Synchronization control method and system

Abstract

This disclosure proposes a synchronization control method and a synchronization control system. The synchronization control method includes: setting a time boundary for transmitting broadcast information to at least one second device, wherein the broadcast information includes broadcast data for instructing a first device and the at least one second device to perform a predetermined operation and operation time information for the at least one second device, and the time boundary indicates the time for the first device and the at least one second device to perform the predetermined operation; generating a broadcast transmission command to transmit the broadcast information; in response to the broadcast transmission command, transmitting the broadcast information to the at least one second device at a broadcast transmission period; and, upon reaching the time boundary, performing the predetermined operation synchronously with the at least one second device based on the broadcast information.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202311515044.3, filed on November 14, 2023, entitled "Synchronization Control Method for Wireless Audio System and Wireless Audio System", which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to the field of wireless communication, and more particularly to a synchronization control method and system. Background Technology

[0004] Wireless communication systems are an important component of modern communication technology, allowing data to be transmitted without a physical connection. Synchronization control is a key concept in these systems, ensuring that transmitting and receiving devices are synchronized in time, and may include, for example, clock synchronization, frame synchronization, bit synchronization, etc.

[0005] As an example of a wireless communication system, a wireless audio system typically requires synchronized control of devices within the system to perform synchronized operations (e.g., audio playback, light shows, etc.) based on audio signals (e.g., music streaming). However, when multiple devices exist in a wireless audio system, achieving accurate synchronized control among these devices becomes difficult. In cases of inaccurate synchronization, when the wireless audio system schedules a predetermined synchronized operation, some devices perform the scheduled operation while others do not, resulting in synchronization control failure and a poor user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This disclosure proposes a synchronization control method and a synchronization control system that enables precise synchronization control among different devices within a system.

[0007] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a synchronization control method executed by a first device is provided, comprising: setting a time boundary for transmitting broadcast information to at least one second device, wherein the broadcast information includes broadcast data for instructing the first device and the at least one second device to perform the predetermined operation and operation time information for the at least one second device, and the time boundary indicates the time for the first device and the at least one second device to perform the predetermined operation; generating a broadcast transmission command to transmit the broadcast information; in response to the broadcast transmission command, transmitting the broadcast information to the at least one second device at a broadcast transmission period, wherein the broadcast information is for the at least one second device to perform the predetermined operation at the time boundary; and, upon reaching the time boundary, performing the predetermined operation synchronously with the at least one second device based on the broadcast information.

[0008] According to another aspect of the present invention, a synchronization control method performed by a second device is provided, comprising: receiving broadcast information from a first device at a broadcast transmission period, wherein the broadcast information includes broadcast data and operation time information, and the broadcast data is used to instruct the first device and the second device to perform a predetermined operation; determining a time boundary based on the operation time information included in the broadcast information, the time boundary indicating the time at which the first device and the second device perform the predetermined operation; and, upon reaching the time boundary, performing the predetermined operation synchronously with the first device based on the broadcast information.

[0009] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a synchronization control method for a wireless communication system is provided, the wireless communication system including a first device and at least one second device wirelessly communicating with the first device, the method comprising: setting a time boundary on the first device for transmitting broadcast information to the at least one second device, wherein the broadcast information includes broadcast data for instructing the first device and the at least one second device to perform the predetermined operation and operation time information for the at least one second device, and the time boundary indicating the time for the first device and the at least one second device to perform the predetermined operation; generating a broadcast transmission command by the first device to transmit the broadcast information; transmitting the broadcast information to the at least one second device at a broadcast transmission period in response to the broadcast transmission command; receiving the broadcast information from the first device at the broadcast transmission period; determining the time boundary by the at least one second device based on the operation time information contained in the broadcast information; and synchronously performing the predetermined operation by the first device and the at least one second device based on the broadcast information when the time boundary is reached.

[0010] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a wireless communication system including a first device and at least one second device is provided. The first device is configured to: set a time boundary for transmitting broadcast information to the at least one second device, wherein the broadcast information includes broadcast data for instructing the first device and the at least one second device to perform a predetermined operation and operation time information for the at least one second device, and the time boundary indicates the time for the first device and the at least one second device to perform the predetermined operation; generate a broadcast transmission command to transmit the broadcast information; transmit the broadcast information to the at least one second device at a broadcast transmission period in response to the broadcast transmission command; and perform the predetermined operation based on the broadcast information when the time boundary is reached. The at least one second device is configured to: receive the broadcast information from the first device at the broadcast transmission period; determine the time boundary based on the operation time information contained in the broadcast information; and perform the predetermined operation synchronously with the first device when the time boundary is reached.

[0011] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon is provided, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method of any of the preceding aspects. Attached Figure Description

[0012] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the embodiments of this disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments of this disclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are provided to provide a further understanding of the embodiments of this disclosure, form part of the specification, and, together with the embodiments of this disclosure, interpret the disclosure and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings, similar reference numerals generally denote similar components or steps.

[0013] Figure 1 The figure shows a schematic diagram of a wireless communication system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 2 The diagram illustrates an exemplary synchronous control process according to one or more embodiments of this disclosure;

[0015] Figure 3 The figure shows a flowchart of a synchronization control method performed by a first device according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0016] Figure 4 The diagram illustrates an exemplary synchronous control process according to one or more embodiments of this disclosure;

[0017] Figure 5The diagram illustrates a flowchart of a synchronization control method performed by a second device according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; and

[0018] Figure 6 The figure shows a flowchart of a synchronization control method for a wireless communication system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this disclosure clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, these described embodiments are only a part of this disclosure, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this disclosure without inventive effort fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0020] As used herein and in the claims, the terms “a / an” and / or “the” are not singular but may include plural unless the context clearly specifies otherwise. In general, the terms “comprise” and “comprising” simply mean that they include specifically identified steps and elements, which do not constitute an exclusive list, and that the method or apparatus may also contain other steps or elements.

