Multi-chip data processing system and processing method, microphone and storage medium

Abstract

The invention discloses a multi-chip data processing system and method, a microphone and a storage medium. The system comprises a master control chip and at least one slave control chip, the main control chip is at least in communication connection with one slave control chip; the main control chip is configured to receive a data processing request; as a response to the data processing request, executing at least one of the following operations: processing all or part of to-be-processed data related to the data processing request, and outputting a processing result; sending all or a part of data to be processed to the at least one slave control chip; the slave control chip is configured to receive to-be-processed data from the master control chip; processing the received data to be processed; as a response to processing completion, executing at least one of the following operations: returning a processing result to the main control chip; and sending the processing result to other components except the main control chip. According to the invention, the problem of low real-time audio data processing efficiency can be solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of audio processing, and more particularly to a multi-chip data processing system, processing method, microphone, and storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of artificial intelligence, speech recognition and smart terminals, audio processing technology is being widely used in audio processing tasks at real-time conference sites.

[0003] Real-time conferencing scenarios demand higher audio processing speeds and require meeting diverse user needs for audio processing effects, leading to increased complexity in audio processing tasks. Therefore, reducing the processing latency of real-time audio data while maintaining low hardware costs is a key technical challenge that needs to be addressed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a multi-chip data processing system, processing method, microphone, and storage medium, which can solve the problem in the prior art of how to reduce the latency of real-time audio data processing while ensuring low hardware cost.

[0005] One embodiment of this application provides a multi-chip data processing system, including: a master control chip and at least one slave control chip; the master control chip is communicatively connected to at least one of the slave control chips. The main control chip is configured as follows: Receive data processing requests; In response to the data processing request, at least one of the following operations is performed: Process all or part of the data to be processed related to the data processing request, and output the processing result; Send all or part of the data to be processed to at least one of the slave control chips; The slave control chip is configured as follows: Receive data to be processed from the main control chip; The received data to be processed is then processed; As a response indicating completion of processing, perform at least one of the following operations: The processing result is returned to the main control chip; The processing results are sent to other components besides the main control chip.

[0006] Furthermore, the main control chip includes a data acquisition port, and the main control chip is further configured to: In response to the data processing request, the system cyclically collects the data to be processed from the data acquisition port according to a preset period. Read the processing link configuration parameters of the data to be processed; In response to the processing link configuration parameters of the data to be processed, at least one of the following operations is performed: According to the processing link configuration parameters, the system processes all or part of the data to be processed according to a preset period and outputs the processing results. Based on the processing link configuration parameters, at least one slave control chip is determined to process the data to be processed; according to the preset period, the data to be processed collected in the current period is transmitted to at least one of the slave control chips.

[0007] Furthermore, the slave control chip includes at least one audio processing function, and the slave control chip is also configured to: The system receives the data to be processed sent by the main control chip based on each preset period, processes the data to be processed according to the corresponding audio processing function, and obtains the processing result corresponding to the preset period. As a response indicating completion of processing, perform at least one of the following operations: The processing result is returned to the main control chip; The processing results are sent to other components besides the main control chip.

[0008] Furthermore, the system also includes a digital signal processing device, and the main control chip communicates with the digital signal processing device via a local area network; the digital signal processing device is used to allocate audio transmission channels for the processing results; The slave chip is also configured to perform at least one of the following operations: The received data to be processed is processed, and the processing result is returned to the main control chip; The received data to be processed is processed, and the processing result is sent to the digital signal processing device; The main control chip is also configured to perform at least one of the following operations: The system automatically processes the data to be processed related to the data processing request and directly outputs the processing results to the digital signal processing device. The system receives the processing result returned by the slave control chip and outputs the processing result to the digital signal processing device.

[0009] Furthermore, the system also includes a playback device communicatively connected to the digital signal processing device; the playback device includes a local speaker and / or a remote speaker. The digital signal processing device transmits the processing result to the local speaker and / or the remote speaker based on the audio transmission channel.

[0010] Furthermore, the master control chip includes a first memory and a second memory, and the slave control chip includes a third memory. The main control chip is also configured to: The collected data to be processed is stored in the first memory according to a preset cycle; In response to the processing link configuration parameters of the data to be processed, at least one of the following operations is performed: According to the processing link configuration parameters, the system automatically accesses and processes all or part of the data to be processed in the first memory according to a preset period, and outputs the processing result and stores it in the second memory. According to the processing link configuration parameters, and according to a preset period, all or part of the data to be processed in the first memory is sent to the third memory of at least one of the slave control chips.

[0011] Furthermore, the slave control chip also includes a fourth memory, and the slave control chip is further configured to: The data to be processed is read from the third memory according to the preset period; The data to be processed is processed according to the corresponding audio processing function to obtain the processing result corresponding to the preset period; The processing result is stored in the fourth memory. In response to the processing result in the fourth memory, at least one of the following operations is performed: The processing result is returned to the main control chip; The processing results are sent to other components besides the main control chip.

[0012] Another embodiment of this application provides a data processing method for a multi-chip data processing system, the multi-chip data processing system comprising: a master control chip and at least one slave control chip; the master control chip being communicatively connected to at least one of the slave control chips; the method comprising: The main control chip receives data processing requests; In response to the data processing request, at least one of the following operations is performed: Process all or part of the data to be processed related to the data processing request, and output the processing result; Send all or part of the data to be processed to at least one of the slave control chips; The slave control chip receives data to be processed from the master control chip; The received data to be processed is then processed; As a response indicating completion of processing, perform at least one of the following operations: The processing result is returned to the main control chip; The processing results are sent to other components besides the main control chip.

