Control method, device and system of multi-speaker system

Abstract

The invention discloses a control method, device and system of a multi-speaker system, and belongs to the technical field of wireless audio synchronization. The method comprises the following steps executed by a main sound box: in response to user control, generating a control signal containing an audio control parameter and a unified target triggering moment, and broadcasting the control signal; and the slave sound box executes the following steps: receiving the signal, and synchronously executing parameter updating at the target triggering moment. According to the invention, by introducing a delay trigger mechanism based on a unified time sequence reference, the problem that the audio parameters of the multiple sound boxes take effect asynchronously due to time delay difference of wireless transmission is solved, and the hearing consistency is remarkably improved. The invention further discloses a corresponding master loudspeaker box, slave loudspeaker boxes and a multi-loudspeaker-box system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of wireless audio synchronization technology, and in particular to a control method, device, and system for a multi-speaker system, especially suitable for the coordinated control of audio parameters in a multi-speaker system. Background Technology

[0002] In existing multi-speaker wireless systems, even if multiple speakers can receive the same control signal, the control parameters often take effect at different times on each speaker due to the unavoidable time delay difference in wireless transmission. This is especially true when volume, mixing, tuning, or reverberation parameters change dynamically, which can easily cause the sound to be out of sync among multiple speakers.

[0003] On the other hand, if control commands are issued via unicast one by one, not only is the communication load large, but the control latency also increases significantly with the number of speakers, making it difficult to meet the requirements for low-latency synchronous control. Furthermore, in scenarios where the master device acts as both the control source and participates in parameter execution, inconsistencies in parameter execution paths can easily arise between the master and slave devices, further affecting the collaborative effect of multiple speakers.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new technical solution that enables multiple speakers to update their audio parameters synchronously within a time difference imperceptible to the human ear under wireless broadcasting conditions, thereby achieving coordinated control with consistent sound across multiple speakers. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention aims to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies and provide a control scheme that can effectively solve the differences in wireless transmission latency and achieve high-precision synchronous operation of audio parameters of multiple speakers.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides a control method for a multi-speaker system, the multi-speaker system including a master speaker and at least one slave speaker, the method comprising: The steps performed by the main speaker are as follows: Generate an audio control signal, the audio control signal including audio control parameters and a target trigger time; The audio control signal is broadcast to at least one of the speakers; The steps jointly performed by the main speaker and the slave speaker: At the target triggering time, the audio control parameters are applied synchronously to drive the respective sound-producing modules.

[0007] In one embodiment, before generating the audio control signal, the method further includes: A synchronization timing reference is established between the main speaker and the slave speaker.

[0008] In one embodiment, the establishment of the synchronization timing reference includes: The main speaker periodically broadcasts a timing synchronization signal, and the slave speaker calibrates its local clock according to the timing synchronization signal.

[0009] In one embodiment, after the main speaker broadcasts the audio control signal, it further includes: Receive the audio control signal broadcast by itself; Based on the received signal, the execution state of the audio control parameters is reset to the pending trigger state to ensure consistency with the execution logic of the slave speaker.

[0010] In one embodiment, the target triggering time is determined based on the signal generation time and a preset delay, wherein the preset delay is no greater than 30ms.

[0011] In one embodiment, when the slave speaker receives the audio control signal broadcast by the master speaker, if the current time is earlier than the target trigger time, the audio control signal is kept in a pending trigger state.

[0012] In one embodiment, when the slave speaker receives an audio control signal broadcast by the master speaker, if the current time is at or later than the target trigger time, it immediately triggers the audio control signal to drive the sound-generating module.

[0013] To achieve the above objectives, this application also provides a main speaker, including a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program to implement the method described above.

[0014] To achieve the above objectives, this application also provides a speaker, including a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program to implement the method described above.

[0015] To achieve the above objectives, this application also provides a multi-speaker system, including the main speaker and at least one of the slave speakers.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following significant advantages: High synchronization accuracy and strong anti-interference capability: This invention shifts the focus from "when the signal arrives" to "when the parameters take effect". By setting a target time, it perfectly avoids the impact of random latency in wireless transmission, achieving sub-millisecond synchronization accuracy, and the synchronization stability is not affected by slight fluctuations in network conditions.

[0017] It uses broadcast communication, sending once and receiving in all devices. The communication overhead is constant and does not increase with the number of speakers, making it very suitable for large-scale speaker networking.

[0018] By designing the execution chain of "self-receive-reset-wait-trigger" for the main speaker, the inherent execution timing differences caused by the different roles of the master and slave devices are completely eliminated, ensuring the consistency of logic from the perspective of system architecture.

