A new patent by GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., patent number US20230269012A1, aims to spark a revolution in the way we manage and control audio across different devices. Now, audio could wind up working smarter, not harder.
The audio industry grapples with an ongoing issue whereby True Wireless Stereo (TWS) headsets lack an efficient switching mechanism between "binaural and monaural playback modes" - regular speak for swapping between stereo and mono sounds. This means that frustration often ensues when trying to adapt a device's sound to a specific environment or personal preference.
That's where OPPO steps in to bridge the gap. Their proposed solution? A novel audio control method that could potentially enable users to switch sound modes with ease.
This groundbreaking method relies on a pair of devices: a “broadcast assistant” and a “broadcast source”. The broadcast assistant and broadcast source can act independently of one another. By allowing the broadcast assistant to discover and synchronize itself with the broadcast source, an effective connection emerges where the assistant sends "synchronization information" to the other device. This means that sounds could start playing at the right time on the right device.
If the plans roll out as envisioned, the world of audio playback could look very different. Imagine being at a noisy subway station, struggling to hear the sound from your earbuds. With the simple press of a button, your earbuds could switch to mono mode, allowing you to focus on the sound in one earbud while keeping the other ear open to background noise. Alternatively, picture yourself back home after a tiring day, desiring to immerse yourself in your favorite musical piece. Again, with just a tap, your earbuds could switch back to stereo mode, bestowing upon you an immersive experience.
It's important to remember, however, this is a patent and not a market-ready product. There's no guarantee we'll see this smart audio control method on the shelves anytime soon. But with the rapidly evolving world of technology, who knows what the future holds? For now, let's just imagine the potential of a world where our TWS headsets could intuitively adapt to our changing scenarios, making audio playback that much smarter.