Bluetooth SCO Pass-Through Links Without DSP Voice Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional synchronous connection-oriented (SCO) links in Bluetooth communication systems require significant processing and power consumption for voice signal transmission, especially when encoding and decoding signals, which can lead to reduced battery life in mobile devices and inefficient data transmission.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a SCO pass-through link that bypasses the digital signal processor (DSP) of the cellular radio by configuring a signal path between the Bluetooth radio and the cellular radio to transmit signals encoded with codecs supported by the connected headset or car kit, reducing processing and power consumption while maintaining data quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional SCO links use DSP for signal encoding and decoding, then voice signal transmission quality is maintained, but power consumption and processing cycles increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the encoding/decoding function from the DSP and relocates it to the endpoint devices (headset/car kit). The SCO link is configured to pass through encoded signals directly without DSP intervention, removing the processing burden from the mobile device while maintaining signal quality through endpoint decoding
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary encoding layer where the headset or car kit acts as a mediator that encodes voice signals before transmission through the SCO link. This allows the mobile device to transmit pre-encoded signals without DSP processing, reducing power consumption while the intermediary device handles the encoding task
2Productivity
If conventional SCO links process signals through DSP, then data transmission is achieved, but the time between data transmissions is reduced and battery life is shortened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the DSP processing step from the data transmission path, extracting the encoding function and placing it at the endpoint. This eliminates continuous DSP operation, reduces processing cycles, and extends battery life while maintaining data transmission capability through the pass-through SCO link
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic action by allowing the SCO link to transmit data only when needed rather than continuous processing. The increased time between transmissions is utilized for other radio communications, creating a periodic transmission pattern that conserves battery life while maintaining productivity
3Reliability
If more processing is done in the mobile device, then signal quality is maintained, but other radio communications (e.g., WLAN) have less time for data transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the signal processing function from the mobile device and relocates it to the endpoint devices. This extraction eliminates the time conflict between SCO link processing and other radio communications, as the mobile device no longer needs to allocate processing time for encoding/decoding while maintaining signal quality through endpoint handling
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic action by creating time slots for different radio communications. The increased time between SCO data transmissions is allocated to other radio communications like WLAN, allowing them to operate periodically without interference from continuous DSP processing, thus reducing time loss for multi-radio operations
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device includes circuitry configured to determine that a first codec associated with a signal corresponds to one of one or more codecs supported by another device that is connected to the electronic device via a first communication link. A signal path is configured between a radio device configured to receive the signal and the electronic device based on a correspondence between the first codec associated with the signal and the one or more codecs supported by the another device. The signal is transmitted to the other device via the first communication link encoded with one of the one or more codecs supported by the other device.