US-12628214-B1 - Bluetooth internal audio routing for system lack of hardware support

US12628214B1US 12628214 B1US12628214 B1US 12628214B1US-12628214-B1

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes establishing, by a device, a first wireless audio link between a phone and a Bluetooth speaker via the device and establishing, by the device, a second wireless audio link between the Bluetooth speaker and the phone via the device. The Bluetooth speaker includes a local speaker and a microphone. The method also includes receiving, by the device, first audio data from the phone, and transmitting, by the device, the first audio data to the Bluetooth speaker. The method further includes receiving, by the device, second audio data from the microphone of the Bluetooth speaker and transmitting, by the device, the second audio data to the phone.

Inventors

Shuangqing Yuan
Hans Edward Birch-Jensen

Assignees

AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20180618

Claims (20)

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising: pairing a hub with a first device; pairing the hub with a second device; establishing a first audio link connecting the first device and the second device via a Bluetooth connectivity chip of the hub; establishing a second audio link connecting the second device and the first device via the Bluetooth connectivity chip; receiving, by the hub, first audio data from the first device via the first audio link; sending, by a baseband processor of the Bluetooth connectivity chip, the first audio data to a central processing unit of the Bluetooth connectivity chip; performing, by the central processing unit, an audio processing operation on the first audio data to generate second audio data; sending, by the central processing unit, the second audio data to the baseband processor; sending, by the baseband processor, the second audio data to the second device via the first audio link; receiving, by the hub, third audio data from the second device via the second audio link; and sending, by the baseband processor, fourth audio data to the first device via the second audio link, the fourth audio data corresponding to the third audio data and generated by the central processing unit.
2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first audio link and the second audio link do not utilize an Inter-IC Sound (I2S) bus disposed between the Bluetooth connectivity chip and an application processor of the hub.
3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising: storing, by a voice interface of the Bluetooth connectivity chip, the first audio data in a first buffer of a voice memory of the Bluetooth connectivity chip, wherein second audio data is generated by at least routing the first audio data from the first buffer of the voice memory to the central processing unit and from the central processing unit to a second buffer of the voice memory of the Bluetooth connectivity chip, wherein the second audio data is sent from the second buffer.
4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first audio data is sent to the central processing unit by at least storing, by the baseband processor, the first audio data in a memory of the Bluetooth connectivity chip and retrieving, by the central processing unit, the first audio data from the memory, and wherein the second audio data is sent to the baseband processor by at least storing, by the central processing unit, the second audio data in the memory and retrieving, by the baseband processor, the second audio data from the memory.
5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining that a condition associated with sending the first audio data to the central processing unit instead of an application processor is met, wherein the first audio data is sent, based at least in part on the condition being met, by the baseband processor to the central processing unit and bypasses sending the first audio data to the application processor over an Inter-IC Sound (I2S) bus.
6 . A Bluetooth device, comprising: a Bluetooth connectivity chip including a baseband processor, a central processing unit, and a memory; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-readable instructions that, upon execution on the Bluetooth connectivity chip, cause the Bluetooth connectivity chip to perform operations comprising: receiving first audio data from a first device paired with the Bluetooth device; sending, by the baseband processor, the first audio data to the central processing unit; performing, by the central processing unit, an audio processing operation on the first audio data to generate second audio data; sending, by the central processing unit, the second audio data to the baseband processor; sending, by the baseband processor, the second audio data to a second device paired with the Bluetooth device; receiving third audio data from the second device; and routing the third audio data through the Bluetooth connectivity chip prior to sending, by the Bluetooth connectivity chip, fourth audio data to the first device, the fourth audio data corresponding to the third audio data.
7 . The Bluetooth device of claim 6 , further comprising computer-readable instructions that, upon execution on the Bluetooth connectivity chip, cause the Bluetooth connectivity chip to perform operations comprising: establishing a first audio link between the first device and the second device via the Bluetooth device, the first audio link comprising a first link between the memory and the central processing unit and a second link between the memory and the baseband processor of the Bluetooth connectivity chip; and establishing a second audio link between the first device and the second device via the Bluetooth device, the second audio link comprising a third link between the memory and the central processing unit and the second link between the memory and the baseband processor.
8 . The Bluetooth device of claim 7 , wherein the first audio link and the second audio link comprise an extended Synchronous Connection Oriented (eSCO) channel in compliance with a Bluetooth protocol.
9 . The Bluetooth device of claim 7 , wherein the first audio link and the second audio link comprise concurrent Bluetooth audio links.
10 . The Bluetooth device of claim 6 , wherein the Bluetooth connectivity chip supports both a Bluetooth protocol and an 802.11 protocol.
11 . The Bluetooth device of claim 6 , wherein the Bluetooth device does not include a speaker.
12 . The Bluetooth device of claim 6 , wherein: the Bluetooth connectivity chip further comprises a voice interface; and routing the first audio data and routing the third audio data comprises routing the first audio data and the second audio data through the baseband processor, the voice interface, the memory, and the central processing unit.
13 . A computer-implemented method, comprising: establishing, by a Bluetooth device, a first audio link between a first device and a second device via the Bluetooth device; establishing, by the Bluetooth device, a second audio link between the second device and the first device via the Bluetooth device; receiving, by the Bluetooth device, first audio data from the first device; sending, by a baseband processor of a Bluetooth connectivity chip of the Bluetooth device, the first audio data to a central processing unit of the Bluetooth connectivity chip; performing, by the central processing unit, an audio processing operation on the first audio data to generate second audio data; sending, by the central processing unit, the second audio data to the baseband processor; and sending, by the baseband processor, the second audio data to the second device.
14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , further comprising processing, by the Bluetooth device, the first audio data using the baseband processor and a voice interface of the Bluetooth connectivity chip.
15 . The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , further comprising: receiving, by the Bluetooth device, third audio data from the second device; generating, by the Bluetooth device, fourth audio data that corresponds to the third audio data by at least routing the third audio data internally to the Bluetooth connectivity chip; and sending, by the Bluetooth device, the fourth audio data to the first device wherein sending the second audio data to the second device and sending the fourth audio data to the first device are performed concurrently.
16 . The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein the Bluetooth connectivity chip supports both a Bluetooth protocol and an 802.11 protocol.
17 . The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein the Bluetooth device does not include a speaker.
18 . The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein the second audio data is generated based on routing the first audio data internally to the Bluetooth connectivity chip via a first audio link that comprises an extended Synchronous Connection Oriented (eSCO) channel in compliance with a Bluetooth protocol.
19 . The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein the second audio data is generated based on routing the first audio data through the baseband processor and the central processing unit.
20 . The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein the second audio data is generated based on routing the first audio data via a first audio link.

