Wireless Microphone System Using Multiple Wireless Communication Protocols

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a wireless microphone system that allows one or more microphones to wirelessly communicate with one or more wireless receivers. The wireless microphone system may allow for a plurality of microphones to be used interchangeably with the one or more receivers. The communications between the one or more wireless microphones and the one or more wireless receivers may utilize more than one wireless communication protocol, such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) as well as a proprietary protocol such as a non-Bluetooth 2.4 GHz wireless communication protocol, and the system may switch between the wireless communication protocols. The one or more wireless microphones may further synchronize communications with the one or more receivers.

1 . A system comprising:
 a microphone comprising a wireless transmitter and configured to:
 wirelessly transmit, via a wireless network interface of the wireless transmitter, first audio data using a first wireless communication protocol, wherein the first wireless communication protocol comprises Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE); and 
 wirelessly transmit, via the wireless network interface, second audio data using a second wireless communication protocol different from the first wireless communication protocol; 
   a first wireless device comprising a first wireless receiver configured to wirelessly receive, using the first wireless communication protocol, the first audio data; and   a second wireless device comprising a second wireless receiver configured to wirelessly receive, using the second wireless communication protocol, the second audio data.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second wireless communication protocol comprises a non-Bluetooth, proprietary, 2.4 GHz wireless communication protocol. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second microphone comprising a second wireless transmitter and configured to:
 wirelessly transmit third audio data, via a second wireless network interface of the second wireless transmitter, using the first wireless communication protocol; and   wirelessly transmit, via the second wireless network interface, fourth audio data using the second wireless communication protocol,   wherein the microphone and the second microphone are each configured to synchronize with the first wireless device and to synchronize with the second wireless device.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second wireless device comprises a universal serial bus (USB) connection configured to output an audio signal based on the second audio data. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the microphone is configured to switch between transmitting using the first wireless communication protocol and transmitting using the second wireless communication protocol. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second wireless device comprises a wireless transmitter,   the second wireless device is configured to determine a communication delay between the second wireless receiver and the microphone,   the wireless transmitter of the second wireless device is configured to transmit an indication based on the communication delay, and   the second audio data comprises at least one timestamp that is based on the indication received from the second wireless device.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the second wireless device further comprises a local clock and is configured to:
 wirelessly transmit one or more data packets that each comprise an indication that is based on the local clock,   wirelessly receive one or more responses, from the microphone, corresponding to the one or more data packets, and   determine the communication delay based on the one or more responses and the local clock.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the microphone comprises a local clock and is configured to generate the at least one timestamp based on the indication received from the second wireless device and based on the local clock of the microphone. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second wireless device comprises:
 one or more processors; and   memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the second wireless device to decode the received second audio data.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless device comprises a phone, a tablet computer, or a laptop computer. 
     
     
         11 . A microphone comprising:
 a wireless transmitter comprising a wireless network interface; and   one or more processors configured to:
 cause the wireless transmitter to wirelessly transmit, via the wireless network interface, first audio data using a first wireless communication protocol, wherein the first wireless communication protocol comprises Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE); and 
 cause the wireless transmitter to wirelessly transmit, via the wireless network interface, second audio data using a second wireless communication protocol different from the first wireless communication protocol. 
   
     
     
         12 . The microphone of  claim 11 , wherein the second wireless communication protocol comprises a non-Bluetooth, proprietary, 2.4 GHz wireless communication protocol. 
     
     
         13 . The microphone of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to cause the wireless transmitter to switch from transmitting using the first wireless communication protocol to transmitting using the second wireless communication protocol. 
     
     
         14 . The microphone of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the microphone comprises a wireless receiver,   the microphone is configured to receive, via the wireless receiver, an indication based on a communication delay between the microphone and a wireless device, and   the second audio data comprises at least one timestamp that is based on the indication received from the wireless device.   
     
     
         15 . The microphone of  claim 14 , wherein the microphone comprises a local clock and is configured to generate the at least one timestamp based on the indication and based on the local clock. 
     
     
         16 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed, configure a microphone to:
 wirelessly transmit, via a wireless network interface, first audio data using a first wireless communication protocol, wherein the first wireless communication protocol comprises Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE); and   wirelessly transmit, via the wireless network interface, second audio data using a second wireless communication protocol different from the first wireless communication protocol.   
     
     
         17 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 16 , wherein the second wireless communication protocol comprises a non-Bluetooth, proprietary, 2.4 GHz wireless communication protocol. 
     
     
         18 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed, configure the microphone to switch between transmitting using the first wireless communication protocol and transmitting using the second wireless communication protocol after synchronizing with a wireless device. 
     
     
         19 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed, configure the microphone to:
 wirelessly receive an indication based on a communication delay between the microphone and a wireless device,   wherein the second audio data comprises at least one timestamp that is based on the indication received from the wireless device.   
     
     
         20 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 19 , wherein the instructions, when executed, configure the microphone to generate the at least one timestamp based on the indication and based on a local clock.