Audio control system and method based on multi-region architecture and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to an audio control system and method based on a multi-area framework and a vehicle, the system comprises a central controller and a plurality of area controllers connected with the central controller, the central controller comprises a first Ethernet module, and each area controller comprises a second Ethernet module, a first microcontroller and a power amplifier driving module. The central controller is configured to carry out data protocol packaging on the first audio data and then transmit a first Ethernet protocol data packet to each area controller. The first microcontroller is configured to receive a first Ethernet protocol data packet transmitted by the central controller, analyze the first Ethernet protocol data packet, and transmit first audio data to the power amplifier driving module. The power amplifier driving module is configured to amplify the first audio data and then drive the audio output device to output the amplified first audio data. The problems that an existing audio control system is complex in communication link, too long in wire harness and the like can be effectively solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of automotive technology, and in particular to an audio control system, method and vehicle based on a multi-zone architecture. Background Art

[0002] In the automotive industry, user demand is driving the development of cockpit audio systems towards intelligence, emotion, and scenario-based features. With this trend, the number of smart devices in vehicles continues to increase, and the number of microphones and speakers has also increased, with their placement becoming increasingly dispersed. This requires the use of independent amplifier controllers to amplify the audio data.

[0003] To meet the communication needs of multiple microphones and speakers, traditional audio control systems rely primarily on a cockpit domain controller or a separate amplifier controller. These controllers transmit audio signals via dedicated communication links, such as the Automotive Audio Bus (A2B), and control signals via the Controller Area Network (CAN). However, this architecture faces challenges such as the high cost of separate amplifier controllers, complex communication links, and increased wiring length, making it difficult to adapt to vehicle requirements for driver-control separation and lightweighting. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide an audio control system, method and vehicle based on a multi-zone architecture to at least solve the above technical problems.

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an audio control system based on a multi-zone architecture, comprising a central controller and a plurality of zone controllers connected to the central controller, wherein the central controller comprises a first Ethernet module, each of the zone controllers comprises a second Ethernet module, a first microcontroller and a power amplifier driver module, and a cross-domain integration module electrically connected to the first microcontroller and used to implement non-audio vehicle control functions, wherein the cross-domain integration module comprises at least one of the following: a body domain module, a power domain module, a thermal management domain module, a chassis domain module and a low-voltage power management module; wherein,

[0007] The central controller is connected to the plurality of regional controllers via the first Ethernet module, and the central controller is configured to perform data protocol encapsulation on the first audio data to obtain a first Ethernet protocol data packet, and transmit the first Ethernet protocol data packet to each regional controller;

[0008] The first microcontroller is connected to the first Ethernet module via the second Ethernet module, and the first microcontroller is configured to receive a first Ethernet protocol data packet transmitted by the central controller, parse the first Ethernet protocol data packet to obtain first audio data, and transmit the first audio data to the power amplifier driver module;

[0009] The power amplifier driving module is connected to the first microcontroller and at least one audio output device in the corresponding area of ​​the zone controller respectively. The power amplifier driving module is configured to amplify the first audio data and then drive the audio output device to output the amplified first audio data.

[0010] In one embodiment, the first Ethernet protocol data packet adopts a multi-level encapsulation structure, including a first encapsulation body for network transmission of the first audio data stream, a second encapsulation body for characterizing the data stream characteristics and time characteristics of the first audio data stream, and a third encapsulation body for carrying the first audio data.

[0011] In one embodiment, the first capsule includes a data packet payload, and the second capsule is encapsulated in the data packet payload; the second capsule includes an audio data packet and timestamp information, and the third capsule is encapsulated in the second capsule, and the third capsule includes the first audio data; wherein the timestamp information is determined based on a master clock, and the master clock is used to synchronize the time when the first audio data is output from the audio output device;

[0012] The first microcontroller is specifically configured to parse the first Ethernet protocol data packet to obtain the first audio data and the timestamp information, adjust the local clock corresponding to the zone controller according to the timestamp information, and transmit the first audio data to the power amplifier driver module according to the adjusted local clock.

[0013] In one embodiment, the first Ethernet module is connected to the second Ethernet module via an Ethernet Audio Video Bridging (ETH_AVB) line; the first encapsulation is an ETH_AVB data frame, the second encapsulation is an IEEE 1722 data frame, and the third encapsulation is an IEC 61883 data frame.

[0014] In one embodiment, each zone controller further comprises a first audio input module;

[0015] The first audio input module is connected to the first microcontroller and at least one first audio acquisition device in a corresponding area of ​​the zone controller, respectively, and the first audio input module is configured to receive second audio data from the first audio acquisition device and transmit the second audio data to the first microcontroller;

[0016] The first microcontroller is further configured to transmit the second audio data to the central controller for first processing to obtain the first audio data.

[0017] In one embodiment, the first audio input module includes an analog-to-digital conversion unit, which is configured to convert the audio analog signal of the first audio acquisition device into an audio digital signal to receive the second audio data.

[0018] In one embodiment, the first audio input module is connected to the first microcontroller via a time division multiplexing line to transmit the second audio data of each first audio acquisition device to the first microcontroller according to the corresponding timing; and / or, the first microcontroller is connected to the power amplifier driving module via a time division multiplexing line or an inter-integrated circuit audio bus to transmit the first audio data to the power amplifier driving module according to the corresponding timing.

[0019] In one embodiment, the central controller further comprises a system-on-chip processor connected to the first Ethernet module, and a second microcontroller and a digital signal processor respectively connected to the system-on-chip processor;

[0020] The digital signal processor is configured to pre-process the second audio data based on the control of the system-on-chip processor to obtain initial first audio data; the pre-processing method includes at least one of the following: audio denoising, audio filtering and audio enhancement;

[0021] The second microcontroller is configured to determine, based on the control of the system-on-chip processor, an audio control parameter corresponding to the initial first audio data according to at least one of a current other audio source scene state, preset mixing arbitration information, and a preset audio mapping channel storage configuration;

[0022] The system-on-chip processor is configured to obtain the first audio data according to the initial first audio data and the audio control parameter, encapsulate the first audio data into a first Ethernet protocol data packet, and transmit the data packet to the second Ethernet module through the first Ethernet module.

[0023] In one embodiment, the system-on-chip processor is connected to the first Ethernet module via a high-speed serial bus.

[0024] In one embodiment, the central controller further includes a second audio input module;

[0025] The second audio input module is connected to at least one second audio acquisition device, and the second audio input module is configured to receive third audio data from the second audio acquisition device;

[0026] The central controller is further configured to perform a second process on the third audio data to obtain the first audio data.

[0027] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an audio control method based on a multi-zone architecture, which is applied to a central controller, comprising:

[0028] receiving second audio data transmitted by at least one zone controller, and preprocessing the second audio data to obtain initial first audio data;

[0029] Determining an audio control parameter corresponding to the initial first audio data based on at least one of a current state of other audio source scenes, preset mixing arbitration information, and a preset audio mapping channel storage configuration;

[0030] obtaining first audio data according to the audio control parameter and the initial first audio data;

[0031] After encapsulating the first audio data into a first Ethernet protocol data packet, the first Ethernet protocol data packet is transmitted to multiple zone controllers.

[0032] In one embodiment, the method further comprises:

[0033] Determining timestamp information, where the timestamp information is determined based on a master clock, where the master clock is used to synchronize the time when the first audio data is output to at least one audio output device corresponding to each zone controller;

[0034] Encapsulating the first audio data into a first Ethernet protocol data packet includes:

[0035] The first audio data and the timestamp information are encapsulated into a first Ethernet protocol data packet according to a multi-level encapsulation structure.