[0021] This document uses flowcharts to illustrate the steps of a method according to one or more embodiments of this disclosure. It should be understood that the preceding or following steps need not be performed in strict order. Rather, the steps can be processed in reverse order or simultaneously, as needed. Furthermore, other steps may be added to the method, or one (or more) steps may be removed from the method.

[0022] As used herein and in the claims, a wireless communication system refers to any system that communicates using wireless communication technologies, including but not limited to cellular communication (such as 3G, 4G, 5G), wireless local area networks (WLANs), Bluetooth technology, satellite communication, etc. In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, for ease of illustration and understanding, a wireless audio system is described as an example of a wireless communication system; however, it should be understood that the wireless communication systems of this disclosure are not limited to wireless audio systems, and the functions and operations described in the context of a wireless audio system can also be applied to other wireless communication systems, provided there is no contradiction.

[0023] As used herein and in the claims, synchronization control refers to a mechanism in a wireless communication system that ensures that transmitting and receiving devices are synchronized in time, including, for example, clock synchronization, frame synchronization, bit synchronization, and so on. For example, a wireless audio system may include multiple audio devices that communicate wirelessly with each other (e.g., via Bluetooth), and the multiple audio devices are controlled to perform specific operations synchronously, such as synchronized light shows based on music signals.

[0024] As used herein and in the claims, a broadcast transmission is a manner of transmitting data to all receivers in a network or system, regardless of whether said receiver requests the data. Broadcast transmissions are used in various wireless communication technologies such as cellular communications (e.g., 3G, 4G, 5G), WLAN, Bluetooth, and so on. In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, periodic advertising (PA), typically used in Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), can be described as an example of a broadcast transmission, but this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0025] Figure 1 The figure shows a schematic diagram of a wireless communication system 100 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0026] refer to Figure 1 The wireless communication system 100 may include, for example, a main device 102 and multiple auxiliary devices 104. (This is for illustrative purposes only.) Figure 1 Three auxiliary devices 104 are shown, which in no way limit this disclosure. The main device 102 may include a control module 102_1 and a communication module 102_2, and similarly, each auxiliary device 104 may also include a control module and a communication module (not shown). Using the communication module 102_2, the main device 102 can wirelessly communicate with the multiple auxiliary devices 104, for example, via cellular communication (e.g., 3G, 4G, 5G), WLAN, Bluetooth, satellite communication, etc. Specifically, the control module 102_1 of the main device 102 can generate control information, and then the communication module 102_2 can transmit the control information to the multiple auxiliary devices 104, for example, to achieve synchronous operation among these devices.

[0027] It should be understood that Figure 1 The primary and auxiliary devices shown are merely examples and not limitations, as any device in the system may also transmit control information to other devices. In such cases, the device transmitting the control information may be referred to as the primary device (or transmitter), and correspondingly, the other devices may be referred to as auxiliary devices (or receivers). Each of the primary device 102 and the plurality of auxiliary devices 104 may be an audio device, a lighting device (such as an LED display device), a smartphone, a computer, or any other device with communication capabilities, without particular limitation in one or more embodiments of this disclosure.

[0028] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the wireless communication system 100 may be a wireless audio system, and each of the main device 102 and the plurality of auxiliary devices 104 may be a speaker, an LED display device, a smartphone, etc. The main device 102 may transmit audio information to the plurality of auxiliary devices 104 during a predetermined audio transmission cycle, enabling the auxiliary devices 104 to play audio synchronously with the main device 102 based on the received audio information. Additionally, the main device 102 may transmit broadcast information containing control information to the plurality of auxiliary devices 104 during a predetermined broadcast transmission cycle, enabling the plurality of auxiliary devices 104 to perform corresponding operations (e.g., light show operations) synchronously with the main device 102 based on the control information.

[0029] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the audio transmission cycle refers to the period during which the primary device transmits audio information to multiple auxiliary devices; that is, the primary device can transmit audio information to the auxiliary devices whenever the audio transmission cycle is reached. It should be understood that, depending on actual communication needs, for example, a set of repeating audio information can be transmitted in a single transmission to improve the reliability of audio transmission. For example, the audio transmission cycle can be preset by the user automatically or manually. It should be understood that one or more embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to the specific method and content of setting the audio transmission cycle. By transmitting audio information to the auxiliary devices within a preset audio transmission cycle, audio information can be synchronized between the primary device and multiple auxiliary devices within the wireless audio system.

[0030] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the broadcast transmission period refers to the period during which the main device transmits broadcast information to multiple auxiliary devices; that is, whenever the broadcast transmission period is reached, the main device can transmit broadcast information to the auxiliary devices. For example, the broadcast transmission period can be preset by the user automatically or manually. It should be understood that one or more embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to the specific method and content of setting the broadcast transmission period. The broadcast transmission period may differ from the audio transmission period; for example, it may be longer than the audio transmission period. For example, the length of the broadcast transmission period may be two or three times the length of the audio transmission period. Alternatively, the broadcast transmission period may be the same as the audio transmission period, but the specific time nodes of transmission may differ.

[0031] Furthermore, audio transmission cycles and broadcast transmission cycles can have different priorities. For example, the audio transmission cycle can have a higher priority than the broadcast transmission cycle. Therefore, when both the audio and broadcast transmission cycles arrive simultaneously at a certain time point, the master device can prioritize transmitting the audio information and cancel the current broadcast transmission. In other words, at any given moment, the master device may only transmit one of the audio or broadcast information. In this way, the master device can transmit audio and broadcast information using time-division multiplexing, enabling efficient and convenient synchronization control of multiple devices within the wireless audio system, building upon the foundation of high real-time audio streaming. Alternatively, the audio and broadcast transmission processes can, for example, follow the same communication standard but use different communication channels, allowing the master device to transmit audio and broadcast information simultaneously on different communication channels, thereby avoiding potential conflicts between audio and broadcast transmissions.

