AU2016221464A1

AU2016221464A1 - System of wireless monitoring and recording of media

Info

Publication number: AU2016221464A1
Application number: AU2016221464A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Benjamin Mark Thorn; Mark Lindsay Thorn
Original assignee: Airlinc Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Airlinc Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2015-02-16
Filing date: 2016-02-16
Publication date: 2017-10-12
Also published as: WO2016132199A1; WO2016132199A4

Abstract

A system for reception of at least audio signals of a predetermined quality from a remote location; said system comprising an at least first digital device incorporating a microphone located at a remote location; a master digital device located remotely to the at least first digital device; the master digital device in digital communication with said at least a first digital device incorporating a microphone. In preferred forms an auxiliary device is provided in communication with either or both of the first digital device and the master digital device thereby to enhance transmission characteristics.

Description

System of Wireless Monitoring and Recording of Media TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a system and method for wirelessly monitoring and recording of media at a distance. In preferred forms the media includes sound, video, still images, music.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The wireless monitoring and recording of media, especially sound, is well-known in the art. The transmission will be one-way from the wireless microphone to a receiving device located, typically, nearby.

[0003] Typically, a microphone will contain a wireless broadcast system specifically designed for wireless mic use.

[0004] Because of the relatively limited market size of this technology, the cost of the technology is very high, making the whole device expensive irrespective of the quality of the actual microphone being used for recording.

The wireless range is also relatively small-typically no better than within a large room.

[0005] Such systems, also, are not controllable from a remote location. It would also be helpful if such systems could operate over a wide area and in a distributed manner.

[0006] Latency can also be an issue with such systems. In preferred forms it would be desirable to achieve a latency of 5 ms or less.

[0007] At least some embodiments of the present invention are designed to address one or more of these issues.

Notes [0008] The term "comprising" (and grammatical variations thereof) is used in this specification in the inclusive sense of "having" or "including", and not in the exclusive sense of "consisting only of".

[0009] The above discussion of the prior art in the Background of the invention, is not an admission that any information discussed therein is citable prior art or part of the common general knowledge of persons skilled in the art in any country.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Definitions : "Digital device": a device comprising at least a microprocessor, a memory and an input-output device communicating with each other via a bus. In preferred forms the input-output device enables communication to a USB device, a network device, an Apple brand Lightning device. "Widely distributed": means geographically widely-for example multiple locations across a city or even across countries. It does not rule out a limiting case of, say, across a room or within a building but the capability is intended to denote and require a wide geographic separation. "Bus": typically a series of conductors arranged in parallel which act as a common communications path for various devices connected to it. The bus will typically be incorporated on a circuit board for other devices on the same board to communicate with each other or may be included within an integrated circuit chip for other devices within the chip to communicate with each other.

[0010] Accordingly, in one broad form of the invention there is provided a system for reception of at least audio signals of a predetermined guality from a remote location; said system comprising: an at least first digital device in communication with a microphone located at a remote location; a master digital device located remotely to the at least first digital device; the master digital device in digital communication with said at least a first digital device incorporating a microphone.

Preferably said first digital device includes a first microprocessor in communication with a first memory and in communication with a first digital I/O.

Preferably the first digital device is a smartphone.

Preferably the first digital I/O is in communication with a second digital I/O which, in turn, is in communication with a second microprocessor which is in communication with a second memory; the second microprocessor and a second memory driving a wireless communications output.

Preferably the wireless communications output communicates wirelessly with the master digital device. 6 in yet a further broad form there is provided a method of controllably acquiring audio signals of a predetermined quality from a remote location; said method comprising initiating communications between a master digital device and an at least first digital device; the at least first digital device including a microphone; and wherein' the system acquires and processes multimedia data received from a widely distributed array of sensors.

In yet a further broad form there is provided a system to acquire and process media data received from a widely distributed array of sensors; said system including a master control and acquisition device implemented as a digital device; a plurality of acquisition devices widely distributed; each of said plurality of acquisition devices implemented as a digital device and including a wireless receiver and transmitter for bidirectional transmission of data between each one of the plurality of acquisition devices and said master control and acquisition device.

Preferably said master control and acquisition device is implemented as a server-based application.

Preferably said master control and acquisition device is implemented on a smartphone.

Preferably each said acquisition device includes a media acquisition device integrally within it.

Preferably each said acquisition device communicates with an external media acquisition device.

Preferably said media acquisition device is a microphone and the media is audio information data.

