DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . This Office action is based on the communications filed January 25, 2024. Claims 1 – 20 are currently pending and considered below.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on January 24, 2024 and the IDS submitted on July 8, 2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1 – 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Haartsen (US 2023/0106965 A1), hereinafter Haartsen.
Claim 1: Haartsen discloses a system for synchronizing a plurality of isochronous streams (see at least, “For example, if one SRRD acts as a master or central device of the SRRD broadcasting group,
that master can set the overall timing. The clock in the SRRD of the first user may be the master clock. The other SRRDs synchronize their clocks accordingly,” Haartsen [0015], “In embodiments, one SRRD transmitter can act as master or Central device for configuring the SRRD broadcasting group, comprising setting the overall timing; for example, the clock in the headset of user A may be the master clock. The other SRRDs (at users Band C) synchronize their clocks using the timing of received packet VA 632
and schedule their transmissions accordingly; a staggered timing scheme results to prevent collisions between packets VA (632), VB (634), and VC (636) sent by respective broadcasting SRRDs,” Haartsen [0123], “Packets comprising multiple audio segments may use the isochronous timing of Bluetooth LE, with the ISO interval 2110 used for TRX interval 604, and using staggered Broadcast Isochronous Stream (BIS) channels as is shown in FIG. 21,” Haartsen [0146], “air interface,” Haartsen FIG. 6), comprising:
a first audio source of a plurality of audio sources (see at least, “The microphone in the headset of user A will pick up the voice signal 612 of user A but may also pick up sounds 620a from the environment (which may also be the voices from the other users). For user B (304), the voice signal 614 will be different, but the environmental sound 620b picked up by the microphone in the headset of user B (304) may be similar to environmental sound 620a picked up by the microphone in the headset of user A (302). Likewise, the voice signal 616 is picked up by the microphone in the headset of user C (306), together with environmental sound 620c. The digitized voice segment is subsequently encoded in a voice codec 260 (vocoder) and placed in a packet 500 that can be sent over the air. For example, a wideband speech vocoder like LC3 can be applied,” Haartsen [0119]), the first audio source configured to:
transmit a first stream packet of a first isochronous stream of the plurality of isochronous streams according to group timing information, wherein the first stream packet corresponds to the first audio source (see at least, “In the example embodiment, voice segments 612, 614, 616 are encoded in each headset transmitter separately and sequentially broadcast over the wireless channel using radio packets VA (632), VB (634), and VC (636) which may use the packet format 500 as depicted in FIG. 5. The radio transceivers 250 in the headset transmitters of users A, B, and C use a fixed TRX interval 604 with a duration substantially equal to the audio frame length 602. Interval 604 and audio frame length 602 are examples of time period configured as a part of the SRRD broadcasting group,” Haartsen [0120], “In embodiments, the order of broadcasting during a time frame is set (or time dependent varied) for that group. Here the order is A, B and then C. The respective transmitters of the SRRDs in the group have received instructions to schedule their respective transmissions such that no collisions occur on the air interface. In this example, user A broadcasts packet VA (632) first, followed by user B broadcasting packet VB (634), and finally user C broadcasting packet VC (636). By broadcasting the radio packets, the other SRRDs can receive the broadcasted radio packets and their content,” Haartsen [0122]); and
receive a second stream packet of a second isochronous stream of the plurality of isochronous streams according to the group timing information, wherein the second stream packet corresponds to a second audio source of the plurality of audio sources (see at least, “User A (302), operating as, and as an example of, a reproducing SRRD, will receive voice packets VB (634) and VC (636) broadcasted by broadcasting SRRDs. The receiver of user's A headset will pick up the signals during receive windows 652 and 672, respectively. It will process the packets and can subsequently retrieve the audio content 644 (including the voice signal 614 and the environmental sound signal 620b) from packet VB (634), and the audio content 646 (including the voice signal 616 and the environmental sound signal 620c) from packet VC (636) using a decoding process in the voice codec 260,” Haartsen [0124], “Similar procedures take place in the receivers of the reproducing SRRDs of users B and C, combining the audio data retrieved from packets VA (632) and VC (636), and the combining the audio data retrieved from packets VA (632) and VB (634), respectively. Although not shown, a receiver may mix a weak version of its own voice signal in the combination (so called sidetone generation),” Haartsen [0126], “The