Audio Phrase Playback Buffering for Continuous High-Rate Reproduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing audio reproduction systems for vehicle approach notification devices face challenges in smoothly reproducing continuous audio of multiple phrases due to the need to read phrase management information for each audio phrase, which can result in interruptions when the sampling frequency is high and the time interval for reading is short.

Innovation Solution

An audio reproduction device connected to an external memory that stores audio data series and management information, using a serial interface and registers to store and read phrase management information in advance, allowing continuous reproduction by referencing the stored information instead of re-reading it from the external memory for each audio phrase.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If phrase management information is re-read from external memory for each audio phrase, then audio data can be accessed, but continuous reproduction is interrupted at high sampling frequencies

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontinuous reproductionVSAvoidreading time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by reading and storing phrase management information for multiple audio phrases in advance into internal memory before reproduction begins. This allows the reproduction device to access previously fetched management information from internal memory during high-speed playback, eliminating the need to re-read from external memory and preventing interruptions in continuous audio reproduction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If sampling frequency is increased for higher audio quality, then sound fidelity improves, but the time interval for reading management information becomes insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaudio qualityVSAvoidreading time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent resolves this contradiction by performing preliminary reading of phrase management information into internal memory before the high-speed reproduction phase. This advance preparation ensures that when high sampling frequencies are used for superior audio quality, the management information is already available in fast internal memory, eliminating reading time constraints and enabling uninterrupted high-fidelity audio playback.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Quantity of substance

If external memory is used to store audio data series, then storage capacity increases, but access speed decreases due to sequential reading requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage capacityVSAvoidaccess speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the audio data storage and access system into two parts: external memory for bulk storage of audio data series and internal memory for caching phrase management information. This segmentation allows the system to maintain large storage capacity in external memory while achieving fast access speeds by retrieving management information from internal memory during reproduction, thus resolving the speed-capacity trade-off.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20240034231A1Audio reproduction device and audio reproduction method
Publication Date: 2024.02.01 LAPIS TECH CO LTD
  • US20240034231A1 patent drawing
  • US20240034231A1 patent drawing
  • US20240034231A1 patent drawing

AI summary

An audio reproduction device and method are provided. The audio reproduction device is connected to an external memory storing audio data series respectively corresponding to audio phrases and storing management information indicating an address at which each of the plurality of audio data series is stored, and perform reproduction of audio by reading the audio data series from the external memory for each audio phrase. The audio reproduction device includes a serial interface performing serial communication, registers storing the management information corresponding to the audio data series of at least two audio phrases transmitted from the external memory via the serial interface, and a reproduction control circuit reading the audio data series from the external memory via the serial interface for each audio phrase based on the management information stored in the registers and reproducing audio in the order of reading the audio data series for each audio phrase.