Method and apparatus for reproducing multi-channel sound using cable/wireless device

Abstract

A multi-channel music reproducing apparatus and method using a wired and/or wireless communication system are provided. The method includes confirming neighboring devices capable of wired and/or wireless communication; allocating audio channel information to confirmed neighboring devices; encoding the channel information and reproduction synchronization information as index information; transmitting the index information together with a music data file; receiving the encoded index information and music data; decoding the allocated channel information and the synchronization information; and outputting music data corresponding to the allocated channel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional music reproducing apparatus;

FIG. 2 illustrates a 5.1-channel music reproducing system for performing a method of reproducing multi-channel music according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of a master device and slave devices of FIG. 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a master device according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a slave device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-channel music reproducing method using a plurality of communication devices, the method comprising: confirming neighboring communication devices, of a communication device, capable of wired and/or wireless communication;allocating audio channel information to each confirmed neighboring device;encoding the channel information and reproduction synchronization information receiving the channel information and reproduction synchronization information;decoding the channel information allocated to a current communication device and synchronization information; andoutputting music data corresponding to the allocated channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the channel information and reproduction synchronization information is encoded into index information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the confirming neighboring communication devices comprises detecting neighboring devices capable of wired and/or wireless communication and assigning IDs to each detected neighboring device;wherein the allocating audio channel information comprises allocating audio output channel information to each detected neighboring device, and generating synchronization information to ensure that music is reproduced simultaneously from each neighboring device; andwherein the encoding the channel information and the reproduction synchronization information into index information comprises encoding the generated ID information, the audio channel information and the synchronization information into index information.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising transmitting the channel information together with a music data file.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the generating of the synchronization information is based on performance of a wired and/or wireless communication system, performance of the music reproducing apparatus, and type and size of the music file to be transmitted.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the allocating of the channel information comprises analyzing number of channels supported by the music file and number of communication devices.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the allocating of the channel information to each detected neighboring device is done by a user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the channel information and reproduction synchronization information comprises encoding the index information and confirming the synchronization information in order to synchronize reproduction of music by an audio output channel allocated to the current communication device with audio output channels of other communication devices; wherein the decoding the channel information and the synchronization information comprises decoding music data from among data received according to the synchronization information; andwherein the outputting music data corresponding to the allocated channel comprises selecting a signal of an audio channel to be output by the current communication device from among the decoded music data, and outputting the audio channel signal to a speaker.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the channel information and the reproduction information together with the music data.

10. A multi-channel music reproducing apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a master unit operable to detect slave devices capable of wired and/or wireless communication, allocate audio channel information to each detected slave device, encode the channel information and reproduction synchronization information into index information, and transmit the index information together with a music data file; andat least one slave unit operable to receive the encoded index information and music data from the master unit, decode the channel information allocated to the at least one slave unit and synchronization information, and output music data corresponding to the allocated channel.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the master unit comprises: a control unit operable to confirm slave devices capable of wired and/or wireless communication, assign an ID to each confirmed slave device, allocate audio channel information to each confirmed slave device, and generate the synchronization information to ensure that music is reproduced simultaneously with each confirmed slave device;an index information processing unit operable to encode the ID information of each confirmed slave device assigned by the control unit, audio channel information of each confirmed slave device, and the synchronization information; anda data transmission and reception unit operable to add the index information processed in the index information processing unit to music file packets and transmit the music file packets to each confirmed slave device.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the slave unit comprises: a data communication unit operable to receive index information and a music file in units of packets from the master unit;an index information processing unit operable to decode the index information received from the data transmission and reception unit, and extract the channel information and the synchronization information; anda music decoder unit operable to confirm the channel information from the index information decoded by the index information processing unit, and decode music data of a corresponding channel from the music file received by the data transmission and reception unit.

13. A music reproducing apparatus, comprising: a control unit operable to detect neighboring devices capable of wired and/or wireless communication, assign an ID to each detected neighboring device, allocate audio channel information to respective IDs, and generate synchronization information to ensure that audio is reproduced simultaneously with each detected neighboring device;an information encoding unit operable to encode the ID information, the channel information and the synchronization information generated in the control unit into index information;a transmission unit operable to add the index information processed in the information encoding unit to a music file and transmit the music file to each detect neighboring device;a reception unit operable to receive the index information and the music file in units of packets from the transmission unit;an information decoding unit operable to decode the index information received by the reception unit, and extract the channel information and the synchronization information; anda music decoder unit operable to confirm channel information from the index information decoded by the information decoding unit, and decode music data of a corresponding channel from the music file received by the reception unit.

14. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with a program that causes a computer to execute the steps of: confirming neighboring communication devices, of a communication device, capable of wired and/or wireless communication;allocating audio channel information to each confirmed neighboring device;encoding the channel information and reproduction synchronization information into index information;transmitting the index information together with a music data file;receiving the encoded index information and music data;decoding the channel information allocated to a current communication device and synchronization information; andoutputting music data corresponding to the allocated channel.

15. A multi-channel music reproducing method using a music reproducing device capable of wired and/or wireless communication, the method comprising: detecting neighboring devices capable of wired and/or wireless communication;allocating audio channel information to at least one of the detected neighboring devices capable wired and/or wireless communication; andsynchronizing with the music reproducing device to which the audio channel information is allocated and reproducing the music.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the allocating of the audio channel information comprises analyzing the number of the detected neighboring devices capable of wired and/or wireless communication.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising: synchronizing with the music reproducing device and transmitting music data to be reproduced.

18. A multi-channel music reproducing apparatus comprising: a control unit operable to confirm slave devices capable of wired and/or wireless communication, allocate audio channel information to each confirmed slave device, and generate the synchronization information to ensure that music is reproduced simultaneously with each confirmed slave device;an index information processing unit operable to encode the audio channel information of each confirmed slave device and the synchronization information; anda data transmission and reception unit operable to transmit the audio channel information and synchronization information encoded in the index information processing unit.