[0019] Whether it's a sudden volume adjustment or a complex sound effect switch, the changes heard by the user from all speaker positions are completely synchronized, ensuring a high-quality, immersive listening experience. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the control method of the multi-speaker system of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the main speaker architecture in the multi-speaker system of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the slave speaker architecture in the multi-speaker system of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the multi-speaker system in this application.

[0023] Figure label: 10. Main control circuit; 20. Wireless communication module; 30. Sound generation module; 40. Control module.

[0024] The purpose, features, and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solution of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the following embodiments are merely examples and do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] Optionally, in one embodiment, the multi-speaker system of the present invention employs a star network topology centered on the main speaker. (See reference...) Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The system hardware mainly includes: Main speaker: As the control center, its core is the main control circuit (which can be an MCU, DSP, or SoC), responsible for signal processing, logic control, and communication scheduling. It is connected to a control module (for receiving user input), a wireless communication module (for broadcasting commands), and a sound output module (for sound output).

[0027] The secondary speaker: Its structure is similar to the main speaker, but it usually does not have an independent control module. Its core function is to receive commands and execute them synchronously. It also includes a main control circuit, a wireless communication module, and a sound-generating module.

[0028] The following combination Figure 1 The flowchart below, using a specific application scenario—that is, a user uniformly increasing the volume of all speakers through the main speaker panel—details the execution process of this method: S100, the main speaker generates an audio control signal, the signal including audio control parameters and a target trigger time; S200, the main speaker broadcasts the audio control signal to the at least one slave speaker; S300, at the target trigger time, the main speaker and the slave speaker synchronously apply the audio control parameters to drive their respective sound-producing modules.

[0029] Furthermore, when the user presses the "Volume +" button on the main speaker, the control module generates a corresponding level signal and transmits it to the main control circuit 10. The main control circuit 10 analyzes this signal, recognizes the intention of "increasing the global volume," and generates specific digital audio control parameters, such as increasing the current volume value by a fixed step.

[0030] While performing the above steps, the main speaker continuously broadcasts a high-precision timing synchronization signal (e.g., every 100ms) periodically through its wireless communication module 20. All slave speakers calibrate their local clocks accordingly, ensuring the entire system maintains a unified virtual global clock (a timing synchronization reference has been established). After generating the audio control parameters, the main control circuit 10 immediately queries the current global time T_current and presets a future target trigger time T_target = T_current + Δt. Here, Δt is the preset delay, typically set to around 20ms (less than 30ms). This time window is sufficient to cover the maximum wireless transmission delay in most cases, while being short enough that the human ear cannot perceive the operational delay. Subsequently, the main control circuit 10 encapsulates the "volume increase" parameter and T_target into a structured audio control signal data packet.

[0031] The main speaker broadcasts the audio control signal data packet via the wireless communication module 20. After the broadcast, the main speaker's wireless communication module 20 also receives the data packet it just sent (self-reception). Upon receiving this self-broadcast signal, the main control circuit 10 does not immediately execute the parameters just because they are self-generated. Instead, it performs a reset operation, clearing any possible "immediately effective" states, marking the current volume adjustment task as "pending trigger," and using T_target as its sole trigger condition. This mechanism ensures that the main speaker's parameter execution path is completely consistent with that of the slave speaker.

[0032] On the other hand, after receiving the broadcast audio control signal, all the slave speakers in the network resolve the target volume value and T_target, and immediately start a countdown logic, waiting for T_target to arrive. At this time, all devices in the system (one master speaker and N slave speakers) are in the same state: holding the new audio parameters and waiting for T_target to arrive at the same moment. The master control circuit 10 of each device continuously compares the local clock with T_target. When the system's global time reaches T_target, the master speaker and all slave speakers synchronously generate analog sound drive signals according to the new volume parameters and apply them to their respective sound-generating modules 30. Thus, the volume of all speakers is synchronously increased at the same millisecond level, and the user hears a smooth, synchronous volume increase from any location, without any difference in sequence.

[0033] This embodiment provides a method for audio playback control, applied to an audio playback system including a main speaker and at least one slave speaker. To ensure timing consistency between the main speaker and the slave speaker during audio playback, a synchronized timing reference is established between the main speaker and the slave speaker before generating audio control signals.

[0034] Specifically, both the main speaker and the slave speaker are equipped with their own local clocks to provide a time reference for audio data processing and playback. Since the local clocks of different devices may have time deviations in their initial state or during operation, this embodiment calibrates the local clocks by establishing a synchronized timing reference to avoid inconsistencies or desynchronization during audio playback.

[0035] In one optional implementation, establishing a synchronized timing reference includes the following process: The main speaker periodically broadcasts a timing synchronization signal at preset time intervals. This timing synchronization signal includes timing information indicating the current time state of the main speaker. Upon receiving the timing synchronization signal, the slave speaker calibrates its local clock according to the timing information, thereby ensuring that the slave speaker's local clock is synchronized or substantially synchronized with the main speaker's local clock.

