Audio playing method and device, vehicle, storage medium and program product

Abstract

The invention provides an audio playing method and device, a vehicle, a storage medium and a program product, and relates to the technical field of cabins. The method comprises the following steps: sending audio data to a slave node in an audio system through a master node in the audio system; and controlling the master node and the slave node to synchronously play the audio data at specified playing time through a hardware synchronization mechanism of the audio system. According to the method, the master node and the slave node in the audio system can be controlled to synchronously play the audio data at the specified time through a hardware synchronization mechanism, so that high-precision audio synchronous playing between the master node and the slave node is realized, and the sound delay feeling among a plurality of loudspeakers on different nodes is effectively eliminated; the overall harmony and consistency of audio playing are improved, and high-quality user experience brought by an audio system is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of cockpit technology, and more particularly to an audio playback method, apparatus, vehicle, storage medium, and program product. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of computer technology and vehicle intelligence technology, vehicles have gradually evolved into intelligent mobile spaces integrating multiple functions, and audio playback has become an indispensable part of this. Vehicles can be equipped with multiple speaker zones in the cabin to achieve surround sound or independent sound zone playback. The synchronization of audio playback in multiple zones affects the consistency and immersion of the user's auditory experience.

[0003] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section above is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of this disclosure, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide an audio playback method, apparatus, vehicle, storage medium, and program product.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, an audio playback method is provided, comprising: sending audio data from a master node in an audio system to a slave node in the same audio system; and controlling the master node and the slave node to synchronously play the audio data at a specified playback time through a hardware synchronization mechanism of the audio system.

[0006] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure may include the following beneficial effects: This disclosure enables the master and slave nodes in an audio system to synchronously play audio data at a specified time through a hardware synchronization mechanism. This achieves high-precision audio synchronization between the master and slave nodes, effectively eliminating the sound delay between multiple speakers on different nodes, improving the overall coordination and consistency of audio playback, and ensuring a high-quality user experience from the audio system.

[0007] In some implementations, a physical signal line is provided between the master node and the slave node; wherein, controlling the master node and the slave node to synchronously play the audio data at a specified playback time through the hardware synchronization mechanism in the audio system includes: at the specified playback time, controlling the master node to generate a synchronization trigger signal and sending the synchronization trigger signal to each slave node through the physical signal line; controlling the master node and the slave node to play the audio data in response to the synchronization trigger signal.

[0008] In the above implementation, the physical signal line set between the master and slave nodes can be used to transmit the synchronization trigger signal, realizing a pure hardware instantaneous and stable trigger mechanism, avoiding the impact of network fluctuations or system load on signal transmission, and ensuring the accuracy and stability of multi-node audio synchronous playback.

[0009] In some implementations, each of the master node and the slave node is equipped with a local hardware comparator; wherein, controlling the master node and the slave node to synchronously play the audio data at a specified playback time through the hardware synchronization mechanism in the audio system includes: the master node sending a specified playback time corresponding to the audio data to the slave node; controlling the master node and each slave node to generate their respective hardware synchronization signals in response to detecting that their local time has reached the specified playback time through their respective hardware comparators; wherein the local time of the master node and each slave node has been synchronized based on a time synchronization protocol; and controlling the corresponding node to play the audio data in response to the generated hardware synchronization signal.

[0010] In the above implementation, hardware comparators deployed locally on each node and a unified time base can be used to enable each node to autonomously trigger audio playback at a precisely specified playback time, thereby achieving high-precision synchronous playback of distributed audio across multiple nodes and improving the synchronous playback quality and scalability of the audio system.

[0011] In some implementations, the step of generating hardware synchronization signals by the master node and each slave node through their respective hardware comparators in response to detecting that the local time has reached the specified playback time includes: controlling the master node and each slave node to continuously compare the local time with the specified playback time through their respective hardware comparators; and generating hardware synchronization signals at the corresponding nodes in response to determining by the hardware comparators that the local time is consistent with the specified playback time.

[0012] In the above implementation, the hardware comparator of each node can continuously monitor the local clock in real time and compare it with the specified playback time to ensure that a synchronization signal is generated immediately when the playback time is reached, achieving a high-precision response speed and avoiding trigger asynchrony caused by time errors, thereby ensuring the accuracy of audio synchronous playback.

[0013] In some implementations, the hardware comparator is located in the application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) of the external controller of the corresponding node.

[0014] In the above embodiments, the hardware comparator can be integrated into the external controller application-specific integrated circuit of the node, thereby offloading the synchronization task from the node's main processor, avoiding timing interference that may be caused by the node's main processor performing other tasks, ensuring the independence and high priority of the generated hardware synchronization signal, and thus improving the reliability of audio synchronization playback.

[0015] In some implementations, the audio data and the corresponding specified playback time are encapsulated in the same message for transmission.

[0016] In the above implementation, audio data and the corresponding specified playback time can be encapsulated in the same message for transmission, ensuring the integrity and simultaneous arrival of the audio data and the corresponding playback timing information, simplifying the parsing logic of the slave node, and improving the reliability of the system.

[0017] In some implementations, the time difference between the specified playback time and the time when the master node sends the audio data is greater than or equal to the transmission delay of the audio data from the master node to any slave node.

[0018] In the above implementation, by setting a sufficient time difference, it can be ensured that all slave nodes have successfully received and cached the audio data to be played before the specified playback time, thus avoiding the risk of data not being ready due to transmission delay and ensuring the synchronous playback effect.

[0019] In some implementations, the audio system is an in-vehicle audio system, the master node includes a cockpit domain controller, and the slave node includes a region controller.