[0036] In one embodiment, the audio control parameter includes at least one of the following: volume adjustment information, mixing control information, channel switching information, and mute control information.

[0037] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an audio control method based on a multi-zone architecture, which is applied to a zone controller, comprising:

[0038] receiving second audio data collected by at least one first audio collection device;

[0039] transmitting the second audio data to a central controller;

[0040] Acquire first audio data transmitted from the central controller, where the first audio data is data obtained after the central controller performs a first processing on the second audio data;

[0041] After amplifying the first audio data, at least one audio output device is driven to output the amplified first audio data.

[0042] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a central controller comprising one or more processors and a memory;

[0043] The memory is coupled to the one or more processors, and the memory is used to store computer program code, wherein the computer program code includes computer instructions, and the one or more processors call the computer instructions to enable the central controller to execute the audio control method based on the multi-zone architecture corresponding to the second aspect mentioned above.

[0044] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a zone controller comprising one or more processors and a memory;

[0045] The memory is coupled to the one or more processors, and the memory is used to store computer program code, where the computer program code includes computer instructions. The one or more processors call the computer instructions to enable the zone controller to execute the audio control method based on the multi-zone architecture provided in the third aspect above.

[0046] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein the computer-readable storage medium includes computer instructions. When the computer instructions are executed on an electronic device, the electronic device executes the above-mentioned audio control method based on the multi-zone architecture.

[0047] According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, a vehicle is provided, comprising the above-mentioned audio control system based on the multi-zone architecture.

[0048] The multi-zone audio control system, method, and vehicle provided by the present invention utilize a distributed, integrated amplifier driver control system across multiple zone controllers. These zone controllers are connected to a central controller (which can be a cockpit controller, e.g., via Ethernet) and then directly control the audio output devices (e.g., speakers) within the vehicle. This eliminates the need for independent amplifier controllers. By integrating the amplifier drivers within the zone controllers, the sound source processing and control logic are moved up to the central controller, where driver execution is integrated, eliminating the amplifier controllers. This achieves the architectural goal of logic up-scaling and control-drive separation, while also reducing vehicle costs. Furthermore, Ethernet communication between the central controller and the zone controllers eliminates the need for dedicated A2B cables and A2B serializer / deserializer chips between the independent amplifier controllers and the central controller. This eliminates the issues of complex communication links and increased wiring harness length. Furthermore, the use of Ethernet communication links and a dedicated audio transmission protocol instead of A2B enables highly real-time audio transmission. Furthermore, zone control allows for the nearest connection and distribution of audio output devices, further shortening wiring harness lengths and improving efficient audio signal transmission and real-time processing capabilities. Furthermore, by distributing power amplifier drive across multiple zone controllers, the temperature rise of power devices is effectively reduced compared to a design with independent power amplifier controllers, achieving optimized thermal management, given the same number of audio output devices. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] Figure 1 The following is an architectural diagram of an audio control system in the related art;

[0050] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of an audio control system based on a multi-zone architecture provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 3 A multi-level packaging structure provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another structure of an audio control system based on a multi-zone architecture provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of another structure of an audio control system based on a multi-zone architecture provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 6 A schematic flow chart of an audio control method based on a multi-zone architecture provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 7A schematic flow chart of another audio control method based on a multi-zone architecture provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 8 One of the signaling interaction diagrams of an audio control method based on a multi-zone architecture provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 9 The second signaling interaction diagram of an audio control method based on a multi-zone architecture provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0058] Figure 10 A schematic structural diagram of a zone controller provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0059] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the structure of a central controller provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0060] Figure 12 A schematic structural diagram of a vehicle provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0061] Among them, 100-audio control system based on multi-zone architecture; 110-central controller; 111-first Ethernet switch (Switch); 112-system on chip processor (SOC); 113-second microcontroller (MCU2); 114-digital signal processor (DSP); 115-second audio input module; 120-zone controller; 121-second Ethernet switch (Switch); 122-first microprocessor (MCU1); 123-power amplifier driver module; 124-first audio input module; 125-cross-domain integration module; 200-audio output device; 300-first audio acquisition device; 400-second audio acquisition device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0062] The following describes the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate the other advantages and benefits of the present invention from the disclosure herein. The present invention may also be implemented or applied through various other specific embodiments, and the details in this specification may be modified or altered based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments are intended only to illustrate the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0063] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are merely schematic illustrations of the basic concept of the present invention. Therefore, the illustrations only show components related to the present invention and are not drawn according to the number, shape, and size of components in actual implementation. In actual implementation, the type, quantity, and proportion of each component may be changed arbitrarily, and the component layout may also be more complex.

[0064] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are only used to distinguish similar objects, and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence, nor can they be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to the specific circumstances. In addition, in the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the previous and subsequent associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0065] It should be noted that due to space limitations, this specification does not exhaustively list all optional implementation methods. After reading this specification, those skilled in the art should be able to understand that as long as the technical features do not contradict each other, any combination of technical features can constitute an optional implementation method. The following is a detailed description of each embodiment.

[0066] Currently, automotive electrical and electronic architectures are evolving from distributed architectures to domain and centralized architectures. If cockpit speakers and microphones are still controlled within a cockpit domain controller or independent amplifier controller, this audio system architecture will struggle to meet vehicle lightweighting and cost-effectiveness requirements due to complex communication links, increased wiring lengths, and the cost challenges associated with independent amplifier controllers. This architecture will no longer be suitable for future vehicle development needs.

[0067] For example, the related art provides an automotive audio control system that includes an in-vehicle infotainment controller (IVI), a digital amplifier (AMP), and speakers. The IVI and AMP transmit audio signals via the Automotive Audio Bus (A2B), with the AMP connected to the speakers. The forward channel from the IVI to the AMP transmits voice signals, while the reverse channel from the AMP to the IVI is used to retrieve reference audio signals for echo cancellation and noise reduction (ECNR). Control and feedback signals are transmitted via the CAN bus, while audio signals are transmitted via the A2B bus, enabling 5.1-channel audio playback, improving in-car sound quality and enabling functions such as mixing and preemption between audio source types. The A2B interface chip within the IVI establishes dual audio paths with the system on chip (SOC) and microcontroller unit (MCU) via time division multiplexing (TDM) / inter-IC sound (I2S) to provide backup and rapid sounding of alarm prompts. The closed loop of the audio control system is achieved through the control and feedback signals of each channel defined by the CAN bus, such as the sound direction, volume / mute control, sound field and sound effect parameters, vehicle speed volume compensation, etc. The above method is the current mainstream audio control system architecture. The system consists of an infotainment controller, a power amplifier controller, and multiple speakers. Specifically, when the cockpit domain controller implements audio control, it is necessary to set up an independent power amplifier controller. The cockpit domain controller and the power amplifier controller transmit audio data to the power amplifier controller through A2B communication. Figure 1As shown, an A2B master is deployed on the cockpit domain controller (DC). The DC receives microphone data via an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) module, while an A2B slave is deployed in the power amplifier controller (PAC). The A2B master and slave are connected via a dedicated A2B bus communication link. Control signals, such as the sound direction, volume, mute control, sound field and effect parameters, and vehicle speed volume compensation for each channel, are transmitted to the PA controller via a CAN communication link. After receiving this information, the PA controller logically processes it and drives multiple speakers distributed throughout the vehicle through its internal amplifier driver (module). Because a separate PA controller is required, audio signals are transmitted between the DC and PA controllers via a dedicated A2B bus communication link, and control signals are transmitted via the CAN bus. This complicates the communication link and increases wiring length, making it difficult to meet vehicle lightweighting requirements and increasing hardware costs. Furthermore, the A2B communication method between the cockpit domain controller and the power amplifier controller is similar to a daisy-chain communication method, using a single unshielded twisted pair cable to transmit inter-IC sound (I2S), time-division multiplexing (TDM), pulse-density modulation (PDM) data, inter-integrated circuit (I2C) control information, clocks, and power signals. Clocks are synchronized across all nodes in a single A2B network, and data is sampled and transmitted synchronously across all system nodes in each frame. While this can mitigate communication latency to a certain extent, it is difficult to correct for delays caused by the accuracy of each node's local clock crystal and the application message communication mechanism.

