller in said daisy chain if said first audio controller is not at an end of said daisy chain of audio controllers;
communicating, utilizing a chat loop switch in said first audio controller, a chat signal from said next audio controller to said previous audio controller in said daisy chain if said first audio controller is not at an end of said daisy chain of audio controllers;
communicating, utilizing said chat loop switch, said summed chat signal and microphone signal to said previous audio controller if said first audio controller is at an end of said daisy chain; and
communicating said chat signal to said headset.

12. The method of claim 11 , comprising removing said microphone signal from said summed chat signal and microphone signal by adding a second microphone signal 180 degrees out of phase with said microphone signal.

13. The method of claim 12 , comprising summing said chat signal with said microphone signal at an amplitude set by a user of said headset after said removal of said microphone signal from said summed chat signal and microphone signal.

14. The method of claim 13 , comprising communicating said summed chat signal and microphone signal at an amplitude set by said user to said headset.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein said chat loop switch is coupled to two summers, each of which is coupled to a separate terminal of said microphone.

16. The method of claim 11 , comprising summing a signal from a gaming console with said summed chat signal and microphone signal.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein each audio controller in said daisy chain of audio controllers is coupled to a headset.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said chat signal comprises audio from said headsets coupled to each of said audio controllers in said daisy chain.

19. The method of claim 11 , comprising converting said received chat signal from a differential signal to a single-ended signal while being summed with said microphone signal.

20. A system for processing audio signals, the system comprising:
a headset coupled to a first tournament audio controller (audio controller), said first audio controller being in a daisy chain of audio controllers, said first audio controller being operable to:
receive a chat signal from a previous audio controller in said daisy chain of audio controllers;
receive a microphone signal from a microphone in said headset;
sum said chat signal with said microphone signal;
communicate said summed chat signal and microphone signal to a next audio controller in said daisy chain if said first audio controller is not at an end of said daisy chain of audio controllers;
communicate, utilizing a chat loop switch in said first audio controller, a chat signal from said next audio controller to said previous audio controller in said daisy chain if said first audio controller is not at an end of said daisy chain of audio controllers;
communicate, utilizing said chat loop switch, said summed chat signal and microphone signal to said previous audio controller if said first audio controller is at an end of said daisy chain;
sum said chat signal with a signal from a gaming console and a second microphone signal 180 degrees out of phase with said microphone signal; and
communicate said summed chat signal and signal from said gaming console to said headset.

Assignees

• Voyetra Turtle Beach Inc

Inventors

• Zepp David
• Kettering Travis

Classifications

• A63F13/215

  comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone · CPC title

• H04R3/00

  Circuits for transducers (arrangements for producing a reverberation or echo sound G10K15/08; amplifiers H03F) · CPC title

• A63F13/25

  Output arrangements for video game devices · CPC title

• A63F13/87

  Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat · CPC title

• G10K2210/1082

  Microphones, e.g. systems using "virtual" microphones · CPC title