[0013] Another embodiment of this application also provides a microphone, which is internally configured as a multi-chip data processing system, including a master control chip and at least one slave control chip; the master control chip is communicatively connected to at least one of the slave control chips. The main control chip is configured as follows: Receive data processing requests; In response to the data processing request, at least one of the following operations is performed: Process all or part of the data to be processed related to the data processing request, and output the processing result; Send all or part of the data to be processed to at least one of the slave control chips; The slave control chip is configured as follows: Receive data to be processed from the main control chip; The received data to be processed is then processed; As a response indicating completion of processing, perform at least one of the following operations: The processing result is returned to the main control chip; The processing results are sent to other components besides the main control chip.

[0014] Another embodiment of this application also provides a computer-readable storage medium item, including: a stored computer program, which, when the computer program is running, controls the operation of a multi-chip data processing system as described in this application, or executes a data processing method as described in one of the above embodiments.

[0015] This application constructs a multi-chip data processing system that effectively optimizes the latency and hardware cost of real-time audio data processing. In this system, the master control chip is responsible for data acquisition and communication scheduling with designated external devices, while different types of slave control chips undertake specialized processing tasks such as echo cancellation, noise suppression, and audio encoding. By functionally decomposing the processing flow and distributing it to different chips for execution, the system can achieve parallel processing of highly complex audio algorithms on a low-power chip combination, thereby significantly reducing end-to-end processing latency. In specific application scenarios, such as online conferencing or real-time voice interaction devices, this system can rely on task division among multiple chips to distribute the computational pressure, which traditionally relies on a single high-performance chip, to multiple low-cost, specialized processing nodes. This not only reduces the dependence on the computing power of the master chip but also allows the system to use a more cost-effective chip combination, thereby effectively controlling hardware costs while ensuring processing performance. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the working framework of a dual-chip system provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another three-chip system working framework provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the data transmission between a master control chip and any slave control chip provided in some embodiments of this application. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a real-world example of data transmission between a master control chip and any slave control chip, as provided in some embodiments of this application. Figure 5 This is a schematic flowchart of a data processing method provided in some embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0019] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0020] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0021] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0022] In the description of the embodiments in this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0023] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more (including two sets), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two pieces).

[0024] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0025] In real-time conferencing scenarios, audio processing systems need to simultaneously meet millisecond-level low-latency processing and diverse audio quality enhancement requirements. This puts constant pressure on the system to balance real-time processing and algorithmic complexity. Existing technologies typically enhance processing power by embedding dedicated chips with higher computing performance to meet these dual requirements. However, due to the limitations of dedicated chips in terms of cost, power consumption, and functional scalability, this approach is difficult to deploy flexibly across a wider range of device types and conferencing scenarios, thus restricting the versatility and applicability of audio processing solutions.

[0026] Against this backdrop, the inventors of this application recognize that the core problem with the prior art lies in its over-reliance on the improvement of dedicated hardware computing power, and its failure to build an audio processing architecture on a general-purpose processing platform that takes into account real-time performance, diverse processing effects and system scalability.

[0027] To address the problem of reducing real-time audio data processing latency while maintaining low hardware costs in existing technologies, this application provides a multi-chip data processing system, comprising: a master control chip and at least one slave control chip; the master control chip is communicatively connected to at least one of the slave control chips; each slave control chip includes at least one audio processing function; the master control chip is configured to: receive a data processing request; and in response to the data processing request, perform at least one of the following operations: 1. process all or part of the data to be processed related to the data processing request and output the processing result; 2. send all or part of the data to be processed to at least one of the slave control chips.

[0028] The slave control chip is configured to: receive data to be processed from the master control chip; process the received data to be processed; and, in response to the completion of processing, perform at least one of the following operations: 1. return the processing result to the master control chip; 2. send the processing result to other components other than the master control chip.

[0029] refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a dual-chip system working framework provided in an embodiment of this application. As one embodiment of a multi-chip data processing system, considering actual hardware costs, the dual-chip system includes: a master control chip 110 and a slave control chip 120; the master control chip 110 and the slave control chip 120 are connected. When the master control chip acts as a unified audio data output, the master control chip 110 responds to data processing requests and transmits all or part of the data to be processed to the slave control chip 120; the slave control chip 120 performs echo cancellation, noise reduction, and other processing on the received data according to its audio processing functions, obtains the processing result, and sends the processing result back to the master control chip 110; after receiving the processing result, the master control chip 110 transmits the processing result to other components outside or inside the system. When the master control chip sends all the data to be processed to the slave control chip, the master control chip only undertakes the scheduling and distribution function; when the master control chip sends a portion of the data to be processed to the slave control chip, the master control chip not only undertakes the scheduling and distribution function but also needs to process the remaining data. In special data filtering or specific task distribution scenarios, when the master control chip sends a portion of the data to be processed to the slave control chip, the master control chip only undertakes the scheduling and distribution function and does not process the remaining data to be processed itself.

[0030] In some embodiments, such as in a dual-chip system, the master control chip 110 responds to data processing requests, evaluates the data processing requests based on its own computing power, and if its own computing power meets the requirements for independent processing, it processes all or part of the data to be processed related to the data processing request and directly outputs the processing results to other components outside or inside the system. The slave control chip can be in a working state or an idle state at this time.

[0031] In some embodiments, such as in a dual-chip system, if the slave chip is configured to communicate directly with the outside or inside of the system, and the master chip is not a unified audio data output, the master chip 110 is used to respond to data processing requests and transmit all or part of the data to be processed to the slave chip 120. The slave chip 120 performs echo cancellation, noise reduction, and other processing on the received data according to its audio processing function, and after obtaining the processing result, directly sends the processing result to other components other than the master chip.

[0032] This application constructs a multi-chip data processing system, effectively optimizing the latency and hardware cost of real-time audio processing. In this system, the master control chip is responsible for audio data acquisition and communication scheduling with designated external devices, while different types of slave control chips undertake specialized processing tasks such as echo cancellation, noise suppression, and audio encoding. By functionally decomposing the processing flow and distributing it to different chips for execution, the system can achieve parallel processing of highly complex audio algorithms on a low-power chip combination, thereby significantly reducing end-to-end processing latency.