[0068] In light of this, embodiments of the present invention provide an audio control system, method, and vehicle based on a multi-zone architecture. By distributing and integrating power amplifier driver control across multiple zone controllers, which are connected to a central controller (which can be a cabin controller, e.g., via Ethernet to a cabin domain controller), the zone controllers with integrated power amplifier drivers can access multiple audio capture devices (e.g., microphones) and audio output devices (e.g., speakers) within the vehicle, enabling direct drive control of the audio output devices. This process replaces the existing independent power amplifier controller approach by integrating the power amplifier drivers within the zone controllers. Communication between the power amplifier drivers and the central controller occurs via Ethernet between the central and zone controllers, eliminating dedicated A2B cables and components. This resolves the issues of complex communication links and increased wiring harness length. Furthermore, using Ethernet instead of A2B enables highly real-time audio transmission. The multi-level format of Ethernet protocol packets facilitates audio data decompression. Timestamp information, which can be used to correct the local clocks in the zone controllers, is added to the protocol packets, further improving the efficiency and synchronization of audio data transmission. Furthermore, zone control allows for the nearest connection and distribution of audio capture / output devices, further shortening wiring harness lengths and improving efficient audio signal transmission and real-time processing capabilities. Furthermore, by distributing power amplifier drive across multiple zone controllers, the temperature rise of power components is effectively reduced compared to designs with independent power amplifier controllers, given the same number of audio output devices.

[0069] Figure 2 FIG is a structural diagram of an audio control system based on a multi-zone architecture provided by an embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 2 As shown, the audio control system 100 based on the multi-zone control architecture includes a central controller 110 and a plurality of zone controllers 120 connected to the central controller 110 (two zone controllers are shown in this embodiment, and more zone controllers may be included in some embodiments). Figure 2The number of other possible regional controllers is indicated by “…”. The same applies to the “…” appearing in other figures below (such as the first audio acquisition device, the second audio acquisition device, etc.). The central controller 110 includes a first Ethernet module (in this embodiment, a first Ethernet switch (Switch), in some embodiments, it can also be other devices capable of transmitting and receiving Ethernet protocol data) 111. Each of the regional controllers 120 includes a second Ethernet module (in this embodiment, a second Ethernet switch (Switch)) 121, a first microcontroller (MCU1) 122 and a power amplifier driver module 123, as well as a cross-domain integration module 125 electrically connected to the first microcontroller (MCU1) 122 and used to implement non-audio vehicle control functions. The cross-domain integration module 125 includes at least one of the following: a body domain module, a power domain module, a thermal management domain module, a chassis domain module, and a low-voltage power management module. The cross-domain integration module 125 is also electrically connected to various execution devices to implement vehicle control functions corresponding to various execution devices; wherein,

[0070] The central controller 110 is connected to the plurality of regional controllers 120 via the first Ethernet module 111. The central controller 110 is configured to perform data protocol encapsulation on the first audio data to obtain a first Ethernet protocol data packet, and transmit the first Ethernet protocol data packet to each regional controller 120.

[0071] The first microcontroller 122 is connected to the first Ethernet module 111 through the second Ethernet module 121. The first microcontroller 122 is configured to receive a first Ethernet protocol data packet transmitted by the central controller 110, parse the first Ethernet protocol data packet, obtain first audio data, and transmit the first audio data to the power amplifier driving module 123;

[0072] The power amplifier driving module 123 is connected to the first microcontroller 122 and at least one audio output device 200 in the corresponding area of ​​the zone controller, respectively. The power amplifier driving module 123 is configured to amplify the first audio data and then drive the audio output device 200 to output the amplified first audio data.

[0073] For example, the central controller can be a cockpit controller or another vehicle system management unit, such as an infotainment system controller. In this embodiment, the central controller can be physically deployed in the center of the vehicle's instrument panel. It can be responsible for audio source reception and processing, audio management and mixing arbitration, as well as the audio routing engine, which allocates channels to corresponding regional controllers. In addition, it can also perform functions such as speaker time synchronization control. Optionally, the central controller and regional controllers can transmit audio data streams via Ethernet Audio Video Bridging (ETH_AVB), more specifically, Ethernet-based AVB / Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) protocols.

[0074] For example, the zone controllers can be physically deployed within the left front wall panel, the right front wall panel, or underneath the second row of seats, etc., and there can be two or more zone controllers. Each zone controller can be directly connected to multiple microphones (hereinafter referred to as first audio acquisition devices) via hardware nearby. The controller receives audio data from the microphones (hereinafter referred to as second audio data) and transmits it to the first microcontroller MCU1. MCU1 then performs relevant processing (such as audio data denoising) and transmits the second audio data (e.g., via Ethernet) to the central controller. Alternatively, given that microphone data is not only used for voice, but also requires real-time echo noise reduction processing, the microphones (hereinafter referred to as second audio acquisition devices) can be directly connected to the central controller, which then receives the audio data from the microphones (hereinafter referred to as third audio data) and performs relevant processing. In addition, each zone controller receives the audio data stream transmitted by the central controller over Ethernet (i.e., the first audio data obtained after unpacking the Ethernet protocol data packet), drives the internal power amplifier driver module, amplifies the first audio data (the corresponding audio analog signal after digital-to-analog conversion), and transmits the amplified analog signal to multiple speakers via a hardwire connection to achieve audio output drive. For example, the microphone can be deployed at the front or rear of the vehicle exterior, or at the driver's seat, co-driver's seat, second row left, and second row right of the vehicle interior, and directly connected to the zone controller or central controller via a hardwire, including the number described above but not limited to this. The speakers can be deployed at various locations throughout the vehicle, including a number of door speakers, a center speaker, a number of surround speakers, a subwoofer, a number of overhead speakers, and headrest speakers, and directly connected to the zone controller via a hardwire, including the number described above but not limited to this.

[0075] In this embodiment, the regional controller includes a cross-domain integration module, which is electrically connected to MCU1 and connected to various external execution devices. Under the unified scheduling of the first microcontroller, in addition to processing audio control tasks, at least one non-audio vehicle control function can also be executed. For example, the body domain module performs body domain control functions, including but not limited to the control and status monitoring of windows, door locks, seat adjustment, wipers, lighting systems or other execution devices; or, the power domain module performs power domain control functions, including but not limited to signal forwarding and status information collection of execution devices such as drive motors and gearbox auxiliary control units; or, the thermal management domain module performs thermal management domain control functions, including but not limited to the execution of partitioned temperature control instructions and sensor data collection for cabin air conditioning, battery cooling system, motor cooling system or other execution devices; or, the chassis domain module performs chassis domain control functions, including but not limited to the reception and forwarding of auxiliary control signals for suspension systems, braking systems or other execution devices, etc. This technical solution eliminates the need for independent amplifier controllers by integrating the amplifier driver module into the zone controllers. This addresses the high cost, complex communication links, and increased wiring length of independent amplifier controllers, further meeting the demand for driver-control separation and lightweighting in the rapidly evolving vehicle landscape. It also achieves a deep integration of audio control functions with other vehicle control functions. Instead of using independent amplifier controllers, the amplifier driver is integrated into the zone controllers. Communication between the amplifier driver and the central controller, specifically audio data, is achieved through Ethernet communication between the central and zone controllers, eliminating dedicated A2B cables and components. This addresses the complex communication links and increased wiring length, and the use of Ethernet instead of A2B enables highly real-time audio transmission. Furthermore, zone control allows for the localization and distribution of audio acquisition / output devices, further reducing wiring length and improving efficient audio signal transmission and real-time processing. Furthermore, by distributing the amplifier driver across multiple zone controllers, the temperature rise of power components is significantly reduced compared to designs with independent amplifier controllers, given the same number of audio output devices.

