WO2019122728A1

WO2019122728A1 - Method of wireless local telecommunication

Info

Publication number: WO2019122728A1
Application number: PCT/FR2018/053430
Authority: WO
Inventors: Laurent BAYART; Julien CHAIX; Denis Coulon; Sylvain LIEU
Original assignee: Appi-Technology Sas
Priority date: 2017-12-21
Filing date: 2018-12-19
Publication date: 2019-06-27
Also published as: FR3076154A1; FR3076154B1

Abstract

The method of telecommunication in a group consisting of a plurality of apparatuses by way of connection according to the IEEE 802.11 standards of a wireless local network using the technology of Wi-Fi Direct (trademark), therefore without intermediate router, comprises: - a step (31, 32) of point-to-point connection between a centralizer apparatus and each other apparatus, acting as slave, after authorization of connection by the centralizer apparatus, - a step (38) of transmitting sound data by a slave apparatus to the centralizer apparatus, - a unique step (39) of retransmitting said sound data, by the centralizer apparatus to the set of slave apparatuses, in broadcast mode, and - a step (40) of elimination before acoustic dissemination (41), by a slave apparatus, of the sound data that it has previously transmitted to the centralizer apparatus from among the data that the slave apparatus receives from the centralizer apparatus, so as to perform an acoustic dissemination only of the sound data originating from the other apparatuses of the group.

Description

LOCAL WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATION METHOD

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to a wireless local telecommunication method.

It applies to the field of telecommunications and, more particularly, telecommunications without router between terminals.

STATE OF THE PRIOR ART

Wi-Fi is a set of wireless communication protocols governed by the IEEE 802.1 1 group standards (ISO / IEC 8802-1 1). A Wi-Fi network makes it possible to connect several computer devices (computer, router, smartphone, Internet modem, etc.) by radio waves within a computer network in order to allow the transmission of data between them.

The IEEE 802.1 1 standards describe the characteristics of a wireless local area network (WLAN). Wi-Fi standards make it possible to create high-speed wireless local area networks. In practice, Wi-Fi makes it possible to connect communicating objects to a broadband link: from 1 1 Mbit / s theoretical or 6 Mbit / s real 802.1 1 b, to 54 Mbit / s theoretical or about 25 Mbit / s real in 802.1 1 a or 802.1 1 g, 600 Mbit / s theoretical for the 802.1 1 n and 1, 3 Gbit / s theoretical for the 802.1 1 ac standardized since December 2013.

The range can reach several tens of meters indoors (generally between twenty and fifty meters) if there are no obstacles (concrete wall for example) between the transmitter and the receiver.

Wi-Fi Direct, originally called Wi-Fi P2P, is a technology developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance consortium that allows data sharing across devices over Wi-Fi without the need for an intermediate Wi-Fi hotspot. (router).

This data transmission protocol makes it possible to carry out a file transfer as it would be done with Bluetooth (registered trademark) but at a much higher speed. Wi-Fi Direct uses a Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) password to secure communications and, like Bluetooth, requires login permission.

This protocol can be paired with other techniques, for example when two devices with Near Field Communication ("NFC") support and Wi-Fi Direct network connect via NFC, then can automatically transfer via the Wi-Fi Direct network.

This protocol eliminates the data network (GSM, acronym for Global System for Mobile Communication, registered trademark, 3G and 4G) and therefore allow, without go through a network of operators and therefore free of charge, to a group of people close to each other to establish a voice communication to several stakeholders.

Direct Wifi connection involves a point-to-point connection between two phones, one playing the role of Owner Group ("GO"), the other being Group Member ("GM") or "slave". Other phones can connect to the Owner Group, but it is impossible (by direct Wifi design) that two slaves connect to each other. It is therefore necessary that the terminal playing the role of Owner Group receives the audio data (voice stream) of each of the slaves and then reissue them to each of the slaves. The Owner Group returning each stream to each slave, the number of streams to be transited quickly becomes very important when the number of devices in communication increases and saturates the bandwidth. For example, if N speakers are in conference, this makes N-1 receptions by the GO, and (N-1) ^* (N-1) transmissions / retransmissions by the GO being a total of N ^* (N-1) transmissions in total. For four speakers, for example, this represents twelve transmissions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to remedy all or part of these disadvantages.

