A method of communication and a communication apparatus

Abstract

A communication method and device are disclosed. This method can be applied to WLAN systems supporting IEEE 802.11ax next-generation Wi-Fi protocols, such as 802.11be, Wi-Fi 7, or EHT, as well as 802.11be next-generation, Wi-Fi 8, and other 802.11 series protocols. It can also be applied to UWB-based wireless personal area network systems and sensing systems. In this method, the microphone can not only collect audio signals but also act as a relay node, transmitting both the collected and received audio signals together. This cascading approach can improve the microphone's coverage range.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communications, and more specifically, to a method and apparatus for microphone communication. Background Technology

[0002] A microphone, also known as a megaphone or amplifier, is mainly used to transmit or record sound and has broad application prospects in modern society with the rapid development of smart devices.

[0003] In scenarios such as large venues, emergency rescue, and outdoor voice communication without network coverage, there are high requirements for the microphone's voice transmission coverage. However, traditional single-hop point-to-point transmission methods may not be able to meet the coverage needs in these scenarios. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a communication method and a communication device that can improve the coverage of a microphone and increase communication efficiency.

[0005] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided, applied to a first microphone, for example, the method can be performed by the first microphone or by components of the first microphone (e.g., a chip, circuit, or chip system).

[0006] The method includes: receiving a first audio signal from a second microphone, wherein the first microphone and the second microphone communicate with each other based on wireless short-range communication technology; acquiring a second audio signal; and transmitting the first audio signal and the second audio signal.

[0007] Based on the above scheme, the microphone can not only collect audio signals, but also act as a relay node to send the collected audio signals and the received audio signals together. In this way, the coverage of the microphone can be improved through cascading.

[0008] In addition, in this scheme, the first microphone can transmit the raw audio signals collected by different microphones step by step, so that the audio receiving unit can receive the raw audio signals collected by different microphones, which facilitates further data processing by the audio receiving unit.

[0009] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations, the first audio signal includes at least one of the following: an audio signal acquired by the second microphone; or an audio signal received by the second microphone.

[0010] Based on the above scheme, the first microphone can cascade and transmit both the audio signal collected by the second microphone and the audio signal received by the second microphone, thereby enabling the audio signal to be transmitted to a farther location and improving the coverage.

[0011] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations, sending the first audio signal and the second audio signal includes: sending the first audio signal and the second audio signal to an audio receiving unit; or, sending the first audio signal and the second audio signal to a third microphone, wherein the first microphone and the third microphone communicate with each other based on wireless short-range communication technology.

[0012] Based on the above scheme, the first microphone can send a first audio signal and a second audio signal to its directly connected device. The directly connected device can be another microphone or an audio receiving unit, which can meet the needs of different scenarios and provide better flexibility.

[0013] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations, the method further includes: measuring channel state information between a first microphone and each communication device directly connected to the first microphone, wherein the communication device directly connected to the first microphone includes a second microphone; transmitting first information, the first information including the available communication capacity between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected to the first microphone, the available communication capacity between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected to the first microphone being determined based on the channel state information between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected to the first microphone.

[0014] Based on the above scheme, the first microphone can measure the channel parameters between this node and other reachable nodes, which makes it easier for the audio receiving unit to optimize the topology of the first microphone based on the channel parameters and improve communication efficiency.

[0015] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations, the method further includes: determining the communication load state of the first microphone; sending second information, the second information including the available communication capacity of the first microphone, the available communication capacity of the first microphone being determined based on the communication load state of the first microphone.

[0016] Based on the above scheme, the first microphone can measure the load device of this node, which makes it easier for the audio receiving unit to optimize the topology of the first microphone based on the load status and improve the communication efficiency.

[0017] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations, the method further includes: receiving third information, the third information being used for the topological relationship between microphones managed by the audio receiving unit, the microphones managed by the audio receiving unit including a first microphone and a second microphone.

[0018] Based on the above scheme, the audio receiving unit can optimize the topology of the microphones it manages, thus ensuring the transmission of audio signals.

[0019] Secondly, a communication method is provided for use in an audio receiving unit. For example, the method can be executed by the audio receiving unit or by components of the audio receiving unit (such as chips, circuits, or chip systems).

[0020] The method includes: receiving first information, the first information including at least one of the following: available communication capacity between a first microphone and a direct communication device connected to the first microphone, and available communication capacity of the first microphone; determining, based on the first information, a topological relationship between microphones managed by an audio receiving unit, the microphones managed by the audio receiving unit including the first microphone.

[0021] Based on the above scheme, the audio receiving unit can optimize the topology between the microphones managed by the audio receiving unit based on the available communication capacity of the first microphone and the communication capacity between the first microphone and its reachable nodes, thereby ensuring the transmission of audio signals and improving communication efficiency.

[0022] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations, the method further includes sending third information to the microphones managed by the audio receiving unit, the third information being used to indicate the topological relationship between the microphones managed by the audio receiving unit.

[0023] Thirdly, a communication system is provided, the system including a second microphone and a first microphone, wherein the second microphone is used to: send a first audio signal to the first microphone, and the first microphone and the second microphone communicate with each other based on wireless short-range communication technology; the first microphone is used to: receive the first audio signal; the first microphone is also used to: acquire a second audio signal; and the first microphone is also used to: send the first audio signal and the second audio signal.

