Wireless Audio Clock Synchronization via Master Intermediary
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wearable wireless audio devices, such as wireless headphones, often experience data loss due to clock drift between devices, leading to overlapping transmission events and poor data link quality when the source device is positioned in a way that obstructs the transmission path to one headphone, such as in a cross-body scenario.
Innovation Solution
The method involves synchronizing device clocks between peripheral and audio devices using predictive algorithms to adjust the timing of isochronous data streams, ensuring that transmission events do not overlap by widening receiving windows to account for clock drift, thereby maintaining reliable data transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If discrete data streams are transmitted to each wireless headphone independently, then each headphone receives its dedicated audio data, but clock drift between devices causes overlapping transmission events and data loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a master device as an intermediary that centralizes clock maintenance and coordinates transmission timing for multiple wireless headphones. The master device acts as a time reference that synchronizes all slave devices, preventing clock drift and overlapping transmissions without requiring complex inter-device synchronization protocols between each headphone pair.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic synchronization intervals where the master device periodically transmits timing reference signals to slave devices. This periodic action ensures that all devices realign their clocks and transmission schedules at regular intervals, preventing cumulative drift from causing overlapping transmissions and data loss.
2Ease of operation
If the source device is placed in a cross-body position for user convenience, then the user can easily carry the device, but the transmission path to one headphone is obstructed causing poor link quality
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic transmission events with synchronized timing across all devices. Even when the source device is in a cross-body position causing intermittent obstructions, the periodic synchronized transmissions ensure that data is reliably delivered during clear transmission windows, maintaining link quality despite physical obstructions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where devices monitor transmission quality and link conditions. When obstructions are detected in cross-body scenarios, the system can adjust transmission parameters, timing, or power levels to maintain reliable data link quality despite the challenging physical positioning.
3Adaptability or versatility
If different device clocks are used to define timing for separate data streams, then each device can operate independently, but clock drift causes overlapping transmission events
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic synchronization where slave devices independently maintain their clocks but periodically realign with the master device's time reference. This allows devices to operate independently between synchronization intervals while ensuring that transmission events remain coordinated and non-overlapping through regular timing realignment.
Solution Approach 2:
Each slave device independently maintains its own clock and transmission schedule based on its interpretation of the master's timing signals, without requiring continuous active coordination. This self-service approach allows independent operation while the periodic synchronization from the master ensures overall system coordination prevents overlapping transmissions.
Data Source
AI summary
An audio system, method, and computer program product for synchronizing device clocks. The systems, methods and computer program product can establish a first isochronous data stream between a peripheral device and a first device and establish a second isochronous data stream between the first device and a second device to send data between the first and second device. As the two data streams may rely on two different device clocks, e.g., one clock which defines the timing for the first isochronous data stream and a second clock which defines the timing for the second isochronous data stream, the systems, methods, and computer program disclosed herein are configured to maintain synchronization and/or synchronize the first clock with the second clock to prevent data loss due to clock drift.