For this purpose, according to a first aspect, the present invention aims a telecommunication method in a group consisting of a plurality of devices via connection according to IEEE 802.1 1 standards of a wireless local area network using the technology. Wi-Fi Direct (registered trademark), so without an intermediate router, which includes:

a point-to-point connection step between a centralizing device and each other device, acting as a slave, after connection authorization by the centralizing device, a step of transmitting sound data by a slave device to the centralizing device and

a step of retransmission of said sound data, by the centralizing device to all the slave devices, in broadcast mode, and

an elimination step before sound diffusion, by a slave apparatus, of the sound data that it has previously transmitted to the centralizing unit among the data that said slave apparatus receives from the centralizing apparatus, in order to perform an acoustic diffusion only sound data from other devices in the group.

The centralizing device acts as the Owner Group ("GO").

Thanks to the implementation of the invention, the total number of transmissions is N-1 (receptions) and N (broadcast transmission and retransmissions), ie 2 ^* N-1 instead of N ^* (N-1). ), as explained above. For four speakers (including three slaves), this represents seven transmissions instead of twelve and, for six speakers, eleven instead of thirty. It is therefore possible to create networks with a larger number of terminals or to increase the bandwidth available for each terminal.

In addition, the slave device eliminating before acoustic broadcast the sound data it has previously transmitted to the centralizing unit, to perform an acoustic broadcast that sound data from other devices in the group, it avoids a phenomenon of unpleasant echo.

It should be noted that the notion of elimination does not imply an erasure of data in memory but means that the sound diffusion of the sound data considered is inhibited. Therefore, the terms of elimination or inhibition of sound diffusion are used interchangeably in the present application.

In embodiments, during the sound data retransmitting step, the centralizer transmits a representative frame of sound data from a plurality of slave devices.

In the case of audio conferencing, this further optimizes the transmission flow. Indeed, the centralizing unit (GO) receives the frames of each slave that participates in the group. The centralizing unit mixes in its audio buffer all of these receptions, plus possibly that which comes from the microphone of the centralizing unit and sends in broadcast the mixed sound, which represents only one transmission by the apparatus centralizing, N transmissions in total (N-1 transmissions of slaves + retransmission of sound mixed by the centralizing device).

In embodiments, during the sound data retransmitting step, the centralizing apparatus transmits a frame by transmitting sound data from a slave apparatus.

In embodiments, the method further comprises a step of assigning, to each slave terminal, a unique identifier in the group, each step of transmission of sound data by a slave apparatus to the centralizing apparatus comprising the transmission of the identifier of the slave apparatus and each retransmission step comprising the retransmission of the identifier of the slave apparatus having transmitted the retransmitted sound data.

Thanks to these arrangements, the data frames from each slave device being re-broadcast by the centralizing device, each slave device knows which slave device transmitting the data frame it receives.

Thanks to this identifier present in the data frame, the slave devices thus know which one is speaking in the group, which is silent.

In embodiments, during the elimination step before acoustic diffusion, a slave device eliminates the sound data associated with the identifier of said slave apparatus, to perform an acoustic diffusion only sound data. associated with other slave device identifiers, the slave apparatus thus realizing a step of acoustic diffusion of the sound content represented by the received sound data, except when this sound data is associated with the identifier of said slave apparatus.

The slave device therefore ignores its own frames of re-transmitted data and does not broadcast their sound content into its speaker, which would create an unnecessary and unwanted echo effect.

In embodiments, the unique identifier is transmitted by the centralizing device to the slave apparatus by point-to-point TCP / IP communication.

In this point-to-point mode, the transmitter knows if the receiver has received the information by a "acknowledgment". In addition, only the terminal to which this identifier is assigned receives this information (if it was broadcast, all the slaves would receive this information).

In embodiments, the unique identifier is representative of the arrival number in the group, i.e. the chronological order of connection of the slave apparatus to the centralizing apparatus.

Each slave thus has a unique identifier in the group (to be able to know the emitter of a re-transmitted frame), without this identifier using many digits.

In embodiments, during the elimination step, each slave device performs a step of recognizing each frame that said slave apparatus has transmitted and subtracting in this mixed audio frame from each frame that said slave apparatus had sent.

This avoids the user of the device echoes himself. This type of elimination is possible because it is sufficient for the slave to memorize the frame that it has sent to subtract it from the mixed frame that it receives. The offset (number of frames transmitted / received) between the transmission and the retransmission is preferably known and constant in order to be able to effect this deletion in a coherent manner.

In embodiments, at least one apparatus comprises means for determining whether the voice of its user exceeds, after filtering the ambient noise, a limit sound level and a means of inhibiting the transmission of sound data if the voice exceeds said limit sound level.