[0024] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations, the system further includes an audio receiving unit, wherein the first microphone is specifically used to: send a first audio signal and a second audio signal to the audio receiving unit; the audio receiving unit is used to: receive the first audio signal and the second audio signal from the first microphone; the second microphone is also used to: send the first audio signal to the audio receiving unit; and the audio receiving unit is used to: receive the first audio signal from the second microphone.

[0025] Based on the above scheme, the second microphone can send the first audio signal through different paths. Correspondingly, the audio receiving unit will receive the first audio signal from different paths, thereby achieving redundant transmission of the first audio signal and ensuring the reliability of communication.

[0026] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations, the first audio signal includes at least one of the following: an audio signal acquired by the second microphone; or an audio signal received by the second microphone. In other words, the second microphone is also used to: acquire the first audio signal, and / or receive the first audio signal.

[0027] Fourthly, a communication device is provided, which may be a first microphone or a component of the first microphone (e.g., a chip, circuit, or chip system). The device may have the functions described in the first aspect. For example, the device includes modules, units, or means that perform the operations described in the first aspect. These modules, units, or means may be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0028] Specifically, the device includes: a transceiver unit for receiving a first audio signal from a second microphone, wherein the first microphone and the second microphone communicate based on wireless short-range communication technology; an acquisition unit for acquiring a second audio signal; the transceiver unit is also used to: transmit the first audio signal and the second audio signal.

[0029] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in some implementations, the transceiver unit is specifically used to: send a first audio signal and a second audio signal to the audio receiving unit; or, send a first audio signal and a second audio signal to the third microphone, wherein the first microphone and the third microphone communicate with each other based on wireless short-range communication technology.

[0030] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in some implementations, the device further includes: a processing unit configured to measure channel state information between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected to the first microphone, wherein the communication device directly connected to the first microphone includes a second microphone; the transceiver unit is further configured to: transmit first information, the first information including the available communication capacity between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected to the first microphone, the available communication capacity between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected to the first microphone, determined based on the channel state information between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected to the first microphone.

[0031] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in some implementations, the processing unit is further configured to: determine the communication load state of the first microphone; the transceiver unit is further configured to: send second information, the second information including the available communication capacity of the first microphone, the available communication capacity of the first microphone being determined based on the communication load state of the first microphone.

[0032] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in some implementations, the transceiver unit is also used to: receive third information, which is used to describe the topological relationship between microphones managed by the audio receiving unit, including a first microphone and a second microphone.

[0033] Fifthly, a communication device is provided, which can be an audio receiving unit or a component of the audio receiving unit (e.g., a chip, circuit, or chip system). The device can have the functions described in the second aspect above. For example, the device includes modules, units, or means corresponding to the operations involved in the second aspect above. These modules, units, or means can be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0034] Specifically, the device includes: a transceiver unit for receiving first information, the first information including at least one of the following: the available communication capacity between a first microphone and a direct communication device connected to the first microphone, and the available communication capacity of the first microphone; and a processing unit for determining, based on the first information, the topological relationship between microphones managed by an audio receiving unit, the microphones managed by the audio receiving unit including the first microphone.

[0035] In conjunction with the fifth aspect, in some implementations, the transceiver unit is also used to: send third information to the microphones managed by the audio receiving unit, the third information being used to indicate the topological relationship between the microphones managed by the audio receiving unit.

[0036] In a sixth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising: a memory for storing a program; and at least one processor for executing the computer program or instructions stored in the memory to perform the method provided in any of the foregoing aspects or their implementations.

[0037] In one implementation, the device is a first microphone or audio receiving unit.

[0038] In another implementation, the device is a chip, chip system, or circuit used in a first microphone or audio receiving unit.

[0039] A seventh aspect provides a communication apparatus comprising: at least one processor and a communication interface, the at least one processor being configured to obtain a computer program or instructions stored in a memory via the communication interface to execute the method provided in the first aspect or an implementation thereof. The communication interface may be implemented in hardware or software.

[0040] In one implementation, the device also includes a memory.

[0041] Eighthly, a processor is provided for executing the methods provided in any of the foregoing aspects.

[0042] Unless otherwise specified, or if it does not contradict its actual function or internal logic in the relevant description, the transmission and acquisition / reception operations involved in the processor can be understood as processor output and reception, input and other operations, or as transmission and reception operations performed by radio frequency circuits and antennas. This application does not limit them in this regard.

[0043] A ninth aspect provides a computer-readable storage medium storing program code for execution by a device, the program code including methods for performing any of the above aspects or implementations thereof.

[0044] In a tenth aspect, a computer program product including instructions is provided, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method provided in any of the foregoing aspects or their implementations.

[0045] Eleventhly, a chip is provided, comprising a processor and a communication interface. The processor reads instructions stored in a memory through the communication interface and executes the method provided by any of the above aspects or their implementations. The communication interface can be implemented in hardware or software.