previously described air protocol uses a broadcast mechanism which is sequentially used by different participants of the SRRD broadcasting group. The broadcasted radio packets are received by multiple reproducing SRRDs of the group. In the mesh network representation individual links where depicted. For example, user B has a wireless link 321 to user A, a wireless link 325 to user C, and a wireless link 329 to user D. However, it should be understood that these three individual links 321, 325, 327 can constitute one unidirectional broadcast channel established during configuring of the SRRD broadcasting group. The channel allows radio packets to be broadcasted by user B and to simultaneously receive those packets by user A, user C, and user D (and any other receiver in range which is locked in time and frequency to this unidirectional broadcast channel). Likewise, there is a unidirectional broadcast channel established by user C, etc.,” Haartsen [0127]); and
a conducting device configured to transmit the group timing information to the first audio source and the second audio source, wherein the plurality of isochronous streams are synchronized to form an isochronous group streams (see at least, “For example, if one SRRD acts as a master or central device of the SRRD broadcasting group, that master can set the overall timing. The clock in the SRRD of the first user may be the master clock. The other SRRDs synchronize their clocks accordingly,” Haartsen [0015], “In embodiments, one SRRD transmitter can act as master or Central device for configuring the SRRD broadcasting group, comprising setting the overall timing; for example, the clock in the headset of user A may be the master clock. The other SRRDs (at users Band C) synchronize their clocks using the timing of received packet VA 632 and schedule their transmissions accordingly; a staggered timing scheme results to prevent collisions between packets VA (632), VB (634), and VC (636) sent by respective broadcasting SRRDs,” Haartsen [0123], “Packets comprising multiple audio segments may use the isochronous timing of Bluetooth LE, with the ISO interval 2110 used for TRX interval 604, and using staggered Broadcast Isochronous Stream (BIS) channels as is shown in FIG. 21,” Haartsen [0146], “air interface,” Haartsen FIG. 6).
Claim 2: Haartsen discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the conducting device provides the group timing information via a periodic advertisement transmitted to the first audio source and the second audio source (see at least, “For example, if one SRRD acts as a master or central device of the SRRD broadcasting group, that master can set the overall timing. The clock in the SRRD of the first user may be the master clock. The other SRRDs synchronize their clocks accordingly,” Haartsen [0015], “For example, if one SRRD acts as a master or central device of the SRRD broadcasting group, that master can set the overall timing. The clock in the SRRD of the first user may be the master clock. The other SRRDs synchronize their clocks accordingly. Frames and TRX intervals are repeated, such that a continuous stream of voice packets is sent over the air at a specific (preferably low) duty cycle,” Haartsen [0123]).
Claim 3: Haartsen discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the second stream packet comprises destination data corresponding to at least one of the plurality of audio sources (see at least, “An example of a typical Bluetooth packet 500 is shown in FIG. 5. The packet may comprise of a preamble 510, a header 520, a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) 530, and a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) 540. The preamble 510 may train the receiver to obtain proper frequency synchronization and symbol timing. The preamble 510 may further comprise a unique identifier that identifies the wireless connection (such as an access code or an access address). The header 520 may include an indication what type of PDU is used (for example whether Forward Error Correction FEC is applied), how many time slots are covered by the packet (which is a coarse indication of the packet length), and may include information about an Automatic Retransmission Query (ARQ) scheme like sequence numbers and ACK/NACK information. The PDU 530 typically comprises the payload with the audio information. It may include a length indicator, providing the exact number of bits carried in the payload. The receiver can check the received packet for errors using the CRC or another checksum 540,” Haartsen [0117], “However, the audio data VB1 and VC1 could be jointly placed in the payload of a single packet sent by user B (not shown),” Haartsen [0132], “In a third embodiment, the PDU 530 as shown in the packet FIG. 5 includes a PDU header 2032 and a payload 2034, for example using a format as defined by the Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) standard, see FIG. 20. For the group communications protocol, the payload may comprise multiple audio segments, including the own voice segment 2054 and the voice segment 207 4 of another user that needs to be forwarded. Each audio segment may be preceded by a header (2052, 2072), for example including a voice stream identifier and/or a length indicator,” Haartsen [0146]).