Description

BACKGROUND With the advancement of technology, the use and popularity of electronic devices has increased considerably. Electronic devices are commonly used to capture, process, and transmit image and audio data. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Various embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings, in which: FIG. 1 illustrates a home automation hub utilized with a Bluetooth speaker according to examples of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 illustrates a Bluetooth audio routing design according to examples of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates a communication sequence diagram for establishing internal routing according to examples of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 illustrates an internal Bluetooth audio routing design according to examples of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 illustrates audio data flow using internal Bluetooth audio routing according to examples of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a functional diagram illustrating audio data flow using internal Bluetooth audio routing according to examples of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is another functional diagram illustrating audio data flow using internal Bluetooth audio routing according to examples of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 illustrates a communications sequence diagram for delivery of audio data from a remote caller to a Bluetooth speaker according to examples of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 illustrates a communications sequence diagram for delivery of audio data from a local microphone of a Bluetooth speaker to a remote caller according to examples of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a flowchart conceptually illustrating a method of performing a hands free phone call according to examples of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the following description, various embodiments will be described. For purposes of explanation, specific configurations and details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will also be apparent to one skilled in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without the specific details. Furthermore, well-known features may be omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the embodiment being described. FIG. 1 illustrates a device, also referred to as a home automation hub, utilized with a Bluetooth speaker according to examples of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the home automation hub 105, which includes application processor 120 and Bluetooth/Wi-Fi connectivity chip 122, can be paired to the Bluetooth speaker 130, which communicates with the home automation hub through antenna 124. The home automation hub can also be paired to phone 110. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the home automation hub does not include an internal speaker, but utilizes the Bluetooth speaker to enable audio output from the home automation hub. In an exemplary use case, audio data is streamed from the home automation hub to the Bluetooth speaker using the Bluetooth protocol. In this use case, the Inter-IC Sound (I2S, also referred to by the acronym I2S) bus 140 carries stereo audio data that can be streamed to the Bluetooth speaker via the Bluetooth/Wi-Fi connectivity chip 122. More specifically, the I2S bus is an electrical serial bus interface standard used for connecting digital audio devices together. This bus is used to communicate pulse-code modulation (PCM) audio data between integrated circuits in an electronic device. The I2S bus separates clock and serial data signals, thereby resulting in a lower jitter than is typical of communications systems that recover the clock from the data stream. For instance, the I2S bus includes a line for two time-multiplexed data channels, a word select line, and a clock line, as further illustrated in the next figure. The word select lines indicates the channel being transmitted (e.g., WS=0 indicates the left channel and WS=1 indicates the right channel). The clock line carries the necessary clock signal. The specification of the I2S bus is defined in the “I2S bus specification,” Philips Semiconductors. Jun. 5, 1996, the content of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. The Secure Digital Input Output (SDIO) bus 142 is also illustrated in FIG. 1. The SDIO bus 142 is illustrated in FIG. 1 as an interface for the Bluetooth/Wi-Fi connectivity chip 122 and the application processor 120. SDIO bus 142 transmits commands and receives responses via a command line and moves data across a data line, utilizing a 1 bit mode and a 4 bit mode for data operation. All of the operations are synchronized via a SDIO clock over a clock line. It should be noted that since the I2S bus is designed to only support a single, stereo audio stream, streaming of stereo audio data to the Bluetooth speaker is enabled, but simultaneous pairing of an additional device using the I2S bus is not enabled since this would result in the need for two connections/links. It should