Transmission of audio streams

Abstract

A system and method of transmitting respective audio streams to a plurality of end points, such as headphones, earphones, headsets, speakers, etc. is disclosed. Different audio streams are transmitted to each of the plurality of end points. The end points may be arranged to audibly output received audio streams, and so each end point may audibly output a respective different audio stream, i.e. the respective audio streams may be mutually different from each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of transmitting respective audio streams to a first end point and a second end point using an information appliance, the method comprising:
 causing display of a first video stream;   associating a first audio stream with the first end point and a second audio stream with the second end point, wherein the first audio stream is associated with the first video stream; and   transmitting, at the same time from the information appliance, the first audio stream to the first end point and the second audio stream to the second end point.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second audio stream is associated with the first video stream. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising causing display of a second video stream together with the first video stream, wherein the second audio stream is associated with the second video stream. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting comprises wirelessly transmitting the first audio stream to the first end point and the second audio stream to the second end point. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein wirelessly transmitting comprises transmitting the first audio stream to the first end point and the second audio stream to the second end point using Bluetooth. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein wirelessly transmitting comprising assigning a Stream End Point Identifier (SEID) to each pair of end point and audio stream, and using the SEIDs to transmit respective data for each audio stream to the corresponding end point. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second end points are each one of a headphone; an earphone; a speaker; a set of speakers; or a headset. 
     
     
         8 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions to cause a computer system to:
 cause display of a first video stream;   associate a first audio stream with the first end point and a second audio stream with the second end point, wherein the first audio stream is associated with the first video stream; and   transmit, at the same time from the information appliance, the first audio stream to the first end point and the second audio stream to the second end point   
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the second audio stream is associated with the first video stream. 
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the computer system is further to cause display of a second video stream together with the first video stream, wherein the second audio stream is associated with the second video stream. 
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the computer system is further to cause display of a second video stream together with the first video stream, wherein the second audio stream is associated with the second video stream. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein transmitting comprises wirelessly transmitting the first audio stream to the first end point and the second audio stream to the second end point using Bluetooth, wherein wirelessly transmitting further comprises assigning a Stream End Point Identifier (SEID) to each pair of end point and audio stream, and using the SEIDs to transmit respective data for each audio stream to the corresponding end point. 
     
     
         13 . A system for transmitting respective audio streams to a first end point and a second end point, the system comprising:
 a processor arranged to cause display of a first video stream and to associate a first audio stream with the first end point and a second audio stream with the second end point, wherein the first audio stream is associated with the first video stream; and   a transmitter arranged to simultaneously transmit the first audio stream to the first end point and the second audio stream to the second end point.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the second audio stream is associated with the first video stream. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to cause display of a second video stream together with the first video stream and the second audio stream is associated with the second video stream. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the transmitter is arranged to wirelessly transmit the first audio stream to the first end point and the second audio stream to the second end point. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the transmitter is arranged to transmit the first audio stream to the first end point and the second audio stream to the second end point using Bluetooth. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the transmitter is arranged to assign a Stream End Point Identifier (SEID) to each pair of end point and audio stream, and use the SEIDs to transmit respective data for each audio stream to the corresponding end point. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second end points are each one of a headphone; an earphone; a speaker; a set of speakers; or a headset. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is associated with a set-top box.