[0033] In specific application scenarios, such as online conferencing or real-time voice interaction devices, this system can leverage task allocation among multiple chips to distribute the computational burden—traditionally reliant on a single high-performance chip—across multiple low-cost, specialized processing nodes. This not only reduces dependence on the main chip's computing power but also allows the system to employ more cost-effective chip combinations, thereby effectively controlling hardware costs while ensuring processing performance.

[0034] In addition, the system supports the dynamic addition and deletion of slave control chip nodes during operation, allowing users to flexibly expand audio processing capabilities according to actual processing needs. For example, when a new round of voice enhancement functions needs to be activated, a dedicated node can be dynamically connected, enhancing the system's adaptability and scalability in different application scenarios.

[0035] In terms of reliability, when the master control chip serves as the unified audio data output, it can monitor the working status of each slave control chip in real time. If a slave control chip fails, the master control chip can automatically migrate its task to other normal nodes, achieving rapid fault isolation and system self-recovery. This ensures uninterrupted audio processing and improves the overall robustness and stability of the system.

[0036] refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a three-chip system working framework provided in an embodiment of this application. As one embodiment of a multi-chip data processing system, considering the multifunctional requirements of actual audio processing, the three-chip system includes: a master control chip 110 and two slave control chips (i.e., slave control chip A 1201 and slave control chip B 1202); wherein the master control chip 110 is connected to each of the two slave control chips. The master control chip 110 is used to respond to data processing requests, transmitting all or part of the data to be processed related to the data processing request to at least one slave control chip; each slave control chip receiving data performs echo cancellation, noise reduction, and other processing on the received data according to its audio processing function, obtains the processing result, and sends the processing result back to the master control chip 110; after receiving the processing results sent back by all slave control chips, the master control chip 110 integrates the processing results and transmits the integrated result to other components outside or inside the system.

[0037] Understandably, according to Figure 2 The schematic diagram of the three-chip system working framework shown can be expanded by increasing the number of slave control chips to achieve the desired functionality. Figure 2 The method shown, where the master control chip 110 is connected to multiple slave control chips, allows for the creation of any number of multi-chip data processing systems, improving the scalability of the audio processing system. When the master control chip serves as the sole data output, if any slave control chip fails, the master control chip can migrate its tasks to other slave control nodes, achieving fault isolation.

[0038] Optionally, in a three-chip system, if the master control chip 110 is used to respond to a data processing request, it evaluates the data processing request based on its own computing power. If its own computing power meets the requirements for independent processing, it processes the data to be processed related to the data processing request and directly outputs the processing result to other components outside or inside the system. At this time, the two slave control chips can be in a working state or an idle state.

[0039] Optionally, in a three-chip system, if the slave control chip is configured to communicate directly with other components besides the master control chip, the master control chip 110 is used to respond to data processing requests and transmit all or part of the data to be processed to at least one slave control chip 120; each slave control chip 120 that receives data performs echo cancellation, noise reduction and other processing on the received data according to its audio processing function, and after obtaining the processing result, each slave control chip directly sends the processing result to other components outside or inside the system besides the master control chip.

[0040] Preferably, in some embodiments of this application, both the master control chip and the slave control chip are system-on-chip (SOC) chips, wherein the computing power of the master control chip is less than or equal to the computing power of the slave control chip. Optionally, in audio processing scenarios, the computing power of the master control chip can be configured to be greater than the computing power of the slave control chip as needed.

[0041] In some embodiments of this application, the main control chip includes a data acquisition port, and the main control chip is further configured to: respond to the data processing request, cyclically acquire the data to be processed from the data acquisition port according to a preset period; read the processing link configuration parameters of the data to be processed; and, in response to the processing link configuration parameters of the data to be processed, perform at least one of the following operations: 1. Process all or part of the data to be processed according to the processing link configuration parameters and a preset period, and output the processing result; 2. Determine at least one slave control chip to process the data to be processed according to the processing link configuration parameters; and transmit the data to be processed acquired in the current period to at least one slave control chip according to the preset period.

[0042] Preferably, in some embodiments of this application, reference is made to Figure 3 The diagram illustrates a data transmission flowchart between a master control chip and any slave control chip. The process involves cyclically acquiring the data to be processed from the data acquisition port according to a preset cycle. The data acquisition port can be a sound card interface. Specifically, the sound card interface in the master control chip cyclically acquires the data to be processed and stores it in the master control chip's first memory according to a 1ms sound card cycle. The sound card interface and the first memory communicate via Direct Memory Access (DMA).

[0043] Preferably, in some embodiments of this application, the processing link configuration parameters of the data to be processed can be pre-stored in the main control chip or obtained from the read data processing request. This application does not limit the storage and reading method of the audio processing link configuration parameters; the processing link configuration parameters are used to enable the main control chip to determine the transmission chip path or audio function processing that the data to be processed needs to pass through.

[0044] Preferably, in some embodiments of this application, the preset period can also be set through the following steps: determining at least one slave control chip participating in audio processing according to the processing link configuration parameters; obtaining the audio acquisition speed of the master control chip and the audio processing speed of each slave control chip respectively; taking the minimum speed between the audio acquisition speed of the master control chip and the audio processing speed of each slave control chip; determining the preset period according to the preset audio processing length and the minimum speed, thereby preventing the acquisition speed from being mismatched with the audio processing speed of the slave control chip, which could cause data to be blocked in a certain audio processing stage and thus cause data loss.

[0045] This application integrates a data acquisition port into the main control chip and collects audio data cyclically according to a preset cycle, ensuring the continuity and stability of the audio data acquisition process and avoiding problems such as missed acquisitions and delays. Furthermore, by processing the link configuration parameters, the main control chip can intelligently select the corresponding slave control chip to process the data to be processed. This improves the flexibility of the multi-chip data processing system and enhances the data collaborative processing capability, thereby improving the real-time performance and consistency of audio stream data processing.