[0020] In the above embodiments, this method can be applied to in-vehicle audio systems to effectively ensure the synchronous playback of speakers in different locations controlled by the in-vehicle cabin domain controller and area controller, thereby improving the synchronization of in-vehicle audio playback and the in-vehicle user experience.

[0021] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, an audio playback device is provided, comprising: a sending unit for sending audio data to a slave node in the audio system via a master node in the audio system; and a control unit for controlling the master node and the slave node to synchronously play the audio data at a specified playback time via a hardware synchronization mechanism of the audio system.

[0022] In some implementations, a physical signal line is provided between the master node and the slave node; wherein, the control unit controls the master node and the slave node to synchronously play the audio data at a specified playback time through a hardware synchronization mechanism in the audio system, including: at the specified playback time, controlling the master node to generate a synchronization trigger signal and sending the synchronization trigger signal to each slave node through the physical signal line; controlling the master node and the slave node to play the audio data in response to the synchronization trigger signal.

[0023] In some implementations, each of the master node and the slave node is equipped with a local hardware comparator; wherein, the control unit controls the master node and the slave node to synchronously play the audio data at a specified playback time through a hardware synchronization mechanism in the audio system, including: sending a specified playback time corresponding to the audio data to the slave node through the master node; controlling the master node and each slave node to generate their respective hardware synchronization signals in response to detecting that their local time has reached the specified playback time through their respective hardware comparators; wherein the local time of the master node and each slave node has been synchronized based on a time synchronization protocol; and controlling the corresponding node to play the audio data in response to the generated hardware synchronization signal.

[0024] In some implementations, the control unit controls the master node and each slave node to generate their respective hardware synchronization signals in response to detecting that the local time has reached the specified playback time, including: controlling the master node and each slave node to continuously compare the local time with the specified playback time through their respective hardware comparators; and generating a hardware synchronization signal at the corresponding node in response to determining that the local time is consistent with the specified playback time through the hardware comparator.

[0025] In some implementations, the hardware comparator is located in the application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) of the external controller of the corresponding node.

[0026] In some implementations, the audio data and the corresponding specified playback time are encapsulated in the same message for transmission.

[0027] In some implementations, the time difference between the specified playback time and the time when the master node sends the audio data is greater than or equal to the transmission delay of the audio data from the master node to any slave node.

[0028] In some implementations, the audio system is an in-vehicle audio system, the master node includes a cockpit domain controller, and the slave node includes a region controller.

[0029] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided, comprising: a processor; a memory for storing processor-executable instructions; wherein the processor is configured to implement the audio playback method described above.

[0030] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic device is provided, characterized in that it includes: a processor; a memory for storing processor-executable instructions; wherein the processor is configured to implement the above-described audio playback method.

[0031] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, which, when the instructions in the storage medium are executed by a processor of a mobile terminal, enables the mobile terminal to perform the above-described audio playback method.

[0032] According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program product is provided, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described audio playback method.

[0033] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0034] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0035] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating an audio playback method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0036] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating an audio playback method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, in which multiple nodes are controlled to play audio data through a hardware synchronization mechanism.

[0037] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating another audio playback method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, in which multiple nodes are controlled to play audio data through a hardware synchronization mechanism.

[0038] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an audio playback method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, in which multiple nodes are controlled to play audio data via physical signal lines.

[0039] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an audio playback method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, in which multiple nodes are controlled to play audio data via a hardware comparator.

[0040] Figure 6This is a block diagram illustrating an audio playback device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0041] Figure 7 This is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus for audio playback according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0042] Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail herein, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the drawings, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements unless otherwise indicated. Various changes, modifications, and equivalents of the methods, apparatus, and / or systems described herein will become apparent upon understanding this disclosure. For example, the order of operations described herein is merely illustrative and is not limited to those orders set forth herein, but can be changed as will become apparent upon understanding this disclosure, except for operations that must be performed in a particular order. Furthermore, for clarity and brevity, descriptions of features known in the art may be omitted.

[0043] The flowchart shown in the attached diagram is merely an illustrative example and does not necessarily include all content and steps, nor does it necessarily have to be executed in the described order or in the order of the step numbers. For example, some steps can be broken down, while others can be combined or partially combined, and multiple steps can have their order interchanged or be executed simultaneously. Therefore, the actual execution order may change depending on the actual situation.

[0044] The embodiments described below, which are examples of some of the embodiments of this disclosure, do not represent all embodiments consistent with this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

[0045] The specific implementation methods of the embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0046] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating an audio playback method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the audio playback method can be applied to electronic devices, including but not limited to in-vehicle terminals, smartphones, smart tablets, wearable devices, desktop computers, laptops, smart speakers, and other terminal devices. It can also include server-side components such as local servers and cloud servers, which can be deployed on a single computer or a computer cluster consisting of multiple computers. The audio playback method may include the following steps.

[0047] In step S110, audio data is sent from the master node in the audio system to the slave node in the audio system.

[0048] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the audio system can be a network composed of multiple device nodes that can play audio independently. The device nodes in the audio system can include a master node and at least one slave node.

[0049] The master node takes on the task of sending data, transmitting the audio data to be played to the slave nodes; the slave nodes receive and buffer the audio data sent by the master node. This ensures that all nodes needing playback have the audio content to be played, preparing for subsequent synchronized playback of audio data by both master and slave nodes. The audio data can be generated by the master node itself or received from external sources.

[0050] In an exemplary embodiment, the master node and the slave node can each control different speakers to play audio data.