[0076] Furthermore, considering that Ethernet data transmission may present problems such as inefficient unpacking and transmission delays, which may lead to audio data loss or delay during transmission, affecting the real-time performance and quality of audio playback, the first Ethernet protocol data packet in this embodiment adopts a multi-level encapsulation structure, including a first encapsulation body for network transmission of the first audio data stream, a second encapsulation body for characterizing the data flow characteristics and time characteristics of the first audio data stream, and a third encapsulation body for carrying the first audio data.

[0077] In this embodiment, the first encapsulation body is an encapsulation layer for transmitting the first audio data over the network, which is responsible for packaging the audio data stream into a format suitable for transmission on Ethernet, so that the data can be efficiently transmitted in the network. The second encapsulation body is an encapsulation layer for characterizing the data stream characteristics and time characteristics of the first audio data stream. It can contain metadata about the data stream, such as the data stream ID, as well as timestamp information and other information, to facilitate the receiving end such as the regional controller to correctly decode and synchronize the audio data, thereby improving the continuity and synchronization of the audio. The third encapsulation body is an encapsulation layer for carrying the first audio data, which contains the actual audio data content and is the part that is finally decoded and played. Through this multi-level encapsulation structure, the system can manage and transmit audio data streams more efficiently. The first encapsulation body ensures the transmission efficiency of data in the network, the second encapsulation body provides the necessary metadata to support efficient unpacking and synchronization, and the third encapsulation body carries the actual audio content.

[0078] The multi-level encapsulation structure can reduce transmission delay, improve data packet unpacking efficiency, and enhance the reliability and real-time performance of audio data streams.

[0079] Exemplarily, the first Ethernet module is connected to the second Ethernet module via an Ethernet Audio Video Bridging (ETH_AVB) line; the first encapsulation is an ETH_AVB data frame, the second encapsulation is an IEEE 1722 data frame, and the third encapsulation is an IEC 61883 data frame.

[0080] In this embodiment, the Ethernet switches between the central controller and regional controllers are connected via Audio Video Bridging (ETH_AVB) cables, which provide low-latency, high-synchronization, and high-bandwidth transmission capabilities. ETH_AVB is a set of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards designed to facilitate time-sensitive audio and video data transmission over Ethernet. By supporting time synchronization, traffic shaping, and resource reservation, it ensures low-latency and high-priority transmission of audio and video data across the network.

[0081] IEEE 1722 is a Layer 2 transport protocol standard for time-sensitive applications in bridging local area networks. It defines a protocol for transmitting audio streams in Ethernet networks, supports precise time synchronization and data stream transmission, and enables synchronous and real-time transmission of audio data.

[0082] IEC 61883 defines the formats and protocols for transmitting audio and video data between audio and video devices through digital interfaces, ensuring interoperability between devices and standardization of data transmission, thereby improving the transmission integrity of audio data.

[0083] In this way, ETH_AVB technology enables low-latency and high-priority transmission of audio and video data across the network, optimizing transmission efficiency and reducing latency. The IEEE 1722 data frame provides more precise time synchronization, enabling receivers, such as regional controllers, to accurately reconstruct the temporal order of audio and video streams, ensuring synchronized playback. Furthermore, the IEC 61883 data frame defines a standardized audio and video data format, enhancing compatibility and interoperability across different devices. This data frame format further enhances the performance of audio and video data transmission.

[0084] As a further example, the first capsule includes a data packet payload, and the second capsule is encapsulated in the data packet payload; the second capsule includes an audio data packet and timestamp information, and the third capsule is encapsulated in the second capsule, and the third capsule includes the first audio data; wherein the timestamp information is determined based on a master clock, and the master clock is used to synchronize the time when the first audio data is output from the audio output device;

[0085] The first microcontroller is specifically configured to parse the first Ethernet protocol data packet to obtain the first audio data and the timestamp information, adjust the local clock corresponding to the zone controller according to the timestamp information, and transmit the first audio data to the power amplifier driver module according to the adjusted local clock.

[0086] Optionally, the format of the first Ethernet protocol data packet can be as follows: Figure 3As shown, the first, second, and third encapsulation bodies are shown from top to bottom. The first encapsulation body uses an ETH_AVB data frame and may include information such as a preamble, the destination Media Access Control Address (MAC) address, the source MAC address, a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag, the Ethernet type, a packet payload, and a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) checksum. The packet payload contains the actual data being transmitted. The second encapsulation body is encapsulated within the packet payload and uses an IEEE 1722 data frame. It may include a frame header (4 bytes), a data stream ID (8 bytes), a timestamp (4 bytes), a payload (4 bytes), and an audio data packet (i.e., Audio Video Transport Protocol (AVTP)) (0-1476 bytes). The length of the audio data packet is variable. The third encapsulation body is encapsulated within the audio data packet and uses an IEC 61883 data frame. It may include frame header information and the actual audio packet, i.e., the first audio data.

[0087] Optionally, during system initialization, the central controller (master node) can generate a master clock and send it to the regional controllers (slave nodes). This master clock represents the clock source and provides a time reference for the slave nodes. Subsequently, when the central controller transmits audio data, it encapsulates it according to the aforementioned format (i.e., a multi-level encapsulation structure). Timestamp information is generated based on the master clock, or it can be generated jointly by the local clock and the master clock. After receiving the first Ethernet protocol packet, the regional controller decompresses and extracts the timestamp information, which is also the master clock source. By comparing it with the local crystal oscillator clock, the local clock can be accurately adjusted (e.g., by calculating the difference between the master and local crystal oscillator clocks, or by using a path delay and compensation algorithm predefined by those skilled in the art based on practical experience) and frequency matching can be achieved. Compared to the A2B transmission method, this embodiment uses the aforementioned master node to carry timestamp information when transmitting audio data, providing the slave nodes with a master clock reference. This can compensate for delays caused by the accuracy of the local clock crystal oscillator and the application message communication mechanism in each slave node, achieving a latency of 0.1µs for a single node and 0.3-0.1µs for the entire system. The central controller transmits the first audio data to the regional controller and then to all speakers in this transmission mode, which can effectively ensure that the clocks of all speakers are synchronized, and then synchronize the playing time so that each speaker plays at the same time.

[0088] In this way, the above method can effectively solve the delay and synchronization problems of audio data when the time audio data is transmitted between the central controller and the multi-zone controller. Figure 4 and Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of another audio control system based on a multi-zone architecture provided by an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 Based on the exemplary structural embodiment, the specific structures of the central controller 110 and the regional controller 120 are further introduced with their related connection relationships. Figure 4 This is an exemplary embodiment in which a first audio acquisition device (such as a microphone) is connected to a zone controller. Figure 5 It is a second audio acquisition device (it can also be a microphone. The first audio acquisition device and the second audio acquisition device can be the same device or different devices. It is only used here to distinguish that the two can be set in different positions).

[0089] like Figure 4 As shown, each zone controller 120 further includes a first audio input module 124; the first audio input module 124 is connected to the first microcontroller 122 and at least one first audio acquisition device 300 in the corresponding area of ​​the zone controller 120, respectively. The first audio input module 124 is configured to receive second audio data from the first audio acquisition device 300 and transmit the second audio data to the first microcontroller (MCU1) 122; the first microcontroller (MCU1) 122 is further configured to transmit the second audio data to the central controller 110 for first processing to obtain the first audio data.