[0046] Optionally, as one implementation, the chip also includes a memory storing computer programs or instructions, and a processor for executing the computer programs or instructions stored in the memory. When the computer programs or instructions are executed, the processor is used to perform the methods provided by any of the above aspects or their implementations.

[0047] When the method provided in this application is executed by a chip, this application does not limit the specific number of chips implementing the method. For example, it can be executed by one chip, or by two or more chips. Furthermore, when the number of chips implementing the method is two or more, the chip manufacturers are not limited; they can be from the same manufacturer or different manufacturers.

[0048] In a twelfth aspect, a computer program is provided that, when run on a computer, causes the methods provided by any of the foregoing aspects or their implementations to be executed.

[0049] It should be understood that the beneficial effects of aspects four through twelfth and any of their implementations can be referenced from aspects one through three and any of their implementations. Attached Figure Description

[0050] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a network architecture applicable to embodiments of this application.

[0051] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating an application scenario for a microphone.

[0052] Figure 3 This is a schematic flowchart of a communication method 300 provided in this application.

[0053] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the audio signal transmission method provided in this application.

[0054] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the redundant transmission method of the audio signal provided in this application.

[0055] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of one structure of the microphone 600 provided in this application is given.

[0056] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of one structure of the audio receiving unit 700 provided in this application is given.

[0057] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of one structure of the communication device 800 provided in this application is given. Detailed Implementation

[0058] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0059] The technical solutions provided in this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as 5th generation (5G) systems (or new radio (NR) systems), long term evolution (LTE) systems, LTE frequency division duplex (FDD) systems, and LTE time division duplex (TDD) systems. The technical solutions provided in this application can also be applied to device-to-device (D2D) communication, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), and Internet of Things (IoT) communication systems or other communication systems.

[0060] Furthermore, the technical solution provided in this application supports short-range communication. For example, short-range communication enables communication between electronic devices that are relatively close to each other. Currently, mainstream access technologies for short-range communication include Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, and ZigBee. With the development of the Internet of Things (IoT), new application scenarios such as smart cars, smart homes, smart terminals, and smart manufacturing have emerged, giving rise to a new generation of short-range access technologies. Taking Sparklink Alliance access technology as an example, it includes, but is not limited to, Sparklink Basic (SLB) access technology and Sparklink Low Energy (SLE) access technology. SLB access technology can support the transmission of high-bandwidth services such as screen projection, virtual reality (VR), and in-vehicle communication, while SLE access technology can support the transmission of low-bandwidth, low-rate, and low-power services such as audio playback, keyboard, mouse, and electronic pen input. For ease of description, in the following embodiments, SLB access technology can be abbreviated as SLB, and SLE access technology as SLE. Unless otherwise specified, the access technology mentioned below refers to short-range access technology.

[0061] This application's embodiments can also be applied to wireless local area networks (WLANs), for example, supporting IEEE 802.11 related standards, such as 802.11a / b / g standards, 802.11n standards, 802.11ac standards, 802.11ax standards (i.e., Wi-Fi 6, also known as the high efficient (HE) standard), 802.11be standards (i.e., Wi-Fi 7, also known as the extremely high throughput (EHT) standard), 802.11bn standards (i.e., Wi-Fi 8, also known as the ultra high reliability (UHR) standard) or next-generation Wi-Fi 8 standards, and also including 802.11ad, 802.11ay standards, etc. The embodiments of this application can also be applied to wireless local area network systems that support integrated millimeter wave (IMMW), wireless local area network systems that support ultra-wideband (UWB) such as the 802.15 series standards, sensing systems such as the 802.11bf series standards, or wireless positioning such as 802.11az. This application can also support standard protocols such as Sparklink and Nearlink.

[0062] The communication systems described above that are applicable to this application are merely illustrative examples, and the communication systems applicable to this application are not limited thereto.

[0063] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a communication system applicable to an embodiment of this application. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the communication system 100 includes: at least one microphone (e.g., Figure 1 The microphones 110-1 and 110-2 shown are connected to the audio receiving unit 120, wherein the microphones are positioned such that... Figure 1 The microphones 110-1 and 110-2 shown can communicate via any of the aforementioned short-range wireless access technologies. Furthermore, the microphones and the audio receiving unit (e.g.) Figure 1The microphone 110-1 and the audio receiving unit 130 shown can communicate via any of the aforementioned wireless short-range access technologies, or via a wired connection. It should be understood that a single microphone can be wirelessly or wiredly connected only to the audio receiving unit, or it can be wirelessly or wiredly connected to both the audio receiving unit and other microphones, or it can be wirelessly connected to one or more microphones and communicate with the audio receiving unit through these microphones.

[0064] It should be noted that, Figure 1 The communication system 100 is described using two microphones as an example only, but the communication system 100 is not limited to including more other microphones or other devices, and this application does not make any specific limitation in this regard.

[0065] With the rapid development of smart devices, microphones have broad application prospects, such as live streaming, conferencing, and online education. Currently, the mainstream transmission method for microphones is point-to-point transmission, such as... Figure 2 As shown.

