Audio device and method

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of operating a digital audio device, the method comprising: receiving a voice call; receiving another digital audio signal which is not a voice call; mixing the two received signals; transmitting the mixed signal wirelessly to another device.

1 . A digital audio device comprising:
 an applications processor;   a communications processor; and   a wireless codec;   
       the device having a mode of operation in which:
 the applications processor is arranged to receive a first digital audio signal and the wireless codec is arranged to transmit the first digital audio signal wirelessly to a peripheral device; and 
 the applications processor is arranged to respond to the reception of a wireless telephony call at the device by receiving a previously-recorded second digital audio signal and the communications processor is arranged to transmit the second digital audio signal in said wireless telephony call simultaneously with the transmission of the first digital audio signal by the wireless codec. 
 
     
     
         2 . A digital audio device according to  claim 1  which further comprises a memory and in which the applications processor is arranged to receive the first digital audio signal from the memory. 
     
     
         3 . A digital audio device according to  claim 2  in which the first audio signal is a music signal. 
     
     
         4 . A digital audio device according to  claim 1  which further comprises a memory and in which the application processor is arranged to receive the second digital audio signal from the memory. 
     
     
         5 . A digital audio device according to  claim 1  in which the wireless codec is arranged to receive a third digital audio signal wirelessly from said peripheral device simultaneously with the transmission of the first digital audio signal by the wireless codec and the transmission of the second digital audio signal by the communications processor, and the applications processor is arranged to store the third digital audio signal. 
     
     
         6 . A digital audio device according to  claim 5  which further comprises a memory and in which the applications processor is arranged to store the third digital audio signal in the memory. 
     
     
         7 . A method of operating a wireless telephony device, the method comprising:
 wirelessly transmitting a first digital audio signal to a peripheral device; and   responding to the reception of a wireless telephony call by transmitting a previously-recorded second digital audio signal in the wireless telephony call simultaneously with the transmission of the first digital audio signal to the peripheral device.   
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7  in which the first digital audio signal is retrieved from a memory. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8  in which the first audio signal is a music signal. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 7  in which the second digital audio signal is retrieved from a memory. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 7  further comprising wirelessly receiving a third digital audio signal from said peripheral device simultaneously with the transmission of the first digital audio signal to the peripheral device and the transmission of the second digital audio signal in the wireless telephony call, and storing the third digital audio signal. 
     
     
         12 . A digital audio device comprising:
 an applications processor;   a communications processor; and   a wireless codec;   
       the device having a mode of operation in which:
 the applications processor is arranged to receive a first digital audio signal, and the wireless codec is arranged to transmit the first digital audio signal wirelessly to a peripheral device; and 
 the communications processor is arranged to receive a second digital audio signal in a digital telephony call simultaneously with the transmission of the first digital audio signal by the wireless codec, and the applications processor is arranged to store the second digital audio signal. 
 
     
     
         13 . A digital audio device according to  claim 12  which further comprises a memory and in which the applications processor is arranged to receive the first digital audio signal from the memory. 
     
     
         14 . A digital audio device according to  claim 13  in which the first audio signal is a music signal. 
     
     
         15 . A digital audio device according to  claim 12  which further comprises a memory and in which the applications processor is arranged to store the second digital audio signal in the memory. 
     
     
         16 . A digital audio device according to  claim 12  in which the applications processor is arranged to mix the second digital audio signal with the first digital audio signal, and the wireless codec is arranged to transmit the first digital audio signal wirelessly to said peripheral device by transmitting it mixed with the second digital signal. 
     
     
         17 . A digital audio device according to  claim 16  wherein a user is enabled to accept the digital telephony call, or to allow the second digital audio signal to continue to be stored by the applications processor without answering the digital telephony call, in response to the transmission to said peripheral device of the first digital audio signal mixed with the second digital audio signal. 
     
     
         18 . A digital audio device according to  claim 12  in which the wireless codec is arranged to receive a third digital audio signal wirelessly from said peripheral device simultaneously with the transmission of the first digital audio signal by the wireless codec and the reception of the second digital audio signal by the communications processor, and the applications processor is arranged to store the third digital audio signal. 
     