[0051] In step S120, the master node and the slave node are controlled to play the audio data synchronously at a specified playback time through the hardware synchronization mechanism of the audio system.

[0052] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the audio system may be equipped with a hardware synchronization mechanism implemented at the hardware level. The hardware synchronization mechanism can be used to control all nodes to start playing audio at a specified playback time.

[0053] Hardware synchronization mechanisms can provide precise timing and / or signal transmission capabilities based on hardware, ensuring that the master and slave nodes can operate strictly according to the predetermined playback time when playing audio data. This avoids audio desynchronization problems caused by time differences, such as sound delays and misalignments, thereby providing a high-quality audio playback experience.

[0054] Using a hardware synchronization mechanism can avoid the impact of other scheduled tasks or CPU load interference during software synchronization, thereby achieving high-precision synchronization.

[0055] The specified playback time can be a future, absolute timestamp. In an exemplary embodiment, the master node can attach the corresponding specified playback time along with the audio data at the same time, before, or after sending the audio data. For example, it can send an instruction containing "play audio data A at this precise time x" at the same time, before, or after sending audio data A, or encapsulate audio data A and the specified playback time x in the same message for transmission.

[0056] As can be seen from the above steps, the audio playback method provided in this disclosure can control the master node and slave node in the audio system to play audio data synchronously at a specified time through a hardware synchronization mechanism, thereby achieving high-precision audio synchronization between the master and slave nodes, effectively eliminating the sound delay between multiple speakers on different nodes, improving the overall coordination and consistency of audio playback, and ensuring a high-quality user experience brought by the audio system.

[0057] In some embodiments of this disclosure, a physical signal line is provided between the master node and the slave node.

[0058] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the hardware synchronization mechanism can be implemented through a physical signal line between the master node and the slave node. A physical signal line can be established between the master node and the slave node to provide a physical channel for subsequent signal transmission between the master and slave nodes.

[0059] The physical signal line can be a hardware-level connection, such as a physical wire / cable. It provides a dedicated, low-latency, and highly reliable physical channel to transmit the synchronization control signal—the playback command—thus avoiding the latency, jitter, and uncertainty that may arise from using wireless or data networks. This allows the master node to stably and quickly transmit the synchronization trigger signal to each slave node.

[0060] In an exemplary embodiment, the physical signal line may be looped, and the master node and slave nodes may be connected through the looped physical signal line. The physical signal line may also be a point-to-point hard line between the master node and each slave node, and this disclosure does not limit it in this way.

[0061] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating an audio playback method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, in which multiple nodes are controlled to play audio data through a hardware synchronization mechanism.

[0062] like Figure 2 As shown in some embodiments of this disclosure, the process of controlling the master node and the slave node to synchronously play the audio data at a specified playback time through the hardware synchronization mechanism in the audio system may include the following steps.

[0063] Step S210: At the specified playback time, control the master node to generate a synchronization trigger signal and send the synchronization trigger signal to each slave node through the physical signal line.

[0064] In this embodiment of the disclosure, when a pre-set playback time is reached, the master node can begin generating a synchronization trigger signal. The synchronization trigger signal can be a control signal indicating that audio data playback is about to begin. In response to the generation of the local synchronization trigger signal, the master node can quickly send the generated synchronization trigger signal to all slave nodes simultaneously via the established physical signal lines, ensuring that each slave node receives the signal at the same time.

[0065] In an exemplary embodiment, the synchronization trigger signal generated by the master node may be a frame synchronization signal (FSYNC) acting on an audio codec or power amplifier chip, and may be a voltage transition (such as a rising edge from low level to high level).

[0066] Step S220: Control the master node and the slave node to play the audio data in response to the synchronization trigger signal.

[0067] In this embodiment, the master node can respond immediately after generating the synchronization trigger signal, and the slave node can respond immediately after receiving the synchronization trigger signal, starting to play the previously received audio data. Since a physical signal line is provided to ensure that the master and slave nodes sense the synchronization trigger signal almost simultaneously, they can synchronously start playback, thereby achieving precise synchronous playback of audio at a specified time and avoiding audio desynchronization problems such as sound delay and misalignment caused by time differences.

[0068] In an exemplary embodiment, the “start” or “start playing” pins of the audio codecs or digital signal processors of each slave node can be directly connected to the physical signal lines. When the master node and each slave node detect the expected level transition, they can immediately initiate the conversion of the digital audio stream to the analog signal without the intervention of the software operating system, thereby achieving a high-precision response.

[0069] Through the embodiments of this disclosure, a synchronization trigger signal can be transmitted using a physical signal line set between master and slave nodes, realizing a pure hardware instantaneous and stable triggering mechanism. This avoids the impact of network fluctuations or system load on signal transmission and ensures the accuracy and stability of multi-node audio synchronous playback.

[0070] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the master node and the slave node are each provided with a local hardware comparator.

[0071] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the hardware synchronization mechanism can be implemented by comparing the time using local hardware comparators on each node. Both the master node and the slave node can be equipped with local hardware comparators, which can continuously monitor the node's own local time.

[0072] The hardware comparator can be a dedicated hardware circuit, rather than a software program. Its core function is to continuously compare the magnitudes of two input values. One input can be connected to a "specified playback time," and the other input can be connected to a continuously increasing "local time." In response to a comparison result showing "local time >= "specified playback time," the hardware comparator immediately outputs a level transition within one clock cycle, generating a hardware synchronization signal. Because this process is implemented in hardware, it guarantees extremely high speed (e.g., nanosecond level) and is unaffected by software and operating system scheduling, thus achieving zero-jitter triggering.