[0066] Figure 2 This diagram illustrates a microphone application scenario, including a receiver and a transmitter. The transmitter, which is the microphone, is used to collect audio signals and transmit them to the receiver via wireless communication technology. The receiver can connect to a terminal, such as a mobile phone, computer, or action camera, through an interface, thus transmitting the desired audio signal to the terminal. This transmission method is a single-hop, point-to-point transmission method with limited coverage, primarily depending on the coverage of the wireless communication technology between the receiver and transmitter.

[0067] In scenarios such as large venues, emergency rescue, and outdoor voice communication without a network, the communication distance may be as high as hundreds or thousands of meters. This places high demands on the voice transmission coverage of wireless microphones. Traditional wireless microphones mainly use ultra-high frequency (UHF) bands (such as the 470-510MHz band and the 630-698MHz band), and traditional wireless microphones are generally single-hop point-to-point frequency pairing transmission. This method may not be able to meet the coverage requirements in these scenarios.

[0068] For example, large venues typically occupy hundreds of square meters or more, so the communication distance may reach hundreds of meters. Similarly, in walkie-talkie networking scenarios, the communication distance may reach hundreds or thousands of meters. In emergency rescue scenarios, the communication distance between the disaster site and the subsequent command may reach hundreds or thousands of meters. Traditional single-hop point-to-point transmission methods may not be able to meet the coverage requirements in these scenarios.

[0069] In view of this, this application proposes a communication method and communication device that can improve the coverage of the microphone and increase the efficiency of communication.

[0070] It should be understood that the embodiments shown below use a microphone (such as a first microphone, a second microphone, a third microphone, etc.) and an audio receiving unit as examples to illustrate the method. However, this application does not limit the execution subject; any program capable of running the code of the method provided in the embodiments of this application can communicate according to the method provided in the embodiments of this application. The execution subject of the method provided in the embodiments of this application can be a microphone and an audio receiving unit, or a functional module in the microphone and audio receiving unit capable of calling and executing a program. For example, Figure 3 The first microphone in the context can also be a circuit, chip, chip system, or processor that supports the methods that the first microphone can implement, or it can be a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the first microphone.

[0071] Figure 3 This is a schematic flowchart of a communication method 300 provided in this application. Figure 3 As shown, the method 300 includes the following steps.

[0072] S310, the second microphone sends a first audio signal to the first microphone, and correspondingly, the first microphone receives the first audio signal.

[0073] In this application, an audio signal can be understood as an electrical signal converted from a sound waveform, used to represent the vibration and frequency of sound. It is an information carrier of changes in the wavelength and intensity of mechanical waves, typically within the range of human hearing (e.g., 20Hz to 20kHz). Optionally, an audio signal can also be replaced by audio information, audio data, data, etc.

[0074] The first audio signal can be one or more audio signals collected by the second microphone, or one or more audio signals received by the second microphone from other microphones. Alternatively, the first audio signal can include both audio signals collected by the second microphone and audio signals received by the second microphone from other microphones; that is, the second microphone can packetize and send the audio signals it collects and the received audio signals. The audio signals received by the second microphone from other microphones can be audio signals collected by a single microphone or a combination of audio signals collected by multiple different microphones, without limitation.

[0075] Optionally, the first audio signal may include the identifier of the device that acquired the audio signal (or the source node identifier) ​​and / or the time when the audio signal was acquired. The device identifier may be a medium access control (MAC) address, a device number, or other information that uniquely identifies the device within the system. The time may be represented by a timestamp, time offset, wireless frame number, etc. For example, when the first audio signal is an audio signal acquired by a second microphone, it may include the identifier of the second microphone and the time when the second microphone acquired the audio signal.

[0076] Optionally, the first audio signal may also include a data frame number for identifying the first audio signal.

[0077] In this application, any two microphones (such as the second microphone and the first microphone, or the first microphone and the third microphone as described below) can communicate based on short-range wireless communication technology. Specifically, this short-range wireless communication technology can be any of the following: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, SLB, SLE, etc. Therefore, the first audio signal can be transmitted to the first microphone through this short-range wireless communication technology.

[0078] S320, the first microphone sends the first audio signal.

[0079] Specifically, the first microphone can send a first audio signal to its directly connected device (or next-hop node). For example, when the first microphone is directly connected to an audio receiving unit, it can send the first audio signal to the audio receiving unit. Similarly, when the first microphone is directly connected to another microphone (such as a third microphone), it can send the first audio signal to the third microphone. Furthermore, the third microphone can continue to transmit the first audio signal, and through this cascading transmission, the first audio signal eventually reaches the audio receiving unit.

[0080] In this application, any microphone and audio receiving unit can communicate based on wireless short-range communication technology or on a wired basis, without limitation.

[0081] For example, the audio receiving unit may be called a receiver or microphone receiver, etc., which can receive audio signals from different microphones and forward these signals through other interfaces or convert them into electrical signals before outputting them.

[0082] Based on the above scheme, the microphone can act as a relay node, which can receive audio signals from other microphones and transmit the audio signals to the next hop node. In this way, the coverage of the microphone can be improved through cascading.

[0083] As one implementation, prior to S320, the method also includes: S330, where the first microphone acquires the second audio signal.

[0084] In this implementation, S320, the first microphone sending the first audio signal can mean that the first microphone sends the first audio signal and the second audio signal.

