US-12627960-B2 - Physical layer improvements for short range wireless communications

Abstract

Various arrangements are presented that provide improvements of short-range wireless communications, such as Bluetooth LE Audio communication. An audio source device may determine that unidirectional audio is to be output. In response to determining that unidirectional audio is to be output, a first physical layer (PHY) configuration can be set for a first communication link in the downlink direction from the audio source device to the audio output device. A second PHY configuration can be set for the communication link in the uplink direction from the audio output device to the audio source device. The first PHY configuration has a greater symbol rate than the second PHY configuration.

Inventors

• Sunil Kumar
• Victor Yeh

Assignees

• GOOGLE LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20230801

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A method for improving wireless audio communication, the method comprising: determining, by an audio source device, that unidirectional audio is to be output, wherein: the unidirectional audio involves audio data being transmitted from the audio source device to an audio output device but no audio data being transmitted from the audio output device to the audio source device; and in response to determining that unidirectional audio is to be output, setting a first physical layer (PHY) configuration for a downlink direction of a first communication link from the audio source device to the audio output device and a second PHY configuration for an uplink direction of the first communication link from the audio output device to the audio source device, wherein: the first PHY configuration has a greater symbol rate than the second PHY configuration.
2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first communication link is a connected isochronous stream (CIS) link.
3. 3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first PHY configuration is 2M and the second PHY configuration is 1M.
4. 4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the second PHY configuration is used for the uplink direction of an asynchronous connection-oriented logical transport (ACL) link.
5. 5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the first PHY configuration is used for the downlink direction from the audio source device to the audio output device for the ACL link.
6. 6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that unidirectional audio is to be output comprises determining that music is to be output.
7. 7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the audio output device is an earbud of a pair of true wireless earbuds.
8. 8 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising: initiating, by the audio source device, transmission of audio packets to the audio output device using the CIS link in the downlink direction; and receiving, by the audio source device, acknowledgements from the audio output device using the CIS link in the uplink direction.
9. 9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining a location of the source audio device, wherein setting the first PHY configuration and the second PHY configuration is further based on the determined location of the audio source device.
10. 10 . A system for improving wireless audio communication, the system comprising: an audio source device, comprising: a wireless communication interface; and a processing system comprising one or more processors, wherein the audio source device is configured to: determine that unidirectional audio is to be output, wherein: the unidirectional audio involves audio data being transmitted from the audio source device to an audio output device but no audio data being transmitted from the audio output device to the audio source device; and in response to determining that unidirectional audio is to be output, set a first physical layer (PHY) configuration for a downlink direction of a first communication link from the audio source device to the audio output device and a second PHY configuration for an uplink direction of the first communication link from the audio output device to the audio source device, wherein: the first PHY configuration has a greater symbol rate than the second PHY configuration.
11. 11 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising an audio output device, that comprises: a second wireless communication interface; and a speaker.
12. 12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the audio output device is an earbud of a pair of true wireless earbuds.
13. 13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the first communication link is a connected isochronous stream (CIS) link.
14. 14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the first PHY configuration is 2M and the second PHY configuration is 1M.
15. 15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the second PHY configuration is used for the uplink direction of an asynchronous connection-oriented logical transport (ACL) link.
16. 16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the first PHY configuration is used for the downlink direction from the audio source device to the audio output device for the ACL link.
17. 17 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the audio source device being configured to determine that unidirectional audio is to be output comprises the processing system of the audio source device being configured to determine that music is to be output.
18. 18 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the audio source device is further configured to: initiate transmission of audio packets to the audio output device using the CIS link in the downlink direction; and receive acknowledgements from the audio output device using the CIS link in the uplink direction.