For example, a voice detection mechanism "vox" is used. Below the noise limit, the terminal does not transmit the sound acquired by its microphone so as not to monopolize and overload the bandwidth by transmitting frames continuously. This mechanism makes it possible in particular to create groups consisting of more terminals than the maximum number of terminals that can communicate simultaneously. In embodiments, the centralizing apparatus implements a limit number of slave devices and does not retransmit the sound data from a slave apparatus if there is already this limited number of slave devices connected to the slave apparatus. centralizing apparatus in the group.

Thus, the centralizing device does not retransmit the frames of slave devices that are in excess relative to this limit number. The centralizing apparatus thus fixes a limit number (five for example) of slave devices beyond which the centralizing apparatus does not retransmit the frames of the slave apparatus which are in excess.

In embodiments, the centralizing apparatus also transmits service frames to at least one slave apparatus, in point-to-point mode, said service frames being representative of the state of the group, the arrival of a new member in the group, the output of a group member, a request to speak, or an alert.

These service frames in particular make it possible to guarantee that the message is received by each of the slave devices.

In embodiments, at least one service frame is representative of a priority level assigned to at least one apparatus in the group.

Thus, the service frames also make it possible, following the choices made by the user of the centralizing terminal, to define a priority level and to indicate it to each slave. Thus, the slave device knows, according to its priority and the number of active participants whether he can speak or conversely, if he must be quiet to make room for others.

In embodiments, at least one apparatus of the group implements, in addition, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) link for the acoustic diffusion of the sound contents received by said apparatus.

In the case of devices consisting of mobile phones, tablets or personal computers, the Bluetooth connection is not used for communication in the group, the user of the device can, in addition, connect a Bluetooth headset to his device to communicate with the rest of the group.

In embodiments, the method further includes a step of switching or mixing communications in the group, by the centralizing apparatus, between a prerecorded sound content broadcasting mode and an audio conference mode between group.

The application of the present invention thus allows the group leader, who has the centralizing device, to broadcast music to other members connected to his group. He can thus mix the music and the voice, or according to the choice of the head of group, to switch from the mode of diffusion of music to a mode of audio conference between the speakers. In embodiments, the method further includes a step of switching or mixing a telephone communication in progress on one of the terminals.

Thus, the user can switch to private mode on his telephone communication (by cutting off the network of the audio conference on the direct Wifi) or conversely he can mix this telephone communication with the voice conference.

According to a second aspect, the present invention is directed to a telecommunication method of a terminal apparatus, in a group consisting of a plurality of devices via connection according to the IEEE 802.1 1 standards of a wireless local area network using Wi-Fi Direct (registered trademark) technology, so without an intermediate router, a process that includes:

a point-to-point connection step between a centralizing device and said terminal apparatus, acting as a slave, after connection authorization by the centralizing apparatus, a step of transmitting sound data by said slave terminal apparatus to the centralizing apparatus,

a step of receiving a retransmission of said sound data, by the centralizing apparatus, in broadcast mode, and

an elimination step before acoustic diffusion, by said slave terminal apparatus, of the sound data that it has previously transmitted to the centralizing apparatus among the data that said slave apparatus receives from the centralizing apparatus, so as not to carry out an acoustic diffusion only sound data from other devices in the group.

According to a third aspect, the present invention is directed to a telecommunication method of a centralizing apparatus in a group consisting of a plurality of devices via connection according to IEEE 802.1 1 standards of a wireless local area network using the Wi-Fi Direct (registered trademark) technology, therefore without an intermediate router, which method comprises:

a point-to-point connection step between said centralizing device and each other device, acting as a slave, after connection authorization by the centralizing device,

a step of reception, by the centralizing apparatus, of sound data transmitted by at least one slave apparatus, and

a step of retransmission of said sound data by the centralizing device to all slave devices in broadcast mode.

According to a fourth aspect, the present invention is directed to a telecommunication terminal apparatus in a group consisting of a plurality of such apparatuses via connection according to IEEE 802.1 1 standards of a wireless local area network using the technology of Wi-Fi Direct (registered trademark), thus without intermediate router, terminal device which comprises:

point-to-point connection means with a centralizing device,

switching means of the terminal apparatus in slave mode, after authorization of connection by the centralizing apparatus, then acting in master mode,

means for transmitting sound data by the terminal apparatus in slave mode to the centralizing apparatus,

means for receiving retransmission of said sound data and sound data transmitted by other devices, by the centralizing device to all the slave devices, in broadcast mode,

means for eliminating, before acoustic diffusion, the sound data that said terminal apparatus has previously transmitted to the centralizing apparatus, among the data received from the centralizing apparatus, and

a means of acoustic diffusion of the only sound data from other devices in the group.