[0032] However, due to scheduling or interference, precise synchronization control across different devices using broadcast transmissions can be difficult to achieve. On one hand, the timing and even the number of broadcast transmissions at the primary device are uncertain, as broadcast transmissions may sometimes need to give way to higher-priority scheduled transmissions (e.g., audio transmissions). On the other hand, due to various communication factors such as strong interference and poor channel conditions, some auxiliary devices may fail to receive broadcast information, or various auxiliary devices may receive broadcast information at different times. These factors can lead to synchronization control failures across different devices.

[0033] Figure 2 The illustration depicts an exemplary synchronization control process 200 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In this example, transmitter 202 and receivers 204 and 206 may be devices within a wireless audio system, and the wireless communication system desires to achieve synchronized operation (e.g., synchronized light shows) among these devices. For example, each of transmitter 202 and receivers 204 and 206 may be an audio device with LDE display functionality, which can perform a light show based on an audio signal.

[0034] exist Figure 2 In this example, transmitter 202 may include application 202_1 (illustrated as App202_1) and controller 202_2. Figure 2As shown, at time t1, application 202_1 can generate data for transmission to receivers 204 and 206, for example, via periodic advertising (PA) transmission. The data can be used to instruct receivers 204 and 206 to perform predetermined operations, such as a light show in this example. Application 202_1 can generate a PA transmission command to controller 202_2, which then controls the communication module to transmit the PA data to receiver 204 at t2 according to a preset PA period. Simultaneously, controller 202_2 will return an acknowledgment (ACK) to application 202_1 to report whether the PA transmission command was successfully delivered. When an ACK indicating successful delivery of the command is received at t3, application 202_1 will, for example, at... Figure 2 The timer for the light show is started at point t6, as shown.

[0035] If receivers 204 and 206 successfully receive the PA data, the receivers will execute the light show based on the PA data. Figure 2 In the example, receiver 204 successfully receives PA data at t5, and therefore performs a light show at t5. However, due to channel interference, for example, the receiver fails to receive PA data at t2. Receiver 206 successfully receives PA data at t2, and therefore performs a light show at t2. However, due to channel interference, for example, the receiver fails to receive PA data at t5. At t4, PA transmission is canceled, for example, due to a timing conflict with a higher-priority audio transmission. Therefore, neither receiver 204 nor receiver 206 receives PA data, and neither receiver performs a light show at t4. As a result, the wireless audio system fails to synchronize the light show between the transmitter and receiver, and between the two receivers.

[0036] To provide precise synchronization control among different devices in a wireless communication system, this disclosure provides a synchronization control method and system that defines time boundaries at which devices within the system should perform predetermined operations, thereby achieving precise synchronization at said time boundaries. Reference will be made below. Figure 3 and Figure 4 Describes a synchronization control method performed by a first device (or transmitter).

[0037] Figure 3 The figure shows a flowchart of a synchronization control method 300 performed by a first device according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 4 The figure illustrates an exemplary synchronous control process 400 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0038] In step 302, the first device may set time boundaries for transmitting broadcast information to at least one second device. The first device and at least one second device may be devices within a wireless communication system, such as a wireless audio system, and the wireless communication system desires to achieve synchronization control among these devices. The first device may be, for example... Figure 1 The main device shown or such Figure 2 and 4 The transmitter shown, and at least one second device may be as follows: Figure 1 The auxiliary device shown or such Figure 2 and 4 The receiver shown.

[0039] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, each of the first device and at least one second device can be an audio device, a lighting device (such as an LED display device), a smartphone, a computer, or any other device with communication capabilities, without particular limitation in one or more embodiments of this disclosure. Figure 4 In the example, the first device is shown as transmitter 402, and at least one second device is shown as receiver 404 and receiver 406. The first device and at least one second device can wirelessly communicate with each other, for example, via cellular communication (e.g., 3G, 4G, 5G), WLAN, Bluetooth technology, satellite communication, etc.

[0040] The broadcast information may include broadcast data instructing the first device and at least one second device to perform a predetermined operation, as well as operation time information for the at least one second device, and may be transmitted periodically, for example, through periodic advertising (PA). Time boundaries indicate the times when the first device and at least one second device should perform the predetermined operation. In other words, once this time boundary is reached, the first device and at least one second device will synchronously perform the predetermined operation. Figure 4 In the example, the time boundary is shown as a point in time (t6) with a time interval Tb from the start time (t1), where Tb can be, for example, 500 ms, 400 ms, or any other predetermined value. The time interval Tb from the start time to the time boundary can be referred to as the lifetime of the scheduled operation or broadcast information, because once the time boundary is exceeded, the scheduled operation will no longer be executed, and the broadcast information will no longer be transmitted.

[0041] The operation time information indicates when at least one second device will perform a predetermined operation. Upon receiving broadcast information, at least one second device can determine a time boundary based on the operation time information. In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the operation time information may include the remaining time for the at least one second device receiving the broadcast transmission to perform the predetermined operation, and the remaining time may be the time interval from each broadcast transmission of the broadcast information to the time boundary.

