Multi-core Audio Processor Transport Buffers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Re-configurable hardware in audio interfaces introduces complexity in maintaining coherency between channels of digital signal processing, as existing systems fail to provide both re-configurability and coherency effectively.
Innovation Solution
A multi-core audio processor with an audio transport block and audio fabric block, featuring programmable audio interface resources, transport buffers, and a physical-to-logical address map, allows for flexible allocation of resources and synchronous storage of audio streams, maintaining coherency between channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If re-configurable hardware is used in audio interface, then cost and power usage are reduced, but maintaining coherency between channels becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces transport buffers as intermediary components between audio interfaces and processing cores. These buffers act as mediators that receive audio data from re-configurable hardware interfaces and maintain coherency between channels before passing data to processing cores, thereby simplifying the complexity of maintaining coherency in re-configurable systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the audio processing system into distinct functional blocks: audio interfaces for data reception, transport buffers for coherent storage, and processing cores for audio processing. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function independently while maintaining overall system coherency, reducing the complexity of managing coherency across the entire system
2Ease of manufacture
If re-configurable hardware is used in audio interface, then cost is reduced, but maintaining coherency between channels becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The transport buffers serve as intermediary structures that simplify the interface between re-configurable hardware and processing cores. By introducing this intermediate layer, the system maintains coherency without requiring complex control logic in the re-configurable hardware itself, thus reducing overall system complexity while preserving cost benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The transport buffers provide a universal interface structure that can handle multiple audio channels and different re-configuration scenarios. This multi-functional buffer design allows the same hardware structure to maintain coherency across various re-configuration states, simplifying the overall system design and reducing cost
3Adaptability or versatility
If audio data is stored in queues for processing, then processing flexibility is improved, but coherency between channels may be lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the queue structure into channel-specific buffer regions within the transport buffers. Each audio channel has its designated storage area, and the buffer management logic ensures that data from different channels is stored and retrieved in a coherent manner, maintaining channel coherency while preserving processing flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms through buffer status monitoring and coherency management logic. The transport buffers track the state of audio data from multiple channels and coordinate data transfer to processing cores, ensuring that coherency is maintained while allowing flexible processing of different audio streams
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-core audio processor includes a plurality of data ports configured to receive and transmit data, wherein a first data port of the plurality of data ports is configured to receive data associated with a first stream, a first plurality of audio interface resources configured to perform operations on the data, and a multiplexing unit configured to route data between the plurality of data ports and the first plurality of audio interface resources, the multiplexing unit including a multiplexer associated with each of the first plurality of audio interface resources. The multi-core audio processor also includes a first plurality of transport buffers, at least one transport buffer associated with each of the first plurality of audio interface resources. A first set of buffers of the first plurality of transport buffers is configured to synchronously store data received from the first set of the first plurality of audio interface resources.