[0085] Specifically, the first microphone can acquire local audio signals through its own audio acquisition module, thus obtaining the second audio signal. Furthermore, the first microphone can combine the first and second audio signals into a single packet for transmission, meaning it can transmit both the first and second audio signals without losing their original data information.

[0086] It should be understood that since the second audio signal is acquired by the first microphone, the second audio signal can be regarded as the source audio or the original audio signal, and the first microphone can be regarded as the source node or audio source of the second audio signal.

[0087] In this implementation, the first microphone can receive the second audio signal first or the first audio signal first; that is, the order of S310 and S330 is not restricted. Furthermore, when the first microphone packets the first and second audio signals, it can place the first audio signal first or the second audio signal first. In other words, the first microphone can send the first audio signal first or the second audio signal first, or when the first and second audio signals are concatenated in the same data packet and sent, they can be considered to be sent simultaneously without restriction.

[0088] As one implementation, the first microphone can send the first audio signal first and then the second audio signal, or when the first microphone packets the first audio signal and the second audio signal, it can place the first audio signal first and the second audio signal last. This can make the forwarded audio signal sent first and reduce communication latency.

[0089] Based on the above scheme, the microphone can not only collect audio signals, but also act as a relay node to send the collected audio signals and the received audio signals together. This not only improves the coverage of the microphone, but also allows the original audio signals collected by different microphones to be transmitted step by step. As a result, the audio receiving unit can receive the original audio signals collected by different microphones, which is convenient for the audio receiving unit to perform further data processing.

[0090] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the audio signal transmission method provided in this application. For example... Figure 4As shown in (a), microphone #1 only collects local audio signals, denoted as data #1, and can send data #1 to the upper-level device. For example... Figure 4 As shown in (b), microphone #1 only collects local audio signals, denoted as data #1, and can send data #1 to microphone #2. Microphone #2 is in a muted state and does not collect any audio signals. Therefore, microphone #2 continues to send data #1 to the upstream device. Figure 4 As shown in (c), microphone #1 only collects local audio signals, denoted as data #1, and can send data #1 to microphone #3. Microphone #3 also collects audio signals, denoted as data #2, and can send data #1 and data #2 to the upstream device. Figure 4 In this context, "upper-level device" is understood as a next-hop node or a directly connected device, which can be another microphone or an audio receiving unit, without limitation. For example, in method 300, the first microphone is the upper-level device of the second microphone.

[0091] Optionally, the first audio signal is the audio signal collected by the second microphone. The method 300 further includes: S340, whereby the second microphone sends the first audio signal to another communication device directly connected to it, which is different from the first microphone. This other communication device, directly connected to the second microphone and different from the first microphone, can be another microphone (such as a fourth microphone) or an audio receiving unit. When the other device directly connected to the second microphone and different from the first microphone is a fourth microphone, the fourth microphone can further transmit the first audio signal step-by-step until the first audio signal reaches the audio receiving unit. When the other device directly connected to the second microphone and different from the first microphone is an audio receiving unit, the first audio signal can directly reach the audio receiving unit.

[0092] In other words, in this method, the first audio signal is transmitted through two different paths (i.e., the path between the second microphone and the first microphone in S310, and the path between the second microphone and the fourth microphone (or the audio receiving unit) in S340), and both eventually reach the audio receiving unit. Correspondingly, the audio receiving unit receives the first audio signal from different paths, thereby achieving redundant transmission of the first audio signal and ensuring the reliability of communication.

[0093] Optionally, when the audio receiving unit receives the first audio signal from different paths, the audio receiving unit can submit the first audio signal received first to the next process, such as output or subsequent transmission. If the first audio signal is received later, the audio receiving unit can choose to discard the first audio information.

[0094] For example, when two audio signals from different paths have the same identifier and the identifiers of the source nodes corresponding to these two audio signals are also the same, the audio receiving unit can determine that the two audio signals are the same audio signals.

[0095] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the redundant transmission method of the audio signal provided in this application. For example... Figure 5 As shown, the communication system includes microphones #1 to #7. Microphone #2 collects audio signal #1 and acts as the audio source. Microphone #2 can transmit audio signal #1 through communication paths #1, #2, and #3 respectively. The audio receiving unit can receive audio signal #1 from the three paths, thus ensuring the reliable transmission of audio signal #1. Furthermore, in this system, microphones #4, #5, #6, and #7 can all receive and forward audio signal #1, thereby increasing the microphone coverage.

[0096] Optionally, before S310, the method 300 further includes: S350, whereby the audio receiving unit establishes a topological relationship between the microphones managed by the audio receiving unit, wherein the microphones managed by the audio receiving unit include the first and second microphones mentioned above, and may also include the third and fourth microphones mentioned above, etc. The process of the audio receiving unit establishing the topological relationship is described below.

[0097] Specifically, the establishment of a topology relationship by the audio receiving unit can be triggered by a change in the node information of any microphone (denoted as microphone #A) managed by the audio receiving unit. This node information can be the available communication capacity of microphone #A, the available communication capacity between microphone #A and each communication device directly connected to it, or the need for microphone #A to join the initial topology relationship, etc.