Preferably said media acquisition device is a video camera or still camera and the media is video or still image data.

Preferably the master control and acquisition device controls the recording of media remotely from where the media is required. Preferably the master control and acquisition device sends and initiate signal to a selected remote acquisition device in order to initiate media acquisition at that device.

Preferably the master control and acquisition device sends a calibration signal to a selected remote acquisition device in order to calibrate settings on the device for media acquisition at the device.

Preferably the calibration signal is maximum volume setting for the selected remote acquisition device.

Preferably the master control and acquisition device sends a stop recording signal to a selected remote acquisition device in order to stop that device acquiring media. in yet a further broad form there is provided a method of enhancing the characteristics of a transmission of a media signal from an acquisition device to a remotely located receiving device over a wide area network, the wide area network including wireless transmission and wide transmission components, said method comprising inserting a digital device into the network; the digital device including wired input output and wireless input output devices and a signal processing device whereby the media signal is received over the wired input output device and processed by the signal processing device before on transmission via the wireless input output device.

Preferably the receiving device is a master control and acquisition device.

In yet a further broad form there is provided an auxiliary device for enhancing transmission characteristics; the auxiliary device comprising a digital device having at least a microprocessor, a memory, digital input output and wireless input output devices communicating on a common bus and whereby a signal is received via a one of the I/O devices, processed by the processor executing a program stored in memory and on transmitted via the other of the input output devices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1, is a block diagram illustrating the main components of an example embodiment.

Figure 2, is a block diagram comprising a monitoring example of the example embodiment of Fig 1.

Figure 3. Is a flow diagram of an example control process of the example embodiment of Fig 1.

Figure 4 illustrates an embodiment wherein control is exercised over multiple, widely distributed devices Figure 5 is a block diagram illustrating further detail of the primary components that will make up various embodiments of the system.

Figure 6 is a block diagram of a further detailed implementation of an embodiment of the system of the present invention together with an auxiliary component,

Figures 7A, B, C are illustrative diagrams of arrangements for usage of the auxiliary device thereby to optimise operation including reduction of latency.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Figure 1 shows the main components of an example embodiment. A master control and acquisition device 10 is used by a producer to control the recording capability on a remote acquisition device 15.

[0013] Typically, the two would communicate across a wireless network 14 that may or may not include an Internet connection. The wireless portion of the network may be implemented using one or more currently known wireless technologies including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GSM mobile telecommunications. The master control and acquisition device 10 has a control application 11 which includes a master control file 12 and recorded media files 13 that are stored with the project as it is produced.

[0014] The remote acquisition device 15 incorporates program code in one form as an application 16 which also records media files 17 at the instruction and under the control of the application 11 running on the master device 10. The master control and acquisition device 10 may be used by the producer who is also using other media capture devices such as video cameras and can initiate, record and monitor from the remote device 15 so that the recording of media, such as voice, by a subject 18 is captured locally at the device 15 then stored in a file 17 and then transferred to the master device for inclusion as a media file 13 within the project file 12.

[0015] The result of this capability is a system where a producer can control and synchronise recording and monitoring events from one device across multiple slave devices, where the recording captured by those slave devices is local and has key advantages, such as the ability to record audio at the point of where sound or voice is produced.

[0016] Figure 2 discloses a further exemplary embodiment in monitoring mode. A master control and acquisition device 38 communicating wirelessly via bidirectional transmitter/receivers 34 33 controls the software running on a remote acquisition device 30. In this example, a waveform comprising audio input 31 received locally is being monitored and data comprising information from that monitoring of the audio input 31 is being sent by means of a wireless transmitter/receiver 33 34 back to the master device 38 for monitoring by the user on that device. A copy of that waveform 31 being monitored is shown as waveform 35 on the master device 38. In this example, the input volume of the recording device is adjusted to maintain a maximum recording volume level 32 without causing distortion 32. The control for the maximum volume level 32 is on the master control and acquisition device 38 where a volume slider 37 can be used by the producer to modify and change the recording volume 36 that is then passed back to the slave device 30 so that the maximum volume control 32 on the slave is being remotely set by the user of the master device. The result is that a producer can control the recording of media remotely from where it is acquired in both record and monitoring mode and can control different facets of the recording process, such as recording volume. Control may also be implemented locally on a corresponding local slider device.