[0090] Exemplarily, a digital signal processor (DSP) core may be integrated in MCU1. After receiving the second audio data, the integrated DSP core may be used to pre-process the second audio data. The pre-processing method may include one or more of the following: audio denoising, audio filtering, and audio enhancement. In some embodiments, other pre-processing methods may also be included, such as audio partitioning, etc. After the second audio data is pre-processed as above, MCU1 may encapsulate the second audio data into a second Ethernet protocol data packet and transmit it to the central controller. The second Ethernet protocol data packet may be the same as or different from the above-mentioned first Ethernet protocol data packet, and this embodiment does not specifically limit this. For example, the second Ethernet protocol data packet does not need to carry timestamp information, and the data packet encapsulation method can be well adapted to the Ethernet transmission mechanism to facilitate efficient transmission of audio data.

[0091] For example, the first and second Ethernet modules utilize Ethernet switches to manage and coordinate the transmission of audio data between the central controller and each regional controller. The Ethernet switch dynamically allocates bandwidth based on network traffic demand, ensuring efficient data transmission. Using the Ethernet switch, the central controller can simultaneously communicate with multiple regional controllers, enabling parallel data processing and distribution.

[0092] Optionally, the first audio input module 124 includes an analog-to-digital conversion unit, which is configured to convert the audio analog signal of the first audio acquisition device into an audio digital signal to receive the second audio data.

[0093] In some embodiments, the audio input module may not include an ADC module. For example, the audio input module may be a digital microphone interface that directly receives audio data from a digital microphone without performing analog-to-digital conversion.

[0094] Optionally, the first audio input module 124 is connected to the first microcontroller (MCU1) 122 via a time division multiplexing (TDM) line to transmit the second audio data of each first audio acquisition device 300 to the first microcontroller (MCU1) 122 according to the corresponding timing; and / or, the first microcontroller (MCU1) 122 is connected to the power amplifier driving module 123 via a time division multiplexing (TDM) line or an inter-integrated circuit audio bus (TDM / I2S) to transmit the first audio data to the power amplifier driving module 123 according to the corresponding timing.

[0095] The audio input module transmits audio data from each first audio capture device to the first microcontroller 122 via a time-division multiplexing (TDM) line according to a predetermined timing sequence. TDM technology allows multiple audio signals to be transmitted over the same physical line, distinguishing different signals by assigning different time segments. This enables the first microcontroller 122 to receive signals from multiple audio sources and correctly decode and process each audio data stream based on the timing information. Accordingly, the first microcontroller (MCU1) 122 outputs audio data from the zone controller's MCU1 to the power amplifier driver via a time-division multiplexing (TDM) line or the Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2S) bus (I2S is a standard interface specifically designed for transmitting digital audio signals between audio devices). This replaces the data transmission required by the independent power amplifier controller and utilizes the existing communication between the zone controller's microcontroller and the power amplifier driver to achieve amplified audio data output.

[0096] Furthermore, the second Ethernet Switch 121 is connected to the first microcontroller 122 via a Media Independent Interface (MII) or a Reduced Media Independent Interface (RMII).

[0097] As you can understand, MII and RMII are standard interfaces for connecting Ethernet physical layer devices (PHY) and media access controllers (MAC). Through the MII or RMII interface, the second Ethernet switch can exchange data with the first microcontroller, allowing MCU1 to communicate with other network devices through the Ethernet switch. MCU1 can send and receive audio data through the switch, achieving efficient network communication.

[0098] Based on the above description of the zone controllers in this embodiment, each zone controller can directly connect to multiple microphones locally through hardware. The internal ADC processing module converts analog signals into digital signals, which are then transmitted to MCU1 via a TDM channel. The data is then pre-processed and transmitted to the central controller via a second Ethernet switch. Furthermore, each zone controller receives audio data sent by the central controller via the first Ethernet switch via the second Ethernet switch interface. After transmitting it to MCU1 via the MII / RMII interface, each zone controller drives its internal power amplifier driver module for power amplification based on the audio data volume and channel information. The controller then directly hardwires to multiple speakers to control output drive. In other words, the zone controllers in this embodiment can implement local drive / collection and edge pre-processing for audio acquisition / output devices, taking charge of physical layer signal conversion and device management. During the audio data reception process, the first audio data may include audio stream control information (i.e., audio control parameters) sent by the central controller. The MCU's built-in DSP core performs pre-processing, pre-compensates for speaker position, performs analog-to-digital (AD) conversion, and then amplifies the power output to control the corresponding speakers.

[0099] Optionally, the central controller 110 further includes a system on a chip (SOC) processor connected to the first Ethernet module (first Ethernet Switch) 111 , and a second microcontroller (MCU2) 113 and a digital signal processor (DSP) 114 respectively connected to the SOC processor 112 ;

[0100] The digital signal processor (DSP) 114 is configured to pre-process the second audio data based on the control of the system-on-chip processor 112 to obtain initial first audio data; the pre-processing method includes at least one of the following: audio denoising, audio filtering and audio enhancement;

[0101] The second microcontroller (MCU2) 113 is configured to determine, under the control of the system-on-chip processor 112, an audio control parameter corresponding to the initial first audio data according to at least one of a current state of other audio source scenes, preset mixing arbitration information, and a preset audio mapping channel storage configuration;

[0102] The system on chip processor (SOC) 112 is configured to obtain the first audio data according to the initial first audio data and the audio control parameters, encapsulate the first audio data into a first Ethernet protocol data packet, and transmit it to the second Ethernet module 121 through the first Ethernet module 111.

[0103] In this embodiment, the central controller includes an SOC processor, an MCU2, and a DSP processor. These three processors communicate internally to perform processing on audio data (e.g., audio data collected from a microphone when a zone controller is connected to the microphone (i.e., second audio data), or audio data collected when the central controller is connected to the microphone (i.e., third audio data)). (It should be understood that the first processing in this embodiment and the second processing described below can be the same, primarily used to distinguish between the processing performed by the central controller on the second and third audio data.) Specifically, the second audio data can first be transmitted to the DSP. Under the coordinated control of the SOC, the DSP pre-processes the audio data to generate initial first audio data. This pre-processing can be the same as or different from the pre-processing in the zone controller. For example, it can include noise reduction, echo cancellation, etc. Simultaneously, under the coordinated control of the SOC, the MCU2 can determine audio control parameters corresponding to the first-processed audio data based on the current sound source scene state, preset mixing arbitration information, and one or more of the audio mapping channel storage configurations. These parameters may include volume, channel allocation, equalizer settings, etc. The SOC then performs comprehensive processing to generate the first audio data. Specifically, the SOC receives the initial first audio data from the DSP and the audio control parameters from the MCU2, and combines this information to generate the final second audio data, so that the processing and transmission of the first audio data are synchronized and coordinated. The generated first audio data is encapsulated into a first Ethernet protocol data packet and transmitted to the second Ethernet switch through the first Ethernet switch.

[0104] For example, the sound source scene status can be divided into three categories, such as warning and notification categories (vehicle basic alarm prompts, radar prompts, seat belts not fastened, smart driving related alarm prompts, etc.), application sound source categories (multimedia sounds, touch prompts, Bluetooth calls, navigation broadcasts, voice playback, E-CALL, B-CALL, etc.), and other status prompts (greeting and seeing off guests, powering on and off the vehicle, low-speed driving prompts outside the vehicle, etc.).