Claim 4: Haartsen discloses the system of claim 3, wherein the first audio source renders audio corresponding to the second stream packet if the destination data corresponds to the first audio source (see at least, “Members of the group will have access to the exchanged data, nonmembers do not,” Haartsen [0012], “Another concurrent service might be a bi-directional private link between two users in the SRRD broadcasting group. A timing example is shown in FIG. 19,” Haartsen [0145], “These private voice packets may also be retransmitted (not shown), but only on link 1950. They could be retransmitted by group members other than A and C, but they would then not be decoded and decrypted by the unit that is forwarding the messages,” [0145], “In private mode, the voice signals picked up by the MIC 220 will only be sent over the private link 1950,” Haartsen [0145], “For the private link 1950 as discussed in FIG. 19 preferably separate encryption keys and nonces are used, only known to the users involved in the private communications (users A 302 and C 306 in FIG. 19),” Haartsen [0152]).
Claim 5: Haartsen discloses the system of claim 3, wherein the first audio source disables reception of the second stream packet if the destination data does not correspond to the first audio source (see at least, “private voice packets 1911, 1921 are exchanged between users A and C… These private voice packets may also be retransmitted (not shown), but only on link 1950. They could be retransmitted by group members other than A and C, but they would then not be decoded and decrypted by the unit that is forwarding the messages,” Haartsen [0145]).
Claim 6: Haartsen discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the first stream packet corresponds to audio captured by the first audio source and/or the second stream packet corresponds to audio captured by the second audio source (see at least, “The microphone in the headset of user A will pick up the voice signal 612 of user A but may also pick up sounds 620a from the environment (which may also be the voices from the other users). For user B (304), the voice signal 614 will be different, but the environmental sound 620b picked up by the microphone in the headset of user B (304) may be similar to environmental sound 620a picked up by the microphone in the headset of user A (302). Likewise, the voice signal 616 is picked up by the microphone in the headset of user C (306), together with environmental sound 620c. The digitized voice segment is subsequently encoded in a voice codec 260 (vocoder) and placed in a packet 500 that can be sent over the air. For example a wideband speech vocoder like LC3 can be applied,” Haartsen [0119]).
Claim 7: Haartsen discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the first audio source transmits the first stream packet to the second audio source via the first isochronous stream according to the group timing information, and wherein the first isochronous stream is a Broadcast Isochronous Stream (see at least, “For example, if one SRRD acts as a master or central device of the SRRD broadcasting group, that master can set the overall timing. The clock in the SRRD of the first user may be the master clock. The other SRRDs synchronize their clocks accordingly,” Haartsen [0015], “In embodiments, one SRRD transmitter can act as master or Central device for configuring the SRRD broadcasting group, comprising setting the overall timing; for example, the clock in the headset of user A may be the master clock. The other SRRDs (at users Band C) synchronize their clocks using the timing of received packet VA 632 and schedule their transmissions accordingly; a staggered timing scheme results to prevent collisions between packets VA (632), VB (634), and VC (636) sent by respective broadcasting SRRDs,” Haartsen [0123], “Packets comprising multiple audio segments may use the isochronous timing of Bluetooth LE, with the ISO interval 2110 used for TRX interval 604, and using staggered Broadcast Isochronous Stream (BIS) channels as is shown in FIG. 21,” Haartsen [0146], “air interface,” Haartsen FIG. 6).
Claim 8: Haartsen discloses the system of claim 7, wherein the second audio source transmits the second stream packet to the first audio source via the second isochronous stream according to the group timing information, and wherein the second isochronous stream is a Broadcast Isochronous Stream (see at least, “For example, if one SRRD acts as a master or central device of the SRRD broadcasting group, that master can set the overall timing. The clock in the SRRD of the first user may be the master clock. The other SRRDs synchronize their clocks accordingly,” Haartsen [0015], “In embodiments, one SRRD transmitter can act as master or Central device for configuring the SRRD broadcasting group, comprising setting the overall timing; for example, the clock in the headset of user A may be the master clock. The other SRRDs (at users Band C) synchronize their clocks using the timing of received packet VA 632 and schedule their transmissions accordingly; a staggered timing scheme results to prevent collisions between packets VA (632), VB (634), and VC (636) sent by respective broadcasting SRRDs,” Haartsen [0123], “Packets comprising multiple audio segments may use the isochronous timing of Bluetooth LE, with the ISO interval 2110 used for TRX interval 604, and using staggered Broadcast Isochronous Stream (BIS) channels as is shown in FIG. 21,” Haartsen [0146], “air interface,” Haartsen FIG. 6).