[0042] like Figure 4 As shown, at time t2, the controller 402_2 of transmitter 402 can control the communication module to perform the first transmission of broadcast information. The first communication module can carry the remaining time (ΔTb1) from the first transmission (at t2) to the time boundary (t6). Since there is a time offset (offset1) between the application (App 402_1) that sets PA of transmitter 402 and the first transmission of broadcast information, the remaining time is less than the lifetime of the broadcast information. For example, the lifetime could be 500 ms, offset1 could be 50 ms, and the remaining time for receiver 406 to receive the first transmission could be 450 ms. This means that receiver 406 has 450 ms to perform a predetermined operation, such as... Figure 4 The example is a light show. Based on the remaining time, receiver 406 can determine the time boundary (t6) at which the scheduled light show should be performed, and then perform the light show on time.

[0043] It should be noted that due to the extremely high speed of light, this paper neglects the flight time of broadcast information from the transmitter to the receiver, but those skilled in the art will readily know how to calculate this flight time if needed.

[0044] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, in addition to the remaining time, the operation time information may also include a time offset, which represents the time interval from the start time to each broadcast transmission of the broadcast information. If at least one second device (e.g., Figure 4 If receivers 404 and 406 in the first device prefer to perform an operation immediately without waiting for a time boundary, then the at least one second device can utilize the time offset to estimate and prepare the appropriate effect of the operation. For example, in Figure 4 In this process, the time offset of the first transmission can be offset1. Therefore, the receiver 406 receiving the first transmission can know from the time offset how much time has passed since the transmitter 402 set PA.

[0045] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the operation timing information may include a lifetime representing the time interval from the start time to a time boundary, and a time offset representing the time interval from the start time to each broadcast transmission of the broadcast information. Upon receiving the broadcast information, at least one second device may determine the time boundary based on the lifetime and the time offset. Figure 4 As shown, the first transmission of broadcast information may carry a time offset 1 (e.g., 50 ms) and a lifetime Tb (e.g., 500 ms). The receiver 406 receiving the first transmission may determine the time boundary based on offset 1 and Tb, i.e., the time point (t6) after Tb - offset 1 (e.g., 450 ms).

[0046] exist Figure 4 In the example, the second transmission of broadcast information at t4 may fail due to timing conflicts with higher-priority transmissions such as audio transmissions, while the third transmission of broadcast information at t5 succeeds. The third transmission may carry operation time information, which includes remaining time (ΔTb2) or time offset (offset2, not shown) and lifetime Tb. Receiver 404 successfully receives the third transmission at t5 and can determine the time boundary (t6) of the predetermined operation based on the operation time information (ΔTb2, or offset2 and Tb).

[0047] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the broadcast data may include at least one of, for example, lighting control data, playback control data, audio attribute data, etc.

[0048] Lighting control data may include data used to control lighting effects. Based on actual needs, lighting control data can be used to control the lighting effects of a single lighting device (e.g., lighting on and off, flashing frequency, lighting color or lighting brightness, etc.), or to control the lighting effects of multiple lighting devices in an array of lighting devices (e.g., an LED array), such as the brightness, flashing and color of each LED, the array pattern of the LED array, etc.

[0049] Playback control data can be data used to control the audio playback process of each device in the system, such as controlling playback, volume, sound effects, etc.

[0050] Audio attribute data can be data related to audio attributes, which can be further processed by other devices in the system, such as generating audio visualization information based on the audio attribute data, or storing or uploading the audio attribute data to a server. Audio attribute data may include, for example, audio beat information, audio energy information, audio type information, etc.

[0051] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the broadcast data may include, for example, both audio attribute data and lighting control data, which together instruct at least one second device to perform corresponding lighting operations based on the audio attribute data and lighting control data, such as performing a lighting performance based on the tempo, intensity, and type of music.

[0052] In step S304, the first device can generate a broadcast transmission command to instruct the transmission of broadcast information. The broadcast transmission command can be forwarded to the controller of the first device to control the communication module to transmit the broadcast information, and then a feedback message indicating whether the broadcast transmission command was successfully delivered can be received. Figure 4As shown, App 402_1 of transmitter 402 can generate a broadcast transmission command and forward it to controller 402_2. Controller 402_2 can send an acknowledgment (ACK) back to App 402_1 to report whether the broadcast transmission command was successfully delivered. If the feedback message indicates that the broadcast transmission command was successfully delivered, the first device can continue to perform the predetermined operation at the time boundary. Otherwise, if the feedback message indicates that the broadcast transmission command was not successfully delivered, the first device will cancel the predetermined operation at the time boundary, because this means that the broadcast transmission has failed, and therefore the synchronization operation at the time boundary is impossible.

[0053] In step S306, in response to a broadcast transmission command, the first device may broadcast transmission periodically to at least one second device to transmit broadcast information, wherein the broadcast information is for at least one second device to perform a predetermined operation at a time boundary. For example, such as Figure 4 As shown, transmitter 402 can broadcast broadcast information to receiver during the broadcast period T.

[0054] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, before transmitting broadcast information, a first device may transmit initial synchronization information to at least one second device. This initial synchronization information includes at least the broadcast transmission period, the broadcast channel on which the broadcast information is to be transmitted, and other necessary information. For example, in BLE technology, the broadcast channel may be one of channels 37, 38, and 39. Therefore, using the initial synchronization information, at least one second device (i.e., the receiver) can know when and where to receive the broadcast information.

[0055] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, at a time point of a broadcast transmission cycle, the first device may determine whether a scheduling cycle with a higher priority than the broadcast transmission cycle arrives simultaneously. If no higher-priority scheduling cycle arrives, the first device may transmit broadcast information at the time point. Otherwise, if a higher-priority scheduling cycle arrives, the first device may skip the current broadcast transmission at the time point. The higher-priority scheduling cycle may be, for example, an audio transmission cycle, in which the first device transmits audio information to at least one second device.

