A high quality audio transmission system

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of audio transmission and specifically relates to a high-quality audio transmission system, which comprises a sound source device and a playing device, and has WIFI communication links and Bluetooth communication links respectively; the sound source device is configured to divide each communication period into WIFI time slices and Bluetooth time slices according to a preset proportion; when working in a mixed transmission mode, the sound source device sends first audio data to the playing device through the WIFI link in the WIFI time slice of each communication period, and confirms whether the first audio data is successfully received before the end of the current WIFI time slice; when the first audio data is not successfully received, the sound source device sends second audio data to the playing device through the Bluetooth link in the Bluetooth time slice of the current communication period; the code rate of the second audio data is lower than that of the first audio data; at least the WIFI link and the Bluetooth link of the playing device are time division multiplexing of the same radio frequency link.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of audio transmission technology, and specifically relates to a high-quality audio transmission system. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of wireless communication technology, Bluetooth-based audio transmission technology has been widely used. However, Bluetooth wireless transmission has limited throughput; even with Bluetooth 5.0 and above, the effective throughput available for audio transmission remains low. This results in a bandwidth bottleneck when transmitting high-bitrate, high-quality audio (such as lossless audio and Hi-Res audio), failing to meet users' demands for high sound quality.

[0003] Currently, the industry generally solves this problem through proprietary technologies (such as Huawei's StarFlash), but this also limits the devices that can be used (for example, only Huawei mobile phones and headphones can achieve high-quality audio transmission), resulting in poor compatibility. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art described above, the purpose of this invention is to propose an audio transmission method that combines the high throughput of WIFI and the strong interference capability of Bluetooth to achieve reliable transmission of high-quality audio, which is compatible with different mobile devices.

[0005] To achieve the above and other related objectives, the present invention provides a high-quality audio transmission system, comprising: an audio source device and a playback device, which are respectively connected by a Wi-Fi communication link and a Bluetooth communication link; the audio source device is configured to divide each communication cycle into a Wi-Fi time slice and a Bluetooth time slice according to a preset ratio; when operating in a hybrid transmission mode, the audio source device sends first audio data to the playback device via the Wi-Fi link during the Wi-Fi time slice of each communication cycle, and confirms whether the first audio data has been successfully received before the end of the current Wi-Fi time slice; when the first audio data is not successfully received, the audio source device sends second audio data to the playback device via the Bluetooth link during the Bluetooth time slice of the current communication cycle; wherein the bit rate of the second audio data is lower than that of the first audio data; wherein, at least the Wi-Fi link and the Bluetooth link of the playback device are time-division multiplexed from the same radio frequency link.

[0006] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the audio source device is further configured to accumulate the number of consecutive failures in transmitting the first audio data within a WIFI time slice; wherein, when the number of consecutive failures reaches a preset threshold, the audio source device is configured to switch from a hybrid transmission mode to a Bluetooth transmission mode.

[0007] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, when operating in Bluetooth transmission mode, the audio source device sends the second audio data to the playback device only within the Bluetooth time slice of each communication cycle via the Bluetooth link.

[0008] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the audio source device is further configured to readjust the preset proportions of the WIFI time slice and Bluetooth time slice in each communication cycle after switching to Bluetooth transmission mode, so as to expand the Bluetooth time slice or shrink the WIFI time slice.

[0009] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the audio source device is further configured to scan and detect other physical channels within the WIFI time slice of each communication cycle after switching to Bluetooth transmission mode, so as to reselect the optimal physical channel and perform channel switching on the WIFI link.

[0010] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the audio source device is further configured to switch back from Bluetooth transmission mode to hybrid transmission mode after the WIFI link switches physical channels.

[0011] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the playback device is configured to send a sleep notification to the audio source device via the WIFI link before the current WIFI time slice ends, and switch its internal WIFI power domain to a sleep state until it is woken up again before the start of the WIFI time slice of the next communication cycle; wherein, the audio source device is further configured to switch its internal WIFI power domain to a sleep state according to the sleep notification until it is woken up again before the start of the WIFI time slice of the next communication cycle.