An auxiliary device 35, also in the form of a digital device, may be connected to the remote acquisition device 30 by means of a conductive cable system, preferably a high-speed system, for example utilising but not limited to the Lightning cable system available from Apple Corporation. The auxiliary device 35 may be utilised as an alternative system for transmission of data to the master control and acquisition device 38 in a manner which improves transmission characteristics-for example latency as between the remote acquisition device 30 and the master control and acquisition device 38. In addition the auxiliary device may also be connected to the master device by the same method and for the same purpose so as to improve signal latency/quality. This auxiliary device will be described in further detail further on in the specification.

[0017] Figure 3 discloses the example control process of the example embodiment. A producer uses a control master device implemented as a master control and acquisition device 50. The process starts when the master control and acquisition device 50 and slave devices 51 (in the form of remote acquisition devices) and their applications 52 are started and used so that they are made aware of each other. Typically, this involves placing both devices on the same network and engaging the software.

The network may be a local area network or a wide area network. In an alternative non-limiting form it may be a peer-to-peer network. Preferably it is a kind of network which allows the remote acquisition devices to be widely distributed relative to each other and to the master control and acquisition device.

Next, the producer and controller of the content recording system monitors the slave application 53 with the media from the slave application streaming to the master device. Subsequently, at some stage, the producer decides to use the master device to trigger recording 54 and the instruction to "start recording" is sent to the slave 55 in the form of a selected one (or multiple if so selected) of the remote acquisition devices which then begins recording. If the master device is recording media locally, then that media is stored locally. After the slave application begins recording, it continues to store the media locally 58 on the slave device until a trigger is received from the master device to stop recording 56. At a time defined by the producer, using the master device, the master user triggers the end of recording 59 by sending an "end of recording" signal and the recording is ended on the slave device 57 as well as the local device if local media is being recorded and stored. After recording ends on the slave device, the media file is then transmitted back to the master device 60 and the recording is stored on the master device 61 in a preferred form whilst also remaining stored on the local device on which it originated.

[0018] The result is a remote recording system that has the advantage of recording media potentially derived from widely distributed sources closer to, or at a different angle, from the master device, so that advanced high quality media recording can be accomplished with the advantage of using good quality, low cost wireless capabilities, along in preferred forms with the advanced computing power of smart digital devices such as smartphones.

Alternative Embodiments [0019] The example embodiment includes only one slave device for the sake of simplicity in explanation. An alternative embodiment could have one or many slave devices in a network that can be controlled by the master device individually, in unison, or in groups .

[0020] The example embodiment discloses a system that transfers the media file from the slave device to the master device, subsequent to the actual recording session. An alternative embodiment could use near real time, or real time streaming of audio data, enabling the master device or a storage device to be used as the repository for real time as well as stored data. This capability is becoming more of a possibility as the speed of networks and computing power increases.

[0021] In the example embodiment the master device is used as a repository for all recorded media from the recording session. An alternative embodiment may have the recorded media captured anywhere on any of the connected devices. For example, a network storage device may be wirelessly connected to multiple slave and master devices and used for the storage of data. The example embodiment uses advanced audio recording capabilities as an example scenario. An alternative embodiment may use any form of media recording including but not limited to, video, still photograph capture or other data sources such as MIDI events.

Exemplary Embodiments

Further embodiments of the above described system and including additional detail for implementation are illustrated with respect to Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7. Like components are numbered as for the earlier embodiments except in the 100 series. So, for example, remote acguisition device 15 of the first embodiment becomes remote acquisition device 115 in these embodiments.

Figure 4 illustrates a system which may be a widely distributed system comprising multiple remote acquisition devices 130a, 130b, 130c ... all controlled from and sending data to a single master control and acquisition device 138.

In this instance each acquisition device includes its own unique identifier ID 1, ID 2 ... ID n. The master control and acquisition device 138 also has its own unique identifier ID m. Any communication between the devices includes reference to the identifier so, for example, the start record signal that might be issued to device 130 a will include reference to identifier ID 1 so that only remote acquisition device 130a is caused to start recording. Other commands including the volume level command and the stock record command are similarly identified thereby to ensure independent control over the multiplicity of remote acquisition devices. Media data 175 flowing in the opposite direction from the remote acquisition devices and into the master control and acquisition device 138 is similarly identified. A useful technology that will assist in this regard is TCP/IP communications protocol. This can be made to operate over the Internet which is advantageous where there is significant separation between the remote acquisition devices and the master control and acquisition device 138. Hence the network 114 may comprise utilisation of short-range wireless technology such as Wi-Fi technology locally to each remote acquisition device 130 which then communicates via a router 176 with a substantially wired technology such as the Internet generally 114 utilising packet switching technology wherein each packet of data 183 comprises at least a data portion 181, and a header portion 182 (containing address data) for delivery via end router 177 to the master control and acquisition device 138.