[0036] In a practical implementation, the periodically broadcast timing synchronization signal can be transmitted wirelessly, such as, but not limited to, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or other wireless transmission methods suitable for communication between speaker devices. After receiving the timing synchronization signal, the speaker can compare the timing information with its own current local clock time and adjust its local clock according to the comparison result to reduce or eliminate time deviation.

[0037] It should be noted that the broadcast period of the timing synchronization signal, the specific format of the timing information, and the calibration method of the local clock can all be set according to actual application requirements. This embodiment does not limit these settings, and all of them should fall within the protection scope of this invention without departing from the technical concept of this invention.

[0038] Optionally, in this embodiment, a method for audio playback control is provided, which is applied to an audio playback system including a main speaker and at least one slave speaker. The main speaker is used to generate and broadcast audio control signals, and the slave speaker is used to receive the audio control signals and perform corresponding audio control operations according to the audio control parameters contained therein.

[0039] After the main speaker broadcasts the audio control signal, in order to ensure the logical consistency between the main speaker and the slave speaker when executing the audio control parameters, in this embodiment, the main speaker also receives the audio control signal broadcast by itself.

[0040] Specifically, the main speaker receives the audio control signal via its communication module simultaneously with or after broadcasting the audio control signal. The audio control signal contains audio control parameters for indicating audio control operations.

[0041] Upon receiving the audio control signal broadcast by itself, the main speaker resets the execution state corresponding to the audio control parameter to a pending trigger state based on the received signal. In this way, the main speaker maintains logical consistency with the slave speaker; that is, both the main and slave speakers use "receiving the audio control signal and entering the pending trigger state" as a prerequisite for executing the audio control parameter.

[0042] Therefore, during the subsequent audio control parameter triggering process, the master speaker and the slave speaker perform audio control operations based on the same signal reception events and the same execution state transition logic, thereby avoiding the execution asynchrony problem caused by the master speaker directly entering the execution state while the slave speaker is still in the waiting-to-be-triggered state.

[0043] It should be noted that the specific implementation method of the main speaker receiving its own broadcast audio control signals, as well as the method of resetting the execution state, can be set according to the system implementation method, and this embodiment does not limit this. Equivalent substitutions of the above implementation methods without departing from the technical concept of this invention should fall within the protection scope of this invention.

[0044] Optionally, in this embodiment, a control method for a multi-speaker system is provided, which is applied to a multi-speaker system including a main speaker and at least one slave speaker. The main speaker is used to generate and broadcast an audio control signal, which includes audio control parameters and a target trigger time corresponding to the audio control parameters. The slave speaker is used to receive the audio control signal and perform corresponding audio control operations according to the target trigger time to drive the sound-generating module 30.

[0045] When an audio control signal broadcast by the main speaker is received from the speaker, the current time is obtained from the speaker and compared with the target trigger time.

[0046] In one scenario, when the current time is earlier than the target trigger time, the speaker does not immediately execute the audio control signal, but instead holds the audio control signal in a pending-trigger state. The audio control signal in the pending-trigger state is temporarily stored in the speaker and waits for the current time to reach the target trigger time before being triggered and executed.

[0047] By using the above method, we can avoid the speaker from performing audio control operations prematurely after receiving the audio control signal, thereby ensuring that the audio control operation of the speaker corresponds to the target trigger time and realizing the synchronous control of each speaker in the multi-speaker system in terms of time.

[0048] In another scenario, when the speaker receives an audio control signal broadcast by the main speaker, if the current time is at or after the target trigger time, the speaker immediately triggers the audio control signal to drive the sound module 30 to perform the corresponding audio control operation.

[0049] In this case, the speaker does not need to keep the audio control signal in a pending state, but directly executes the audio control operation based on the moment the audio control signal is received, thereby avoiding additional delays caused by waiting and ensuring that the audio control operation can take effect as soon as possible.

[0050] Based on the above method, the present invention also protects the hardware entity implementing the method. It includes: a main speaker whose main control circuit 10 is specifically programmed to implement all functions on the main speaker side; a slave speaker whose main control circuit 10 is programmed to implement functions on the slave speaker side; and a multi-speaker system comprising the aforementioned main speaker and several slave speakers connected via a network.

[0051] Furthermore, the main speaker includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing a computer program that, when executed by the processor, controls the main speaker to perform audio control-related operations. The secondary speaker also includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing a computer program that, when executed by the processor, controls the secondary speaker to perform audio control-related operations.

[0052] During the operation of a multi-speaker system, the master speaker generates audio control signals and broadcasts these signals to the slave speakers. Before generating the audio control signals, a synchronized timing reference is established between the master and slave speakers to ensure that they perform corresponding operations based on a unified time reference in subsequent audio control operations.