[0012] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, when the first audio data is successfully received, the playback device is further configured to send a sleep notification to the audio source device in advance through the WIFI link, and switch the internal WIFI power domain to sleep mode until it is woken up again before the start of the WIFI time slice of the next communication cycle.

[0013] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the audio source device is used to determine whether the first audio data has been successfully received by the playback device based on the transmission status of the WIFI link; wherein, within the current WIFI time slice, if the audio source device does not receive a MAC layer confirmation frame returned by the playback device after sending the first audio data, it triggers the automatic retransmission mechanism at the underlying WIFI layer until the WIFI time slice ends.

[0014] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, when the playback device includes at least two sub-devices, the audio source device is used to divide the physical channel of the WIFI link into at least two sub-channels and simultaneously transmit the same first audio data on all sub-channels; wherein, each sub-device is used to receive the first audio data on at least one sub-channel.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: By leveraging the high throughput of Wi-Fi P2P to overcome the bandwidth limitations of Bluetooth, this invention transmits high-bitrate audio data through a time-division multiplexing mechanism, significantly improving the user's auditory experience. Simultaneously, when Wi-Fi communication is interfered with, resulting in transmission difficulties, normal-bitrate audio data can still be transmitted via Bluetooth, ensuring uninterrupted audio playback and achieving a seamless experience.

[0016] Furthermore, this invention employs an OFDMA frequency division redundancy mechanism for WIFI transmission, so that even if one sub-channel is interfered with, the other sub-channel may still transmit normally, thereby significantly enhancing the transmission reliability of WIFI communication in interference environments.

[0017] This invention also causes the Wi-Fi power domains of the audio source device and the playback device to immediately enter system-level sleep mode after the Wi-Fi transmission is completed, while Bluetooth only performs keep-alive operation, effectively reducing the overall power consumption of the system and extending the device's battery life. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a high-quality audio transmission system provided in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a high-quality audio transmission system provided in another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a WIFI link transmission based on a frequency division redundancy mechanism provided in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of WIFI link transmission based on frequency division redundancy mechanism under different scenarios according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the time-division multiplexing cycle provided in one embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments are only for illustrating the present invention and not for limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of the present invention. Therefore, the drawings only show the components related to the present invention and are not drawn according to the actual number, shape and size of the components in the actual implementation. In the actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.

[0022] In the following description, numerous details are explored to provide a more thorough explanation of embodiments of the invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other embodiments, publicly known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form rather than in detail to avoid obscuring embodiments of the invention.

[0023] Please see Figure 1 , 2 The high-quality audio transmission system shown includes a sound source device 10 and a playback device 20, wherein the sound source device 10 and the playback device 20 establish a WIFI communication link and a Bluetooth communication link, respectively.

[0024] Meanwhile, the audio source device 10 is configured to use a time-division multiplexing mechanism, dividing each communication cycle into a Wi-Fi time slice and a Bluetooth time slice according to a preset fixed proportion. The audio source device 10 can: During the WIFI time slice, communication with playback device 20 is carried out using the WIFI link; During the Bluetooth time slice, communication with playback device 20 is conducted using the Bluetooth link.

[0025] Since the playback device 20 is a cost-sensitive device, its Wi-Fi and Bluetooth links can share the same radio frequency link, thereby saving hardware costs. As for the audio source device 10, the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth usage scenarios are more complex and not limited by hardware costs. Therefore, the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth links can use different radio frequency links, and there are no major restrictions on this. The specific configuration can be based on actual needs.

[0026] As an example, when the audio source device 10 and the playback device 20 establish a WIFI communication link based on the WIFI P2P protocol, time-division multiplexing can be implemented as follows: Communication cycle: The basic cycle is based on the beacon interval of WIFI P2P, with a fixed duration of 100TU.

[0027] Time slice division: Each communication cycle is divided into a WIFI time slice and a Bluetooth time slice in a fixed ratio of 40:60.

[0028] Time slice alignment: The start position and duration of the WIFI time slice can be defined and declared using the CTWindow (Client Traffic Window) mechanism agreed in the WIFI P2P protocol to ensure that the audio source device 10 and the playback device 20 remain synchronized at the time slice boundaries.