[0056] For example, such as Figure 4 As shown, transmitter 402 can determine whether a higher-priority audio transmission cycle has arrived at each time point of the broadcast transmission cycle. If, at t2 or t5, it is determined that no audio transmission cycle has arrived, transmitter 402 transmits the broadcast information. However, if, at t4, it is determined that an audio transmission cycle has arrived, transmitter 402 cancels the current transmission of the broadcast information to make way for the transmission of the higher-priority audio.

[0057] In step S308, when the time boundary is reached, the first device may perform a predetermined operation synchronously with at least one second device based on broadcast information.

[0058] On one hand, after setting the time boundary, the first device can, for example, start timing for the upcoming operation by activating a first timer. If a negative feedback message indicating an unsuccessful broadcast transmission command is received, the first device can cancel the first timer. Otherwise, when the first timer indicates that the time boundary has been reached, the first device can perform a predetermined operation based on the broadcast data at the time boundary. On the other hand, after receiving broadcast information, at least one second device can determine the time boundary based on the operation time information contained in the broadcast information, and, for example, start timing for the upcoming operation by activating a second timer. When the second timer indicates that the time boundary has been reached, at least one second device can perform a predetermined operation based on the broadcast data at the time boundary.

[0059] For example, such as Figure 4 As shown, even if there is a failure in the transmission of broadcast information (at t4) and receivers 404 and 406 receive the broadcast information at different times (at t5 and t2, respectively), transmitter 402 and receivers 404 and 406 still synchronously execute the light show at time boundary t6. By utilizing the time boundary, precise synchronization control between the first device and at least one second device within the wireless communication system can be ensured.

[0060] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the need for timely execution of a predetermined operation by the first device may be greater than the need for synchronous operation with at least one second device. For example, in some application scenarios, the first device may be connected to a third-party device such as a smartphone, and the need for synchronous operation between the first device and the third-party device may be greater than the need for synchronous operation between the first device and the second device. In this case, a first immediate execution command may be defined for the first device, and if the first device receives the first immediate execution command, the first device may execute the predetermined operation immediately after receiving the feedback message without waiting for a time boundary, thereby ensuring the timely execution of the predetermined operation.

[0061] The following will refer to Figure 5 Describe the synchronization control method performed by the second device. Figure 5 The diagram illustrates a flowchart of a synchronization control method 500 performed by a second device according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The details of the steps of method 500 are similar to those described in the preceding reference. Figures 3 to 4 The method described in detail is 300, so some content will not be repeated in this article.

[0062] like Figure 5As shown, in step S502, the second device receives broadcast information from the first device at a broadcast transmission cycle. The second and first devices can be devices within a wireless communication system, such as a wireless audio system, and the wireless communication system aims to achieve synchronous control among these devices. The first device can be, for example... Figure 1 The main device shown or such Figure 2 and 4 The transmitter shown, and the second device can be as follows: Figure 1 The auxiliary device shown or such Figure 2 and 4 The receiver is shown. Each of the first and second devices can be an audio device, a lighting device (such as an LED display device), a smartphone, a computer, or any other device with communication capabilities, without particular limitation in one or more embodiments of this disclosure. The second device can wirelessly communicate with the first device or other devices, for example, via cellular communication (e.g., 3G, 4G, 5G), WLAN, Bluetooth technology, satellite communication, etc.

[0063] The broadcast information may include broadcast data for instructing the first and second devices to perform predetermined operations, as well as operation time information of the second device, and may be received periodically. The operation time information may indicate when the second device performs the predetermined operation. In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the operation time information may include the remaining time for the second device to perform the predetermined operation, and the remaining time is the time interval from each broadcast transmission of the broadcast information to a time boundary. In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the operation time information may include a lifetime representing the time interval from the start time to the time boundary, and a time offset representing the time interval from the start time to each broadcast transmission of the broadcast information.

[0064] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the broadcast data may include at least one of, for example, lighting control data, playback control data, audio attribute data, etc.

[0065] In step S504, the second device may determine a time boundary based on the operation time information contained in the broadcast information, wherein the time boundary indicates the time for the first and second devices to perform a predetermined operation. In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the second device may determine the time boundary based on the remaining time contained in the operation time information. In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the second device may determine the time boundary based on the lifetime and time offset contained in the operation time information.

[0066] In step S506, upon reaching the time boundary, the second device can synchronously perform a predetermined operation with the first device based on the broadcast information. For example, in cases where the broadcast data includes lighting control data, the second and first devices can synchronously perform a light show based on the lighting control data, such as... Figure 4 As shown. By utilizing time boundaries, precise synchronization control of the second and first devices within the wireless communication system can be ensured.

[0067] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the need for timely execution of a predetermined operation by the second device may be greater than the need for synchronous operation with the first device. For example, in some application scenarios, the second device may be connected to a third-party device such as a smartphone, and the need for synchronous operation between the second device and the third-party device may be greater than the need for synchronous operation between the second device and the first device. In this case, a second immediate execution command may be defined for the first device, and if the second device receives the second immediate execution command, the second device may execute the predetermined operation immediately after receiving the broadcast information without waiting for a time boundary, thereby ensuring the timely execution of the predetermined operation.

[0068] The following will refer to Figure 6 Describe the synchronization control method for a wireless communication system. Figure 6 The figure shows a flowchart of a synchronization control method 600 for a wireless communication system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The details of the steps of method 600 are similar to those described in the above reference. Figures 3 to 4 The method described in detail is 300, so some content will not be repeated in this article.

[0069] For example, a wireless communication system may include a first device and at least one second device, and may be a wireless audio system. The wireless communication system is intended to achieve synchronous control between the first device and at least one second device. In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, each of the first device and at least one second device may be an audio device, a lighting device (such as an LED display device), a smartphone, a computer, or any other device with communication capabilities, without particular limitation in one or more embodiments of this disclosure. The first device and at least one second device may wirelessly communicate with each other, for example, via cellular communication (e.g., 3G, 4G, 5G), WLAN, Bluetooth technology, satellite communication, etc.