[0046] In some embodiments of this application, the slave control chip is further configured to: receive the data to be processed sent by the master control chip based on each preset period, process the data to be processed according to the corresponding audio processing function to obtain the processing result corresponding to the preset period; and, as a response to the completion of processing, perform at least one of the following operations: 1. return the processing result to the master control chip; 2. send the processing result to other components other than the master control chip.

[0047] The slave control chip of this application receives, processes, and returns the processed data periodically, which makes the audio processing tasks precisely aligned in time and ensures the continuity and stability of the processing results. Furthermore, the slave control chip performs targeted processing on the audio data according to its own audio processing function, effectively distributing the computational pressure of the audio processing task, improving the data collaborative processing capability, and thus improving the real-time performance and consistency of audio stream data processing.

[0048] In some embodiments of this application, the master control chip includes a first memory and a second memory, and the slave control chip includes a third memory. The master control chip is further configured to: store the collected data to be processed in the first memory according to a preset period; and, in response to the processing link configuration parameters of the data to be processed, perform at least one of the following operations: 1. According to the processing link configuration parameters, according to a preset period, access and process all or part of the data to be processed in the first memory, and output the processing result and store it in the second memory; 2. According to the processing link configuration parameters, according to a preset period, send all or part of the data to be processed in the first memory to the third memory of at least one of the slave control chips.

[0049] In some embodiments of this application, the slave control chip further includes a fourth memory, and the slave control chip is further configured to: read the data to be processed from the third memory according to the preset period; process the data to be processed according to the corresponding audio processing function to obtain the processing result corresponding to the preset period; store the processing result in the fourth memory; and, in response to the processing result in the fourth memory, perform at least one of the following operations: 1. return the processing result to the master control chip; 2. send the processing result to other components other than the master control chip.

[0050] Preferably, in some embodiments of this application, reference is made to Figure 3 The diagram illustrates the data transmission flow between a master control chip and any slave control chip. The master control chip, according to a preset cycle, stores the collected data to be processed in the first memory as a response to the processing link configuration parameters of the data to be processed. The master control chip can, according to a preset cycle, access and process all or part of the data to be processed in the first memory using a first algorithm (corresponding to the audio processing function of the master control chip), and output the processing result, storing it in the second memory. Alternatively, according to the processing link configuration parameters, it can send all or part of the data to be processed in the first memory to the third memory of the slave control chip according to a preset cycle. When the slave control chip receives the data to be processed, it caches the first audio data in the third memory via direct memory access. It then further processes the data according to its internally preset second algorithm (corresponding to the audio processing function of the slave control chip) to obtain the processing result, storing it in the fourth memory. Finally, it sends the processing result stored in the fourth memory back to the second memory of the master control chip via direct memory access, or it can send the processing result to other components besides the master control chip.

[0051] This application overcomes the traditional bandwidth bottleneck through a distributed memory architecture. Compared with existing multi-chip solutions that use centralized storage or shared bus architectures, this system establishes a distributed memory architecture within each chip, realizing localized storage and parallel access to audio data. The "bandwidth wall" formed by multiple processing cores competing for a single memory channel in traditional solutions is completely broken. Instead, each slave chip has the ability to independently access local audio data blocks, causing the total system bandwidth to increase exponentially with the number of chips, providing ample data supply for the real-time operation of highly complex audio algorithms.

[0052] In some embodiments of this application, the system further includes a digital signal processing device, and the main control chip is communicatively connected to the digital signal processing device; the digital signal processing device is used to allocate an audio transmission channel for the processing result.

[0053] The slave control chip is further configured to perform at least one of the following operations: 1. Process the received data to be processed and return the processing result to the master control chip; 2. Process the received data to be processed and send the processing result to the digital signal processing device.

[0054] The main control chip is also configured to perform at least one of the following operations: 1. Process all or part of the data to be processed related to the data processing request, and directly output the processing result to the digital signal processing device; 2. Receive the processing result returned by the slave control chip, and output the processing result to the digital signal processing device.

[0055] Preferably, in some embodiments of this application, after the Digital Signal Processor (DSP) device receives the processing result sent by the main control chip via a local area network (LAN), the DSP device allocates an audio transmission channel for the processing result or converts the transmission protocol format before sending the processing result to the playback device. By connecting the DSP device as a designated device and realizing communication between the main control chip and the DSP device via a LAN, an audio processing system can be flexibly deployed in a distributed environment.

[0056] Preferably, in some embodiments of this application, the DSP device communicates with the main control chip via a local area network (LAN). Taking a conference audio processing scenario as an example, this scenario includes an audio processing device configured with a multi-chip data processing system, a DSP device, and a conference host. The audio processing device, DSP device, and conference host are located on the same LAN. The DSP device and the conference host can be connected via a USB interface. Before audio processing, designer configuration software needs to be installed on the conference host. This configuration software contains modules for each device in the conference room. By dragging the modules directly into the layout space and using the mouse to connect the pins of each module (or selecting automatic configuration to complete the automatic connection), the connection relationship is bound, and the run button is clicked. The devices in the actual space are then connected together via the same LAN. When the main control chip obtains the processing result, it can automatically send the processing result to the DSP device or other designated devices.

[0057] In some embodiments of this application, the system further includes a playback device communicatively connected to the digital signal processing device; the playback device includes a local speaker, and the digital signal processing device transmits the processing result to the local speaker based on the audio transmission channel.

[0058] Preferably, in some embodiments of this application, when the designated device is a local speaker that is communicatively connected to a digital signal processing device, the DSP device can be directly connected to the local speaker via a USB interface to realize the transmission and playback of the processing results.

[0059] In some embodiments of this application, the designated device further includes a playback device communicatively connected to the digital signal processing device; the playback device includes a remote speaker, and the digital signal processing device transmits the processing result to the remote speaker based on the audio transmission channel.

[0060] Preferably, in some embodiments of this application, when the designated device is a remote speaker that is communicatively connected to a digital signal processing device, the DSP device can be directly connected to the remote speaker via a local area network to realize the transmission and playback of the processing results.