[0029] It should be further noted that the transmission of management frames (such as Beacon frames) is also included within the Wi-Fi time slice, without the need for additional time slice allocation. That is, the audio source device 10 will broadcast and send management frames within the Wi-Fi time slice of each communication cycle. These management frames may contain parameters such as network name (SSID), supported data rates, channel information, and timestamps, which can be used by the playback device 20 to discover and synchronize with the network. For example, before establishing a Wi-Fi communication link with the playback device 20, the audio source device 10 normally broadcasts and sends management frames within the Wi-Fi time slice of each communication cycle. The playback device 20 can then establish a Wi-Fi communication link with the audio source device 10 based on the Wi-Fi P2P protocol using the information within the management frames.

[0030] In addition, the audio source device 10 operates in hybrid transmission mode by default. In this mode, the audio source device 10 sends the first audio data (high bitrate audio data) to the playback device 20 via the WIFI link during the WIFI time slice of each communication cycle.

[0031] What can be understood here is that, based on the confirmation mechanism at the bottom layer of the WIFI communication protocol, after the audio source device 10 successfully sends the data packet of the first audio data, the WIFI chip of the playback device 20 will immediately return a MAC layer confirmation frame (ACK). If the WIFI chip of the audio source device 10 does not receive the ACK, the audio source device 10 will resend the first audio data until the retransmission fails or the current WIFI time slice ends, which is the automatic retransmission mechanism at the bottom layer of WIFI.

[0032] Therefore, the audio source device 10 can determine whether the first audio data has been successfully received by the playback device 20 based on the feedback information of the WIFI link transmission status. Specifically, if the feedback information indicates that the data frame has been successfully sent, such as receiving a MAC layer ACK, then it is confirmed that the first audio data has been successfully received; if the feedback information indicates that the data frame transmission failed, such as a retransmission timeout, then it is confirmed that the first audio data has not been successfully received.

[0033] Correspondingly, when the first audio data is successfully received, the audio source device 10 maintains the Bluetooth communication link with the playback device 20 without disconnecting (keep alive), and switches the WIFI power domain to sleep mode according to the sleep notification of the playback device 20; at this time, the system power of the WIFI power domain of the audio source device 10 can be reduced to the microamp (μA) level, until it is woken up again before the start of the WIFI time slice of the next communication cycle. If the first audio data is not successfully received, the audio source device 10 will also send the second audio data (normal bitrate audio data) to the playback device 20 via the Bluetooth link within the Bluetooth time slice of the current communication cycle.

[0034] It should be noted that the first and second audio data contain identical audio content, differing only in bitrate. Accordingly, the audio source device 10 prioritizes transmission at a high bitrate to ensure a high-quality audio experience; even if high-bitrate transmission fails due to interference with the Wi-Fi link, it can still complete transmission at a normal bitrate via the Bluetooth link, thus ensuring the continuity of audio playback and avoiding stuttering or interruptions.

[0035] For playback device 20, after receiving and successfully decoding the first audio data within the WIFI time slice of any communication cycle, it will immediately return an acknowledgment frame (ACK) to audio source device 10 via the WIFI link. At the same time, playback device 20 will also send a sleep notification to audio source device 10, for example, it can return a null frame with the power management bit set to 1, so that audio source device 10 switches its internal WIFI power domain to sleep mode and simultaneously switches its own internal WIFI power domain to sleep mode as well, thereby reducing the system power of the WIFI power domain to the microamp (μA) level, reducing unnecessary power consumption, and then wakes up again before the start of the WIFI time slice of the next communication cycle.

[0036] In addition, if the playback device 20 fails to receive the first audio data, it will also send a sleep notification to the audio source device 10 through the WIFI link when the current WIFI time slice ends, and simultaneously switch its internal WIFI power domain to sleep mode.

[0037] It should be noted that, in order to ensure normal WIFI communication between the audio source device 10 and the playback device 20, regardless of whether the playback device 20 successfully receives the first audio data, it will return a sleep notification, i.e., a null frame, to the audio source device 10. However, the audio source device 10 does not rely on this sleep notification. Even if it does not receive the sleep notification returned by the playback device 20, the audio source device 10 can automatically switch its internal WIFI power domain to sleep mode after the current WIFI time slice ends, so as to avoid continuing to operate in subsequent Bluetooth time slices and generating unnecessary power consumption.