According to a fifth aspect, the present invention is directed to a telecommunication centralizing apparatus in a group consisting of a plurality of apparatuses via connection according to IEEE 802.1 1 standards of a wireless local area network using Wi-Fi technology. Fi Direct (registered trademark), therefore without intermediate router, centralizing device which comprises:

point-to-point connection means between said centralizing device and each other device, acting as a slave, after connection authorization by the centralizing device,

means for receiving, by the centralizing apparatus, sound data transmitted by at least one slave apparatus, and

means for retransmitting said sound data, by the centralizing device to all the slave devices, in broadcast mode.

Since the advantages, aims and particular characteristics of the processes and devices of the second to fifth aspects of the invention are similar to those of the method that is the subject of the first aspect of the invention, they are not recalled here.

BRIEF PRESENTATION OF FIGURES

Other advantages, aims and features of the present invention will emerge from the description which follows, made for explanatory and non-limiting purposes with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 represents, schematically, a group of devices in communication implementing the method that is the subject of the present invention, FIG. 2 represents, in the form of a logic diagram, steps of a first particular embodiment of the method which is the subject of the invention,

FIG. 3 represents, in the form of a logic diagram, steps of a second particular embodiment of the method which is the subject of the invention and

FIG. 4 represents, in the form of a logic diagram, steps of a third particular embodiment of the method that is the subject of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF AT LEAST ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a group 10 of five communicating apparatuses 1 1, 12, 13, 14 and 15. Each of the apparatuses 1 1 to 15 is configured to make a connection to the other apparatus according to the IEEE 802.1 1 standards of a wireless LAN using Wi-Fi Direct (registered trademark) technology, so without an intermediate router.

In this group, the apparatus 11 is a centralizing apparatus, playing the role of the Owner Group, that is to say that the other apparatus, 12 to 15, act in this group as a slave and send the sound contents to it. share in the group. The centralizing device 1 1 addresses these contents to be shared to the other devices.

According to the invention, this retransmission is performed in "broadcast" mode and not in point-to-point mode, as in the prior art.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, for particular embodiments of the communication method which is the subject of the invention, the apparatuses first realize, successively:

by each apparatus 12 to 15, a point-to-point connection request step 21 with the centralizing device 1 1,

a step 22 of accepting the connection, by the centralizing device 1 1, according to procedures known in the standards mentioned above,

a step 23 for allocating, by the centralizing apparatus 11, a unique identifier in the group to the apparatus 12 to 15 which has requested a connection and

a step 24 of transmission, by the centralizing apparatus to this apparatus having requested the connection, of the unique identifier assigned to it.

Each device 12 to 15 acts as a slave, after connection authorization by the centralizing device 1 1.

Iteratively, for each slave device 12 to 15 having a sound content to share:

a step 25 of transmission of sound data by the slave apparatus 12 to 15 to the centralizing unit 1 1 and

a step 26 of retransmitting said sound data, by the centralizing device 1 1 to all the slave devices 12 to 15, in broadcast mode. Preferably, during step 26 of retransmitting the sound data, the centralizing apparatus transmits a representative frame of the sound data from a plurality of slave apparatus. The centralizing unit (GO) receives the frames of each slave participating in the group. The centralizing unit mixes in its audio buffer all of these receptions, plus possibly that which comes from the microphone of the centralizing unit and sends in broadcast the mixed sound, which represents only one transmission by the apparatus centralizing, N transmissions in total (N-1 transmissions of slaves + retransmission of sound mixed by the centralizing device).

In other embodiments, during step 26 of retransmitting the sound data, the centralizer transmits a frame by transmitting sound data from a slave apparatus.

Each slave device performs a step 27 of elimination before acoustic diffusion, step 28, of the sound data that said slave device has previously transmitted to the centralizing unit among the data it receives from the centralizing unit, to perform a acoustic broadcast only sound data from other devices in the group.

It is recalled that the notion of elimination does not imply an erasure of data in memory but means that the sound diffusion of the sound data considered is inhibited.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the method comprises a step 23 of assigning, to each slave terminal that connects to it, a unique identifier in the group, this identifier being provided in each transmission and retransmission of data. , to identify the origin of these data.

In this embodiment, the method further comprises, by at least one slave apparatus, a verification step 27 that its identifier is different from the received identifier with sound data and, if so, an acoustic diffusion step 28. sound content represented by the received sound data.