[0070] In step S602, the first device may set a time boundary for transmitting broadcast information to at least one second device. The broadcast information may include broadcast data instructing the first device and at least one second device to perform a predetermined operation, as well as operation time information of at least one second device, and may be transmitted periodically, for example, through periodic advertisements (PA). The time boundary indicates the time when the first device and at least one second device should perform the predetermined operation.

[0071] In step S604, the first device may generate a broadcast transmission command for transmitting instruction broadcast information.

[0072] In step S606, in response to a broadcast transmission command, the first device may broadcast transmission periodically to transmit broadcast information to at least one second device.

[0073] In step S608, at least one second device may receive broadcast information from the first device during a broadcast transmission cycle.

[0074] In step S610, at least one second device may determine the time boundary based on the operation time information contained in the broadcast information.

[0075] In step S612, when the time boundary is reached, the first device and at least one second device may synchronously perform a predetermined operation based on the broadcast information.

[0076] This disclosure further provides a wireless communication system including a first device and at least one second device, for example, such as Figure 1 As shown, the main device 102 may be a first device, while the auxiliary device 104 may be at least one second device.

[0077] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, a first device may be configured to: set a time boundary for transmitting broadcast information to at least one second device, wherein the broadcast information includes broadcast data for instructing the first device and the at least one second device to perform a predetermined operation and operation time information of the at least one second device, and the time boundary indicates the time for the first device and the at least one second device to perform the predetermined operation; generate a broadcast transmission command to transmit the broadcast information; in response to the broadcast transmission command, transmit the broadcast information to the at least one second device at a broadcast transmission period; and, upon reaching the time boundary, perform the predetermined operation based on the broadcast information.

[0078] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, at least one second device may be configured to: receive broadcast information from a first device at a broadcast transmission period; determine a time boundary based on operation time information contained in the broadcast information; and, upon reaching the time boundary, perform a predetermined operation synchronously with the first device based on the broadcast information.

[0079] In one or more embodiments of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon is further provided, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the synchronization control method as described above.

[0080] The following is a non-limiting list of examples of one or more techniques according to this disclosure.

[0081] Example 1. A synchronization control method executed by a first device, comprising: setting a time boundary for transmitting broadcast information to at least one second device, wherein the broadcast information includes broadcast data for instructing the first device and the at least one second device to perform the predetermined operation and operation time information for the at least one second device, and the time boundary indicates the time for the first device and the at least one second device to perform the predetermined operation; generating a broadcast transmission command to transmit the broadcast information; in response to the broadcast transmission command, transmitting the broadcast information to the at least one second device at a broadcast transmission period, wherein the broadcast information is for the at least one second device to perform the predetermined operation at the time boundary; and, upon reaching the time boundary, performing the predetermined operation synchronously with the at least one second device based on the broadcast information.

[0082] Example 2. The method according to Example 1, wherein the broadcast data includes at least one of lighting control data, playback control data, and audio attribute data.

[0083] Example 3. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 2, wherein the operation time information includes the remaining time for the at least one second device receiving the broadcast transmission to perform the predetermined operation, the remaining time being the time interval from each broadcast transmission of the broadcast information to the time boundary.

[0084] Example 4. The method according to any of Examples 1 to 3, wherein the operation time information further includes a time offset representing the time interval from the start time to each broadcast transmission of the broadcast information.

[0085] Example 5. The method according to any of Examples 1 to 4, wherein the operation time information includes a lifetime representing the time interval from the start time to the time boundary and a time offset representing the time interval from the start time to each broadcast transmission of the broadcast information.

[0086] Example 6. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 5, further comprising receiving a feedback message indicating whether the broadcast transmission command was successfully delivered, wherein, upon reaching the time boundary, performing the predetermined operation synchronously with the at least one second device based on the broadcast information comprises: based on the feedback message indicating that the broadcast transmission command was successfully delivered, performing the predetermined operation synchronously with the at least one second device upon reaching the time boundary based on the broadcast information.

[0087] Example 7. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 6, further comprising: canceling the predetermined operation at the time boundary based on the feedback message indicating that the broadcast transmission command was not successfully delivered.

[0088] Example 8. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 7, further comprising: receiving a first immediately execute command; and in response to receiving the first immediately execute command, immediately executing the predetermined operation after receiving the feedback message without waiting for the time boundary.

[0089] Example 9. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 8, wherein transmitting the broadcast information to the at least one second device during the broadcast transmission period comprises: at a time point of the broadcast transmission period, determining whether a scheduling period with a higher priority than the broadcast transmission period arrives simultaneously; if the scheduling period with a higher priority does not arrive, transmitting the broadcast information at the time point; and if the scheduling period with a higher priority arrives, skipping the current broadcast transmission at the time point.

[0090] Example 10. The method according to any of Examples 1 to 9, wherein the scheduling period with higher priority is an audio transmission period, wherein the first device transmits audio information to the at least one second device.

[0091] Example 11. The method according to any of Examples 1 to 10, wherein the first device and the at least one second device communicate via one of Bluetooth, WLAN, cellular communication and satellite communication.

[0092] Example 12. The method according to any of Examples 1 to 11, wherein each of the first device and the at least one second device is an audio device, a lighting device, a smartphone, and a computer.

[0093] Example 13. The method according to any of Examples 1 to 12, wherein the predetermined operation is a light show operation performed by the first device and the at least one second device based on the broadcast data.

[0094] Example 14. The method according to any of Examples 1 to 13, further comprising transmitting initial synchronization information to the at least one second device, the initial synchronization information including at least the broadcast transmission period and a broadcast channel on which the broadcast information is to be transmitted.