[0105] After identifying the corresponding audio source scene state, the system can combine the audio mixing arbitration strategy (which defines priority principles and mixing strategies) to respond to conflicts, resulting in various strategies such as prohibition, pause with resumability, interruption, equal priority, coexisting at the same level, and volume reduction for coexisting lower-priority audio sources. The SoC's built-in audio routing engine, combined with the aforementioned audio mixing arbitration strategy, then allocates channel control requests to the zone controllers based on the audio mapping channel storage configuration—the physical location of each zone controller, i.e., the channel configuration information, stored within the SoC. It should be noted that this information, such as the configuration of each zone controller, can be customized based on actual application support, allowing for flexible adaptation to vehicle models with varying numbers of zone controllers and speakers. In one example, based on the current audio source scene state, such as radar alerts, Bluetooth phone calls, and low-speed driving warnings, the SoC can prioritize and resolve conflicts among multiple audio sources according to a predefined audio mixing arbitration strategy. For example, radar alerts (warnings and notifications) typically have the highest priority (involving safety warnings), Bluetooth phone calls (application audio sources) have a medium priority, and low-speed driving warnings (other status indicators) have the lowest priority. Based on the priority principle, the SOC can determine that the radar warning tone has high priority, maintaining normal volume and unaffected by other audio sources. Bluetooth phone calls, due to their medium priority, can coexist with the radar warning tone, but the volume may be slightly reduced to ensure clarity. The low-speed warning tone, due to its low priority, has its volume significantly reduced or temporarily muted to avoid interference with higher-priority audio sources. The SoC's built-in audio routing engine then combines the audio mixing arbitration strategy with the audio mapping channel storage configuration to determine the specific channel allocation for audio output. For example, the radar warning tone can be output through speaker 1 (e.g., the front speaker) to ensure immediate driver intelligibility, while the Bluetooth phone call can be output through speaker 2 (e.g., the center speaker) inside the vehicle to provide clear call quality. The low-speed warning tone can be output through speaker 3 (e.g., the exterior speaker) at a reduced volume. Through the determination and application of these audio control parameters, the audio control parameters are applied to each zone controller, ensuring that the output of each audio source conforms to the priority and mixing strategy.

[0106] It should be understood that the processing process between the system on chip processor (SOC), the second microcontroller (MCU2) and the digital signal processor (DSP) is the first processing performed by the central controller on the second audio data.

[0107] Furthermore, when the first audio data is encapsulated into a first Ethernet protocol packet, it can include time synchronization information, specifically timestamp information, to achieve time synchronization control for the speakers. Due to the multiple regional controllers, synchronized playback is required based on audio requirements. The synchronization mechanism can be found in the example Ethernet protocol packet encapsulation structure above. The central controller serves as the master clock node, and the regional controllers serve as slave nodes. A master clock tree is established, and using a peer-to-peer path latency measurement mechanism, the regional controllers can calculate the error between the master and slave clock windows based on the timestamp information after unpacking the packet, ensuring time synchronization performance of the speaker output within the millisecond level.

[0108] Furthermore, the system on chip (SOC) 112 is connected to the first Ethernet module 111 via a high-speed serial bus (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express, PCIE).

[0109] In this embodiment, the SOC processor is connected to the internal Ethernet Switch via PCIE and to the external zone controller, which can provide high bandwidth and low latency data transmission capabilities for the audio data stream. As mentioned above,

[0110] Through the above technical solution, efficient processing and transmission of audio data can be achieved, further improving the quality of audio data and the reliability of transmission.

[0111] In the pair Figure 4 After describing the possible system architecture of Figure 5 , Figure 5 Another possible system architecture is shown. Optionally, the central controller 110 may further include a second audio input module 115;

[0112] The second audio input module 115 is connected to at least one second audio collection device 400, and the second audio input module 115 is configured to receive third audio data from the second audio collection device 400;

[0113] The central controller 110 is further configured to perform a second process on the third audio data to obtain the first audio data.

[0114] It should be noted that the second audio input module may be the same as or different from the first audio input module. For example, the second audio input module may also include an ADC module. Accordingly, the second processing of the third audio data by the central controller is similar to the first processing, and the relevant description is not repeated here.

[0115] Figure 6 This is a flow chart of an audio control method based on a multi-zone architecture provided by an embodiment of the present invention, which is applied to a central controller, such as Figure 6 As shown, the method may include steps S301-S304.

[0116] Step S301: Receive second audio data transmitted by at least one zone controller, and pre-process the second audio data to obtain initial first audio data.

[0117] In some embodiments, if the sound source is collected directly by the central controller, the above step S301 can also be replaced by: receiving third audio data received through the second audio input module, and preprocessing the third audio data to obtain initial first audio data.

[0118] Step S302: Determine audio control parameters corresponding to the initial first audio data according to at least one of the current state of other audio source scenes, preset mixing arbitration information, and preset audio mapping channel storage configuration.

[0119] Step S303: Obtain first audio data according to the audio control parameter and the initial first audio data.

[0120] Step S304: After encapsulating the first audio data into a first Ethernet protocol data packet, the first Ethernet protocol data packet is transmitted to multiple zone controllers.

[0121] Optionally, the audio control parameter includes at least one of the following: volume adjustment information, mixing control information, channel switching information, and mute control information.

[0122] Optionally, the second audio data may be audio data obtained by first performing analog-to-digital conversion on a received audio analog signal.

[0123] Optionally, the central controller can use DSP to preprocess the audio data. The preprocessing method can be similar to or different from the preprocessing method in the regional controller. For example, the DSP in the central controller can identify the sound source scene status in combination with relevant audio data. This embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0124] During this process, the power amplifier driver is integrated into the zone controller, replacing the existing independent power amplifier controller method, and the communication between the zone controller and the central controller is used to achieve efficient transmission and control of audio data. Through the Ethernet communication method between the central controller and the zone controller, the dedicated A2B cables and components are eliminated, solving the problems of complex communication links and increased wiring harness length. Using Ethernet instead of A2B can achieve high real-time audio transmission. In addition, zone control can achieve the nearest access and distribution of audio acquisition / output devices, further shortening the wiring harness length and improving the efficient transmission and real-time processing capabilities of audio signals. In addition, by distributing the power amplifier drive to multiple zone controllers, the temperature rise of the power device is effectively reduced compared to the design of independent power amplifier controllers based on the same number of audio output devices.

[0125] Optionally, the method may further include: determining timestamp information, the timestamp information being determined based on a master clock, the master clock being used to synchronize the time at which the first audio data is output in at least one audio output device corresponding to each zone controller; encapsulating the first audio data into a first Ethernet protocol data packet, including: encapsulating the first audio data and timestamp information into a first Ethernet protocol data packet according to a multi-level encapsulation structure.

[0126] It should be noted that the steps executed by the central controller of the above-mentioned related method embodiments can be understood by referring to the relevant descriptions and effects of each module in the central controller of the system embodiment of the present invention, and will not be elaborated here. Figure 7 This is a flow chart of an audio control method based on a multi-zone architecture provided by an embodiment of the present invention, which is applied to a zone controller, such as Figure 7 As shown, the following steps S401-S404 may be included.

[0127] Step S401: receiving second audio data collected by at least one first audio collection device;

[0128] Step S402: transmitting the second audio data to the central controller;

[0129] Step S403: Acquire first audio data transmitted from the central controller, where the first audio data is data obtained after the central controller performs first processing on the second audio data;

[0130] Step S404: After amplifying the first audio data, drive at least one audio output device to output the amplified first audio data.