Claim 9: Haartsen discloses the system of claim 8, wherein the first stream packet is transmitted at a first time, and the second stream packet is transmitted at second time subsequent to the first time (see at least, “In embodiments, the order of broadcasting during a time frame is set (or time dependent varied) for that group. Here the order is A, B and then C. The respective transmitters of the SRRDs in the group have received instructions to schedule their respective transmissions such that no collisions occur on the air interface. In this example, user A broadcasts packet VA (632) first, followed by user B broadcasting packet VB (634), and finally user C broadcasting packet VC (636). By broadcasting the radio packets, the other SRRDs can receive the broadcasted radio packets and their content,” Haartsen [0122], “a staggered timing scheme,” Haartsen [0146], “air interface,” Haartsen FIG. 6).
Claim 10: Haartsen discloses the system of claim 9, wherein the conducting device transmits a third stream packet of a third isochronous stream to the first audio source and the second audio source at a third time prior to the first time (see at least, “In this example, user A broadcasts packet VA (632) first, followed by user B broadcasting packet VB (634), and finally user C broadcasting packet VC (636). By broadcasting the radio packets, the other SRRDs can receive the broadcasted radio packets and their content,” Haartsen [0122], receive windows 654, 656, “air interface,” Haartsen FIG. 6).
Claim 11: Haartsen discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the first audio source transmits the first stream packet to the conducting device via the first isochronous stream according to the group timing information, and wherein the first isochronous stream is a Connected Isochronous Stream (see at least, “Members of the group will have access to the exchanged data, nonmembers do not,” Haartsen [0012], “Another concurrent service might be a bi-directional private link between two users in the SRRD broadcasting group. A timing example is shown in FIG. 19,” Haartsen [0145], “These private voice packets may also be retransmitted (not shown), but only on link 1950. They could be retransmitted by group members other than A and C, but they would then not be decoded and decrypted by the unit that is forwarding the messages,” [0145], “In private mode, the voice signals picked up by the MIC 220 will only be sent over the private link 1950,” Haartsen [0145], “For the private link 1950 as discussed in FIG. 19 preferably separate encryption keys and nonces are used, only known to the users involved in the private communications (users A 302 and C 306 in FIG. 19),” Haartsen [0152], “Frames and TRX intervals are repeated, such that a continuous stream of voice packets is sent over the air at a specific (preferably low) duty cycle,” Haartsen [0123], “a staggered timing scheme,” Haartsen [0146], “air interface,” Haartsen FIG. 6).
Claim 12: Haartsen discloses the system of claim 11, wherein the second audio source transmits the second stream packet to the conducting device via a third isochronous stream of the plurality of isochronous streams according to the group timing information, and wherein the third isochronous stream is a Connected Isochronous Stream (see at least, “Members of the group will have access to the exchanged data, nonmembers do not,” Haartsen [0012], “Another concurrent service might be a bi-directional private link between two users in the SRRD broadcasting group. A timing example is shown in FIG. 19,” Haartsen [0145], “These private voice packets may also be retransmitted (not shown), but only on link 1950. They could be retransmitted by group members other than A and C, but they would then not be decoded and decrypted by the unit that is forwarding the messages,” [0145], “In private mode, the voice signals picked up by the MIC 220 will only be sent over the private link 1950,” Haartsen [0145], “For the private link 1950 as discussed in FIG. 19 preferably separate encryption keys and nonces are used, only known to the users involved in the private communications (users A 302 and C 306 in FIG. 19),” Haartsen [0152], “Frames and TRX intervals are repeated, such that a continuous stream of voice packets is sent over the air at a specific (preferably low) duty cycle,” Haartsen [0123], “a staggered timing scheme,” Haartsen [0146], “air interface,” Haartsen FIG. 6).