[0061] This application establishes a stable hardware connection by linking a digital signal processing device to local and / or remote speakers. The digital signal processing device pre-amplifies and compresses the dynamic range of the audio signal, directly improving the signal-to-noise ratio and reducing signal attenuation when the audio signal is directly transmitted to the speaker. Furthermore, compared to the conventional TCP / IP transmission protocol, which requires handshake confirmation and retransmission mechanisms, and whose latency is typically perceptible to the human ear, this application uses a dedicated audio channel allocated by the digital signal processing device to transmit the processed audio data. This allows the end-to-end latency (DSP output to speaker playback) to be controlled far below the threshold of human sensitivity to audio latency, achieving "imperceptible latency" for instant playback. This effectively improves the immediacy of playback and the stability of sound quality. In addition, the use of a dedicated channel reduces the impact of network jitter, latency, and interference during audio data transmission, improving audio output quality.

[0062] In some embodiments of this application, the master control chip includes at least one root complex interface, the slave control chip includes at least one endpoint device interface, and the master control chip communicates with the endpoint device interface of the slave control chip through the root complex interface.

[0063] In some embodiments of this application, the master control chip transmits the data to be processed to the endpoint device interface of at least one of the slave control chips through the root complex interface.

[0064] In some embodiments of this application, the slave control chip transmits the processing result to the root complex interface of the master control chip through the endpoint device interface.

[0065] refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the data transmission between a master control chip and any slave control chip in some embodiments of this application. Figure 3In this system, the data acquisition port is a sound card interface. The main control chip includes a sound card interface, a first memory, a root complex interface, and a second memory. The slave control chip includes a third memory, an endpoint device interface, and a fourth memory. The root complex interface and the endpoint device interface are communicatively connected. After the main control chip transmits the data to be processed to the endpoint device interface of the slave control chip through the root complex interface, the slave control chip processes the data received by the endpoint device interface according to a preset second algorithm to obtain the processing result. The slave control chip transmits the processing result to the root complex interface of the main control chip through the endpoint device interface. The main control chip caches the processing result received by the root complex interface in the second memory and outputs the processing result.

[0066] This application achieves high-speed, low-latency inter-chip communication by setting a root complex interface in the master control chip and an endpoint device interface in the slave control chip. This effectively improves the transmission rate of audio data between the master and slave control chips, reduces audio data processing latency, and reduces the overhead of intermediate protocol conversion through hardware-level direct connection. This ensures the efficiency and predictability of the audio processing link, thereby meeting the real-time audio processing requirements of high concurrency and high data volume.

[0067] refer to Figure 4 , Figure 4This is a schematic diagram illustrating a real-world data transmission example between a master control chip and any slave control chip, as provided in some embodiments of this application. The master control chip acquires first audio data (i.e., data to be processed) received by a hardware device configured with a multi-chip data processing system through the Audio SAI (Synchronous Audio Interface) interface of the sound card. It then directly sends the first audio data to the first memory (0x80000000) via DMA. The Audio SAI interface of the sound card cyclically acquires the first audio data received by the hardware device according to a preset cycle. Simultaneously with each preset cycle trigger, it directly accesses the first audio data stored in the first memory (0x80000000) through the root composite interface, transferring the first audio data to the endpoint device interface of the slave control chip. After receiving the first audio data through the endpoint device interface, the slave control chip directly stores it in the third memory (0x90000000) to transmit the first audio data to a preset second algorithm for audio processing via a virtual audio card, obtaining the second audio data (i.e., the processing result). After the slave chip receives the second audio data, it caches the second audio data in the fourth memory and directly reads the second audio data stored in the fourth memory through the endpoint device interface, so as to transmit the second audio data to the root complex interface of the master chip through the endpoint device interface. When the master chip receives the second audio data, it directly accesses the second memory 0x70000000 through the root complex interface and stores the second audio data in the second memory 0x70000000. Since the method of direct memory access through PCIe allows the audio data to be transferred back and forth between the master chip and the slave chip within 1ms, the data frequency of the master chip and the slave chip can be synchronized to meet the 1ms processing cycle, thus effectively reducing the time delay of audio data processing.

[0068] exist Figure 4 Based on the scenario shown, the system also includes a digital signal processing device, a local speaker, and / or a remote speaker. The main control chip is connected to the digital signal processing device, which directly sends the second audio data to the digital signal processing device. The digital signal processing device performs pre-amplification and dynamic range compression on the second audio data, and transmits the processed second audio data to the local speaker and / or the remote speaker according to the channel configuration. This improves the immediacy and sound quality stability of playback, reduces the impact of network jitter, latency, and interference during audio data transmission, and improves the audio output quality.

[0069] Based on the foregoing embodiments and in comparison with existing technical solutions, the multi-chip data processing system provided in this application exhibits the following significant advantages: Dynamic scalability surpasses the limitations of fixed architectures. Unlike existing multi-chip solutions with fixed master-slave roles and limited scalability, this system supports the dynamic addition and removal of functional nodes during processing through a high-speed interconnect bus and a unified task scheduling mechanism. This feature allows the system to flexibly adjust its computing scale according to actual processing needs (such as sudden high-load scenarios), while traditional multi-chip architectures are difficult to adjust once the design is finalized and cannot adapt to application scenarios with dynamically changing audio processing requirements.

[0070] Refined fault isolation enhances system reliability. Compared to existing multi-chip data processing systems that rely on a single master chip for global control, this solution uses a master control chip as a unified data outlet, possessing a comprehensive slave node status monitoring and task migration mechanism. When any slave control chip fails, the system can seamlessly switch its processing tasks to other normal nodes, achieving fault isolation and system self-healing. This fine-grained fault tolerance capability is difficult to achieve with traditional master-slave architectures, significantly improving system reliability in mission-critical scenarios.