[0073] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating another audio playback method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, in which multiple nodes are controlled to play audio data through a hardware synchronization mechanism.

[0074] like Figure 3 As shown in some embodiments of this disclosure, the process of controlling the master node and the slave node to synchronously play the audio data at a specified playback time through the hardware synchronization mechanism in the audio system may include the following steps.

[0075] Step S310: The master node sends the specified playback time corresponding to the audio data to the slave node.

[0076] In this embodiment, the master node can send the specific time information (i.e., the specified playback time) of the planned audio data playback to each slave node. This step lays the foundation for subsequent synchronization operations between the master and slave nodes based on a unified time standard, ensuring that each slave node knows when it needs to play the received audio data.

[0077] Step S320: Control the master node and each slave node to generate their respective hardware synchronization signals in response to the detection that the local time has reached the specified playback time through their respective hardware comparators; wherein, the local time of the master node and each slave node has been synchronized based on a time synchronization protocol.

[0078] In this embodiment of the disclosure, both the master node and the slave node can continuously monitor whether the local time has reached the specified playback time through a local hardware comparator, and trigger and generate a hardware synchronization signal when the hardware comparator detects that the time has been reached.

[0079] The local time of each master and slave node can be a global clock signal that has been synchronized through a time synchronization protocol, which ensures that these local times measure time in a consistent manner, thereby enabling them to generate hardware synchronization signals accurately at the same time.

[0080] In an exemplary embodiment, the time synchronization protocol can be the gPTP protocol (Generalized PrecisionTime Protocol). Through the gPTP protocol, the local time of the master and slave nodes can be accurately calibrated and synchronized, so that they have the same standard for time measurement, thereby providing a reliable time reference for subsequent time-based synchronization operations.

[0081] In an exemplary embodiment, the hardware synchronization signal generated by the hardware comparator of each node can be a frame synchronization signal (FSYNC) acting on the audio codec or power amplifier chip, or it can be a voltage transition (such as a rising edge from low level to high level).

[0082] Step S330: Control the corresponding node to play the audio data in response to the generated hardware synchronization signal.

[0083] In this embodiment, after generating a hardware synchronization signal, the master node and slave node can immediately respond to this signal and begin playing the audio data that has been received and prepared beforehand. Since the master and slave nodes generate the synchronization signal at the same time, they can start playback synchronously, achieving precise synchronous playback of audio at a specified time and avoiding audio desynchronization problems caused by time differences.

[0084] Through the embodiments of this disclosure, hardware comparators deployed locally on each node and a unified time base can be used to enable each node to autonomously trigger audio playback at a precisely specified playback time, thereby achieving high-precision synchronous playback of distributed audio across multiple nodes and improving the synchronous playback quality and scalability of the audio system.

[0085] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the step of generating hardware synchronization signals by the master node and each slave node through their respective hardware comparators in response to detecting that the local time has reached the specified playback time includes: controlling the master node and each slave node to continuously compare the local time with the specified playback time through their respective hardware comparators; and generating hardware synchronization signals at the corresponding nodes in response to determining by the hardware comparators that the local time is consistent with the specified playback time.

[0086] In this embodiment, both the master and slave nodes can utilize their own hardware comparators to continuously compare the synchronized and constantly updated local time with the specified playback time. This continuous comparison ensures that changes in the relationship between the local time and the specified playback time are captured in real time, providing a data foundation for the accurate and timely generation of synchronization signals.

[0087] When the hardware comparator continuously compares and determines that the local time matches the specified playback time, it can trigger the generation of a hardware synchronization signal on the corresponding node (including the master node and slave nodes). The generation of the hardware synchronization signal indicates that the node has reached the preset playback time point, and can provide a clear trigger instruction for subsequent nodes to start audio playback operations.

[0088] Through the embodiments of this disclosure, the hardware comparator of each node can continuously monitor the local clock in real time and compare it with the specified playback time to ensure that a synchronization signal is generated immediately when the playback time is reached, achieving a high-precision response speed and avoiding trigger asynchrony caused by time errors, thereby ensuring the accuracy of audio synchronous playback.

[0089] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the hardware comparator is located in the application-specific integrated circuit of the external controller of the corresponding node.

[0090] In this embodiment of the disclosure, when constructing an audio system, an external controller can be configured for each node (including master and slave nodes), independent of the node's core processing unit (such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or MCU (Microcontroller Unit)). Then, the hardware comparator is integrated into the application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) of the external controller. The external controller can support the hardware comparator, providing it with the necessary operating environment and support.

[0091] With such hardware deployment, the master node and slave node can use independent hardware comparators to compare the local time with the specified playback time, thereby accurately completing the entire audio synchronization playback process.

[0092] In an exemplary embodiment, the external controller may be a network interface controller or a switching chip, and may include physical layer transceivers, network switches, and other units.

[0093] Through the embodiments of this disclosure, a hardware comparator can be integrated into the external controller application-specific integrated circuit of the node, thereby offloading the synchronization task from the node's main processor, avoiding timing interference that may be caused by the node's main processor performing other tasks, ensuring the independence and high priority of the generated hardware synchronization signal, and thus improving the reliability of audio synchronization playback.

[0094] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the audio data and the corresponding specified playback time are encapsulated in the same message for transmission.

[0095] In this embodiment, when the master node prepares to send audio data to the slave nodes, it can integrate the audio data and its corresponding specified playback time, and encapsulate the integrated audio data and specified playback time into a single message according to a specific message format before sending it to the slave nodes. In this way, the content to be played and the preset playback time can be delivered simultaneously through a single network transmission, ensuring data integrity and consistency. Each slave node can simultaneously obtain the audio data and corresponding playback time information by parsing the message, thereby achieving accurate synchronized playback.