[0131] Instead of relying on a communication connection between the cockpit controller and independent amplifier controllers in related technologies, this embodiment integrates the amplifier driver into the zone controllers. Communication between the central controller and the zone controllers (e.g., Ethernet) eliminates the need for dedicated A2B cables and components between the cockpit controller and the independent amplifier controllers, resolving the issues of complex communication links and increased wiring length. Furthermore, using Ethernet instead of A2B enables highly real-time audio transmission. Furthermore, zone control allows for the proximity and distribution of audio acquisition / output devices, further shortening wiring length and improving efficient audio signal transmission and real-time processing capabilities. Furthermore, by distributing the amplifier driver across multiple zone controllers, the temperature rise of power devices is effectively reduced compared to designs with independent amplifier controllers, given the same number of audio output devices.

[0132] It should be noted that the steps executed by the regional controller in the above-mentioned related method embodiments can be understood by referring to the relevant descriptions and effects of each module of the regional controller in the system embodiment of the present invention, and will not be elaborated here.

[0133] Figure 8 This is one of the signaling interaction diagrams of the audio control method based on the multi-zone architecture provided by an embodiment of the present invention. The first audio acquisition device (connected to the zone controller) is a microphone and the audio output device is a speaker. Figure 8 As shown, the process includes the following:

[0134] Step S501: The sound signal captured by the microphone (microphone*n, such as n microphones) is first converted into an analog audio signal and input into the corresponding zone controller. This process provides analog audio signal input.

[0135] Step S502 : The zone controller (zone controller*n, such as n zone controllers) samples the analog signal of the microphone through the ADC, and converts the analog signal into a digital signal through the analog-to-digital converter, that is, the second audio data.

[0136] Step S503: After the ADC conversion, the regional controller may send the second audio data to the DSP core of the MCU1 for pre-processing, echo cancellation, audio partition analysis, and the like.

[0137] Step S504: The zone controller encapsulates the pre-processed second audio data (ie, a second Ethernet protocol data packet) and transmits the data to the central control system via Ethernet.

[0138] Step S505: The central controller may execute other sound source data input processing, including vehicle alarm type, application sound source type, other sound source type, and other data input processing.

[0139] In step S506, the central controller can perform audio engine management: multi-source scene analysis and mixing arbitration, and audio data preprocessing. Specifically, it obtains audio data from the microphone (i.e., the second audio data obtained by unpacking the second Ethernet data packet) and preprocesses this second audio data to obtain initial first audio data. (In some embodiments, the second audio data is preprocessed by the regional controller before transmission; however, preprocessing can be omitted and the second audio data can be directly used as the initial first audio data.) Simultaneously, based on the processing results of other audio source data input, it can determine the current audio source scene status and retrieve detailed mixing arbitration information and audio mapping channel storage configuration.

[0140] Step S507: The central controller performs audio mapping and audio control, including but not limited to volume adjustment, mixing arbitration, channel switching, and mute control, to output specific audio control parameters.

[0141] Step S508: The central controller performs time synchronization processing, loads time synchronization information, and combines the initial first audio data and audio control parameters and other information to obtain first audio data. The first audio data may include but is not limited to information such as audio data stream, channel allocation, and time synchronization requirements.

[0142] Step S509: Convert the first audio data into a first Ethernet protocol data packet, which can be sent to the zone controller by issuing a control instruction.

[0143] In step S510, the zone controller receives and unpacks the first Ethernet protocol data packet, and outputs the data packet to the power amplifier driving module to execute step S511, driving the speaker output.

[0144] Figure 9 This is the second signaling interaction diagram of the audio control method based on the multi-zone architecture provided by the embodiment of the present invention, which is described by taking the second audio acquisition device (connected to the central controller) as a microphone and the audio output device as a speaker as an example. Figure 9 As shown, the process includes the following:

[0145] Step S501 ′: The sound signal captured by the microphone (microphone*n, such as n microphones) is first converted into an analog audio signal and input into the central controller. This process provides analog audio signal input.

[0146] Step S502 ′: the central controller samples the analog signal of the microphone through the ADC, and converts the analog signal of the microphone into a digital signal through the analog-to-digital converter, that is, the third audio data.

[0147] Step S503 ′: the central controller performs pre-processing such as echo cancellation and audio partition processing and analysis on the third audio data to obtain initial first audio data.

[0148] In step S504 ′, the central controller may execute other sound source data input processing, including vehicle alarm type, application sound source type, other sound source type and other data input processing.

[0149] In step S505', the central controller can perform audio engine management: multi-source scene analysis and mixing arbitration. Specifically, by obtaining the initial first audio data and processing the other audio source data inputs, it can determine the current audio source scene state and retrieve mixing arbitration details and audio mapping channel storage configuration.

[0150] Step S506 ′: the central controller performs audio channel mapping and audio control, including but not limited to volume adjustment, mixing arbitration, channel switching, and mute control, to output specific audio control parameters.

[0151] In step S507', the central controller performs time synchronization processing, loads time synchronization information, and combines the initial first audio data, audio control parameters and other information to obtain first audio data. The first audio data may include but is not limited to audio data stream, channel allocation, time synchronization requirements and other information.

[0152] Step S508 ′: convert the first audio data into a first Ethernet protocol data packet, which can be obtained by sending a control instruction (eg, including audio data stream + channel allocation) to the zone controller (zone controller*n, eg, n zone controllers).

[0153] In step S509', the zone controller receives the first Ethernet protocol data packet, depackets it, and outputs it to the power amplifier driving module to execute step S510' to drive the speaker output.

[0154] Figure 10 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a regional controller provided by an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 As shown, it includes one or more processors 601 and memory 602;

[0155] The memory 602 is coupled to one or more processors 601. The memory 602 is used to store computer program code, which includes computer instructions. The one or more processors 601 call the computer instructions to enable the zone controller to execute the audio control method based on the multi-zone architecture corresponding to the above method embodiment.

[0156] It should be noted that the relevant description of the above-mentioned regional controller can be understood by referring to the relevant description and effects of the system embodiment or method embodiment of the present invention, and will not be elaborated here.

[0157] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a central controller provided by an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 11 As shown, it includes one or more processors 701 and memory 702;

[0158] The memory 702 is coupled to one or more processors 701, and the memory 702 is used to store computer program code, which includes computer instructions. One or more processors 701 call the computer instructions to enable the central controller to execute the audio control method based on the multi-zone architecture corresponding to the above method embodiment.

[0159] It should be noted that the relevant description of the above-mentioned central controller can be understood by referring to the relevant description and effects of the system embodiment or method embodiment of the present invention, and no further details will be given here.

[0160] Figure 12 : is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle provided by an embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 12 As shown, the vehicle 1000 includes an audio control system 100 based on a multi-zone architecture corresponding to the above system embodiment.

[0161] It should be noted that the description of the above vehicle embodiment can be understood by referring to the relevant description and effects of the corresponding modules or steps in the system embodiment or method embodiment of the present invention, and no further details will be given here.

[0162] An embodiment of the present invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium, which includes computer instructions. When the computer instructions are executed on an electronic device, the electronic device executes the above-mentioned audio control method based on the multi-zone architecture.

[0163] It should be noted that the description of the above-mentioned medium embodiment can be understood by referring to the relevant description and effects of the corresponding modules or steps in the system embodiment or method embodiment of the present invention, and no further details will be given here.

[0164] The readable storage medium may be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile memory device, or a combination thereof, such as static random access memory (SRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic storage, flash memory, magnetic disk, or optical disk. The readable storage medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer.

[0165] An exemplary readable storage medium is coupled to a processor so that the processor can read information from the readable storage medium and write information to the readable storage medium. Of course, the readable storage medium can also be an integral part of the processor. The processor and the readable storage medium can be located in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Of course, the processor and the readable storage medium can also exist in a device as discrete components.