Thus, in this embodiment, during the elimination step 27 before acoustic diffusion, a slave device eliminates the sound data associated with the identifier of said slave apparatus, to perform an acoustic diffusion only sound data. associated with other slave device identifiers. The slave apparatus thus performs a step of acoustically broadcasting the sound content represented by the received sound data, except when this sound data is associated with the identifier of said slave apparatus.

Preferably, the unique identifier is transmitted by the centralizing device to the slave device by point-to-point TCP / IP communication during step 24.

For example, as in the embodiments set forth with reference to FIG. 3, the unique identifier is determined by the centralizing device as representative of the number of arrival in the group, that is to say the chronological order of connection of the slave device to the central unit.

In another example, assigning a unique random number (i.e., not already assigned) to each new slave arriving in the group.

In other embodiments, as explained with reference to FIG. 4, during the elimination step, each slave device performs a step of recognizing each frame that said slave apparatus has memorized and transmitted and makes a subtraction of each frame that said slave apparatus had sent, in the transmitted audio mixed frame representative of the sound data from a plurality of slave apparatus.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, for particular embodiments of the communication method that is the subject of the invention, the apparatuses first of all perform, successively:

by each apparatus 12 to 15, a point-to-point connection request step 31 with the centralizing device 1 1,

a step 32 of accepting the connection, by the centralizing device 1 1,

a step 33 of determining the unique number of arrival in the group of the apparatus having requested the connection, by the centralizing apparatus 11, this chronological number serving as the unique identifier of the apparatus 12 to 15,

a step 34 of comparing this number or the number of connected devices with a limit number of slave devices authorized to supply data in the group (for example 5) and

a step 35 of processing the result of step 34 and assigning a priority level to the slave apparatus that joins the group.

Preferably, the centralizing device establishes a first limit of the total number of participants in the group (ten, for example). Any potential newcomer in excess of this first limit is rejected. There is, in addition, a second limit within this group of the number of people who can speak simultaneously (four for example). Thus, the group can consist of ten devices, but with only four of them can speak at a given moment (for reasons both flow techniques, and practices because if ten people speak at the same time, it becomes inaudible ).

Concerning the priority, the centralizing device assigns priorities to each of the slaves (choice made by the user having the centralizing terminal). Thus, if more than four people try to speak in the group, the priority mechanism within the centralizer automatically ejects the lowest priority by not re-sending their frames. Similarly, lower priority slaves, receiving four higher priority terminal frames, will know that the network is saturated and that they no longer have to talk (which avoids they transmit frames that will not be played or broadcast by the centralizing device).

Then, the method comprises:

a step 36 of transmission, by the centralizing apparatus 1 1 to the slave apparatus 12 to 15, of the arrival number in the group, as unique identifier, and of the priority level which is assigned to it and

a step 37 of transmission, preferably in point-to-point mode, of a service frame, by the centralizing apparatus 1 1 to the apparatuses 12 to 15 already present in the group, for notifying the state of the group, the identifiers of the devices in the group and their priority level.

Preferably, at least one apparatus comprises means for determining whether the voice of its user exceeds, after filtering the ambient noise, a limit sound level and a means of inhibiting the transmission of sound data if the voice exceeds said limit sound level. This apparatus uses, for example, a voice detection mechanism "vox". Below the noise limit, the terminal does not transmit the sound acquired by its microphone so as not to monopolize and overload the bandwidth by transmitting frames continuously. This mechanism makes it possible in particular to create groups consisting of more terminals than the maximum number of terminals that can communicate simultaneously.

Iteratively, for each slave device 12 to 15 having a sound content to share and a sufficient priority level:

a step 38 of transmission of sound data by the slave apparatus 12 to 15 to the centralizing unit 1 1 and

a step 39 of retransmitting said sound data, by the centralizing apparatus 1 1 to all the slave apparatuses 12 to 15, in broadcast mode. Preferably, during step 39 of retransmitting the sound data, the centralizing apparatus transmits a representative frame of the sound data from a plurality of slave apparatus, as set forth with respect to step 26.

In other embodiments, during the step of retransmitting the sound data, the centralizing apparatus transmits a frame by transmitting sound data from a slave apparatus.

In this embodiment, the method further comprises, by at least one slave apparatus, a verification step 40 that its identifier is different from the identifier received with sound data and, if so, a step 41 of acoustic diffusion. content sound represented by the received sound data. Step 40 is similar to step 27 exposed with reference to FIG.

Preferably, the unique identifier is transmitted by the centralizing device to the slave device by point-to-point TCP / IP communication during step 36.

Optionally, during a step 42, the centralizing unit sends a service frame to the slave devices, to switch the group in audio conference mode and no longer in prerecorded sound content sharing mode. Subsequently, the centralizing device 1 1 can switch, in the opposite direction, the group to the prerecorded sound content sharing mode.