19. 19 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the audio source device is further configured to: determine a location of the source audio device, wherein setting the first PHY configuration and the second PHY configuration is further based on the determined location of the audio source device.
20. 20 . A non-transitory processor-readable medium, comprising processor- readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors of an audio source device to: determine that unidirectional audio is to be output, wherein: the unidirectional audio involves audio data being transmitted from the audio source device to an audio output device but no audio data being transmitted from the audio output device to the audio source device; and in response to determining that unidirectional audio is to be output, set a first physical layer (PHY) configuration for a downlink direction of a first communication link from the audio source device to the audio output device and a second PHY configuration for an uplink direction of the first communication link from the audio output device to the audio source device, wherein: the first PHY configuration has a greater symbol rate than the second PHY configuration.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to, and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/415,368, filed Oct. 12, 2022, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/440,047, filed Jan. 19, 2023, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety. BACKGROUND Bluetooth LE Audio may have many advantages for use in streaming audio from an audio source, such as a smartphone, to an audio output device, such as earbuds. Compared to Bluetooth basic data rate/extended data rate (BDR/EDR), which can also be referred to as Bluetooth “classic,” the link margin may be smaller with LE Audio. Other audio communications may have a smaller link margin. A smaller link margin means that the wireless communications between the source and output device are more susceptible to interference and attenuation. Accordingly, improving the link margin to decrease the effects of interference and attenuation on communication between the source and output device is desired. SUMMARY Various embodiments are described related to improvements in short range a method for improving audio communication, including wireless communications that have smaller link margins, such as Bluetooth LE Audio communications. The method may comprise determining, by an audio source device, that unidirectional audio is to be output. The unidirectional audio may involve audio data being transmitted from the audio source device to an audio output device but no audio data being transmitted from the audio output device to the audio source device. The method may comprise, in response to determining that unidirectional audio is to be output, setting a first physical layer (PHY) configuration for a downlink direction of a first communication link from the audio source device to the audio output device and a second PHY configuration for an uplink direction of the first communication link from the audio output device to the audio source device. The first PHY configuration may have a greater symbol rate than the second PHY configuration. Embodiments of such a method may include one or more of the following features: wherein the first communication link may be a connected isochronous stream (CIS) link. The first PHY configuration may be 2M and the second PHY configuration may be 1M. The second PHY configuration may be used for the uplink direction of an asynchronous connection-oriented logical transport (ACL) link. The first PHY configuration may be used for the downlink direction from the audio source device to the audio output device for the ACL link. Determining that unidirectional audio is to be output may comprise determining that music is to be output. The audio output device may be an earbud of a pair of true wireless earbuds. The method may comprise initiating, by the audio source device, transmission of audio packets to the audio output device using the CIS link in the downlink direction. The method may comprise receiving, by the audio source device, acknowledgements from the audio output device using the CIS link in the uplink direction. The method may comprise determining a location of the source audio device. Setting the first PHY configuration and the second PHY configuration may be further based on the determined location of the audio source device. In some embodiments, a system for improving Bluetooth LE Audio communication is described. The system may comprise an audio source device. The audio source device may comprise a wireless communication interface. The audio source device may comprise a processing system comprising one or more processors. The audio source device may be configured to determine that unidirectional audio is to be output. The unidirectional audio may involve audio data being transmitted from the audio source device to an audio output device but no audio data being transmitted from the audio output device to the audio source device. The audio source device may be configured to, in response to determining that unidirectional audio is to be output, set a first physical layer (PHY) configuration for a downlink direction of a first communication link from the audio source device to the audio output device and a second PHY configuration for an uplink direction of the first communication link from the audio output device to the audio source device. The first PHY configuration may have a greater symbol rate than the second PHY configuration. Embodiments of such a system may include one or more of the following features: a second wireless communication interface and a speaker. The audio output device may be an earbud of a pair of true wireless earbuds. The first communication link may be a connected isochronous stream (CIS) link. The first PHY configuration may be 2M and the second PHY configuration may be 1M. The second PHY configuration may be used for the uplink direction of an asynchronous connection-oriented logical transport (ACL) link. The first PHY configurati