[0098] It should be understood that, in this application, a device directly connected to a microphone can be understood as a reachable node of the microphone.

[0099] For example, microphone #A is a first microphone. When the available communication capacity between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected to it changes, method 300 further includes: S301, the first microphone sends first information, the first information including the available communication capacity between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected to the first microphone, wherein the available communication capacity between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected to the first microphone is based on channel state information between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected to the first microphone.

[0100] Specifically, the first microphone can measure channel state information (or channel parameters, channel quality) between itself and each communication device directly connected to it. This channel state information describes the current state of the wireless channel, including signal attenuation, signal-to-noise ratio, signal strength, bit error rate, etc. By analyzing the channel state information between two devices, the available communication capacity between them can be determined, such as the maximum amount of information that can be transmitted between them per unit time. Microphones with poor channel quality also have lower available communication capacity.

[0101] As mentioned above, in this application, a communication device directly connected to a microphone can be either a microphone or an audio receiving unit, without limitation. Therefore, S301, "the first microphone sends the first information," refers to the first microphone sending the first information to its directly connected communication device in the initial topology. Similar to the first audio signal mentioned above, the first information can also be forwarded step-by-step through different microphones in the initial topology to reach the audio receiving unit. Correspondingly, "the audio receiving unit receives the first information" can mean that the audio receiving unit receives the first information through a directly connected device in the initial topology. This application does not limit the structure of the initial topology.

[0102] For example, taking microphone #A as the first microphone as an example, when the available communication capacity of the first microphone changes, the method 300 further includes: S302, the first microphone sends second information, the second information including the available communication capacity of the first microphone, wherein the available communication capacity of the first microphone is determined according to the load state of the first microphone.

[0103] Specifically, the first microphone can determine its own load status, such as its data processing capability, current data flow, processing speed, and the number of directly connected communication devices. This allows it to determine the available communication capacity of the first microphone, such as the maximum rate or maximum data volume at which it can stably and effectively transmit information. Among these, microphones without relay forwarding tasks and that are muted have the largest available communication capacity, while microphones with large data flows to be transmitted have smaller available communication capacities.

[0104] Similar to the first information, the second information can also be relayed step by step through different microphones in the initial topology to reach the audio receiving unit.

[0105] Optionally, the factors affecting the available communication capacity of the first microphone may include the available communication capacity between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected thereto. For example, when the available communication capacity between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected thereto changes, the available communication capacity of the first microphone will also change.

[0106] Optionally, the available communication capacity can be quantified by weights. For example, the available communication capacity of the first microphone can be called the node weight; the available communication capacity between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected to it can be called the path weight.

[0107] It should be understood that when the first microphone transmits the first information, it can also simultaneously forward the available communication capacity of other microphones (e.g., microphone #B, which is also a microphone managed by the audio receiving unit). Similarly, when the first microphone transmits the second information, it can also simultaneously forward the available communication capacity between microphone #B and each communication device directly connected to microphone #B.

[0108] For example, assuming that in the initial topology, the first microphone and microphone #B are directly connected, then microphone #B can send its available communication capacity (which can be understood as the first information of microphone #B or the node weight of microphone #B) to the first microphone. In S301, the first microphone sends the first information and the node weight of microphone #B. This information and node weight are forwarded step-by-step through different microphones in the initial topology and eventually reach the audio receiving unit. Similarly, microphone #B can also send the available communication capacity (which can be understood as the second information of microphone #B or the path weight of microphone #B) between microphone #B and each communication device directly connected to microphone #B to the first microphone. In S302, the first microphone sends the second information and the path weight of microphone #B. This information and path weight are forwarded step-by-step through different microphones in the initial topology and eventually reach the audio receiving unit.

[0109] Optionally, microphone #B is the second microphone, meaning that in the initial topology, the second microphone is directly connected to the first microphone.

[0110] When the audio receiving unit receives the first and / or second information, it can update the initial topology based on the received information, or in other words, establish a topology suitable for the current communication environment. For example, the audio receiving unit can use a topology algorithm or artificial intelligence (AI) to take the received information and the initial topology as input and output an updated topology.

[0111] Optionally, after S350, the method 300 may further include: S303, whereby the audio receiving unit sends third information to the microphones it manages, the third information indicating the topological relationship between the microphones associated with the audio receiving unit.

[0112] Specifically, the audio receiving unit can send third information via broadcast or through the microphones in the topology, so that all the microphones associated with the audio receiving unit can receive the topology.

[0113] For example, the topology may indicate that the first microphone and the second microphone are directly connected, so that in S310, the second microphone can send a first audio signal to the first microphone.

[0114] Optionally, the audio receiving unit can also allocate transmission resources to the microphones it manages. For example, continuing with the example of the first microphone, the audio receiving unit can allocate transmission resources to the first microphone based on the available communication capacity between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected to it, as well as the available communication capacity of the first microphone itself. This includes the total available resources of the first microphone and the available resources between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected to it, thereby enabling the transmission of audio signals between these microphones.