[0071] This system achieves multi-functional concurrent processing, breaking through the computing power limits of single-chip solutions. Compared to existing multi-chip solutions that can only integrate limited functions, this system, by precisely assigning different algorithms to dedicated slave chips, enables the simultaneous operation of highly complex algorithms such as environmental noise reduction, sound field expansion, and voice enhancement on a low-cost hardware platform for the first time. This true multi-functional concurrent processing capability not only surpasses the performance limits of single-chip solutions but also outperforms existing multi-chip architectures that can only achieve simple task parallelism.

[0072] Cost-effectiveness redefines the feasibility boundaries of the industry. Traditional approaches to meeting the demands of high-performance audio processing either employ expensive high-end single-chip solutions or construct complex and power-intensive multi-chip data processing systems. This solution, through precise functional decomposition and the organic combination of low-cost chips, significantly reduces hardware costs while ensuring processing performance, providing a feasible technical path for the widespread adoption of high-end audio processing capabilities in consumer products.

[0073] Optionally, in some embodiments of the actual cases in this application, the slave control chip communicates directly with other components besides the master control chip. After receiving the first audio data through the endpoint device interface, the slave control chip directly stores it in the third memory 0x90000000, so as to transmit the first audio data to a preset second algorithm for audio processing through a virtual audio card to obtain the second audio data (i.e., the processing result). When the slave control chip obtains the second audio data, it caches the second audio data in the fourth memory and directly reads the second audio data stored in the fourth memory through the endpoint device interface, so as to send the second audio data directly to other components besides the master control chip.

[0074] Optionally, in some embodiments of the actual cases of this application, the main control chip acquires the first audio data, i.e. the data to be processed, received by the hardware device configured with the multi-chip data processing system through the Audio SAI (Synchronous Audio Interface) interface of the sound card, and sends the first audio data directly to the first memory 0x80000000 via DMA. At the same time as each preset cycle is triggered, the first audio data is directly read from the first memory and transmitted to the preset second algorithm for audio processing to obtain the processing result. The processing result is then stored in the second memory so that the processing result can be directly output to other components outside or inside the system.

[0075] In other embodiments, this application also provides a microphone internally configured as a multi-chip data processing system, including a master control chip and at least one slave control chip; the master control chip is connected to at least one of the slave control chips via a communication network; the master control chip is configured to: receive a data processing request; and in response to the data processing request, perform at least one of the following operations: process all or part of the data to be processed related to the data processing request and output a processing result; send all or part of the data to be processed to at least one of the slave control chips; the slave control chip is configured to: receive the data to be processed from the master control chip; process the received data to be processed; and in response to the completion of processing, perform at least one of the following operations: return the processing result to the master control chip; and send the processing result to other components other than the master control chip.

[0076] Preferably, in some embodiments of this application, the microphone may be a ceiling-mounted microphone, a handheld microphone, a desktop microphone, etc. This application does not limit the form of the microphone.

[0077] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the main control chip includes a data acquisition port, and the main control chip is further configured to: respond to the data processing request, cyclically acquire the data to be processed from the data acquisition port according to a preset period; read the processing link configuration parameters of the data to be processed; and, in response to the processing link configuration parameters of the data to be processed, perform at least one of the following operations: process all or part of the data to be processed according to the processing link configuration parameters and according to a preset period, and output the processing result; determine at least one slave control chip to process the data to be processed according to the processing link configuration parameters; and transmit all or part of the data to be processed acquired in the current period to at least one slave control chip according to the preset period.

[0078] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the slave control chip is also configured to: receive the data to be processed for each preset period, process the data to be processed according to the corresponding audio processing function to obtain the processing result for the corresponding preset period; and, as a response to the completion of processing, perform at least one of the following operations: return the processing result to the master control chip according to the preset period; and send the processing result to other components other than the master control chip according to the preset period.

[0079] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the system further includes a digital signal processing device, and the master control chip and the digital signal processing device are connected via a local area network; the digital signal processing device is used to allocate an audio transmission channel for the second audio data; the slave control chip is also configured to perform at least one of the following operations: processing the received data to be processed and returning the processing result to the master control chip; processing the received data to be processed and sending the processing result to the digital signal processing device; the master control chip is also configured to perform at least one of the following operations: processing all or part of the data to be processed related to the data processing request itself and directly outputting the processing result to the digital signal processing device; receiving the processing result returned by the slave control chip and outputting the processing result to the digital signal processing device.

[0080] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the system further includes a local speaker communicatively connected to the digital signal processing device, wherein the digital signal processing device transmits the processing result to the local speaker based on the audio transmission channel.

[0081] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, other components outside or inside the system include a remote speaker that is communicatively connected to the digital signal processing device, and the digital signal processing device transmits the processing result to the remote speaker based on the audio transmission channel.

[0082] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the master control chip includes a first memory and a second memory, the slave control chip includes a third memory, and the master control chip is further configured to: store the collected data to be processed in the first memory according to a preset period; and, in response to the processing link configuration parameters of the data to be processed, perform at least one of the following operations: according to the processing link configuration parameters, according to a preset period, access and process all or part of the data to be processed in the first memory, and output the processing result and store it in the second memory; and according to the processing link configuration parameters, according to a preset period, send all or part of the data to be processed in the first memory to the third memory of at least one of the slave control chips.

[0083] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the slave control chip further includes a fourth memory, and the slave control chip is further configured to: read the data to be processed from the third memory according to the preset period; process the data to be processed according to the corresponding audio processing function to obtain the processing result corresponding to the preset period; store the processing result in the fourth memory; and, in response to the processing result in the fourth memory, perform at least one of the following operations: return the processing result to the master control chip; and send the processing result to other components other than the master control chip.

[0084] It is understood that the multi-chip data processing system configured inside the microphone described above corresponds to the multi-chip data processing system embodiment of this application, and can be the multi-chip data processing system provided by any of the above system embodiments of this application.