The centralizing apparatus, depending on the choice of its user, transmits frames of pre-recorded audio contents, or the frames of the audio conference, or both. All these frames are broadcast.

Optionally, during a step 43, the centralizing unit transmits a service frame to the slave devices, to switch the group in relay mode of telephone communication, that is to say, switching or mixing of a telephone call in progress on one of the terminals of the group.

The audio signal received from the mobile telephone network is sent back to the other members of the group by means of a coded audio electronic mixer (not shown) so that the other members of the group take part in the telephone conversation between the carrier and its remote interlocutor, the said remote interlocutor thus forming part of the voice conference of the group.

In variants or other modes of operation, the other members of the group can listen to the telephone conversation but can not speak to the remote party.

Optionally, the centralizing apparatus sends service frames to the slaves to indicate to them that they no longer have to transmit audio frames if they have switched to "music" mode only, in order to avoid transmissions of frames by the slaves. which will never be processed.

In the embodiments such as that set forth with reference to FIG. 3, the centralizing apparatus implements a limit number of slave devices and does not retransmit the sound data coming from a slave apparatus if there is already this limit number of slave devices connected to the centralizing device in the group.

In addition, the centralizing apparatus also transmits service frames to at least one slave apparatus in point-to-point mode, said service frames being representative of the state of the group, the arrival of a new member in the group, the exit of a member of the group, a request to speak, or an alert. At least one service frame is representative of a priority level assigned to at least one device in the group.

During step 41, at least one apparatus of the group implements, in addition, a Bluetooth connection for the acoustic diffusion of the sound contents received by said apparatus, the implementation of the invention for communications between devices of the group not using this Bluetooth link.

The present invention can be implemented by a smartphone application (for example using one of the operating systems Android or iOS, registered trademarks). The present invention provides a simple solution for communication in conference mode (full-duplex) using Wifi Direct (registered trademark). This application eliminates the data network (GSM, acronym for Global System for Mobile Communication, registered trademark) - 3G - 4G) and thus allow, free of charge, a group of people close to each other to establish voice communication to multiple stakeholders.

Given the use of Wifi, the Bluetooth (registered) connection of the phone is not used, so users can, in addition, connect their Bluetooth headset to their phone to communicate with the rest of the group.

This application also allows the band leader to broadcast music to other members connected to his group. The application can thus mix the music and the voice, or according to the choice of the group leader, switch from the music broadcast mode to an audio conference mode between speakers.

This number, as well as any additional information, such as the name / alias of the group / slave, image / picture of the group / slave, ..., are exchanged between the slave and the GO by communication TCP / IP point to point.

Given that the frames of each slave are reissued broadcast by the GO, it is necessary that each slave knows which is the slave transmitting the frame it receives. Each frame thus comprises a sender identifier (order number in the communication group), this identifier being assigned by the GO as soon as a slave joins the communication group.

Thanks to this identifier present in the frame, the slaves thus know who is speaking in the group, which is silent, and the slave can also ignore his own re-transmitted frame and not broadcast it in the speaker (which would create an effect echo unnecessary and unwanted).

Technically and functionally, it is inconceivable to allow an infinite number of participants to speak simultaneously. The application therefore sets a limit (five for example) that forbids any new slave device to speak if there is already this limit number of people speaking in the group. The GO will not retransmit the frames of slaves that are outnumbered by this limit.

The slaves send service frames to the GO to signal an alert (immobility, for example) or a request for a voice or a voluntary alert, these messages having a higher priority than the audio frames of the conference, they will be systematically processed by the GO .

The GO also broadcasts service frames, point-to-point, to ensure that the message is received by everyone, to indicate to the slaves the state of the group: arrival of a new member in the group, exit of a group member, retransmission of a request to speak, transmission / retransmission alert immobility or other, ...

These service frames also make it possible, following the choices made by the user of the terminal acting as GO, to define a priority level and to indicate it to each slave. Thus, the slave knows, according to his priority and the number of active participants whether he can speak or conversely, if he must be quiet to make room for others.

These service frames can also be used to signify to a slave that he can no longer speak (for example, a slave who would be in an environment that is too noisy and would constantly send noise into the conference).