[0053] After broadcasting the audio control signal, the main speaker also receives its own broadcast audio control signal and resets the execution state corresponding to the audio control parameters to the pending trigger state based on the received audio control signal. In this way, the main speaker maintains consistency with the slave speaker in execution logic, ensuring that both the main and slave speakers use receiving the audio control signal and entering the pending trigger state as a prerequisite for executing the audio control parameters, thereby avoiding inconsistencies in the execution states between the main and slave speakers.

[0054] When the slave speaker receives an audio control signal broadcast from the main speaker, it obtains the current time and compares the current time with the target trigger time contained in the audio control signal. If the current time is earlier than the target trigger time, the slave speaker keeps the audio control signal in a ready-to-trigger state, and triggers the audio control signal after the current time reaches the target trigger time to drive the sound module 30 to perform the corresponding audio control operation.

[0055] When an audio control signal is received from the speaker, if the current time is at or later than the target trigger time, the speaker immediately triggers the audio control signal to drive the sound module 30 to perform the corresponding audio control operation, thereby avoiding additional delays caused by waiting.

[0056] In this way, the main speaker and the slave speaker can process the audio control signals with consistent execution logic based on a unified timing reference. Thus, even in the event of communication delays or differences in device processing, the synchronization and consistency of each speaker in the multi-speaker system during audio playback can still be guaranteed.

[0057] It should be noted that the specific implementation, communication method, and system deployment method of the main speaker and the slave speaker can be set according to the actual application scenario. Without departing from the technical concept of this invention, equivalent substitutions of the above implementation methods should fall within the protection scope of this invention.

[0058] It is understood that the volume adjustment described above is merely an example. This invention is also applicable to any scenario requiring simultaneous changes in audio parameters across multiple speakers, such as mute / unmute, switching preset sound effects (e.g., rock, jazz), adjusting equalizer (EQ) curves, and enabling or disabling ambient sound modes. Its core control process is exactly the same as the embodiments described above.

[0059] The technical solution provided by this invention is based on general-purpose wireless audio device components, which are easy to integrate and mass-produce. The software algorithm has moderate complexity and can be embedded into the device firmware. Therefore, this invention has good industrial applicability and can be widely applied to various multi-speaker wireless audio products such as smart speakers, home theater systems, commercial background music systems, and conference room audio systems.

[0060] The control method provided in this application can be written in one or more programming languages ​​or a combination thereof to perform computer program code for executing the operations of this application. These programming languages ​​include object-oriented programming languages—such as Java, Smalltalk, and C++—and conventional procedural programming languages—such as the "C" language or similar programming languages. The program code can be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In cases involving remote computers, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer via any type of network—including a Local Area Network (LAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN)—or can be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0061] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of this application. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0062] The modules described in the embodiments of this application can be implemented in software or hardware. The names of the modules do not necessarily limit the functionality of the unit itself.

[0063] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control method for a multi-speaker system, characterized in that, The multi-speaker system includes a master speaker and at least one slave speaker, and the method includes: The steps performed by the main speaker are as follows: Generate an audio control signal, the audio control signal including audio control parameters and a target trigger time; The audio control signal is broadcast to at least one of the speakers; The steps jointly performed by the main speaker and the slave speaker: At the target triggering time, the audio control parameters are applied synchronously to drive the respective sound-producing modules.

2. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Before generating the audio control signal, the process also includes: A synchronization timing reference is established between the main speaker and the slave speaker.

3. The method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The timing reference for establishing synchronization includes: The main speaker periodically broadcasts a timing synchronization signal, and the slave speaker calibrates its local clock according to the timing synchronization signal.

4. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, After the main speaker broadcasts the audio control signal, it also includes: Receive the audio control signal broadcast by itself; Based on the received signal, the execution state of the audio control parameters is reset to the pending trigger state to ensure consistency with the execution logic of the slave speaker.

5. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The target trigger time is determined based on the signal generation time and a preset delay, which is no more than 30ms.

6. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When the slave speaker receives the audio control signal broadcast by the master speaker, if the current time is earlier than the target trigger time, the slave speaker will keep the audio control signal in a ready-to-trigger state.

7. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When the slave speaker receives the audio control signal broadcast by the master speaker, if the current time is at or later than the target trigger time, it immediately triggers the audio control signal to drive the sound module.

8. A main speaker, characterized in that, It includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing a computer program, and the processor executing the computer program to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

9. A type of speaker, characterized in that, It includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing a computer program, and the processor executing the computer program to implement the method as described in claim 6 or 7.

10. A multi-speaker system, characterized in that, It includes the main speaker as described in claim 8 and at least one secondary speaker as described in claim 9.

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