[0096] In an exemplary embodiment, the protocol of the message may be, for example, the AVTP protocol (Audio / Video Transport Protocol), and audio data and preset playback time information may be encapsulated in the data packets of the AVTP protocol.

[0097] Through the embodiments of this disclosure, audio data and the corresponding specified playback time can be encapsulated in the same message for transmission, ensuring the integrity and simultaneous arrival of the audio data and the corresponding playback timing information, simplifying the parsing logic of the slave node, and improving the reliability of the system.

[0098] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the time difference between the specified playback time and the time when the master node sends the audio data is greater than or equal to the transmission delay of the audio data from the master node to any slave node.

[0099] In this embodiment of the disclosure, before the audio system is built and put into operation, the transmission delay of audio data from the master node to each slave node can be measured or estimated. The influence of various factors such as network bandwidth, distance between nodes, and network congestion can be considered to accurately estimate the delay.

[0100] When sending audio data, the master node can plan a specified playback time based on the determined transmission delay. Setting the time difference between the specified playback time and the time when the master node sends the audio data to be greater than or equal to the transmission delay of the audio data from the master node to any slave node ensures that the audio data has not yet reached the specified playback time when it is transmitted to the slave node, giving each slave node enough time to receive the audio data and prepare for playback.

[0101] Through the embodiments of this disclosure, by setting a sufficient time difference, it can be ensured that all slave nodes have successfully received and cached the audio data to be played before the specified playback time, avoiding the risk of data not being ready due to transmission delay, thereby ensuring the synchronous playback effect.

[0102] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the audio system is an in-vehicle audio system, the master node includes a cockpit domain controller, and the slave node includes a region controller.

[0103] In this embodiment, the in-vehicle audio system can be an audio system applied inside a vehicle. It not only fulfills audio playback functions but also adapts to the complex environment inside the vehicle, such as electromagnetic interference and space constraints. Furthermore, it can integrate and work collaboratively with other vehicle systems (such as cockpit control systems and navigation systems). When designing and constructing the in-vehicle audio system, a master-slave node architecture can be adopted, with the master node being the cockpit domain controller and the slave nodes being area controllers. This forms the basic framework of the entire audio system, laying the hardware foundation for subsequent audio data transmission and synchronized playback. At least one area controller may include a left domain controller, a right domain controller, a rear domain controller, etc., which are not limited in this disclosure.

[0104] In this embodiment, the cockpit domain controller (master node) can prepare the audio data to be played and process the audio data and related information (such as a specified playback time) according to preset rules so as to transmit it to at least one area controller (slave node). After receiving the audio data and related information sent by the cockpit domain controller (master node), the area controller (slave node) can play the audio data synchronously with the master node at the specified playback time according to the hardware synchronization mechanism provided by this method, so as to achieve the effect of synchronous playback of in-vehicle audio.

[0105] Among them, the cockpit domain controller and area controller can control the speakers in different areas, enabling independent or coordinated audio playback in different areas of the vehicle, providing a personalized audio experience for in-vehicle users.

[0106] In an exemplary embodiment, the controllers in the vehicle audio system can be connected and laid out in a ring network structure to form a ring network topology.

[0107] Through the embodiments disclosed herein, this method can be applied to in-vehicle audio systems, effectively ensuring the synchronous playback of speakers in different locations controlled by the in-vehicle cabin domain controller and area controller, thereby improving the synchronization of in-vehicle audio playback and the in-vehicle user experience.

[0108] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an audio playback method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, in which multiple nodes are controlled to play audio data via physical signal lines.

[0109] like Figure 4 The diagram illustrates an audio playback architecture for an in-vehicle audio system, which enables synchronized audio output across multiple regions through collaborative work between master and slave nodes. The in-vehicle audio system may include a cockpit domain controller, node A, node B, and node C, where the cockpit domain controller can act as the master node, and nodes A, B, and C can act as multiple independent slave nodes.

[0110] In this in-vehicle audio system, the cockpit domain controller may contain a digital signal processor (DSP) responsible for generating audio data and synchronization control signals. The synchronization control signals output by the DSP may include: a frame synchronization signal (FSYNC), a clock signal (CLK), an interface for data transmission (RGMII), and audio data output (DOUT). The audio data may include, for example, immersive sound, voice prompts, or navigation announcements.

[0111] The cockpit domain controller can send a frame synchronization signal (FSYNC) at a specified playback time. FSYNC can be used as a synchronization trigger signal in this solution and directly connected to each slave node (including node A, node B, and node C) through a physical signal line to provide a synchronization reference. Audio data can be transmitted to each slave node through the RGMII interface via a switch.

[0112] Nodes A, B, and C correspond to different area controllers within the vehicle. Each slave node receives data streams from the cockpit domain controller via a switch and passes them to its local MCU (microcontroller) for processing. The MCUs of each slave node can interact with the power amplifier IC via control signals such as FSYNC / SCK (serial clock signal) / DOUT, ultimately driving the speakers to output audio. Simultaneously, the cockpit domain controller can also interact with its own power amplifier IC via control signals such as FSYNC / CLK / DOUT, driving the speakers to output audio.

[0113] In this embodiment, the entire vehicle audio system can transmit synchronous trigger signals (including FSYNC) through physical signal lines to ensure that all slave nodes start playing audio at the same time, avoiding delay differences when playing in multiple areas, thereby achieving high-precision synchronous playback between multiple speakers in the vehicle, improving the sound effect experience, and ensuring the consistency of the immersive experience of the surround sound field or independent sound zones.