As illustrated in FIG. 4, for particular embodiments of the communication method which is the subject of the invention, the apparatuses firstly carry out, step by step, the steps 21 and 22 exposed with reference to FIG.

iteratively, for each slave apparatus 12 to 15 having a sound content to be shared:

a step 55 of transmission of sound data by the slave apparatus 12 to 15 to the centralizing apparatus 1 1, without necessarily identifying the slave apparatus and

a step 56 of retransmitting said sound data, by the centralizing device 1 1 to all the slave devices 12 to 15, in broadcast mode. Preferably, during step 56 of retransmitting the sound data, the centralizing apparatus transmits a representative frame of the sound data from a plurality of slave apparatus. The centralizing unit (GO) receives the frames of each slave participating in the group. The centralizing unit mixes in its audio buffer all of these receptions, plus possibly that which comes from the microphone of the centralizing unit and sends in broadcast the mixed sound, which represents only one transmission by the apparatus centralizing, N transmissions in total (N-1 transmissions of slaves + retransmission of sound mixed by the centralizing device). In other embodiments, during step 26 of retransmitting the sound data, the centralizer transmits a frame by transmitting sound data from a slave apparatus.

Each slave device performs a step 57 of elimination before acoustic diffusion in step 58, the sound data that said slave device has previously transmitted to the centralizing unit among the data it receives from the centralizing unit, for perform acoustic broadcast only audio data from other devices in the group.

During the elimination step 57, each slave device performs a step of recognizing each frame that said slave apparatus has transmitted and subtracting each frame that said slave apparatus had sent, in the mixed audio frame representative of the data. sound from a plurality of slave apparatus. For this purpose, the slave device stores the frame that it sent to subtract it from the mixed frame that it receives during the retransmission.

During the acoustic diffusion step 58, the terminal apparatus broadcasts the mixed frame received in step 56, after modification by removing the sound data from the frame transmitted by the same terminal apparatus. The terminal device therefore broadcasts all the sound data of the mixed frame sent by the centralizing unit broadcast, except those it has previously transmitted to the centralizing unit.

For the implementation of the invention, a telecommunication terminal apparatus 12 configured to communicate in a group consisting of a plurality of devices, via connection according to IEEE 802.1 1 standards of a local network. Wireless using Wi-Fi Direct (registered trademark) technology, so without an intermediate router. This terminal apparatus comprises:

point-to-point connection means with a centralizing apparatus 1 1, switching means of the terminal apparatus in slave mode, after authorization of connection by the centralizing apparatus, then acting in master mode,

a means of acoustic diffusion of the only sound data from other devices in the group. For the implementation of the invention, a centralizing apparatus 1 1 of telecommunications in a group consisting of a plurality of devices via connection according to IEEE 802.1 1 standards of a wireless local area network using technology Wi-Fi Direct (registered trademark), so without an intermediate router, centralizing device that includes:

point-to-point connection means between said centralizing apparatus 1 1 and each other apparatus 12 to 15, acting as a slave, after connection authorization by the centralizing apparatus,

Claims

1. Telecommunication method in a group consisting of a plurality of apparatuses (1 1 to 15) via connection according to IEEE 802.1 1 standards of a wireless local area network using Wi-Fi Direct technology (registered trademark ), therefore without an intermediate router, characterized in that it comprises:

a step (21, 22, 31, 32) of point-to-point connection between a centralizing device (1 1) and each other device (12 to 15), acting as a slave, after authorization of connection by the centralizing device,

a step (25, 38) of transmission of sound data by a slave apparatus to the centralizing apparatus,

a step (26, 39) for retransmitting said sound data, by the centralizing unit to all the slave devices, in broadcast mode, and

a step (27, 40, 57) of elimination before sound diffusion (28, 41), by a slave apparatus, of the sound data that it has previously transmitted to the centralizing apparatus among the data that said slave apparatus receives from the centralizing device, to perform an acoustic broadcast that sound data from other devices in the group.

The method of claim 1, wherein, during the sound data retransmitting step, the centralizing apparatus (11) transmits a representative frame of sound data from a plurality of slave devices (12 to 15).

The method according to claim 1, wherein, during the step of retransmitting the sound data, the centralizing apparatus (1 1) transmits a frame by transmitting sound data from a slave apparatus (12 to 15) .

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, which further comprises a step of assigning, to each slave terminal (12 to 15), a unique identifier in the group, each step of data transmission. sound by a slave device to the centralizing device (1 1) comprising the transmission of the identifier of the slave device and each retransmission step comprising the retransmission of the identifier of the slave device having transmitted the retransmitted sound data.

The method according to claim 4, wherein in the step (27, 40) of elimination before acoustic diffusion (28, 41), a slave apparatus (12 to 15), eliminates the sound data associated with the identifier of said slave device, to perform a broadcast acoustically than sound data associated with other slave device identifiers, the slave apparatus thus performing a step of acoustically broadcasting the sound content represented by the received sound data, except when this sound data is associated with the identifier of said apparatus slave.