[0038] Understandably, if the high-bitrate audio data transmission proceeds smoothly before the Wi-Fi time slice ends, the playback device 20 can enter sleep mode early to minimize unnecessary power consumption, especially for Bluetooth headphones with smaller batteries where power consumption is particularly critical. If the high-bitrate audio data transmission fails and the system switches to Bluetooth transmission, the Wi-Fi power domains within both the audio source device 10 and the playback device 20 can also enter sleep mode to reduce power consumption.

[0039] Based on the above, it can be seen that this system, through a time-division multiplexing mechanism, fully utilizes the high bandwidth advantage of the Wi-Fi link while avoiding mutual interference. It prioritizes the transmission of high-bitrate audio data within the Wi-Fi time slice of each communication cycle, thereby achieving high-quality wireless audio transmission. Simultaneously, when interference on the Wi-Fi link causes high-bitrate transmission to fail, the system can seamlessly degrade to the Bluetooth link to transmit the same content at a normal bitrate, ensuring continuous audio playback. Furthermore, both the audio source device and the playback device's Wi-Fi power domain can enter microampere-level sleep mode after the Wi-Fi time slice ends, taking into account low power consumption design. Therefore, this system can stably provide a high-quality audio experience in complex wireless environments while reducing unnecessary power consumption, especially for Bluetooth headset applications.

[0040] It should be noted that this embodiment focuses on the application scenario of high-quality audio transmission in Bluetooth headsets. The corresponding playback device 20 includes at least two sub-devices. Therefore, the audio source device 10 needs to send the first audio data to the two sub-devices via the WIFI link within the WIFI time slice of each communication cycle. For this purpose, a frequency division redundancy mechanism is used for data transmission.

[0041] Specifically, such as Figure 3 , 4As shown, the audio source device 10 divides the physical channel of the WIFI link into two sub-channels (RUs) within the WIFI time slice. For example, a 20MHz channel can be divided into two 10MHz sub-channels. Accordingly, the audio source device 10 simultaneously transmits identical first audio data on both sub-channels, addressing the two sub-devices (left earphone and right earphone) respectively. Each sub-device is considered to have successfully received the data as long as it successfully decodes the first audio data transmitted on either sub-channel.

[0042] Understandably, since each sub-channel occupies only 10MHz of bandwidth, the channel is narrower, reducing the probability of being affected by narrowband interference. Furthermore, since the two sub-channels carry the exact same data, forming frequency domain redundancy, even if one sub-channel is interfered with, the other sub-channel may still transmit normally, thus significantly enhancing the transmission reliability of the WIFI link in interference environments.

[0043] Furthermore, since the acknowledgment frame (ACK) time is short and the anti-interference capability is strong, after the corresponding first audio data is successfully received, the playback device 20 can send ACK to the audio source device 10 through the entire channel, without needing to return ACK through the frequency division redundancy mechanism.

[0044] Furthermore, the audio source device 10 is also equipped with a counter to accumulate the number of times the first audio data fails to be transmitted in multiple consecutive communication cycles. For example, when the first audio data transmitted by the audio source device 10 in the WIFI time slice for ten consecutive cycles (about 1 second) is not successfully received by the playback device 20, the number of consecutive failures accumulated by the counter is ten.

[0045] In response, when the cumulative number of consecutive failures accumulated by the counter exceeds a preset threshold, the audio source device 10 will switch from hybrid transmission mode to Bluetooth transmission mode. Understandably, at this point, the Wi-Fi link is insufficient to support stable transmission of high-bitrate audio. To ensure continuous audio playback and avoid stuttering or interruptions, the audio data will be entirely carried by the Bluetooth link. Accordingly, in this mode, the audio source device 10 will no longer attempt to send the first audio data within the Wi-Fi time slice of each communication cycle, but will only transmit the second audio data via the Bluetooth link within the Bluetooth time slice of each communication cycle, i.e., using only normal-quality audio data to ensure normal audio playback.