[0115] The above combination Figures 1 to 5 The methods provided in the embodiments of this application have been described. It is understood that, in order to implement the functions in the above embodiments, each microphone and audio receiving unit includes hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to perform each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, based on the units and method steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed in this application, this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a certain function is executed in a hardware-driven or computer software-driven manner depends on the specific application scenario and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0116] Figures 6 to 8 This is a schematic diagram of the communication device provided in the embodiments of this application. These communication devices can be used to implement the functions of the various microphones and audio receiving units in the above method embodiments, and thus also achieve the beneficial effects of the above method embodiments. In the embodiments of this application, the communication device can be any of the aforementioned microphones or audio receiving units, or it can be a module (such as a chip) applied to any of the aforementioned microphones or audio receiving units.

[0117] For example, Figure 6 A schematic diagram of one structure of the microphone 600 provided in this application is given. For example... Figure 6 As shown, the microphone 600 may include one or more of the following: an audio acquisition module 610, a processing control module 620, a communication module 630, and a power supply module 640.

[0118] (1) The audio acquisition module 610 includes a microphone head (such as a condenser microphone head or a dynamic microphone head) and a preamplifier, etc. The preamplifier is used to amplify the small signal output by the microphone head.

[0119] (2) The operation control module 620 is used for microphone status control and parameter configuration, and for encoding, splicing and various audio algorithm processing of audio data.

[0120] (3) The communication module 630 supports wireless or wired connection with multiple devices, thereby realizing bidirectional communication with multiple devices. The specific technology for wireless connection can be any wireless short-range communication technology.

[0121] (4) The power module 640 provides power to the entire wireless microphone. It typically uses dry batteries (such as alkaline batteries) or rechargeable batteries (such as lithium batteries), or a constant power supply solution.

[0122] For example, when microphone 600 is used to implement Figure 3 In the method embodiment shown, when the first microphone functions, the communication module 630 is used to receive the first audio signal, the audio acquisition module 610 is used to acquire the second audio signal, and the communication module 630 is also used to send the first audio signal and the second audio signal.

[0123] Optionally, the communication module 630 is also used to: send first information and / or second information.

[0124] Optionally, the communication module 630 is also used to receive third information.

[0125] Optionally, the arithmetic control module 620 is configured to perform any of the following: packetizing the first audio signal and the second audio signal; measuring channel state information between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected to the first microphone; determining the available communication capacity between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected to the first microphone based on the channel state information between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected to the first microphone; determining the load state of the first microphone; and determining the available communication capacity of the first microphone based on the communication load state of the first microphone, etc.

[0126] It should be understood that a detailed description of the functions performed by the aforementioned microphone 600 can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 3 The method shown includes a description of the microphone.

[0127] Furthermore, the above description of the microphone structure is merely exemplary, and this application does not limit the specific form of the microphone.

[0128] For example, Figure 7A schematic diagram of one structure of the audio receiving unit 700 provided in this application is given. Figure 7 As shown, the audio receiving module 700 includes a processing module 710 and a communication module 720. The audio receiving unit 700 can be used to implement the above-mentioned... Figure 3 The method embodiment shown illustrates the function of the audio receiving unit.

[0129] When the audio receiving unit 700 is used to implement Figure 3 In the illustrated method embodiment, the audio receiving unit functions as follows: Communication module 720 is used to receive first information and / or second information. Processing module 710 is used to establish the topological relationship between the microphones managed by the audio receiving unit based on the first information and / or the second information. Optionally, communication module 720 is also used to send third information.

[0130] Optionally, the communication device (such as microphone 600 or audio receiving unit 700) may also include a storage module, which can be used to store program code, program instructions and / or data.

[0131] Optionally, the communication module (such as communication module 630 or communication module 720) may include a sending module and a receiving module. The sending module is used to implement the sending operation in the above method embodiment, that is, to execute the sending action of the above communication device (such as microphone 600 or audio receiving unit 700). The receiving module is used to implement the receiving operation in the above method embodiment, that is, to execute the receiving action of the above communication device.

[0132] It should be noted that the aforementioned communication device (such as microphone 600 or audio receiving unit 700) may include a transmitting module but not a receiving module. Alternatively, the aforementioned communication device may include a receiving module but not a transmitting module. Specifically, it depends on whether the method 300 performed by the aforementioned communication device includes both transmitting and receiving actions. For a more detailed description of the aforementioned processing module and transceiver module, please refer to... Figure 3 The relevant descriptions in the method embodiments shown.

[0133] In addition, the above-mentioned communication module can also be called a transceiver module, transceiver unit, communication unit, etc. Similarly, the sending module can also be called a sending unit, the receiving module can also be called a receiving unit, and the storage module can also be called a storage unit.

[0134] like Figure 8As shown, the communication device 800 includes a processor 810 and an interface circuit 820. The processor 810 and the interface circuit 820 are coupled to each other. It is understood that the interface circuit 820 can be a transceiver or an input / output interface. Optionally, the communication device 800 may also include a memory 830 for storing instructions executed by the processor 810, or storing input data required by the processor 810 to execute instructions, or storing data generated after the processor 810 executes instructions. Sometimes, the interface circuit 820 can also be understood as part of the processor 810, in which case the communication device 800 includes the processor 810.