[0085] In summary, the microphone provided in this application embodiment has the following advantages over other technologies: It utilizes a multi-chip data processing system to collaboratively process audio data. The main control chip acquires audio data and communicates with designated external devices, while slave devices perform targeted audio processing, thereby reducing real-time audio processing latency. Furthermore, by employing multiple chips and introducing slave chips with different audio processing functions, the computational demands of the audio processing process are distributed across different chips, effectively addressing the high-performance requirements of a single chip for audio processing tasks. This reduces hardware costs in the audio processing process and improves the scalability of the audio processing system.

[0086] In another embodiment, reference Figure 5 This application also provides a data processing method for a multi-chip data processing system, the multi-chip data processing system comprising: a master control chip and at least one slave control chip; the master control chip is connected to at least one of the slave control chips via a system bus or communication network; each of the slave control chips includes at least one audio processing function, characterized in that the method includes S101 to S102, specifically: S101: the master control chip receives a data processing request as a response to the data processing request, and performs at least one of the following operations: processes all or part of the data to be processed related to the data processing request, and outputs the processing result; sends all or part of the data to be processed to at least one of the slave control chips; S102: the slave control chip receives the data to be processed from the master control chip; processes the received data to be processed; as a response to the completion of processing, performs at least one of the following operations: returns the processing result to the master control chip; sends the processing result to other components other than the master control chip.

[0087] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the main control chip further includes a data acquisition port, and the data processing method further includes: responding to the data processing request through the main control chip, so that the main control chip cyclically acquires the data to be processed from the data acquisition port according to a preset period; reading the processing link configuration parameters of the data to be processed through the main control chip, and performing at least one of the following operations as a response to the processing link configuration parameters of the data to be processed: processing all or part of the data to be processed according to the processing link configuration parameters and according to a preset period, and outputting the processing result; determining at least one slave control chip to process the data to be processed according to the processing link configuration parameters; and transmitting the data to be processed acquired in the current period to at least one slave control chip through the main control chip according to the preset period.

[0088] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the data processing method further includes: receiving the data to be processed for each preset period through the slave control chip, and processing the data to be processed through the slave control chip according to the corresponding audio processing function to obtain the processing result for the preset period; as a response to the completion of processing, performing at least one of the following operations: returning the processing result to the master control chip according to the preset period; and sending the processing result to other components other than the master control chip according to the preset period.

[0089] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the multi-chip data processing system further includes a digital signal processing device, and the master control chip is communicatively connected to the digital signal processing device; the digital signal processing device is used to allocate an audio transmission channel for the processing result. The data processing method further includes: performing at least one of the following operations through a slave control chip: processing the received data to be processed and returning the processing result to the master control chip; processing the received data to be processed and sending the processing result to the digital signal processing device. The master control chip is also configured to perform at least one of the following operations: processing all or part of the data to be processed related to the data processing request itself and directly outputting the processing result to the digital signal processing device; receiving the processing result returned by the slave control chip and outputting the processing result to the digital signal processing device.

[0090] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the multi-chip data processing system further includes a local speaker and / or a remote speaker communicatively connected to the digital signal processing device, wherein the digital signal processing device transmits the processing result to the local speaker and / or the remote speaker based on the audio transmission channel.

[0091] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the master control chip includes a first memory and a second memory, the slave control chip includes a third memory, and the data processing method further includes: storing the collected data to be processed in the first memory according to a preset period by the master control chip; and, in response to the processing link configuration parameters of the data to be processed, performing at least one of the following operations: according to the processing link configuration parameters, according to a preset period, accessing and processing all or part of the data to be processed in the first memory, and outputting the processing result and storing it in the second memory; and according to the processing link configuration parameters, according to a preset period, sending all or part of the data to be processed in the first memory to the third memory of at least one of the slave control chips.

[0092] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the slave control chip further includes a fourth memory, and the slave control chip is further configured to: read the data to be processed from the third memory according to the preset period; process the data to be processed according to the corresponding audio processing function to obtain the processing result corresponding to the preset period; store the processing result in the fourth memory; and, in response to the processing result in the fourth memory, perform at least one of the following operations: return the processing result to the master control chip; and send the processing result to other components other than the master control chip.

[0093] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the master control chip includes at least one root complex interface, the slave control chip includes at least one endpoint device interface, and the master control chip communicates with the endpoint device interface of the slave control chip through the root complex interface.

[0094] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the master control chip transmits the data to be processed to the endpoint device interface of at least one of the slave control chips through the root complex interface.

[0095] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the slave control chip transmits the processing result to the root complex interface of the master control chip through the endpoint device interface.

[0096] Preferably, in some embodiments of this application, the data processing method of the multi-chip data processing system described in S101 to S102 can be applied to an online meeting scenario. The online meeting scenario includes at least one microphone, at least one DSP device, and at least one meeting host. The microphone is internally configured as a multi-chip data processing system, which includes a master control chip and at least one slave control chip. The master control chip is connected to at least one of the slave control chips. Each slave control chip includes at least one audio processing function. The meeting host is communicatively connected to a remote speaker for online meetings. The data processing method specifically involves receiving and processing data through the master control chip. The system requests the acquisition of data to be processed received by the microphone's sound card and transmits the data to at least one of the slave control chips. The slave control chip processes the data according to its corresponding audio processing function to obtain a processing result, which is then transmitted back to the master control chip. Upon receiving the transmitted second audio data, the master control chip sends the processing result to the DSP device. The master control chip and the DSP device are connected via a local area network. The DSP device allocates an audio transmission channel for the processing result and transmits the result to the conference host through the audio transmission channel.

[0097] Optionally, the data processing method further includes: receiving a data processing request through the main control chip, collecting the data to be processed received by the sound card of the microphone, the main control chip directly processing all or part of the data to be processed related to the data processing request based on its own audio processing function, and outputting the processing result to the DSP device.