[0114] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an audio playback method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, in which multiple nodes are controlled to play audio data via a hardware comparator.

[0115] like Figure 5 The diagram illustrates an audio playback architecture for an in-vehicle audio system. This architecture enables high-precision synchronous audio output across multiple regions through collaborative work between master and slave nodes, combined with a hardware-level time comparison mechanism. The in-vehicle audio system may include a cockpit domain controller, node A, node B, and node C. The cockpit domain controller can act as the master node, while nodes A, B, and C can act as multiple independent slave nodes.

[0116] In this system, the cockpit domain controller may contain a digital signal processor (DSP) responsible for generating audio data and distributing the audio data and the corresponding specified playback time to each slave node (node ​​A, node B, node C) through a switch.

[0117] Each slave node may include a switch, a microcontroller (MCU), a power amplifier, and an external controller. The external controller integrates a hardware comparator, which may be located in an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for precise time triggering.

[0118] When the audio data packets sent by the cockpit domain controller arrive at each slave node, the microcontroller of each slave node can parse the specified playback time corresponding to the audio data and compare it with the local time. Since the master node and each slave node have completed local clock synchronization through a time synchronization protocol (such as gPTP), the local time of each node can remain highly consistent.

[0119] When the local time reaches the specified playback time, the hardware comparator will immediately generate a hardware synchronization signal, which can directly trigger the power amplifier of the corresponding node to start playing audio.

[0120] In an exemplary embodiment, the master node itself may also have the same hardware comparator mechanism to generate a synchronization signal in response to the local time reaching a specified playback time, thereby ensuring that the master node and all slave nodes start audio playback at the same time (not shown in the figure). This solution based on hardware comparators and time synchronization protocols achieves flexible, scalable, and high-precision audio synchronization, significantly improving the immersive sound experience and sound field consistency of in-vehicle multi-speaker systems.

[0121] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 5 The external controller shown may include a 1722 CRF Packet Decode module, a 1588 Time Stamp Engine, a Wall Clock (gPTP global clock), a hardware comparator, and a Frac PLL (fractional N-phase-locked loop). The 1722 CRF Packet Decode module can be used to parse time information from audio data packets (specifying playback timestamps can be encapsulated in IEEE 1722 data packets), the 1588 Time Stamp Engine can be used to receive and process gPTP protocol messages to achieve local clock synchronization, and the Frac PLL can be used to adjust the local clock frequency.

[0122] The hardware comparator can preload a specified playback timestamp (e.g., gPTP global time in nanoseconds) parsed from the 1722 CRF Packet Decode module into a preset register. Simultaneously, the hardware comparator continuously receives real-time time values ​​from the Wall Clock (i.e., a local global clock synchronized via gPTP). When the local Wall Clock's time count perfectly matches the preset playback timestamp in the register, the hardware comparator outputs a high-level or pulse-like hardware synchronization signal within a single clock cycle without software intervention. This hardware synchronization signal can be used to trigger buffer release or DMA activation in the audio playback path, thereby driving the power amplifier IC to begin playing audio at a precise moment.

[0123] This pure hardware implementation significantly reduces system latency and jitter, avoids uncertainties caused by operating system scheduling or interrupt handling, and can meet the requirements of highly real-time and synchronous in-vehicle immersive audio scenarios.

[0124] It should be noted that the above figures are merely illustrative representations of the processes included in methods according to some embodiments of this disclosure, and are not intended to be limiting. It is readily understood that the processes shown in the above figures do not indicate or limit the temporal order of these processes. Furthermore, it is readily understood that these processes may be executed synchronously or asynchronously, for example, in multiple modules.

[0125] The following are embodiments of the apparatus disclosed herein, which can be used to execute embodiments of the method disclosed herein. For details not disclosed in the apparatus embodiments of this disclosure, please refer to the embodiments of the method disclosed herein.

[0126] Figure 6 This is a block diagram illustrating an audio playback device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. (Refer to...) Figure 6 The device includes a transmitting unit 601 and a control unit 602.

[0127] The sending unit 601 is used to send audio data to the slave node in the audio system through the master node in the audio system; the control unit 602 is used to control the master node and the slave node to play the audio data synchronously at a specified playback time through the hardware synchronization mechanism of the audio system.

[0128] In some embodiments of this disclosure, a physical signal line is provided between the master node and the slave node; wherein, the control unit 602 controls the master node and the slave node to synchronously play the audio data at a specified playback time through a hardware synchronization mechanism in the audio system, including: at the specified playback time, controlling the master node to generate a synchronization trigger signal and sending the synchronization trigger signal to each slave node through the physical signal line; controlling the master node and the slave node to play the audio data in response to the synchronization trigger signal.

[0129] In some embodiments, each of the master node and the slave node is equipped with a local hardware comparator; wherein, the control unit 602 controls the master node and the slave node to synchronously play the audio data at a specified playback time through the hardware synchronization mechanism in the audio system, including: sending the specified playback time corresponding to the audio data to the slave node through the master node; controlling the master node and each slave node to generate their respective hardware synchronization signals in response to detecting that the local time has reached the specified playback time through their respective hardware comparators; wherein the local time of the master node and each slave node has been synchronized based on a time synchronization protocol; and controlling the corresponding node to play the audio data in response to the generated hardware synchronization signal.