[0046] Furthermore, since the audio source device 10 no longer needs to transmit high-quality audio data within the Wi-Fi time slice in Bluetooth transmission mode, it can utilize the Wi-Fi time slice to perform channel scanning to detect other available physical channels. For example, the audio source device 10 scans only one other physical channel during the Wi-Fi time slice of each communication cycle and evaluates its congestion level and noise floor level. After several consecutive communication cycles, once all available channels have been scanned, the audio source device 10 can select the optimal physical channel (lowest congestion, lowest noise floor) as the updated Wi-Fi link based on the scanning results.

[0047] Understandably, since the Wi-Fi time slice in each communication cycle only needs to handle the scanning and detection of one channel, it doesn't require excessive time. Furthermore, in this mode, the Wi-Fi link is no longer used for audio data transmission. To further optimize power consumption and transmission efficiency, the preset ratio of the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth time slices in each communication cycle can be readjusted to expand the Bluetooth time slice and shrink the Wi-Fi time slice. For example, as... Figure 5 As shown, the duration of the WIFI time slice can be shortened to about 30 milliseconds, and the ratio of the WIFI time slice to the Bluetooth time slice can be adjusted to 30:70, thereby reserving a more sufficient time window for Bluetooth data transmission.

[0048] Subsequently, the audio source device 10 can notify the playback device 20 to switch the Wi-Fi link channel via the CSA (Channel Switch Announcement) mechanism. After the channel switch is completed, the audio source device 10 will revert to the hybrid transmission mode and continue to transmit high-quality audio data through the updated Wi-Fi link. At the same time, the Wi-Fi time slice will return to its normal duration, that is, the ratio of Wi-Fi time slice to Bluetooth time slice in each communication cycle will return to 40:60.

[0049] Understandably, if the new physical channel environment is good, the audio source device 10 will continue to operate in hybrid transmission mode; if the new physical channel still has serious interference, the above operation will be repeated.

[0050] Based on the above, in a specific embodiment, it is assumed that the audio source device 10 is a mobile phone, the playback device 20 is a pair of TWS (True Wireless Stereo) earphones (left and right earphones), the mobile phone acts as the GO (Group Owner) in the Wi-Fi P2P network, and the left and right earphones act as GCs (Group Clients) respectively. A Bluetooth connection is established between all three devices simultaneously. It can be understood that the GO (Group Owner) is the device acting as the access point in the Wi-Fi P2P network, and the GC (Group Client) is the device connected to the GO in the Wi-Fi P2P network.

[0051] Time-division multiplexing operates on a 102.4ms (100TU) cycle. At the start of each cycle, the phone sends a Beacon frame (included within the Wi-Fi time slice), followed by high-bitrate audio data to the left and right earpieces within the Wi-Fi time slice. Simultaneously, the phone employs OFDMA (Frequency Division Multiplexing) to divide the 20MHz channel into two 10MHz RUs (Remote Roots), transmitting the same audio data on both RUs simultaneously, addressing the left and right earpieces respectively. Each earpiece receives and decodes data from one RU; if decoding fails due to interference, it can recover data from the other RU.

[0052] In response, under favorable channel conditions, the phone can complete the transmission of all high-quality audio data and receive ACK confirmations from both earbuds within the Wi-Fi time slice. After transmission, each earbud sends a null frame to the phone, informing it that it can enter sleep mode. Upon receiving two null frames, both the earbuds and the phone adjust their internal Wi-Fi power domains to enter system-level sleep mode, reducing the battery level to microamps. During the remaining Bluetooth time slice (approximately 61ms, accounting for about 60%), the phone only performs keep-alive operations on the Bluetooth link to maintain the connection, without transmitting audio data.