[0098] Optionally, the slave control chip is communicatively connected to the DSP device, and the system further includes a data acquisition port; the data processing method further includes: receiving a data processing request through the master control chip, acquiring the data to be processed received by the microphone's data acquisition port, and transmitting the data to be processed to at least one of the slave control chips; processing the data to be processed by the slave control chip according to its corresponding audio processing function to obtain a processing result, and outputting the processing result to the DSP device.

[0099] In summary, the data processing method provided in this application has the following advantages over other technologies: It uses a multi-chip data processing system to collaboratively process audio data. The main control chip acquires audio data and communicates with external or internal components, while slave control chips perform targeted audio processing, thereby reducing real-time audio processing latency. By cooperating with multiple chips and introducing slave control chips with different audio processing functions, the computing power requirements of the audio processing process are distributed across different chips, effectively addressing the high-performance requirements of a single chip for audio processing tasks. This reduces hardware costs in the audio processing process and improves the scalability of the audio processing system.

[0100] Based on the above system item embodiments, another embodiment of this application provides a computer-readable storage medium including a stored computer program, wherein the computer program controls the multi-chip data processing system described in any of the above system item embodiments, or the data processing method described in any of the above method item embodiments, when it is executed.

Claims

1. A multi-chip data processing system, characterized by The application relates to a chip system, comprising: a master chip and at least one slave chip; the master chip is communicatively connected with at least one slave chip; the master chip is configured to: receive a data processing request; in response to the data processing request, perform at least one of the following operations: process all or part of the to-be-processed data related to the data processing request and output a processing result; send all or part of the to-be-processed data to at least one slave chip; the slave chip is configured to: receive the to-be-processed data from the master chip; process the received to-be-processed data; in response to the completion of processing, perform at least one of the following operations: return the processing result to the master chip; send the processing result to components other than the master chip.

2. The multiple chip data processing system of claim 1 wherein, The application further comprises a data acquisition port, and the master chip is further configured to: in response to the data processing request, cyclically acquire the to-be-processed data from the data acquisition port according to a preset period; read the processing link configuration parameters of the to-be-processed data; in response to the processing link configuration parameters of the to-be-processed data, perform at least one of the following operations: according to the processing link configuration parameters, process all or part of the to-be-processed data according to a preset period and output a processing result; according to the processing link configuration parameters, determine at least one slave chip for processing the to-be-processed data; and transmit all or part of the to-be-processed data acquired in a current period to at least one slave chip according to the preset period.

3. The multiple chip data processing system of claim 2 wherein, The slave chip comprises at least one audio processing function, and the slave chip is further configured to: receive the to-be-processed data sent by the master chip based on each preset period, process the to-be-processed data according to the corresponding audio processing function, and obtain the processing result corresponding to the preset period; in response to the completion of processing, perform at least one of the following operations: return the processing result to the master chip according to the preset period; send the processing result to components other than the master chip according to the preset period.

4. The multi-chip data processing system of any of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a digital signal processing device, wherein, The master chip is communicatively connected with a digital signal processing device, and the digital signal processing device is used for allocating an audio transmission channel for the processing result; The slave chip is further configured to perform at least one of the following operations: process the received to-be-processed data and return the processing result to the master chip; process the received to-be-processed data and send the processing result to the digital signal processing device; The master chip is further configured to perform at least one of the following operations: process all or part of the to-be-processed data related to the data processing request and directly output the processing result to the digital signal processing device; receive the processing result returned by the slave chip and output the processing result to the digital signal processing device.

5. The multiple chip data processing system of claim 4, wherein, The application further comprises a local loudspeaker and / or a remote loudspeaker communicatively connected with the digital signal processing device, the digital signal processing device transmits the processing result to the local loudspeaker and / or the remote loudspeaker based on the audio transmission channel.

6. The multi-chip data processing system of claim 3, wherein, The master chip includes a first memory and a second memory, and the slave chip includes a third memory, The master chip is further configured to: store the collected to-be-processed data in the first memory according to a preset period; in response to the processing link configuration parameter of the to-be-processed data, at least one of the following operations is performed: according to the processing link configuration parameter, access and process all or part of the to-be-processed data in the first memory according to a preset period, and output the processing result to the second memory; according to the processing link configuration parameter, send all or part of the to-be-processed data in the first memory to the third memory of at least one slave chip according to a preset period.

7. The multi-chip data processing system of claim 6, wherein, The slave chip further includes a fourth memory, and the slave chip is further configured to: read the to-be-processed data from the third memory according to the preset period; process the to-be-processed data according to the corresponding audio processing function to obtain the processing result corresponding to the preset period; store the processing result in the fourth memory; in response to the processing result in the fourth memory, at least one of the following operations is performed: return the processing result to the master chip; send the processing result to components other than the master chip.

8. A data processing method of a multi-chip data processing system, characterized by, The multi-chip data processing system includes a master chip and at least one slave chip; the master chip is communicatively connected with at least one of the slave chips, and the method includes: The master chip receives a data processing request; in response to the data processing request, at least one of the following operations is performed: process all or part of the to-be-processed data related to the data processing request and output the processing result; send all or part of the to-be-processed data to at least one of the slave chips; The slave chip receives the to-be-processed data from the master chip; process the received to-be-processed data; in response to the completion of processing, at least one of the following operations is performed: return the processing result to the master chip; send the processing result to components other than the master chip.

9. A microphone, characterized by The microphone is internally configured as a multi-chip data processing system, including a master chip and at least one slave chip; the master chip is communicatively connected with at least one of the slave chips; The master chip is configured to: receive a data processing request; in response to the data processing request, at least one of the following operations is performed: process all or part of the to-be-processed data related to the data processing request and output the processing result; send all or part of the to-be-processed data to at least one of the slave chips; The slave chip is configured to: receive the to-be-processed data from the master chip; process the received to-be-processed data; in response to the completion of processing, at least one of the following operations is performed: return the processing result to the master chip; send the processing result to components other than the master chip.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer readable storage medium comprises a stored computer program, wherein the computer program, when executed, controls a multi-chip data processing system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, or implements the data processing method as claimed in claim 8.

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