Claim 13: Haartsen discloses the system of claim 12, wherein the conducting device transmits the first stream packet to the second audio source via a fourth isochronous stream of the plurality of isochronous streams, according to the group timing information, and wherein the fourth isochronous stream is a Broadcast Isochronous Stream (see at least, “For example, if one SRRD acts as a master or central device of the SRRD broadcasting group, that master can set the overall timing. The clock in the SRRD of the first user may be the master clock. The other SRRDs synchronize their clocks accordingly,” Haartsen [0015], “In embodiments, one SRRD transmitter can act as master or Central device for configuring the SRRD broadcasting group, comprising setting the overall timing; for example, the clock in the headset of user A may be the master clock. The other SRRDs (at users Band C) synchronize their clocks using the timing of received packet VA 632 and schedule their transmissions accordingly; a staggered timing scheme results to prevent collisions between packets VA (632), VB (634), and VC (636) sent by respective broadcasting SRRDs,” Haartsen [0123], “Packets comprising multiple audio segments may use the isochronous timing of Bluetooth LE, with the ISO interval 2110 used for TRX interval 604, and using staggered Broadcast Isochronous Stream (BIS) channels as is shown in FIG. 21,” Haartsen [0146], “air interface,” Haartsen FIG. 6).
Claim 14: Haartsen discloses the system of claim 13, wherein the conducting device transmits the second stream packet to the first audio source via the second isochronous stream according to the group timing information, and wherein the second isochronous stream is a Broadcast Isochronous Stream (see at least, “For example, if one SRRD acts as a master or central device of the SRRD broadcasting group, that master can set the overall timing. The clock in the SRRD of the first user may be the master clock. The other SRRDs synchronize their clocks accordingly,” Haartsen [0015], “In embodiments, one SRRD transmitter can act as master or Central device for configuring the SRRD broadcasting group, comprising setting the overall timing; for example, the clock in the headset of user A may be the master clock. The other SRRDs (at users Band C) synchronize their clocks using the timing of received packet VA 632 and schedule their transmissions accordingly; a staggered timing scheme results to prevent collisions between packets VA (632), VB (634), and VC (636) sent by respective broadcasting SRRDs,” Haartsen [0123], “Packets comprising multiple audio segments may use the isochronous timing of Bluetooth LE, with the ISO interval 2110 used for TRX interval 604, and using staggered Broadcast Isochronous Stream (BIS) channels as is shown in FIG. 21,” Haartsen [0146], “air interface,” Haartsen FIG. 6).
Claim 15: Haartsen discloses the system of claim 12, wherein the conducting device transmits the first stream packet to the second audio source via a fourth isochronous stream of the plurality of isochronous streams, according to the group timing information, and wherein the fourth isochronous stream is a Connected Isochronous Stream (see at least, “Members of the group will have access to the exchanged data, nonmembers do not,” Haartsen [0012], “Another concurrent service might be a bi-directional private link between two users in the SRRD broadcasting group. A timing example is shown in FIG. 19,” Haartsen [0145], “These private voice packets may also be retransmitted (not shown), but only on link 1950. They could be retransmitted by group members other than A and C, but they would then not be decoded and decrypted by the unit that is forwarding the messages,” [0145], “In private mode, the voice signals picked up by the MIC 220 will only be sent over the private link 1950,” Haartsen [0145], “For the private link 1950 as discussed in FIG. 19 preferably separate encryption keys and nonces are used, only known to the users involved in the private communications (users A 302 and C 306 in FIG. 19),” Haartsen [0152], “Frames and TRX intervals are repeated, such that a continuous stream of voice packets is sent over the air at a specific (preferably low) duty cycle,” Haartsen [0123], “a staggered timing scheme,” Haartsen [0146], “air interface,” Haartsen FIG. 6).