[0095] Example 15. A synchronization control method performed by a second device, comprising: receiving broadcast information from a first device at a broadcast transmission period, wherein the broadcast information includes broadcast data and operation time information, and the broadcast data is used to instruct the first device and the second device to perform a predetermined operation; determining a time boundary based on the operation time information contained in the broadcast information, the time boundary indicating the time at which the first device and the second device perform the predetermined operation; and, upon reaching the time boundary, performing the predetermined operation synchronously with the first device based on the broadcast information.

[0096] Example 16. The method according to Example 15, wherein the operation time information includes the remaining time for the second device to perform the predetermined operation, the remaining time being the time interval from each broadcast of the broadcast information to the time boundary.

[0097] Example 17. The method according to any of Examples 15 to 16, wherein the operation time information further includes a time offset representing the time interval from the start time to each broadcast transmission of the broadcast information.

[0098] Example 18. The method according to any of Examples 15 to 17, wherein the operation time information includes a lifetime representing the time interval from the start time to the time boundary and a time offset representing the time interval from the start time to each broadcast transmission of the broadcast information.

[0099] Example 19. The method according to any of Examples 15 to 18, further comprising: receiving a second immediate execution command; and in response to receiving the second immediate execution command, immediately performing the predetermined operation after receiving the broadcast information without waiting for the time boundary.

[0100] Example 20. A synchronization control method for a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system including a first device and at least one second device wirelessly communicating with the first device, the method comprising: setting a time boundary on the first device for transmitting broadcast information to the at least one second device, wherein the broadcast information includes broadcast data for instructing the first device and the at least one second device to perform the predetermined operation and operation time information for the at least one second device, and the time boundary indicates the time for the first device and the at least one second device to perform the predetermined operation; generating a broadcast transmission command by the first device to transmit the broadcast information; transmitting the broadcast information to the at least one second device at a broadcast transmission period in response to the broadcast transmission command; receiving the broadcast information from the first device at the broadcast transmission period; determining the time boundary by the at least one second device based on the operation time information contained in the broadcast information; and synchronously performing the predetermined operation by the first device and the at least one second device based on the broadcast information when the time boundary is reached.

[0101] Example 21. A wireless communication system including a first device and at least one second device, the first device being configured to: set a time boundary for transmitting broadcast information to the at least one second device, wherein the broadcast information includes broadcast data for instructing the first device and the at least one second device to perform the predetermined operation and operation time information for the at least one second device, and the time boundary indicates the time for the first device and the at least one second device to perform the predetermined operation; generate a broadcast transmission command instructing the broadcast information to be transmitted; transmit the broadcast information to the at least one second device at a broadcast transmission period in response to the broadcast transmission command; and perform the predetermined operation based on the broadcast information when the time boundary is reached, the at least one second device being configured to: receive the broadcast information from the first device at the broadcast transmission period; determine the time boundary based on the operation time information contained in the broadcast information; and perform the predetermined operation synchronously with the first device when the time boundary is reached.

[0102] Example 22. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of any one of Examples 1 to 20.

[0103] It should be recognized that, depending on the example, certain actions or events of any technique described herein may be performed in a different order, or may be added, combined, or omitted entirely (e.g., not all described actions or events are necessary for the practice of the technique). Furthermore, in some examples, actions or events may be performed concurrently rather than sequentially, for example, through multithreaded processing, interrupt handling, or multiprocessor operation.

[0104] The program portion of the technology can be considered a "product" or "article of art" existing in the form of executable code and / or related data, which is embodied or implemented by a computer-readable medium. Tangible, permanent storage media may include internal memory or storage devices used by a computer, processor, or similar device or associated modules. Examples include various semiconductor memories, magnetic tape drives, disk drives, or any similar devices capable of providing storage functionality for software.

[0105] All software, or parts thereof, can sometimes communicate via networks such as the Internet or other communication networks. Such communication can load software from one computer device or processor to another. For example, loading software from a server or host computer into the hardware environment of a computer environment, or other computer environments that implement the system, or systems with similar functionality associated with the information required to provide the communication method. Therefore, another medium capable of transmitting software elements can also serve as a physical connection between local devices, such as light waves, radio waves, electromagnetic waves, etc., to be propagated through cables, optical fibers, or air. Physical media used to carry waves (such as cables, wireless connections, or fiber optic cables) can also be considered as media used to carry software. In this context, unless a tangible “storage” medium is defined, other terms referring to a “readable medium” for a computer or machine mean the medium involved in the processor executing any instructions.

[0106] This application uses specific terms to describe embodiments of this disclosure. References to "implementation," "one or more implementations," and / or "some implementations" refer to a feature, structure, or characteristic associated with at least one embodiment of this disclosure. Therefore, it should be emphasized and noted that repeated references to "implementation," "an implementation," or "alternative implementation" throughout this specification do not necessarily refer to the same implementation. Furthermore, certain features, structures, or characteristics may be appropriately combined in one or more embodiments of this application.

[0107] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that aspects of this disclosure may be illustrated and described with reference to a number of patentable classes or instances, which include any new and useful combination of processes, machines, manufactures, or substances, or any new and useful improvements thereof. Therefore, aspects of this disclosure may be implemented entirely by hardware, entirely by software (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), or by a combination of hardware and software. The aforementioned hardware or software may be referred to as a “data block,” “module,” “engine,” “unit,” “component,” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects of this disclosure may be embodied in a computer product embodied in one or more computer-readable media containing computer-readable program code.

[0108] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (technical and scientific) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. It should be further understood that terms (such as those defined in common dictionaries) should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant field, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or highly formal sense unless explicitly defined herein.