[0135] When the communication device 800 is used to implement Figure 3 In the method shown, the processor 810 is used to implement the functions of the audio acquisition module 610 or the processing module 710, and the interface circuit 820 is used to implement the functions of the communication module (such as the communication module 630 or the communication module 720).

[0136] It is understood that the processor in the embodiments of this application may be a central processing unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0137] The method steps in the embodiments of this application can be implemented in hardware or in software instructions executable by a processor. The software instructions can consist of corresponding software modules, which can be stored in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, erasable programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, registers, hard disks, portable hard disks, CD-ROMs, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to a processor, enabling the processor to read information from and write information to the storage medium. The storage medium can also be a component of the processor. The processor and storage medium can reside in an ASIC. Alternatively, the ASIC can reside in a base station or terminal. The processor and storage medium can also exist as discrete components in a base station or terminal.

[0138] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved entirely or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented entirely or partially in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are performed entirely or partially. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, a network device, a user equipment, or other programmable device. The computer program or instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transferred from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer program or instructions can be transferred from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired or wireless means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium, such as a floppy disk, hard disk, or magnetic tape; it can also be an optical medium, such as a digital video optical disc; or it can be a semiconductor medium, such as a solid-state drive. The computer-readable storage medium may be a volatile or non-volatile storage medium, or may include both types of storage media.

[0139] In the various embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified or in case of logical conflict, the terminology and / or descriptions of different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other. The technical features of different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationship.

[0140] In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. In the textual description of this application, the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship. "Including at least one of A, B, and C" can mean: including A; including B; including C; including A and B; including A and C; including B and C; including A, B, and C.

[0141] In this application, descriptions such as "when," "under the circumstances," "if," and "if" all refer to the device making corresponding actions under certain objective circumstances. They are not time-limited, nor do they require the device to make a judgment action during implementation, nor do they imply any other limitations.

[0142] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the terms "first," "second," and various numerical designations are merely for descriptive convenience and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. The order of the sequence numbers of the above processes does not imply the order of execution; the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic.

[0143] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0144] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0145] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0146] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0147] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0148] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0149] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to the first microphone, including: Receive a first audio signal from a second microphone, and the first microphone and the second microphone communicate based on wireless short-range communication technology; Acquire the second audio signal; Send the first audio signal and the second audio signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first audio signal includes at least one of the following: The audio signal captured by the second microphone; The audio signal received by the second microphone.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The transmission of the first audio signal and the second audio signal includes: Send the first audio signal and the second audio signal to the audio receiving unit; or... The first audio signal and the second audio signal are sent to the third microphone, and the first microphone and the third microphone communicate with each other based on wireless short-range communication technology.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The method further includes: Measure channel state information between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected to the first microphone, wherein the communication device directly connected to the first microphone includes the second microphone; Send first information, the first information including the available communication capacity between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected to the first microphone, the available communication capacity between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected to the first microphone, determined based on channel state information between the first microphone and each communication device directly connected to the first microphone.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The method further includes: Determine the communication load status of the first microphone; Send a second message, the second message including the available communication capacity of the first microphone, the available communication capacity of the first microphone being determined based on the communication load status of the first microphone.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive third information, which is used to determine the topological relationship between microphones managed by the audio receiving unit, including the first microphone and the second microphone.

7. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to the audio receiving unit, including: Receive first information, the first information including at least one of the following: the available communication capacity between the first microphone and the direct communication device connected to the first microphone, and the available communication capacity of the first microphone; The topological relationship between the microphones managed by the audio receiving unit is determined based on the first information, wherein the microphones managed by the audio receiving unit include the first microphone.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The method further includes: A third message is sent to the microphones managed by the audio receiving unit, the third message indicating the topological relationship between the microphones managed by the audio receiving unit.

9. A communication system, characterized in that, include: The second microphone and the first microphone, among which... The second microphone is used to: send a first audio signal to the first microphone, and the first microphone and the second microphone communicate with each other based on wireless short-range communication technology; The first microphone is used to: receive the first audio signal; The first microphone is also used to: acquire a second audio signal; The first microphone is also used to transmit the first audio signal and the second audio signal.

10. The system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The system also includes an audio receiving unit, wherein... The first microphone is specifically used to: send the first audio signal and the second audio signal to the audio receiving unit; The audio receiving unit is used to: receive the first audio signal and the second audio signal from the first microphone; The second microphone is also used to: send the first audio signal to the audio receiving unit; The audio receiving unit is used to receive the first audio signal from the second microphone.

11. The system according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, The first audio signal includes at least one of the following: The audio signal captured by the second microphone; The audio signal received by the second microphone.

12. A communication device, characterized in that, include: The unit is used to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, or includes a unit used to perform the method as described in claim 7 or 8.

13. A communication device, characterized in that, include: A processor coupled to a memory for storing a computer program, the processor for executing the computer program stored in the memory to cause the apparatus to perform the method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, or to cause the apparatus to perform the method as claimed in claim 7 or 8.

14. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium stores a computer program or instructions that, when executed by a communication device, implement the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, or implement the method as described in claim 7 or 8.

15. A computer program product, characterized in that, Includes a computer program that, when run, implements the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, or implements the method as described in claim 7 or 8.

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