Audio Player Buffer Management for Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems face challenges in synchronizing audio data and sub-Q data when processing external digital audio, leading to sound deterioration and incorrect track management during dubbing, as they require continuous sub-Q input mode and struggle with timing differences between audio and auxiliary data.
Innovation Solution
An audio player with an interface to specify an IEC output mode, featuring counters for buffer management, a sub-Q data table to prevent overflow and underflow, and the ability to select audio processing modes, ensuring consistent output and preventing sound deterioration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If audio data and auxiliary data are extracted and managed in different buffers, then audio processing can be performed, but timing differences are generated between audio data and auxiliary data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the management of audio data and auxiliary data by using a unified buffer management mechanism with a single buffer pointer that sequentially writes both data types. This eliminates the timing differences that arise from separate buffer management while still allowing independent processing of each data type.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a buffer pointer as an intermediary mechanism that mediates between audio data and auxiliary data storage. The buffer pointer sequentially allocates space for both data types in a unified buffer, ensuring synchronized timing while maintaining the ability to process each data type independently.
2Adaptability or versatility
If receiver equipment operates in sub-Q input mode at all times, then sub-Q data can be processed when music CD is reproduced, but sub-Q data does not exist in user data from other media causing sound deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the sub-Q data processing dynamic by enabling the system to adaptively switch between processing modes. The receiver equipment can operate in sub-Q input mode when music CD is detected and switch to a mode that handles absence of sub-Q data when other media are used, preventing sound deterioration while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the receiver equipment based on the detected media type. When music CD is reproduced, the system enables sub-Q data processing with specific parameter settings, and when other media are used, it adjusts parameters to handle the absence of sub-Q data, thus maintaining sound quality across different media types.
3Adaptability or versatility
If extracted audio data and auxiliary data are encoded again in output stage, then data can be output in IEC format, but timing difference is generated affecting track management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary synchronization of audio data and auxiliary data before encoding them in the output stage. By using a unified buffer management system that maintains timing relationships from the extraction stage through to the encoding stage, the system ensures that track management accuracy is preserved while maintaining IEC format output capability.
4Measurement precision
If audio data and sub-Q data are synchronized and output, then reproduction time display and pause detection work correctly, but sound deterioration occurs when sub-Q data is not received from external digital audio
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic buffer management that adapts to the presence or absence of sub-Q data. When sub-Q data is received from music CD, the system synchronizes audio data and sub-Q data for accurate reproduction time display. When sub-Q data is not received from external digital audio, the system dynamically adjusts to maintain sound quality while still providing functional reproduction timing based on audio data alone.
Data Source
AI summary
When underflow of a sub-Q data table occurs, a sub-Q data processing section does not read and output sub-Q data but outputs only audio data. Moreover, to achieve consistency between audio data and the sub-Q data in terms of buffer management, an input processing section includes respective counters for managing respective input data amounts of the audio data and the sub-Q data. Then, the input processing section executes management so that overflow and underflow of the sub-Q data table are suppressed as much as possible and a switch changes an IEC output mode at a time of audio processing and a time of dubbing. Thus, sound deterioration, and error recording in equipment to which the audio player is connected, and the like can be prevented.