[0109] While various embodiments of this disclosure have been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that further embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited except as provided in the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A synchronization control method executed by a first device, comprising: A time boundary is set for transmitting broadcast information to at least one second device, wherein the broadcast information includes broadcast data for instructing the first device and the at least one second device to perform a predetermined operation and operation time information for the at least one second device, and the time boundary indicates the time for the first device and the at least one second device to perform the predetermined operation; Generate a broadcast transmission command that transmits the broadcast information; In response to the broadcast transmission command, the broadcast information is transmitted to the at least one second device at a broadcast transmission period, wherein the broadcast information is used by the at least one second device to perform the predetermined operation at the time boundary; as well as Upon reaching the time boundary, the predetermined operation is performed synchronously with the at least one second device based on the broadcast information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The broadcast data includes at least one of lighting control data, playback control data, and audio attribute data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, The operation time information includes the remaining time for the at least one second device receiving the broadcast transmission to perform the predetermined operation, the remaining time being the time interval from each broadcast transmission of the broadcast information to the time boundary.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, The operation time information also includes a time offset, which represents the time interval from the start time to each broadcast transmission of the broadcast information.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The operation time information includes a lifetime representing the time interval from the start time to the time boundary, and a time offset representing the time interval from the start time to each broadcast transmission of the broadcast information.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a feedback message indicating whether the broadcast transmission command was successfully delivered. in, Upon reaching the time boundary, performing the predetermined operation in synchronization with the at least one second device based on the broadcast information includes: Based on the feedback message indicating that the broadcast transmission command was successfully delivered, upon reaching the time boundary, the predetermined operation is performed synchronously with the at least one second device based on the broadcast information.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: Based on the feedback message indicating that the broadcast transmission command was not successfully delivered, the scheduled operation at the time boundary is cancelled.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: Receive the first immediately executed command; as well as In response to receiving the first immediate execution command, the predetermined operation is executed immediately after receiving the feedback message, without waiting for the time boundary.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Transmitting the broadcast information to the at least one second device during the broadcast transmission period includes: At the time node of the broadcast transmission cycle, determine whether a scheduling cycle with a higher priority than the broadcast transmission cycle arrives at the same time; The broadcast information is transmitted at the time node before the scheduling period with a higher priority is reached; and When the scheduling period with higher priority is reached, the current broadcast transmission is skipped at the time node.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The scheduling cycle with higher priority is the audio transmission cycle in which the first device transmits audio information to the at least one second device.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The first device and the at least one second device communicate via one of Bluetooth, WLAN, cellular communication and satellite communication.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Each of the first device and the at least one second device is an audio device, a lighting device, a smartphone, and a computer.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The predetermined operation is a light show operation performed by the first device and the at least one second device based on the broadcast data.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting initial synchronization information to the at least one second device, the initial synchronization information including at least the broadcast transmission period and a broadcast channel on which the broadcast information is to be transmitted.

15. A synchronization control method executed by a second device, comprising: Broadcast information is received from a first device at a broadcast transmission cycle, wherein the broadcast information includes broadcast data and operation time information, and the broadcast data is used to instruct the first device and the second device to perform a predetermined operation; A time boundary is determined based on the operation time information contained in the broadcast information, and the time boundary indicates the time for the first device and the second device to perform the predetermined operation; as well as Upon reaching the time boundary, the predetermined operation is performed synchronously with the first device based on the broadcast information.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein, The operation time information includes the remaining time for the second device to perform the predetermined operation, the remaining time being the time interval from each broadcast of the broadcast information to the time boundary.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein, The operation time information also includes a time offset representing the time interval from the start time to each broadcast transmission of the broadcast information.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein, The operation time information includes a lifetime representing the time interval from the start time to the time boundary and a time offset representing the time interval from the start time to each broadcast transmission of the broadcast information.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising: Receive the second immediately executed command; as well as In response to receiving the second immediate execution command, the predetermined operation is executed immediately after receiving the broadcast information, without waiting for the time boundary.

20. A synchronization control method for a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system comprising a first device and at least one second device wirelessly communicating with the first device, the method comprising: A time boundary is set at the first device for transmitting broadcast information to the at least one second device, wherein the broadcast information includes broadcast data for instructing the first device and the at least one second device to perform a predetermined operation and operation time information for the at least one second device, and the time boundary indicates the time for the first device and the at least one second device to perform the predetermined operation; The first device generates a broadcast transmission command that transmits the broadcast information. In response to the broadcast transmission command, the first device transmits the broadcast information to the at least one second device at a broadcast transmission period; The broadcast information is received from the first device by the at least one second device at a broadcast transmission period; The time boundary is determined by the at least one second device based on the operation time information contained in the broadcast information; as well as Upon reaching the time boundary, the first device and the at least one second device synchronously perform the predetermined operation based on the broadcast information.

21. A wireless communication system, comprising a first device and at least one second device, The first device is configured to: A time boundary is set for transmitting broadcast information to the at least one second device, wherein the broadcast information includes broadcast data for instructing the first device and the at least one second device to perform a predetermined operation and operation time information for the at least one second device, and the time boundary indicates the time when the first device and the at least one second device perform the predetermined operation; Generate a broadcast transmission command that transmits the broadcast information; In response to the broadcast transmission command, the broadcast information is transmitted to the at least one second device at a broadcast transmission period; and Upon reaching the stated time boundary, the predetermined operation is performed based on the broadcast information. The at least one second device is configured to: The broadcast information is received from the first device during the broadcast transmission period; The time boundary is determined based on the operation time information contained in the broadcast information; and Upon reaching the time boundary, the predetermined operation is performed synchronously with the first device based on the broadcast information.

22. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, the computer-executable instructions, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 20.

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