It will thus be observed that communication between each one of the remote acquisition devices 130 and the master control acquisition device 138 is bidirectional.

Figure 5 illustrates in block diagram form primary components of the system and wherein like components are numbered as for other embodiments except in the 200 series.

In this instance master control and acquisition device 210 communicates bidirectionally over network 214 to one or more remote acquisition devices 215.

In some forms an auxiliary device 235 may communicate with either or both of a remote acquisition device and a master control and acquisition device. Typically communication as between a remote acquisition device and the auxiliary device will be via a conductive cable connected via the respective input-output units of the two devices. Typically communication as between the auxiliary device and the master control and acquisition device will be via the network 214 which itself comprises wireless based transmission in conjunction with wired conductive cable transmission. In an alternative form as illustrated in later embodiments with particular reference to figure 7 the auxiliary device servicing the remote acquisition device may communicate with a corresponding auxiliary device connected locally to the master control and acquisition device. The auxiliary device 235 acts as an enhancer to correct for deficiencies which may be perceived particularly in the remote acquisition device 215 in specific applications (for example, but not only where the remote acquisition device is implemented on a smart phone). For example where signal latency may be an issue, utilisation of the auxiliary device 235 can assist to minimise this issue. The auxiliary device is described in further detail below.

With reference to Figure 6 the auxiliary device 135 is described in greater detail. The device is a digital device as earlier defined in this specification and includes a processor 160, a memory 161 and a transmitter or transmitter and receiver unit 162 together with an input output device 163, all in communication with a bus 164 thereby to provide communication between these components within an enclosure 165.In this instance the processor 160 is programmed via code in memory 161 to perform certain ancillary functions thereby to enhance the characteristics of the system previously described.

In one form the auxiliary device 135 is directly connected to a stage microphone 166 for example by means of an XLR connector as commonly used in the trade. The connection will be to the input output unit 163 of the auxiliary device 135. The audio signal from the microphone 166 is received into the auxiliary unit 135 and then on transmitted via transmitter 162 to a second auxiliary unit 135a. The second auxiliary unit is connectable by a cable based connection, preferably a high speed connection and by way of non limiting example a Lightning cable connection 136 to a remote acquisition device 130 in this instance in the form of a smart phone such as an iPhone marketed by Apple Corporation.

The remote acquisition device 130 may then communicate bidirectionally with master control and acquisition device 138 in the manner previously described above.

In an alternative related form an external microphone 170 may communicate with the audio jack 171 forming part of the input output assembly of a smart digital device such as a smart phone by means of a conductive cable 172. This arrangement is in place of use of the internal microphone often found in many smartphone devices. The smart digital device acts as a remote acquisition device 130 and may be programmed to operate so as to communicate bidirectionally with master control and acquisition device 138 in the manner previously described.

In one particular form the auxiliary device is programmed as a low latency transceiver that can stream multiple audio channels across a 10 m span or greater using, for example, Wi-Fi technology. In a further form the arrangement can be programmed to provide bidirectional audio signals on a carrier operating in the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz range. The aim is to achieve latency of five many seconds or less. In part this can be achieved by minimising or eliminating usage of high latency components in the system including but not limited to those components which rely on TCP/IP protocol.

With reference to figures 7A, B, C various configurations for the auxiliary device (termed "dongle" in these diagrams) are illustrated including configurations described with reference to figure 6 and also additional configurations comprising a substantially direct connection from the dongle to the master control and acquisition device, all with the aim thereby to seek to reduce latency, in preferred forms to 5ms or less. Implementation

One readily available and cost effective way in which to implement at least the remote acquisition device 10, 30, 130 is by utilisation of a smartphone together with provision of an application (known as an app) to cause the smartphone to operate in the manner previously described whereby it can function as a remote acquisition device.

Similarly embodiments of the master control and acquisition device 10, 38, 138 may also be implemented utilising a smartphone programmed with an appropriate app.

In the alternative, embodiments can be implemented in hardware and including hardcoded chips specific to purpose.