[0130] In some embodiments, the control unit 602 controls the master node and each slave node to generate their respective hardware synchronization signals in response to detecting that the local time has reached the specified playback time, including: controlling the master node and each slave node to continuously compare the local time with the specified playback time through their respective hardware comparators; and generating a hardware synchronization signal at the corresponding node in response to determining that the local time is consistent with the specified playback time through the hardware comparator.

[0131] In some implementations, the hardware comparator is located in the application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) of the external controller of the corresponding node.

[0132] In some implementations, the audio data and the corresponding specified playback time are encapsulated in the same message for transmission.

[0133] In some implementations, the time difference between the specified playback time and the time when the master node sends the audio data is greater than or equal to the transmission delay of the audio data from the master node to any slave node.

[0134] In some implementations, the audio system is an in-vehicle audio system, the master node includes a cockpit domain controller, and the slave node includes a region controller.

[0135] Regarding the apparatus in the above embodiments, the specific manner in which each module performs its operation has been described in detail in the embodiments related to the method, and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0136] Figure 7 This is a block diagram illustrating an audio playback device 700 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, device 700 may be a mobile phone, computer, digital broadcasting terminal, messaging device, game console, tablet device, medical device, fitness equipment, personal digital assistant, etc.

[0137] Reference Figure 7 The device 700 may include one or more of the following components: a processing component 702, a memory 704, a power component 706, a multimedia component 708, an audio component 710, an input / output (I / O) interface 712, a sensor component 714, and a communication component 716.

[0138] Processing component 702 typically controls the overall operation of device 700, such as operations associated with display, telephone calls, data communication, camera operation, and recording. Processing component 702 may include one or more processors 720 to execute instructions to complete all or part of the steps of the methods described above. Furthermore, processing component 702 may include one or more modules to facilitate interaction between processing component 702 and other components. For example, processing component 702 may include a multimedia module to facilitate interaction between multimedia component 708 and processing component 702.

[0139] Memory 704 is configured to store various types of data to support the operation of device 700. Examples of this data include instructions for any application or method operating on device 700, contact data, phonebook data, messages, pictures, videos, etc. Memory 704 can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage 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.

[0140] The power supply component 706 provides power to the various components of the device 700. The power supply component 706 may include a power management system, one or more power sources, and other components associated with generating, managing, and distributing power to the device 700.

[0141] Multimedia component 708 includes a screen that provides an output interface between the device 700 and the user. In some embodiments, the screen may include a liquid crystal display (LCD) and a touch panel (TP). If the screen includes a touch panel, the screen may be implemented as a touchscreen to receive input signals from the user. The touch panel includes one or more touch sensors to sense touches, swipes, and gestures on the touch panel. The touch sensors may sense not only the boundaries of the touch or swipe action but also the duration and pressure associated with the touch or swipe operation. In some embodiments, multimedia component 708 includes a front-facing camera and / or a rear-facing camera. When the device 700 is in an operating mode, such as a shooting mode or a video mode, the front-facing camera and / or the rear-facing camera may receive external multimedia data. Each front-facing camera and rear-facing camera may be a fixed optical lens system or have focal length and optical zoom capabilities.

[0142] Audio component 710 is configured to output and / or input audio signals. For example, audio component 710 includes a microphone (MIC) configured to receive external audio signals when device 700 is in an operating mode, such as call mode, recording mode, and voice recognition mode. The received audio signals may be further stored in memory 704 or transmitted via communication component 716. In some embodiments, audio component 710 also includes a speaker for outputting audio signals.

[0143] I / O interface 712 provides an interface between processing component 702 and peripheral interface modules, such as keyboards, click wheels, buttons, etc. These buttons may include, but are not limited to, home buttons, volume buttons, power buttons, and lock buttons.

[0144] Sensor assembly 714 includes one or more sensors for providing status assessments of various aspects of device 700. For example, sensor assembly 714 may detect the on / off state of device 700, the relative positioning of components such as the display and keypad of device 700, changes in the position of device 700 or a component of device 700, the presence or absence of user contact with device 700, the orientation or acceleration / deceleration of device 700, and temperature changes of device 700. Sensor assembly 714 may include a proximity sensor configured to detect the presence of nearby objects without any physical contact. Sensor assembly 714 may also include a light sensor, such as a CMOS or CCD image sensor, for use in imaging applications. In some embodiments, sensor assembly 714 may also include an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a pressure sensor, or a temperature sensor.

[0145] Communication component 716 is configured to facilitate wired or wireless communication between device 700 and other devices. Device 700 can access wireless networks based on communication standards, such as WiFi, 3G, 4G, 5G, other communication standards, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments of this disclosure, communication component 716 receives broadcast signals or broadcast-related information from an external broadcast management system via a broadcast channel. In some embodiments of this disclosure, communication component 716 further includes a near-field communication (NFC) module to facilitate short-range communication. For example, the NFC module may be implemented based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, Infrared Data Association (IrDA) technology, ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, Bluetooth (BT) technology, and other technologies.

[0146] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the apparatus 700 may be implemented by one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, or other electronic components to perform the methods described above.

[0147] In some embodiments of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium including instructions is also provided, such as a memory 704 including instructions, which can be executed by a processor 720 of the device 700 to perform the above-described method. For example, the computer-readable storage medium may be a ROM, random access memory (RAM), CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, and optical data storage device, etc.

[0148] A vehicle may be a hybrid vehicle, a non-hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, or other type of vehicle. The vehicle may be a driver-assisted vehicle, a semi-driver-assisted vehicle, or a driver-free vehicle.