     
         19 . A digital audio device according to  claim 18  which further comprises a memory and in which the applications processor is arranged to store the third digital audio signal in the memory. 
     
     
         20 . A method of operating a wireless telephony device, the method comprising:
 wirelessly transmitting a first digital audio signal to a peripheral device; and   receiving a second digital audio signal in a wireless telephony call simultaneously with the transmission of the first digital audio signal to the peripheral device, and storing said second digital audio signal.   
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 20  in which the first digital audio signal is retrieved from a memory. 
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21  in which the first audio signal is a music signal. 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 20  in which the second digital audio signal is mixed with the first digital audio signal, and the step of wirelessly transmitting the first digital audio signal comprises transmitting it mixed with the second digital signal. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 23  wherein a user is enabled to accept the digital telephony call, or to allow the second digital audio signal to continue to be stored without answering the digital telephony call, in response to the transmission to the peripheral device of the first digital audio signal mixed with the second digital audio signal. 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 20  further comprising wirelessly receiving a third digital audio signal from said peripheral device simultaneously with the transmission of the first digital audio signal to the peripheral device and the reception of the second digital audio signal in the wireless telephony call, and storing the third digital audio signal. 
     
     
         26 . A digital audio device comprising:
 an applications processor;   a communications processor; and   a wireless codec;   
       the device having a mode of operation in which:
 the applications processor is arranged to receive a first digital audio signal and the wireless codec is arranged to transmit the first digital audio signal wirelessly to a peripheral device; 
 the applications processor is arranged to respond to the reception of a wireless telephony call at the device by receiving a previously-recorded second digital audio signal and the communications processor is arranged to transmit the second digital audio signal in said wireless telephony call simultaneously with the transmission of the first digital audio signal by the wireless codec; and 
 the communications processor is arranged to receive a third digital audio signal in said digital telephony call subsequently to the transmission of the second digital audio signal in said wireless telephony call and simultaneously with the transmission of the first digital audio signal by the wireless codec, and the applications processor is arranged to store the third digital audio signal. 
 
     
     
         27 . A digital audio device according to  claim 26  which further comprises a memory and in which the applications processor is arranged to receive the first digital audio signal from the memory. 
     
     
         28 . A digital audio device according to  claim 27  in which the first audio signal is a music signal. 
     
     
         29 . A digital audio device according to  claim 26  which further comprises a memory and in which the application processor is arranged to receive the second digital audio signal from the memory. 
     
     
         30 . A digital audio device according to  claim 26  which further comprises a memory and in which the applications processor is arranged to store the third digital audio signal in the memory. 
     
     
         31 . A digital audio device according to  claim 26  in which the applications processor is arranged to mix the third digital audio signal with the first digital audio signal, and the wireless codec is arranged to transmit the first digital audio signal wirelessly to said peripheral device, simultaneously with the reception of the third digital audio signal by the communications processor, by transmitting the first digital audio signal mixed with the third digital signal. 
     
     
         32 . A digital audio device according to  claim 31  wherein a user is enabled to accept the digital telephony call, or to allow the third digital audio signal to continue to be stored by the applications processor without answering the digital telephony call, in response to the transmission to said peripheral device of the first digital audio signal mixed with the third digital audio signal. 
     
     
         33 . A digital audio device according to  claim 26  in which the wireless codec is arranged to receive a fourth digital audio signal wirelessly from said peripheral device simultaneously with the transmission of the first digital audio signal by the wireless codec, and the applications processor is arranged to store the fourth digital audio signal. 
     
     
         34 . A digital audio device according to  claim 33  which further comprises a memory and in which the applications processor is arranged to store the fourth digital audio signal in the memory. 
     
     
         35 . A method of operating a wireless telephony device, the method comprising:
 wirelessly transmitting a first digital audio signal to a peripheral device;   responding to the reception of a wireless telephony call by transmitting a previously-recorded second digital audio signal in the wireless telephony call simultaneously with the transmission of the first digital audio signal to the peripheral device; and   receiving a third digital audio signal in a wireless telephony call subsequently to the transmission of the second digital audio signal in the wireless telephony call and simultaneously with the transmission of the first digital audio signal to the peripheral device, and storing said third digital audio signal.   
     