[0166] The division of units is merely a logical functional division; actual implementations may employ alternative divisions, such as combining or integrating multiple units or components into another system, or omitting or disabling certain features. Furthermore, any direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be an indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units, either through an interface, electrical, mechanical, or other means.

[0167] Units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of these units may be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0168] In addition, each functional unit in each embodiment of the present invention may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit.

[0169] If a function is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, or the portion that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for causing a computer device (which can be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the various embodiments of the method of the present invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media that can store program code, such as USB flash drives, mobile hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0170] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that all or part of the steps in the above-described method embodiments can be implemented using hardware associated with program instructions. The aforementioned program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When executed, the program performs the steps of the above-described method embodiments. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as ROM, RAM, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0171] The above embodiments are only preferred embodiments for fully illustrating the present invention, and the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitution or modification made by those skilled in the art based on the present invention is within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An audio control system based on a multi-zone architecture, characterized in that: The system comprises a central controller and a plurality of regional controllers connected to the central controller, wherein the central controller comprises a first Ethernet module, each of the regional controllers comprises a second Ethernet module, a first microcontroller and a power amplifier driver module, and a cross-domain integration module electrically connected to the first microcontroller and used to implement non-audio vehicle control functions, wherein the cross-domain integration module comprises at least one of the following: a body domain module, a power domain module, a thermal management domain module, a chassis domain module and a low-voltage power management module; wherein, The central controller is connected to the plurality of regional controllers via the first Ethernet module, and the central controller is configured to perform data protocol encapsulation on the first audio data to obtain a first Ethernet protocol data packet, and transmit the first Ethernet protocol data packet to each regional controller; The first microcontroller is connected to the first Ethernet module via the second Ethernet module, and the first microcontroller is configured to receive a first Ethernet protocol data packet transmitted by the central controller, parse the first Ethernet protocol data packet to obtain first audio data, and transmit the first audio data to the power amplifier driver module; The power amplifier driving module is connected to the first microcontroller and at least one audio output device in the corresponding area of ​​the zone controller respectively. The power amplifier driving module is configured to amplify the first audio data and then drive the audio output device to output the amplified first audio data.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The first Ethernet protocol data packet adopts a multi-level encapsulation structure, including a first encapsulation body for network transmission of the first audio data stream, a second encapsulation body for characterizing the data stream characteristics and time characteristics of the first audio data stream, and a third encapsulation body for carrying the first audio data.

3. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that The first capsule includes a data packet payload, and the second capsule is encapsulated in the data packet payload; the second capsule includes an audio data packet and timestamp information, and the third capsule is encapsulated in the second capsule, and the third capsule includes the first audio data; wherein the timestamp information is determined based on a master clock, and the master clock is used to synchronize the time when the first audio data is output from the audio output device; The first microcontroller is specifically configured to parse the first Ethernet protocol data packet to obtain the first audio data and the timestamp information, adjust the local clock corresponding to the zone controller according to the timestamp information, and transmit the first audio data to the power amplifier driver module according to the adjusted local clock.

4. The system according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that The first Ethernet module is connected to the second Ethernet module via an Ethernet audio and video bridge ETH_AVB line; the first encapsulation body is an ETH_AVB data frame, the second encapsulation body is an IEEE 1722 data frame, and the third encapsulation body is an IEC 61883 data frame.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein: Each zone controller also includes a first audio input module; The first audio input module is connected to the first microcontroller and at least one first audio acquisition device in a corresponding area of ​​the zone controller, respectively, and the first audio input module is configured to receive second audio data from the first audio acquisition device and transmit the second audio data to the first microcontroller; The first microcontroller is further configured to transmit the second audio data to the central controller for first processing to obtain the first audio data.

6. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that The first audio input module includes an analog-to-digital conversion unit, which is configured to convert the audio analog signal of the first audio acquisition device into an audio digital signal to receive the second audio data.

7. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that The first audio input module is connected to the first microcontroller via a time division multiplexing line to transmit the second audio data of each first audio acquisition device to the first microcontroller according to the corresponding timing; and / or the first microcontroller is connected to the power amplifier driving module via a time division multiplexing line or an inter-integrated circuit audio bus to transmit the first audio data to the power amplifier driving module according to the corresponding timing.

8. The system according to any one of claims 1-3, 5-7, characterized in that: The central controller further comprises a system-on-chip processor connected to the first Ethernet module, and a second microcontroller and a digital signal processor respectively connected to the system-on-chip processor; The digital signal processor is configured to pre-process the second audio data based on the control of the system-on-chip processor to obtain initial first audio data; the pre-processing method includes at least one of the following: audio denoising, audio filtering and audio enhancement; The second microcontroller is configured to determine, based on the control of the system-on-chip processor, an audio control parameter corresponding to the initial first audio data according to at least one of a current other audio source scene state, preset mixing arbitration information, and a preset audio mapping channel storage configuration; The system-on-chip processor is configured to obtain the first audio data according to the initial first audio data and the audio control parameter, encapsulate the first audio data into a first Ethernet protocol data packet, and transmit the data packet to the second Ethernet module through the first Ethernet module.

9. The system according to claim 8, characterized in that The system-on-chip processor is connected to the first Ethernet module via a high-speed serial bus.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The central controller also includes a second audio input module; The second audio input module is connected to at least one second audio acquisition device, and the second audio input module is configured to receive third audio data from the second audio acquisition device; The central controller is further configured to perform a second process on the third audio data to obtain the first audio data.

11. An audio control method based on a multi-zone architecture, characterized in that: Applicable to central controllers, including: receiving second audio data transmitted by at least one zone controller, and preprocessing the second audio data to obtain initial first audio data; Determining an audio control parameter corresponding to the initial first audio data based on at least one of a current state of other audio source scenes, preset mixing arbitration information, and a preset audio mapping channel storage configuration; obtaining first audio data according to the audio control parameter and the initial first audio data; After encapsulating the first audio data into a first Ethernet protocol data packet, the first Ethernet protocol data packet is transmitted to multiple zone controllers.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that Also includes: Determining timestamp information, where the timestamp information is determined based on a master clock, where the master clock is used to synchronize the time when the first audio data is output to at least one audio output device corresponding to each zone controller; Encapsulating the first audio data into a first Ethernet protocol data packet includes: The first audio data and the timestamp information are encapsulated into a first Ethernet protocol data packet according to a multi-level encapsulation structure.

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that The audio control parameter includes at least one of the following: volume adjustment information, mixing control information, channel switching information, and mute control information.

14. An audio control method based on a multi-zone architecture, characterized in that: Applicable to zone controllers, including: receiving second audio data collected by at least one first audio collection device; transmitting the second audio data to a central controller; Acquire first audio data transmitted from the central controller, where the first audio data is data obtained after the central controller performs a first processing on the second audio data; After amplifying the first audio data, at least one audio output device is driven to output the amplified first audio data.

15. A central controller, characterized in that: including one or more processors and memory; The memory is coupled to the one or more processors, and the memory is used to store computer program code, wherein the computer program code includes computer instructions, and the one or more processors call the computer instructions to enable the central controller to execute the audio control method based on the multi-zone architecture as described in any one of claims 11-13.

16. A zone controller, characterized in that: including one or more processors and memory; The memory is coupled to the one or more processors, and is used to store computer program code, where the computer program code includes computer instructions. The one or more processors call the computer instructions to enable the zone controller to execute the audio control method based on the multi-zone architecture according to claim 14.

17. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that The computer-readable storage medium includes computer instructions. When the computer instructions are executed on an electronic device, the electronic device executes the audio control method based on a multi-zone architecture according to any one of claims 11 to 14.

18. A vehicle, characterized in that: The invention comprises an audio control system based on a multi-zone architecture as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10.

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