Claim 16: Haartsen discloses the system of claim 15, wherein the conducting device transmits the second stream packet to the first audio source via the second isochronous stream according to the group timing information, and wherein the second isochronous stream is a Connected Isochronous Stream (see at least, “Members of the group will have access to the exchanged data, nonmembers do not,” Haartsen [0012], “Another concurrent service might be a bi-directional private link between two users in the SRRD broadcasting group. A timing example is shown in FIG. 19,” Haartsen [0145], “These private voice packets may also be retransmitted (not shown), but only on link 1950. They could be retransmitted by group members other than A and C, but they would then not be decoded and decrypted by the unit that is forwarding the messages,” [0145], “In private mode, the voice signals picked up by the MIC 220 will only be sent over the private link 1950,” Haartsen [0145], “For the private link 1950 as discussed in FIG. 19 preferably separate encryption keys and nonces are used, only known to the users involved in the private communications (users A 302 and C 306 in FIG. 19),” Haartsen [0152], “Frames and TRX intervals are repeated, such that a continuous stream of voice packets is sent over the air at a specific (preferably low) duty cycle,” Haartsen [0123], “a staggered timing scheme,” Haartsen [0146], “air interface,” Haartsen FIG. 6).
Claim 17: Haartsen discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the conducting device is an in-vehicle infotainment system, a television, or a speaker (see at least, “In embodiments, one SRRD transmitter can act as master or Central device for configuring the SRRD broadcasting group, comprising setting the overall timing; for example, the clock in the headset of user A may be the master clock. The other SRRDs (at users Band C) synchronize their clocks using the timing of received packet VA 632 and schedule their transmissions accordingly; a staggered timing scheme results to prevent collisions between packets
VA (632), VB (634), and VC (636) sent by respective broadcasting SRRDs,” Haartsen [0123], “According to the current disclosure, the smartphone in combination with the earpieces forms a sound recording and/or reproduction device (SRRD). However, the smartphone can is, by itself also form an example of a SRRD. The headset 12 formed by separate earpieces 12p, 12s, can, by itself also form a SRRD,” Haartsen [0105], “whereas both earpieces 12p and 12s have a loudspeaker 210,” Haartsen [0107]).
Claim 18: Haartsen discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the first audio source and/or the second audio source is a set of headphones, an earbud, an audio headset, a set of audio eyeglasses, or a speaker (see at least, “According to the current disclosure, the smartphone in combination with the earpieces forms a sound recording and/or reproduction device (SRRD). However, the smartphone can is, by itself also form an example of a SRRD. The headset 12 formed by separate earpieces 12p, 12s, can, by itself also form a SRRD,” Haartsen [0105], “whereas both earpieces 12p and 12s have a loudspeaker 210,” Haartsen [0107]).
Claim 19: Haartsen discloses a method for synchronizing a plurality of isochronous streams, comprising:
transmitting, via a conducting device, group timing information to a first audio source and a second audio source (see at least, “For example, if one SRRD acts as a master or central device of the SRRD broadcasting group, that master can set the overall timing. The clock in the SRRD of the first user may be the master clock. The other SRRDs synchronize their clocks accordingly,” Haartsen [0015], “In embodiments, one SRRD transmitter can act as master or Central device for configuring the SRRD broadcasting group, comprising setting the overall timing; for example, the clock in the headset of user A may be the master clock. The other SRRDs (at users Band C) synchronize their clocks using the timing of received packet VA 632 and schedule their transmissions accordingly; a staggered timing scheme results to prevent collisions between packets VA (632), VB (634), and VC (636) sent by respective broadcasting SRRDs,” Haartsen [0123], “Packets comprising multiple audio segments may use the isochronous timing of Bluetooth LE, with the ISO interval 2110 used for TRX interval 604, and using staggered Broadcast Isochronous Stream (BIS) channels as is shown in FIG. 21,” Haartsen [0146], “air interface,” Haartsen FIG. 6);
transmitting, via the first audio source, a first stream packet of a first isochronous stream of the plurality of isochronous streams according to the group timing information, wherein the first isochronous stream corresponds to the first audio source (see at least, “In the example embodiment, voice segments 612, 614, 616 are encoded in each headset transmitter separately and sequentially broadcast over the wireless channel using radio packets VA (632), VB (634), and VC (636) which may use the packet format 500 as depicted in FIG. 5. The radio transceivers 250 in the headset transmitters of users A, B, and C use a fixed TRX interval 604 with a duration substantially equal to the audio frame length 602. Interval 604 and audio frame length 602 are examples of time period configured as a part of the SRRD broadcasting group,” Haartsen [0120], “In embodiments, the order of broadcasting during a time frame is set ( or time dependent varied) for that group. Here the order is A, B and then C. The respective transmitters of the SRRDs in the group have received instructions to schedule their respective transmissions such that no collisions occur on the air interface. In this example, user A broadcasts packet VA (632) first, followed by user B broadcasting packet VB (634), and finally user C broadcasting packet VC (636). By broadcasting the radio packets, the other SRRDs can receive the broadcasted radio packets and their content,” Haartsen [0122]); and