     
         36 . A method according to  claim 35  in which the first digital audio signal is retrieved from a memory. 
     
     
         37 . A method according to  claim 36  in which the first audio signal is a music signal. 
     
     
         38 . A method according to  claim 35  in which the second digital audio signal is retrieved from a memory. 
     
     
         39 . A method according to  claim 35  in which the third digital audio signal is mixed with the first digital audio signal, and
 the step of wirelessly transmitting the first digital audio signal, simultaneously with the reception of the third digital audio signal in the wireless telephony call, comprises transmitting the first digital audio signal mixed with the third digital signal. 
 
     
     
         40 . A method according to  claim 39  wherein a user is enabled to accept the digital telephony call, or to allow the third digital audio signal to continue to be stored without answering the digital telephony call, in response to the transmission to the peripheral device of the first digital audio signal mixed with the third digital audio signal. 
     
     
         41 . A method according to  claim 35  further comprising wirelessly receiving a fourth digital audio signal from said peripheral device simultaneously with the transmission of the first digital audio signal to the peripheral device, and storing the fourth digital audio signal. 
     
     
         42 . A digital audio device comprising:
 an applications processor; and   a wireless codec;   
       the device having a mode of operation in which:
 the applications processor is arranged to receive a first digital audio signal and the wireless codec is arranged to transmit the first digital audio signal wirelessly to a peripheral device; and 
 the wireless codec is arranged to receive a second digital audio signal wirelessly from said peripheral device simultaneously with the transmission of the first digital audio signal by the wireless, and the applications processor is arranged to store the second digital audio signal. 
 
     
     
         43 . A digital audio device according to  claim 42  which further comprises a memory and in which the applications processor is arranged to receive the first digital audio signal from the memory. 
     
     
         44 . A digital audio device according to  claim 43  in which the first audio signal is a music signal. 
     
     
         45 . A digital audio device according to  claim 42  which further comprises a memory and in which the applications processor is arranged to store the second digital audio signal in the memory. 
     
     
         46 . A method of operating a wireless telephony device, the method comprising:
 wirelessly transmitting a first digital audio signal to a peripheral device; and   wirelessly receiving a second digital audio signal from said peripheral device simultaneously with the transmission of the first digital audio signal to the peripheral device, and storing the second digital audio signal.   
     
     
         47 . A method according to  claim 46  in which the first digital audio signal is retrieved from a memory. 
     
     
         48 . A method according to  claim 47  in which the first audio signal is a music signal. 
     
     
         49 . A wireless telephony device comprising a digital audio device according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         50 . A wireless telephony device comprising a digital audio device according to  claim 12 . 
     
     
         51 . A wireless telephony device comprising a digital audio device according to  claim 26 . 
     
     
         52 . A wireless telephony device comprising a digital audio device according to  claim 42 . 
     
     
         53 . A portable cellular wireless telephony device comprising a digital audio device according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         54 . A portable cellular wireless telephony device comprising a digital audio device according to  claim 12 . 
     
     
         55 . A portable cellular wireless telephony device comprising a digital audio device according to  claim 26 . 
     
     
         56 . A portable cellular wireless telephony device comprising a digital audio device according to  claim 42 . 
     
     
         57 . A laptop computer with telephony capability comprising a digital audio device according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         58 . A laptop computer with telephony capability comprising a digital audio device according to  claim 12 . 
     
     
         59 . A laptop computer with telephony capability comprising a digital audio device according to  claim 26 . 
     
     
         60 . A laptop computer with telephony capability comprising a digital audio device according to  claim 42 . 
     
     
         61 . A mobile phone comprising a digital audio device according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         62 . A mobile phone comprising a digital audio device according to  claim 12 . 
     
     
         63 . A mobile phone comprising a digital audio device according to  claim 26 . 
     
     
         64 . A mobile phone comprising a digital audio device according to  claim 42 .