Network Audio Synchronization via Master Clock Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies face challenges in allowing musicians to play live together in real time across disparate locations due to network latency, which results in inaccuracies as low as a few milliseconds, making it difficult to create a useful recording.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize a processor to generate an electronic count-in and bind it to a master clock, allowing musicians to play in sync by transmitting their performances and timing information through a network caching, storage, and mixing module, which adjusts resolution based on bandwidth to minimize latency and ensure perfect timing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If musicians play live together over the internet across disparate locations, then real-time collaboration is enabled, but network latency causes timing inaccuracies of a few milliseconds
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the audio transmission by sending timing information separately from the audio performance data. Timing information is transmitted with high priority to establish a master clock, while audio data follows at standard bandwidth. This segmentation allows musicians to synchronize their performances despite network latency, resolving the contradiction between enabling remote real-time collaboration and maintaining timing accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If full resolution audio is transmitted to maintain recording quality, then audio fidelity is improved, but bandwidth consumption increases and latency worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system transmits timing information excessively (with higher priority and redundancy) rather than full audio data, enabling synchronization with minimal latency. The full resolution audio transmission is deferred or performed partially, allowing the system to achieve the critical timing synchronization first, then fill in the high-fidelity audio data without compromising overall recording quality.
3Speed
If network bandwidth is increased to reduce latency, then transmission speed improves, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces a master clock as an intermediary that mediates between the network transmission and the musicians' performances. The master clock receives timing information and distributes synchronized timing signals to all participants, allowing standard bandwidth networks to achieve near-real-time synchronization without requiring excessive bandwidth or complex adaptive transmission systems.
Data Source
AI summary
Exemplary methods include a processor executing instructions stored in a memory for generating an electronic count-in, binding it to a first performance to generate a master clock and transmitting a first musician's first performance and first timing information to a network caching, storage, timing and mixing module. The first musician's first performance may be recorded locally at full resolution and transmitted to a full resolution media server and the first timing information may be transmitted to the master clock. The first musician's first performance is transmitted to a sound device of a second musician and the second musician creates a second performance, transmits it and second timing information to a network caching, storage, timing and mixing module. The first and second performances are mixed along with the first and the second timing information to generate a first mixed audio, which can be transmitted to a sound device of a third musician.