receiving, via the first audio source, a second stream packet of a second isochronous stream of the plurality of isochronous streams according to the group timing information, wherein the second isochronous stream corresponds to the second audio source, wherein the plurality of isochronous streams are synchronized to form an isochronous group (see at least, “User A (302), operating as, and as an example of, a reproducing SRRD, will receive voice packets VB (634) and VC (636) broadcasted by broadcasting SRRDs. The receiver of user's A headset will pick up the signals during receive windows 652 and 672, respectively. It will process the packets and can subsequently retrieve the audio content 644 (including the voice signal 614 and the environmental sound signal 620b) from packet VB (634), and the audio content 646 (including the voice signal 616 and the environmental sound signal 620c) from packet VC (636) using a decoding process in the voice codec 260,” Haartsen [0124], “Similar procedures take place in the receivers of the reproducing SRRDs of users B and C, combining the audio data retrieved from packets VA (632) and VC (636), and the combining the audio data retrieved from packets VA (632) and VB (634), respectively. Although not shown, a receiver may mix a weak version of its own voice signal in the combination (so called sidetone generation),” Haartsen [0126], “The previously described air protocol uses a broadcast mechanism which is sequentially used by different participants of the SRRD broadcasting group. The broadcasted radio packets are received by multiple reproducing SRRDs of the group. In the mesh network representation individual links where depicted. For example, user B has a wireless link 321 to user A, a wireless link 325 to user C, and a wireless link 329 to user D. However, it should be understood that these three individual links 321, 325, 327 can constitute one unidirectional broadcast channel established during configuring of the SRRD broadcasting group. The channel allows radio packets to be broadcasted by user B and to simultaneously receive those packets by user A, user C, and user D (and any other receiver in range which is locked in time and frequency to this unidirectional broadcast channel). Likewise there is a unidirectional broadcast channel established by user C, etc.,” Haartsen [0127]).
Claim 20: Haartsen discloses the method of claim 19, further comprising rendering, via the first audio source, audio corresponding to the second stream packet if the second stream packet comprises destination data corresponding to the first audio source (see at least, “An example of a typical Bluetooth packet 500 is shown in FIG. 5. The packet may comprise of a preamble 510, a header 520, a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) 530, and a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) 540. The preamble 510 may train the receiver to obtain proper frequency synchronization and symbol timing. The preamble 510 may further comprise a unique identifier that identifies the wireless connection (such as an access code or an access address). The header 520 may include an indication what type of PDU is used (for example whether Forward Error Correction FEC is applied), how many time slots are covered by the packet (which is a coarse indication of the packet length), and may include information about an Automatic Retransmission Query (ARQ) scheme like sequence numbers and ACK/NACK information. The PDU 530 typically comprises the payload with the audio information. It may include a length indicator, providing the exact number of bits carried in the payload. The receiver can check the received packet for errors using the CRC or another checksum 540,” Haartsen [0117], “However, the audio data VB1 and VC1 could be jointly placed in the payload of a single packet sent by user B (not shown),” Haartsen [0132], “In a third embodiment, the PDU 530 as shown in the packet FIG. 5 includes a PDU header 2032 and a payload 2034, for example using a format as defined by the Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) standard, see FIG. 20. For the group communications protocol, the payload may comprise multiple audio segments, including the own voice segment 2054 and the voice segment 207 4 of another user that needs to be forwarded. Each audio segment may be preceded by a header (2052, 2072), for example including a voice stream identifier and/or a length indicator,” Haartsen [0146]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Estrada (US 2024/0039745 A1) directed to peer-to-peer Bluetooth voice chat and transmission schedule.
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/JOSEPH SAUNDERS JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2692
/CAROLYN R EDWARDS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2692