6. Method according to one of claims 4 or 5, wherein the unique identifier is transmitted by the centralizing device (1 1) to the slave device (12 to 15) by point-to-point TCP / IP communication.

7. Method according to one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the unique identifier is representative of the arrival number in the group, that is to say the chronological order of connection of the slave device ( 12 to 15) to the centralizing device (1 1).

8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, during the elimination step (57), each slave device (12 to 15) performs a recognition step of each frame that said slave device has transmitted and subtracted in this mixed audio frame of each frame that said slave apparatus had sent.

9. Method according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein at least one device (1 1 to 15) comprises means for determining whether the voice of its user exceeds, after filtering ambient noise, a limit sound level and a means of inhibiting the transmission of sound data if the voice exceeds said limit sound level.

10. Method according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the centralizing device (1 1) implements a limit number of slave devices (12 to 15) and does not retransmit the sound data from a device slave if there is already this limit number of slave devices connected to the centralizing device in the group.

1 1. Method according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the centralizing apparatus (1 1) further transmits service frames to at least one slave apparatus (12 to 15) in point-to-point mode, said frames of service being representative of the state of the group, the arrival of a new member in the group, the output of a member of the group, a request to speak, or an alert.

The method of claim 11, wherein at least one service frame is representative of a priority level assigned to at least one apparatus (1-16) in the group.

13. Method according to one of claims 1 to 12, wherein at least one device (1 1 to 15) of the group implements, in addition, a Bluetooth connection (registered trademark) for the acoustic broadcast of sound contents received by said apparatus.

14. Method according to one of claims 1 to 13, which comprises a step of switching or mixing communications in the group, by the centralizing device (1 1), between a prerecorded sound content broadcasting mode and a mode of audio conference between the devices (1 1 to 15) of the group.

15. Method according to one of claims 1 to 14, which further comprises a step of switching or mixing a telephone communication in progress on one of the terminals (1 1 to 15).

16. Telecommunication method of a terminal apparatus (12 to 15), in a group consisting of a plurality of apparatuses (1 1 to 15) via connection according to IEEE 802.1 1 standards of a local network wireless device using the Wi-Fi Direct (registered trademark) technology, and therefore without an intermediate router, characterized in that it comprises: a point-to-point connection step (21, 22, 31, 32) between a centralizing device (1 1) and said terminal apparatus (12 to 15), acting as a slave, after connection authorization by the centralizing device,

a step (25, 38) of transmission of sound data by said slave terminal apparatus to the centralizing apparatus,

a step (26, 39) of receiving a retransmission of said sound data, by the centralizing unit, in broadcast mode, and

a step (27, 40) of elimination before acoustic diffusion (28, 41), by said slave terminal apparatus, of the sound data that it has previously transmitted to the centralizing apparatus among the data that said slave apparatus receives from the centralizing device, to perform an acoustic broadcast that sound data from other devices in the group.

17. A telecommunication method of a centralizing apparatus (11) in a group consisting of a plurality of apparatuses (11-15) via connection according to IEEE 802.1 1 standards of a wireless local area network using the Wi-Fi Direct (registered trademark) technology, and therefore without an intermediate router, characterized in that it comprises: a point-to-point connection step (21, 22, 31, 32) between said centralizing device (1 1) and each other device (12 to 15), acting as a slave, after connection authorization by the centralizing device, a step (25, 38) of reception, by the centralizing apparatus, of sound data transmitted by at least one slave apparatus, and

a step (26, 39) for retransmitting said sound data, by the centralizing device to all the slave devices, in broadcast mode.

18. Telecommunication terminal apparatus (12-15) in a group consisting of a plurality of such apparatuses via connection according to IEEE 802.1 1 standards of a wireless local area network using Wi-Fi Direct technology ( registered trademark), therefore without an intermediate router, characterized in that it comprises:

point-to-point connection means with a centralizing apparatus (1 1), switching means of the terminal apparatus in slave mode, after authorization of connection by the centralizing apparatus, then acting in master mode,

19. Telecommunication centralizing apparatus (1 1) in a group consisting of a plurality of apparatuses (1 1 to 15) via connection according to IEEE 802.1 1 standards of a wireless local area network using wireless technology. Wi-Fi Direct (registered trademark), therefore without intermediate router, characterized in that it comprises:

point-to-point connection means between said centralizing device (1 1) and each other device (12 to 15), acting as a slave, after connection authorization by the centralizing device,