The auxiliary device 35, 135 may be implemented utilising a commercially available single board based development system that includes a transmitter, microprocessor, an input output unit and memory communicating on a bus.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0022] The above describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on 22 August 2016 (22.08.2016) 1 A system for reception of at least audio signals of a predetermined quality from a remote location; said system comprising: an at least first local digital device in communication with a microphone located at a remote location; a master digital device located remotely to the at least first local digital device; the master digital device in digital communication with said at least a first local digital device incorporating a microphone. wherein said first local digital device includes a first microprocessor in communication with a first memory and in communication with a first digital I/O. wherein the first digital I/O is in communication with a second digital I/O which, in turn, is in communication with a second microprocessor which is in communication with a second memory; the second microprocessor and a second memory driving a wireless communications output.
2 The system of claim 1 wherein the digital communication includes wireless communication.
3 The system of claim 1 wherein the first local digital device is a smartphone.
4 The system of claim 1 wherein the digital communication includes WiFi communication.
5 The system of claim 1 wherein the wireless communications output communicates wirelessly with the master digital device.
6 A method of controllably acquiring audio signals of a predetermined quality from a remote location; said method comprising initiating communications between a master digital device and an at least first local digital device; the at least first local digital device including a microphone; and wherein the system acquires and processes multimedia data received from a widely distributed array of sensors.
7 A system to acquire and process media data received from a widely distributed array of sensors; said system including a master control and acquisition device implemented as a local digital device; a plurality of acquisition devices widely distributed; each of said plurality of acquisition devices implemented as a digital device and including a wireless receiver and transmitter for bidirectional transmission of data between each one of the plurality of acquisition devices and said master control and acquisition device.
8 The system of claim 1 or 7 wherein said master control and acquisition device is implemented as a server-based application.
9 The system of claim 1 or 7 wherein said master control and acquisition device is implemented on a smartphone. 9 The system of claim 1 or claim 7 wherein each said acquisition device includes a media acquisition device integrally within it.
10 The system of any one of claims 1 or 7 wherein each said acquisition device communicates with an external media acquisition device.
11 The system of claim 1 or 7 wherein said media acquisition device is a microphone and the media is audio information data.
12 The system of claim 1 or 7 wherein said media acquisition device is a video camera or still camera and the media is video or still image data.
13 The system of claim 1 or 7 wherein the master control and acquisition device controls the recording of media remotely from where the media is required.
14 The system of claim 1 or 7 wherein the master control and acquisition device sends and. initiate signal to a selected remote acquisition device in order to initiate media acquisition at that device.
15 The system of claim 1 or 7 wherein the master control and acquisition device sends a calibration signal to a selected remote acquisition device in order to calibrate settings on the device for media acquisition at the device.
16 The system of claim 15 wherein the calibration signal is maximum volume setting for the selected remote acquisition device.
17 The system of claim 1 or 7 wherein the master control and acquisition device sends a start recording signal to a selected remote acquisition device in order to start that device acquiring media and wherein the master control and acquisition device sends a stop recording signal to a selected remote acquisition device in order to stop that device acquiring media.
18 The method of claim 6 further including the method of enhancing the characteristics of a transmission of a media signal from an acquisition device to a remotely located receiving device over a wide area network, the wide area network including wireless transmission and wide transmission components, said method comprising inserting a digital device, into the network; the digital device including wired input output and wireless input output devices and a signal processing device whereby the media signal is received over the wired input output device and processed by the signal processing device before on transmission via the wireless input output device.
19 The method of claim 18 wherein the receiving device is a master control and acquisition device.
20 An auxiliary device for enhancing transmission characteristics operable according to the method of claim 6; the auxiliary device comprising a local digital device having at least a microprocessor, a memory, digital input output and wireless input output devices all communicating on a common bus and whereby a signal is received via a one of the I/O devices, processed by the processor executing a program stored in memory and on transmitted via the other of the input output devices.
21 A master control and acquisition device for communication with an at least one acquisition device.
22 An acquisition device for communication with a master control and acquisition device.
23 A method of enhancing the characteristics of a transmission of a media signal from an acquisition device, including but not limited to a receiving dongle, to a remotely located receiving device, including but not limited to a receiving phone, over a wide area network, including but not limited to WiFi communication, the wide area network including wireless transmission and wide transmission components, said method comprising inserting a digital device into the network; the digital device including wired input output and wireless input output devices and a signal processing device whereby the media signal is received over the wired input output device and processed by the signal processing device before on transmission via the wireless input output device.