[0149] Vehicles can include various subsystems, such as infotainment systems, perception systems, decision control systems, drive systems, and computing platforms. A vehicle can also include more or fewer subsystems, and each subsystem can include multiple components. Furthermore, each subsystem and each component of the vehicle can be interconnected via wired or wireless means.

[0150] In some embodiments, an infotainment system may include a communication system, an entertainment system, and a navigation system, etc.

[0151] The perception system may include several types of sensors used to sense information about the environment surrounding the vehicle. For example, the perception system may include a global positioning system (which may be GPS, BeiDou, or other positioning systems), an inertial measurement unit (IMU), lidar, millimeter-wave radar, ultrasonic radar, and camera devices.

[0152] The decision control system may include a computing system, a vehicle controller, a steering system, a throttle, and a braking system.

[0153] A drive system may include components that provide powered motion to a vehicle. In one embodiment, a drive system may include an engine, an energy source, a transmission system, and wheels. The engine may be one or a combination of internal combustion engines, electric motors, and compressed air engines. The engine is capable of converting energy provided by the energy source into mechanical energy.

[0154] Some or all of the vehicle's functions are controlled by a computing platform. The computing platform may include at least one processor and memory, the processor being able to execute instructions stored in the memory.

[0155] The processor can be any conventional processor, such as a commercially available CPU. The processor can also include graphics processing units (GPUs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), systems-on-chips (SoCs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or combinations thereof.

[0156] Memory can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage 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.

[0157] In addition to instructions, memory can also store data, such as road maps, route information, and vehicle position, direction, and speed. The data stored in memory can be used by the computing platform.

[0158] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the processor can execute instructions to complete all or part of the steps of the audio playback method described above.

[0159] A computer-readable storage medium, when the instructions in the storage medium are executed by a processor of a mobile terminal, enables the mobile terminal to perform all or part of the steps of the above-described audio playback method.

[0160] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the following claims.

[0161] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An audio playback method, characterized in that, include: Audio data is sent from the master node to the slave node in the audio system. The audio system's hardware synchronization mechanism controls the master node and the slave node to play the audio data synchronously at a specified playback time.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, A physical signal line is provided between the master node and the slave node; wherein, controlling the master node and the slave node to synchronously play the audio data at a specified playback time through the hardware synchronization mechanism of the audio system includes: During the specified playback time, the master node is controlled to generate a synchronization trigger signal and send the synchronization trigger signal to each slave node through the physical signal line; The master node and the slave node are controlled to play the audio data in response to the synchronization trigger signal.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The master node and the slave node are each equipped with a local hardware comparator; wherein, controlling the master node and the slave node to synchronously play the audio data at a specified playback time through the hardware synchronization mechanism in the audio system includes: The master node sends the specified playback time corresponding to the audio data to the slave node; The master node and each slave node are controlled to generate their respective hardware synchronization signals in response to the detection that the local time has reached the specified playback time, through their respective hardware comparators; wherein the local time of the master node and each slave node has been synchronized based on a time synchronization protocol. The corresponding node is controlled to play the audio data in response to the generated hardware synchronization signal.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The process of generating hardware synchronization signals by the master node and each slave node through their respective hardware comparators in response to detecting that the local time has reached the specified playback time includes: The master node and each slave node are controlled to continuously compare the local time with the specified playback time through their respective hardware comparators; In response to the determination by the hardware comparator that the local time is consistent with the specified playback time, a hardware synchronization signal is generated at the corresponding node.

5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The hardware comparator is located in the dedicated integrated circuit of the external controller of the corresponding node.

6. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The audio data and the corresponding specified playback time are encapsulated in the same message for transmission.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The time difference between the specified playback time and the time when the master node sends the audio data is greater than or equal to the transmission delay of the audio data from the master node to any slave node.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The audio system is an in-vehicle audio system, the master node includes a cockpit domain controller, and the slave node includes a region controller.

9. An audio playback device, characterized in that, include: A sending unit is used to send audio data from the master node to the slave node in the audio system. The control unit is used to control the master node and the slave node to play the audio data synchronously at a specified playback time through the hardware synchronization mechanism of the audio system.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that, A physical signal line is provided between the master node and the slave node; wherein, the control unit controls the master node and the slave node to synchronously play the audio data at a specified playback time through the hardware synchronization mechanism of the audio system, including: During the specified playback time, the master node is controlled to generate a synchronization trigger signal and send the synchronization trigger signal to each slave node through the physical signal line; The master node and the slave node are controlled to play the audio data in response to the synchronization trigger signal.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that, Each of the master node and the slave node is equipped with a local hardware comparator; wherein, the control unit is used to control the master node and the slave node to synchronously play the audio data at a specified playback time through the hardware synchronization mechanism of the audio system, including: The master node sends the specified playback time corresponding to the audio data to the slave node; The master node and each slave node generate their own hardware synchronization signals in response to the detection that the local time has reached the specified playback time, through their respective hardware comparators; wherein the local time of the master node and each slave node has been synchronized based on a time synchronization protocol. The corresponding node is controlled to play the audio data in response to the generated hardware synchronization signal.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that, The audio system is an in-vehicle audio system, the master node includes a cockpit domain controller, and the slave node includes a region controller.

13. A vehicle, characterized in that, include: processor; Memory used to store processor-executable instructions; The processor is configured to implement the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1-8.

14. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: processor; Memory used to store processor-executable instructions; The processor is configured to implement the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1-8.

15. A computer-readable storage medium, wherein instructions in the storage medium, when executed by a processor of a mobile terminal, enable the mobile terminal to perform the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1-8.

16. A computer program product, comprising a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the method as described in any one of claims 1-8.

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