[0053] When the Wi-Fi channel experiences sudden interference during a certain period, the OFDMA frequency division redundancy mechanism allows the headphones to successfully decode data through another sub-channel even if some sub-channels are affected by narrowband interference, increasing the probability of successful transmission in a single instance. If the interference is severe, both sub-channels are affected, and the phone fails to deliver all high-quality audio data to both headphones by the end of the Wi-Fi time slice, meaning it doesn't receive an ACK confirmation from either the left or right headphone. As the Wi-Fi time slice nears its end, both headphones still send null frames to the phone, putting it into a low-power state. Upon entering the Bluetooth time slice, the phone detects that the Wi-Fi link's transmission status indicates incomplete audio data transmission within the Wi-Fi time slice and immediately transmits the complete audio data for the current period via Bluetooth at a normal audio quality bitrate. The headphones then play the normal audio quality data transmitted via Bluetooth, ensuring continuous and uninterrupted audio playback. The user experience is characterized by a slight decrease in sound quality without any stuttering.

[0054] If high-quality audio transmission fails to be completed within its respective Wi-Fi time slice for approximately one second (about 10 cycles), the phone assumes the Wi-Fi communication environment of the current physical channel is poor and triggers a mode switch. Audio transmission is then completely switched to the Bluetooth link for continuous playback at standard audio quality and bitrate. The phone shortens the Wi-Fi time slice to approximately 30ms and performs a channel scan within each Wi-Fi time slice cycle, scanning one channel per cycle, monitoring wireless frame activity on that channel, and assessing channel congestion and noise floor levels. Once all available channels have been scanned, the phone selects the channel with the lowest congestion and noise floor as the target channel and notifies the left and right earbuds of the upcoming switch to the target channel via a CSA frame. Upon receiving the CSA, the earbuds switch to the new channel at the specified time. After the Wi-Fi channel switch is complete, the phone reverts to hybrid transmission mode, the Wi-Fi time slice returns to approximately 41ms, and high-quality audio data is transmitted again via the Wi-Fi link using OFDMA frequency division redundancy.

[0055] In summary, this invention overcomes the bandwidth limitations of Bluetooth by leveraging the high throughput of Wi-Fi P2P, and transmits high-bitrate audio data through a time-division multiplexing mechanism, significantly improving the user's auditory experience. Furthermore, even when Wi-Fi communication is interfered with, resulting in transmission difficulties, normal-bitrate audio data can still be transmitted via Bluetooth, ensuring uninterrupted audio playback and a seamless experience.

[0056] Furthermore, this invention employs an OFDMA frequency division redundancy mechanism for WIFI transmission, so that even if one sub-channel is interfered with, the other sub-channel may still transmit normally, thereby significantly enhancing the transmission reliability of WIFI communication in interference environments.

[0057] This invention also causes the Wi-Fi power domains of the audio source device and the playback device to immediately enter system-level sleep mode after the Wi-Fi transmission is completed, while Bluetooth only performs keep-alive operation, effectively reducing the overall power consumption of the system and extending the device's battery life.

[0058] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in the present invention should still be covered by the claims of the present invention.

[0059] Throughout this specification, the terms "an embodiment," "embodiment," or "specific embodiment" refer to a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment that is included in at least one embodiment of the invention, but not necessarily in all embodiments. Therefore, the various representations of the phrases "in one embodiment," "in an embodiment," or "in a specific embodiment" in different places throughout the specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, a particular feature, structure, or characteristic of any specific embodiment of the invention can be combined with one or more other embodiments in any suitable manner. It should be understood that other variations and modifications of the embodiments of the invention described and illustrated herein may be based on the teachings herein and will be considered part of the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0060] Furthermore, unless otherwise expressly stated, any arrows in the accompanying drawings should be considered illustrative only and not limiting. Additionally, unless otherwise stated, the term "or" as used herein is generally intended to mean "and / or". Where a term is anticipated to provide a separation or combination capability that is unclear, a combination of components or steps will also be considered as indicated.

[0061] As used herein and throughout the claims below, unless otherwise specified, “a” and “the” include the plural references. Similarly, as used herein and throughout the claims below, unless otherwise specified, “in” means “in” and “on”.

[0062] The above description of the embodiments shown in this invention (including the content set forth in the abstract of the specification) is not intended to be an exhaustive enumeration or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed herein. Although specific embodiments and examples of the invention have been described herein for illustrative purposes only, various equivalent modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention, as will be recognized and understood by those skilled in the art. As indicated, these modifications can be made to the invention in accordance with the above description of the embodiments described herein, and such modifications will be within the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0063] This document has generally described the systems and methods in detail to aid in understanding the invention. Furthermore, various specific details have been set forth to provide a general understanding of embodiments of the invention. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments of the invention can be practiced without one or more specific details, or using other means, systems, accessories, methods, components, materials, parts, etc. In other instances, publicly known structures, materials, and / or operations have not been specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of the invention.

[0064] Therefore, although the invention has been described herein with reference to specific embodiments thereof, freedom of modification, various changes and substitutions are also within the scope of the foregoing disclosure, and it should be understood that in some cases, certain features of the invention may be adopted without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention and without corresponding use of other features. Thus, many modifications can be made to adapt a particular environment or material to the essential scope and spirit of the invention. The invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology used in the following claims and / or the specific embodiments disclosed as the best mode for carrying out the invention, but the invention will include any and all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, the scope of the invention will be defined only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A high-quality audio transmission system, characterized in that, include: The audio source device and the playback device have established WIFI communication links and Bluetooth communication links respectively; The audio source device is configured to divide each communication cycle into a WIFI time slice and a Bluetooth time slice according to a preset ratio; When operating in hybrid transmission mode, the audio source device sends the first audio data to the playback device via the WIFI link within the WIFI time slice of each communication cycle, and confirms whether the first audio data has been successfully received before the end of the current WIFI time slice. When the first audio data is not successfully received, the audio source device sends the second audio data to the playback device via the Bluetooth link within the Bluetooth time slice of the current communication cycle; wherein the bit rate of the second audio data is lower than that of the first audio data; Among them, at least the WIFI link and Bluetooth link of the playback device are time-division multiplexed from the same radio frequency link.

2. The high-quality audio transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The audio source device is also used to accumulate the number of consecutive failures to transmit the first audio data within the WIFI time slice; When the number of consecutive failures reaches a preset threshold, the audio source device is used to switch from the hybrid transmission mode to the Bluetooth transmission mode.

3. The high-quality audio transmission system according to claim 2, characterized in that, When operating in Bluetooth transmission mode, the audio source device sends the second audio data to the playback device only within the Bluetooth time slice of each communication cycle via the Bluetooth link.

4. The high-quality audio transmission system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The audio source device is also used to readjust the preset proportions of the WIFI time slice and Bluetooth time slice in each communication cycle after switching to Bluetooth transmission mode, so as to expand the Bluetooth time slice or shrink the WIFI time slice.

5. The high-quality audio transmission system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The audio source device is also used to scan and detect other physical channels within the WIFI time slice of each communication cycle after switching to Bluetooth transmission mode, so as to reselect the optimal physical channel and perform channel switching on the WIFI link.

6. The high-quality audio transmission system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The audio source device is also used to switch back from Bluetooth transmission mode to hybrid transmission mode after the WIFI link switches physical channels.

7. The high-quality audio transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The playback device is used to send a sleep notification to the audio source device through the WIFI link before the current WIFI time slice ends, and switch the internal WIFI power domain to sleep mode until it is woken up again before the start of the WIFI time slice of the next communication cycle. The audio source device is also used to switch the internal WIFI power domain to a sleep state according to the sleep notification, and wake it up again before the start of the WIFI time slice of the next communication cycle.

8. The high-quality audio transmission system according to claim 7, characterized in that, When the first audio data is successfully received, the playback device is also used to send a sleep notification to the audio source device in advance through the WIFI link, and switch the internal WIFI power domain to sleep mode until it is woken up again before the start of the WIFI time slice of the next communication cycle.

9. The high-quality audio transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The audio source device is used to determine whether the first audio data has been successfully received by the playback device based on the transmission status of the WIFI link. Within the WIFI time slice, if the audio source device does not receive a MAC layer confirmation frame from the playback device after sending the first audio data, it triggers the automatic retransmission mechanism at the WIFI layer until the WIFI time slice ends.

10. The high-quality audio transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the playback device includes at least two sub-devices, the audio source device is used to divide the physical channel of the WIFI link into at least two sub-channels and simultaneously transmit the same first audio data on all sub-channels; Each sub-device is used to receive first audio data on at least one sub-channel.

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